Wood splitters

   / Wood splitters #31  
Sorry, was showing part of the volume of wood we use , Images are from last year. Here is an image from this year, July, you can see my splitter in the image (axe) on the stump. Nearly all is split with the exception of what will fit in my wood burner without splitting. Every year is different and depends on what is available, but all that is split is with an axe. I find this version, copied from swedish versions, is the best yet as I have had several over the years. The heavier mauls are too bulky for how I split wood. 100% is cut with Stihl electric chainsaw and split with the axe. If you zoom in you will see most is split. I am 66 years old, by the way and believe this exercise helps keep me the 4 year old I am inside, rather than sitting on the couch. Hard work is good for all, and sometimes the simplest ways are still the most productive. Thanks for pointing out the "unsplit" in the images I used. It is easy to outsplit nearly every hydraulic splitter out there if you split often. Not bragging, FACT due to the time spent on recycles and moving wood out of the way that requires 2 people to beat the splitter.
IMG_1209.JPG
 
   / Wood splitters #32  
Sorry, was showing part of the volume of wood we use , Images are from last year. Here is an image from this year, July, you can see my splitter in the image (axe) on the stump. Nearly all is split with the exception of what will fit in my wood burner without splitting. Every year is different and depends on what is available, but all that is split is with an axe. I find this version, copied from swedish versions, is the best yet as I have had several over the years. The heavier mauls are too bulky for how I split wood. 100% is cut with Stihl electric chainsaw and split with the axe. If you zoom in you will see most is split. I am 66 years old, by the way and believe this exercise helps keep me the 4 year old I am inside, rather than sitting on the couch. Hard work is good for all, and sometimes the simplest ways are still the most productive. Thanks for pointing out the "unsplit" in the images I used. It is easy to outsplit nearly every hydraulic splitter out there if you split often. Not bragging, FACT due to the time spent on recycles and moving wood out of the way that requires 2 people to beat the splitter.View attachment 715761

Maybe if you’re splitting 6” rounds that you can split in one hit. If you throw anything challenging into the mix and you’re loosing your lead quickly. You’d be hard pressed to outwork a cheap hardware store spitter. You have zero chance of out splitting a semi commercial splitter with a 4 way like the OP is considering. I don’t really see the problem with moving the splits either. You might as well stack them as they come off the splitter.
 
   / Wood splitters #33  
Maybe if you’re splitting 6” rounds that you can split in one hit. If you throw anything challenging into the mix and you’re loosing your lead quickly. You’d be hard pressed to outwork a cheap hardware store spitter. You have zero chance of out splitting a semi commercial splitter with a 4 way like the OP is considering. I don’t really see the problem with moving the splits either. You might as well stack them as they come off the splitter.
No disrespect sir, but if you are lifting 30 inch logs that are 24 inches in diameter you are lifting more than is safe for one person, thus your expenses go up. Most wood splitter accidents are caused by fatigue and rushing, resulting in amputations. I agree, you get tired lifting the logs you describe, I would with or without a splitter. Most home wood burners that can handle 30 inch cuts are outdoor monsters and few are used to maximum efficiency due to larger wood smouldering. For inside, most use 16 to 20 inch pieces of wood, both split and un-split. Seasoning for proper burn is better with small splits than using 30 inch monster wood. I use common sense and cut the wood to a size that creates less fatigue and injury lifting. No they are not the 30 inch logs as that you describe but that would be foolish as they are too heavy to lift safely with one person. When I get tired, I stop as most accidents happen when tired and rushing. Power tools, as splitters are, do not forgive. Sorry if I offended some of you, however I have done this for 38 years on our farm and we are carefully manageing a nearly 20 acre woods to keep it healthy and thriving while using minimal invasion of the woodlot. That means we use many different sizes of wood, depending on what she has to offer. We never cut 30 inch logs as, in our case that would be too destructive of our resources and wastful. Other people have no problem wasting wood resources and I might be able to respect their choice, however not every person needs to have a hydraulic wood splitter and I am giving an example of how that can happen. I looked at splitters years ago and decided the cost was not effective for the need. Hand splitting wood is excellent therapy and exercise, for the body and the mind.
 
   / Wood splitters #34  
The majority of my wood here is so twisted and knotty that a 25 ton splitter has trouble getting it split, but it manages. The few pines I cut I can practically karate-chop and enjoy using a splitting maul on the bigger rounds or an axe on the smaller ones.

The tw3 appears to claim 14.5 tons splitting power and it expects 22gpm. IDK what your tractor is but the cycle time is going to probably be 2x as expected because of the gpm, and I hope your wood isn't like my oak because you won't be splitting anything bigger than a 10" round with that tonnage.

I'm a proponent of a self powered splitter, because for the money they seem much more capable (quicker and stronger). You'd think the opposite since you don't have to provide an engine and pump on the 3ph version, nor wheels... yet the 3ph versions seem much more expensive. Maybe they're built a lot stronger? Not sure why, given that they're not capable of processing the same.

Also a self powered unit lets you grab wood or move totes without moving the splitter, which may be an advantage again.

I bought my 25-ton unit rather used on CL together with an almost new Echo CS-590 for $600. I was going to pick up just the splitter for $600 (I'd not seen any used ones on the market within 100mi under $1k in a year's watching) but it turned out I'd misread the ad and it was a two-fer deal :)
 
   / Wood splitters #35  
No disrespect sir, but if you are lifting 30 inch logs that are 24 inches in diameter you are lifting more than is safe for one person, thus your expenses go up. Most wood splitter accidents are caused by fatigue and rushing, resulting in amputations. I agree, you get tired lifting the logs you describe, I would with or without a splitter. Most home wood burners that can handle 30 inch cuts are outdoor monsters and few are used to maximum efficiency due to larger wood smouldering. For inside, most use 16 to 20 inch pieces of wood, both split and un-split. Seasoning for proper burn is better with small splits than using 30 inch monster wood. I use common sense and cut the wood to a size that creates less fatigue and injury lifting. No they are not the 30 inch logs as that you describe but that would be foolish as they are too heavy to lift safely with one person. When I get tired, I stop as most accidents happen when tired and rushing. Power tools, as splitters are, do not forgive. Sorry if I offended some of you, however I have done this for 38 years on our farm and we are carefully manageing a nearly 20 acre woods to keep it healthy and thriving while using minimal invasion of the woodlot. That means we use many different sizes of wood, depending on what she has to offer. We never cut 30 inch logs as, in our case that would be too destructive of our resources and wastful. Other people have no problem wasting wood resources and I might be able to respect their choice, however not every person needs to have a hydraulic wood splitter and I am giving an example of how that can happen. I looked at splitters years ago and decided the cost was not effective for the need. Hand splitting wood is excellent therapy and exercise, for the body and the mind.

Communication error in the log size. I cut nothing larger than 24” in length and usually more like 18”. I do occasionally split stuff 30” in diameter. I have a hydraulic lift on my splitter. I don’t do any heavy lifting with my back. I’m also heating with a high efficiency insert. I despise those wood boilers. I’ve never cut a good tree for firewood. Everything I burn was either dying or cut for a different reason.
 
   / Wood splitters #36  
I’ve cut stuff bigger than this one. I used to have a deal with the sawmill. They could only grind 24” and smaller for pulp wood and they were giving me stuff bigger than that that wasn’t fit to saw. I used to do a lot this size and bigger.
IMG_9231.JPG
 
   / Wood splitters #37  
If you have health issues use a splitter? Maybe, but I think many machines promote obesity and health issues with many of us. You spend a lot of money to still lift and stack logs and physically move them out of the way, then to move more logs out of your way all around a big noisey machine. I prefer a 4 pound, $40.00, splitting axe for many reasons, here the top 10: 1. Faster than most hydraulic splitters. 2. No yelling while working. Shouting over motors moving wedges is dangerous. 3. Most who have splitters use 2 people to do a one person job. 4. Teaches you to read your wood which comes in handy for felling trees and bucking logs stuck between trees in the woods 5. Absolutely great cardio and general exercise. If you can't split with an axe then why get a splitter? 6. Grandkids love trying to outsplit grandpa creating healthy, quiet outdoor family time. 7. Quieter by far and non-polluting, no breathing fumes. 8. Listening the the whack of a log splitting around an axe head and thumping the splitting log in early morning, a one of a kind sound (I tap log, lift, flip over and let weight of log hitting axe on stump split the log). 9. It heats you up doing the work, true heating you 3 times. 10. Satisfaction of the fruit of your labor, heating your house for the winter. View attachment 715756
Showing how arch was made.
View attachment 715753
Part of 4 full cords of wood, used as a privacy fence during the year.
View attachment 715754 Gate to the barn, EMT tubing lashed to t-posts.
Not a lot of split wood in that gate to barn structure ;-)

Looks good though!
 
   / Wood splitters #38  
Just a data point

I traded up from a TW-1 to a TW-2 this summer just for the cycle time. I'm happy with the upgrade.

I also went from 24 inch and under length to 15 inch for both stoves. (since the kids are gone, we don't run the downstairs logwood Fisher stove as the main heat source in winter. The upstairs parlor stove warms us fine.)

The TW products are first rate, and not hard on fuel. Five gallons of gas between saw and splitter was enough to work up a log truck load. About 7 chord. Mixed hardwood.
 
   / Wood splitters
  • Thread Starter
#39  
The majority of my wood here is so twisted and knotty that a 25 ton splitter has trouble getting it split, but it manages. The few pines I cut I can practically karate-chop and enjoy using a splitting maul on the bigger rounds or an axe on the smaller ones.

The tw3 appears to claim 14.5 tons splitting power and it expects 22gpm. IDK what your tractor is but the cycle time is going to probably be 2x as expected because of the gpm, and I hope your wood isn't like my oak because you won't be splitting anything bigger than a 10" round with that tonnage.

I'm a proponent of a self powered splitter, because for the money they seem much more capable (quicker and stronger). You'd think the opposite since you don't have to provide an engine and pump on the 3ph version, nor wheels... yet the 3ph versions seem much more expensive. Maybe they're built a lot stronger? Not sure why, given that they're not capable of processing the same.

Also a self powered unit lets you grab wood or move totes without moving the splitter, which may be an advantage again.

I bought my 25-ton unit rather used on CL together with an almost new Echo CS-590 for $600. I was going to pick up just the splitter for $600 (I'd not seen any used ones on the market within 100mi under $1k in a year's watching) but it turned out I'd misread the ad and it was a two-fer deal :)
Im not sure how they figure the tonnage is only 14.5, I saw that and wondered about that. The tw3 that my father has has split anything that's ever been put threw it. Btw the axe is definitely far from an option. All the lifting I do at work and owning a sawmill and whatever other projects life throws my way theres no way I would ever go back to splitting with an axe. I did that as a kid, no chance of it now
 
   / Wood splitters #40  
Just a data point

I traded up from a TW-1 to a TW-2 this summer just for the cycle time. I'm happy with the upgrade.

I also went from 24 inch and under length to 15 inch for both stoves. (since the kids are gone, we don't run the downstairs logwood Fisher stove as the main heat source in winter. The upstairs parlor stove warms us fine.)

The TW products are first rate, and not hard on fuel. Five gallons of gas between saw and splitter was enough to work up a log truck load. About 7 chord. Mixed hardwood.
I have oak and maple up to 20". What TW do I need? Their website has no suggestions.
 
 
 
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