Log Splitters, any recommendations?

[ABMax24]

Possibly looking at buying a log splitter to share between my parents and us. I currently have a little 6 ton electric/hydraulic unit from Canadian Tire, and although it gets the job done its really slow, and I've found it quicker to just split with an axe. Between the 2 homes we split 6-8 cords per year.

Ideally I'd like to get a Kinetic type splitter like a Gripo, but we can't justify the cost of that model. I see Uncle Weiners has a kinetic type that is half the price that might work if it was built tough enough. I don't know much about hydraulic splitters, so if someone has a recommendation on a model with a fast cycle time that would be great.

 

[Zrock]

Well you have to do like your parents did..Have kids..LOL

 

[pipes]

Possibly looking at buying a log splitter to share between my parents and us. I currently have a little 6 ton electric/hydraulic unit from Canadian Tire, and although it gets the job done its really slow, and I've found it quicker to just split with an axe. Between the 2 homes we split 6-8 cords per year.

Ideally I'd like to get a Kinetic type splitter like a Gripo, but we can't justify the cost of that model. I see Uncle Weiners has a kinetic type that is half the price that might work if it was built tough enough. I don't know much about hydraulic splitters, so if someone has a recommendation on a model with a fast cycle time that would be great.

personally I would go with a good hydraulic model. Get one with a travelling axe as apposed to the stationary axe.

 

[lilduke]

My dad built one for the mini hoe.

Its looks like a graplle hook kinda, you can pick the log up and and spilt it in half.

Should be pretty slick.

 

[S.W.A.T.]

We run the Wallenstein, easy to use, easy to start and towable if needed. Ours tips up for bigger heavier round logs

 

[BILTIT]

For speed i dont think you can beat a kinetic. I went hydraulic due to cost and wish i had went kinetic.

Princessauto has both an electric and gas powered kinetic splitter for reasonable price.

 

[S.W.A.T.]

How fast do you need to be? With the hydraulic i can keep ahead of two people stacking.

What exactly is a kinetic log splitter?

 

[BILTIT]

How fast do you need to be? With the hydraulic i can keep ahead of two people stacking.

What exactly is a kinetic log splitter?

 

[S.W.A.T.]

would be interesting to see it split some spruce or wet pine with some dimension to it.

 

[ABMax24]

Well you have to do like your parents did..Have kids..LOL

Lol, mines only 9 months old, be a few years before she can swing an axe.

We run the Wallenstein, easy to use, easy to start and towable if needed. Ours tips up for bigger heavier round logs

Thanks, I'll have a look at those.

For speed i dont think you can beat a kinetic. I went hydraulic due to cost and wish i had went kinetic.

Princessauto has both an electric and gas powered kinetic splitter for reasonable price.

That's my thought as well, a kinetic should completely replace my axe because it would be faster. $4k for a kinetic though is hard to justify when a 27ton black diamond hydraulic is $1600. But is it worth it to go from 11 second to 3 second cycle time?

I'm leery of Princess Auto lately. I've found their powerfist line has always had poor quality, and now the prices keep going up. If the reliability of a Kinetic splitter will be a concern I'll just go hydraulic instead.

How fast do you need to be? With the hydraulic i can keep ahead of two people stacking.

What exactly is a kinetic log splitter?

I currently have a little 6 ton electric/hydraulic, and its painfully slow, maybe a hydraulic would be fast enough, but the speed of a kinetic sure has me intrigued.

 

[BILTIT]

Depends if you want electric or gas powered but there are other options out there.

18T Petrol Log Splitter, 3HP Kinetic Log Splitter BM11097P

Upgraded with heavier and stronger flywheel system, stronger stand and bigger wheels for high maneuverability, this Forestwest 18Ton Log Splitter is more advanced that generates up to 18Ton splitting force powered by a 3HP 4-stroke petrol motor with only 2-3 seconds per split cycle, much faster...

www.forestwest.ca

 

[sirkdev]

Just my opinion but I cut 3-4 cords a year as well, I have used gas, electric, and my go to now hands down is a $300 electric hydraulic from Canadian Tire for the large stuff that I cannot split with my Fiskars axe. I resisted for a long time getting a Fiskars, what an axe.. 3 times faster than a splitter. The key as I'm sure you know is a work flow. In past I built a feed table for the skid steer to dump cutoffs onto a table and feed the hydraulic electric then I figured out that I was faster with an axe. A pickaroon or hookaroon is the bees knees for eliminating bending over.
I will not use a gas powered splitter anymore, too noisy, slow, takes the fun out of it IMO.
Depending on your cutoff length you may consider modifying your stroke length on an electric to shorten cycle times as most are set up for up to 24" wood. Also it is nice to "depress" the 2 hands button or wire it out of service so you can cycle it with one hand and feed with the other.
Ultimately a skidsteer with a full processor would be sweet but you need to cut a lot of wood to warrant that.

 

[ABMax24]

Depends if you want electric or gas powered but there are other options out there.

18T Petrol Log Splitter, 3HP Kinetic Log Splitter BM11097P

Upgraded with heavier and stronger flywheel system, stronger stand and bigger wheels for high maneuverability, this Forestwest 18Ton Log Splitter is more advanced that generates up to 18Ton splitting force powered by a 3HP 4-stroke petrol motor with only 2-3 seconds per split cycle, much faster...

www.forestwest.ca

I'm fine with electric or gas, as long as the electric will run off a 3000watt generator.

Honestly I'd kinda prefer electric because my generator is quieter than most gas engines on splitters.

I looked at those splitters as well, what worries me though is the quality of rack and pinion. They take a beating, and if not properly hardened likely wont last long.

 

[ABMax24]

Just my opinion but I cut 3-4 cords a year as well, I have used gas, electric, and my go to now hands down is a $300 electric hydraulic from Canadian Tire for the large stuff that I cannot split with my Fiskars axe. I resisted for a long time getting a Fiskars, what an axe.. 3 times faster than a splitter. The key as I'm sure you know is a work flow. In past I built a feed table for the skid steer to dump cutoffs onto a table and feed the hydraulic electric then I figured out that I was faster with an axe. A pickaroon or hookaroon is the bees knees for eliminating bending over.
I will not use a gas powered splitter anymore, too noisy, slow, takes the fun out of it IMO.
Depending on your cutoff length you may consider modifying your stroke length on an electric to shorten cycle times as most are set up for up to 24" wood. Also it is nice to "depress" the 2 hands button or wire it out of service so you can cycle it with one hand and feed with the other.
Ultimately a skidsteer with a full processor would be sweet but you need to cut a lot of wood to warrant that.

Until now that's been my thought as well, I have the Fiskars X25 and the Fiskars 8lb Maul and they both work really well. Issue is dad wants a bigger splitter than the 6 ton to crack the big blocks. Makes sense for us to both go half on a unit if it can make the process easier on the back.

 

[Trashy]

I have a 20 ton gas powered splitter, that the boom can be lift vertical for the heavy pieces. Got it at CT a couple of years ago and works great.

I will be putting it up for sale this week, as we no longer use it

 

[catinthehat]

For speed i dont think you can beat a kinetic. I went hydraulic due to cost and wish i had went kinetic.

Princessauto has both an electric and gas powered kinetic splitter for reasonable price.

My brother has the gas powered one from Princess and has had to fix it at least once a year. Lots of parts not built tough enough to stand up.

 

[rknight111]

Lots of moving parts in the Kinetic ones id refer to the KISS method, Keep it simple stupid. If I was buying a kinetic one dont splurge with a cheap one or it will be parts in the back 40 in no time.

 

[mathrulz]

What is everyone’s need for having to split firewood? As long as it’s dry and properly seasoned a full log will burn much longer and yield better heat overall compared to the same log that is split in half or quarters. Unless it’s for a small aesthetic fireplace, a stove big enough for actually heating a house or building should be able to fit atleast 12-14” diameter logs. Sure there’s some logs that are larger and need to be split, but from personally having relied almost exclusively on wood heat for many decades now, I’ve never had trouble finding enough logs smaller than this and typically spend less than a few hours a year splitting wood with an axe just to make use of the few bigger ends occasionally.

Skip the $$ for a splitter and get a stove with a bigger door I’d say. Leave the logs whole.


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[Lightningmike]

I have a 20 ton gas powered splitter, that the boom can be lift vertical for the heavy pieces. Got it at CT a couple of years ago and works great.

I will be putting it up for sale this week, as we no longer use it

We have a similar model. Love it. 35 ton. One thing to remember is the faster it is the quicker a finger can disappear.

 

[pipes]

What is everyone’s need for having to split firewood? As long as it’s dry and properly seasoned a full log will burn much longer and yield better heat overall compared to the same log that is split in half or quarters. Unless it’s for a small aesthetic fireplace, a stove big enough for actually heating a house or building should be able to fit atleast 12-14” diameter logs. Sure there’s some logs that are larger and need to be split, but from personally having relied almost exclusively on wood heat for many decades now, I’ve never had trouble finding enough logs smaller than this and typically spend less than a few hours a year splitting wood with an axe just to make use of the few bigger ends occasionally.

Skip the $$ for a splitter and get a stove with a bigger door I’d say. Leave the logs whole.


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problem with not splitting the wood, particularly Birch and poplar, is it doesnt season well and ends up going punky and rotting.