I always get a kick out of posters here telling someone else what "they" want. lol
I wouldnt use the tractors hydraulics. The timberwolf comes with a pump that runs on the pto shaft and its own seperate hydraulic tank. What I do and what works best for me as I typically cut and split alone anyway is cut the trees down de limb, burn the brush and stack logs as I have a grapple. Block it all and then split. So when I do split, im splitting for hours at a rip anyway. If I decide on the tractor mount, which is more where im leaning right now, i will definitely add a pats quick hitch system to make tractor as they can be a pain to take on and off
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.
Split-Fire 2265.
Well...
Just in case you didn't read it the "other" 50 times I answered that....
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.
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.
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 nowThe 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
I have oak and maple up to 20". What TW do I need? Their website has no suggestions.
