Ordered a Wolf Ridge MFG Splitter

[Blaszer]

Placed an order for a Wolfe Ridge 28 Pro log splitter back in the end of January, their entry level unit. After going back and forth with future heating plans for our house, greenhouse, and shop, I called Chris up (the owner of Wolfe Ridge) and upgraded the order! Went with a Compact Commercial Pro28C.

Compact Commercial Log Splitter | Wolfe Ridge Mfg - 3132 Louis Ave - Eau Claire, WI USA 5473 - (715-598-779)

Chris is awesome to work with, between the many calls and Facebook messages (I think I was starting to annoy him :laughing he got us setup with the right splitter for our "Home" use. He builds everything in house and uses top quality parts and built in the USA. Outdoors with the Morgans run his Pro22C splitter and I have been very impressed with everything I have seen and read on it.

Comes standard with a 4 way hydraulic wedge and hydraulic log lift rated at 450lbs. 13 HP Honda GX390, 22 GPM pump, 25 gallon oil tank. Upgraded with the 6 way wedge (get 4 way as well) and the full auto cycle valve and powdercoated in Stihl Orange.

Now only have to wait till the first week of March! Comes on a large pallet on a flatbed fully assembled just add fuel and ready to run. I have been building quite the pile of logs in preparation. Photos of the delivery will come!

 

[oosik]

Nice unit. Trust but verify. Check for engine oil & hydraulic oil. I always greased the top of the I-beam that the wedge slid on.

 

[Diggin It]

and Facebook messages

Outdoors with the

A double whammy. OY!!!

 

[OWTM]

Mike here from Outdoors with the Morgans, you are going to love that splitter, get lots of rounds ready, lots and lots of them lol

 

[oosik]

That hydraulic lift would have been a real back saver in my case. Back when I burned firewood, it was only Ponderosa pine. Really BIG P. pine. 28" to 34" on the butt. After about two hours my back would simply give out. My solution - dig a trench and roll the splitter into the trench. This would put the I-beam at ground level. Then I just had to man-handle the round across the ground - no lifting.

With the rounds being so big - I split them with the round lying vertical on the I-beam.

 

[Blaszer]

Mike here from Outdoors with the Morgans, you are going to love that splitter, get lots of rounds ready, lots and lots of them lol

Mike, glad you joined the thread! You were the inspiration for buying it after all LOL! I will make sure to post plenty of photos of the delivery and setup process.

 

[Blaszer]

That hydraulic lift would have been a real back saver in my case. Back when I burned firewood, it was only Ponderosa pine. Really BIG P. pine. 28" to 34" on the butt. After about two hours my back would simply give out. My solution - dig a trench and roll the splitter into the trench. This would put the I-beam at ground level. Then I just had to man-handle the round across the ground - no lifting.

With the rounds being so big - I split them with the round lying vertical on the I-beam.

When did you stop splitting wood? I assume you were heating the house with that, but it was a good idea to bury that splitter in the ground. How many years ago was this? Splitters have come a long way in the recent years.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

That hydraulic lift would have been a real back saver in my case. Back when I burned firewood, it was only Ponderosa pine. Really BIG P. pine. 28" to 34" on the butt. After about two hours my back would simply give out. My solution - dig a trench and roll the splitter into the trench. This would put the I-beam at ground level. Then I just had to man-handle the round across the ground - no lifting.

With the rounds being so big - I split them with the round lying vertical on the I-beam.

That's what is nice about my 3 point splitter, I can lower it to the ground to roll a big block onto the beam.

I hired out for a day splitting big red oak for a lady, she had an all girl crew and those gals rolled some big blocks onto the beam just that way... Here's a little of it,

By the time that day was over, we sure had a lot of oak split...

SR

 

[oosik]

Blaszer - we built the house and moved in, in 1982. Used firewood for twelve years. Got tired of all the dirt, volcanic ash & stink bugs brought in with the firewood. Went to a pellet stove for the next ten years. Then pellet costs went out of sight. Now we use baseboard electric heat.

1982 was just two years after the Mt St Helens eruption. The Ponderosa pine bark was packed with volcanic ash. Really raised havoc with the chainsaw chain also. I did like the heat and smell of burning pine though.

The days of firewood are gone though. My age & my body( particularly my back ) just could not take it any more.

Sawyer Rob - that picture of all the split wood makes my back muscles start to ache. That IS a whole lot of wood.

 

[Thomas]

Congrats on the investment :thumbsup:
Looking forward to action video.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Sawyer Rob - that picture of all the split wood makes my back muscles start to ache. That IS a whole lot of wood.

It was a pretty easy day for me, the girls there did most of the work and they were all helping each other, so it went along smooth...

It was pretty nice to just be able to jump on the tractor, drive over there right up to the rounds and split them leaving a nice pile behind, I've done it a couple times now...

Actually, it was a fun day, that made me some decent money.

SR

 

[shooterdon]

Nice unit but for $8000 (or thereabouts) it needs to be!

I could not even justify a $3000 splitter so kept my old DR for occasional use (storm damage etc) and went a different route. I can rent a firewood processor that takes logs and turns them into splits. The rental includes spare chains. It will process 10 cords in 8 hours ($300) or 20 cords in 16 hours ($450). No bucking, no lifting (I already have the grapple). I have 32 loggers cords to process so will negotiate a three day rental for $600. My supply will last over 4 years so less than $150/year to supply my needs. Much less work, no capital investment, and no maintenance cost was a great fit for me. But I am 69 and could never pay off a good splitter.

$8000 invested in the stock market will return over 6% about $500/year. So I "earn" $350 a year by renting (4.375 % return). Over 15 years, I will have over $15,000. Not sure how you guys justify investing in high end splitters unless you are processing over 20 cords a year.

 

[Blaszer]

It was a pretty easy day for me, the girls there did most of the work and they were all helping each other, so it went along smooth...

It was pretty nice to just be able to jump on the tractor, drive over there right up to the rounds and split them leaving a nice pile behind, I've done it a couple times now...

Actually, it was a fun day, that made me some decent money.

SR

Interesting idea, I didn't think about hiring out myself and the splitter, may be able to make a little extra cash on a slow day doing that.

 

[Blaszer]

Nice unit but for $8000 (or thereabouts) it needs to be!

I could not even justify a $3000 splitter so kept my old DR for occasional use (storm damage etc) and went a different route. I can rent a firewood processor that takes logs and turns them into splits. The rental includes spare chains. It will process 10 cords in 8 hours ($300) or 20 cords in 16 hours ($450). No bucking, no lifting (I already have the grapple). I have 32 loggers cords to process so will negotiate a three day rental for $600. My supply will last over 4 years so less than $150/year to supply my needs. Much less work, no capital investment, and no maintenance cost was a great fit for me. But I am 69 and could never pay off a good splitter.

$8000 invested in the stock market will return over 6% about $500/year. So I "earn" $350 a year by renting (4.375 % return). Over 15 years, I will have over $15,000. Not sure how you guys justify investing in high end splitters unless you are processing over 20 cords a year.

shooterdon,

I completely understand were you come from. It is A LOT of money for something that can be done with $100 in hand tools (although it would take a LONG time). I first started off with looking at higher end splitters from the big box stores (~$2000). I got on youtube and found the Wolfe Ridge products from Outdoors with the Morgans... and I was sold.

You are lucky to be able to rent a full processor, to my knowledge, no one near me rents those.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Not sure how you guys justify investing in high end splitters unless you are processing over 20 cords a year.

Why do I have to justify something I want???

I bet you I could come to YOUR house and find a LOT of things you don't "need" but you want...

Not to mention, my splitter will have 50 or more % resale when I no longer "want" it.

SR

 

[shooterdon]

Why do I have to justify something I want???

I bet you I could come to YOUR house and find a LOT of things you don't "need" but you want...

Not to mention, my splitter will have 50 or more % resale when I no longer "want" it.

SR

Let me understand...you think spending $8000 and recouping $4000 is a better investment than having $15,000 after 15 years. And while you bust your butt bucking logs and moving rounds, you are better off than I am sitting on my butt running a tractor and processor. If work is your way to have fun....go for it. For me it is work. When you get to my age, you may have a different perspective. I do not like to spend money to end up doing more work.

You only need to justify what you do when trying to convince others you have a better option. I offered an option that is based on facts and numbers... not directed at you or the OP. If I missed something let me know because I am always looking for economical and simple ways to get a job done.

Processing wood is not fun for some of us. We want it done as efficiently and economically as possible. So I ask again...how do you justify an $8000 splitter unless you are processing over 20 cords a year? Educate us...or at least me, as I do not see it.

I am cursed with being a numbers guy...not a bean counter, but I worked in manufacturing all my life. Every project needed to be justified. Only three reasons for an investment....to meet safety needs, to meet environmental needs, to increase profits.

A processor increases my net worth, and makes it possible to easily and safely put up firewood as my health deteriorates. Show me a better option.

 

[goeduck]

^^^^ No dog in this fight and I only have a $2000 splitter, but I do enjoy splitting wood and the exercise.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Let me understand...you think spending $8000 and recouping $4000 is a better investment than having $15,000 after 15 years. And while you bust your butt bucking logs and moving rounds, you are better off than I am sitting on my butt running a tractor and processor. If work is your way to have fun....go for it. For me it is work. When you get to my age, you may have a different perspective. I do not like to spend money to end up doing more work.

You only need to justify what you do when trying to convince others you have a better option. I offered an option that is based on facts and numbers... not directed at you or the OP. If I missed something let me know because I am always looking for economical and simple ways to get a job done.

Processing wood is not fun for some of us. We want it done as efficiently and economically as possible. So I ask again...how do you justify an $8000 splitter unless you are processing over 20 cords a year? Educate us...or at least me, as I do not see it.

I am cursed with being a numbers guy...not a bean counter, but I worked in manufacturing all my life. Every project needed to be justified. Only three reasons for an investment....to meet safety needs, to meet environmental needs, to increase profits.

A processor increases my net worth, and makes it possible to easily and safely put up firewood as my health deteriorates. Show me a better option.

First of all, YOU are only worried about money, I'm just not that way... IF money is that important to you, then you should have almost nothing, because nothing is all anyone really "needs", the rest is just wants!!

You are the one doing all the convincing on this thread, I could care less how much money you have/make or how you use it. BUT, you keep telling everyone here how they should spend "theirs"...

Percentage wise, after MANY years of use, I'll do much better selling my splitter than you will your car or pickup and it cost me less! lol

Like I said, I don't have to justify all of the purchases that I "WANT" to make, and I enjoy my "wants" just fine, including my splitter...

BTW, my splitter didn't cost 8K...

SR

 

[shooterdon]

SB

Just suffering from cabin fever I guess. Twisted my ankle badly on ice three weeks ago and still hobbling around. Had to blow out some snow a few days ago and ii was not fun limping around. Sorry if I came across as telling people how to spend their money. Trying to understand the economics of getting the job done...which is a silly perspective if what I consider work is fun for others. Fun is priceless!!

I understand somewhat. I have an $18,000 shotgun I used when I was shooting competitively. Unless someone shoots competitively, and really enjoys it, it is a waste of money. In fact, it is likely a waste of money even if someone shoots a lot...LOL!! I bought it used for $12k so will likely get most of my money back. Hardly shoot enough now to justify keeping it, but I keep it any way. More fun for me to have the dumb thing and shoot the occasional good score than having the money in the bank. I know I am being dumb, but I am blessed, and can afford to be silly about it. (Took second place at the State championship in 2012 so it has some memories)

I was being judgmental on the splitter cost because I put my perspective on it. I would rather spend money on other things than stuff to process firewood. I burn wood to save money. The only "fun" part is using the tractor to process it, starting the fire and watching it burn. I have a wood insert with glass door, and we enjoy watching the fire. With my situation and costs, if LP was $.98/gal, I would save less than $500 a year burring wood. I would stop using wood as my primary heat source if that happened, but not much chance of that.

Thus my search for an easy and economical way to get the job done; even started a splitter thread here to tap the experience on this forum. Upgrading my splitter did not do it. I found a solution that works better for me. It may only work for me...but I think others can benefit from what I came up with. My buddy is a year older, and processes wood the traditional way. Fells trees, buck logs, loads the rounds into a pickup or 4 wheeler with a trailer, and splits with a large splitter. He was complaining about having to go with propane because his health is waning, but he cannot afford it. Now, he thinks he can use wood for another five years by changing to a system like I am using. My system is three times the cost of "free" wood but 1/2 the cost of $1.40/gal propane (and propane will not stay that cheap). By using purchased logs, I can process 10 cords a day. He can do one cord a day.

You, and others, are wired differently. Processing wood is one of your passions. Enjoy what makes you happy!! All good....

 

[Blaszer]

Splitter is somewhere between powdercoating and final assembly! Should be shipping out in the next few days... but first the hard part of paying the bill :confused2: