# Good commercial woodsplitter



## thor97 (Mar 13, 2017)

Does anyone know of a good commercial woodsplitter that is capable of splitting big rounds in one crunch? I'm getting older and don't want to handle the wood any more than I have to. My splits have to be on the small side(3" or less) and I don't want to have to run the splitter more than one pass per round. Therefore it has to have automatic return, the ability to make many splits in one pass(maybe a 8 or 10), log lift, and plenty of hydraulic power. My back has been giving me fits and I don't want to give up my wood. I have a supersplit and it is wonderful, but would like to find something a little more back friendly. Hopefully 10k or less.


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## T. Mainus (Mar 13, 2017)

https://holland.craigslist.org/grd/5946702642.html

This is a forum members splitter. Not sure if it has autocycle or not.


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## Sandhill Crane (Mar 13, 2017)

Thanks for the bump T. Mainus. Still need multiple resplitting for large rounds.


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## Cody (Mar 14, 2017)

Eastonmade makes some pretty solid splitters with an appealing price tag.


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## Jeffkrib (Mar 14, 2017)

Here is a back friendly commercial log splitter. You may break the $10k budget though LOL.


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## GM_Grimmy (Mar 14, 2017)

8-10 splits in one pass, not for under 10K, it won't happen. Not for a quality machine it won't.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Mar 14, 2017)

I haven't seen an 8 way or more on just a splitter, just on processors, and even then only on the bigger ones. Many just have a 4 or 6 way knife.

The Multitek the Better Burn guys have is in the 150k area, it's the biggest processor made that I know of. 10k would buy a really small processor, but 30-50k will buy something that can do decent sized logs and hold up to commercial use.

If you have a bad back, I'd suggest a processor if doing firewood is beyond just 10-20 cords a year type thing. That was a reason I invested in one.


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## thor97 (Mar 14, 2017)

I'm a one man operation and did about 150 face cords last year. I used to get all my wood off federal land (military base) with a permit but was busy delivering all fall so I didn't get at it. So I have bought 4 wood truck loads and have no problem with the cutting(the fun part). I have a tractor so I can pick up the big rounds, and I think if I do use a 4 or 6 way splitter head that will be alright as I will pile the splits and when I load them to stack, I can then resplit anything that needs it. My 62 year old body has always been able to do it all, but lately has started complaining when I lift too many big ones. I really don't see how a processor would help me as it only is an advantage in loading the log to process. My tractor is small and probably won't lift anything of size. I think a commercial splitter is the only way to improve, but would love to hear any ideas for simplifying. This is a great forum and thanks for the help.


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## Sandhill Crane (Mar 14, 2017)

TW-6: I did not buy the six-way wedge based on what I read on ArboristSite. Most said they did not use their six-way do to jamming, except in very straight grained wood. It is also a six hundred dollar plus option. The TW-6 is impressive to use, but getting wood to it is a lot of back work without additional support equipment.
EDIT: We must have been typing at the same time.


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## Sandhill Crane (Mar 14, 2017)

I would strongly recommend a liftable four-way wedge for resplitting, and modified into a shelf wedge if you go with a wedge on beam splitter.
Lots of choices. Dual action splitters... but then you have to throw each piece when split. Works great with a tractor bucket for splits. Same with horizontal, wedge on cylinder rod. Pushing stuff threw a wedge on beam, puts it on the ground and makes resplitting more difficult. Outfeed tables help somewhat but still a pain lifting large pieces around the four-way wings. That's what led me to modify the four-way on my TW. I also work off the log lift side so I'm not walking around the machine to load the log lift each time. Not all machines have room to do that with their log lift. The notion being they are two man machines.
Maybe rent something or try someone elses before committing to buying a certain style.


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## jrider (Mar 14, 2017)

Check out the Eastonmade splitters on YouTube. Impressive looking machines. Thinking about pulling the trigger on the one with the 8 way. Think there is a 12 way in the making. And yes these are splitters not processors


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## muddstopper (Mar 14, 2017)

I'm working on it,


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## Sandhill Crane (Mar 14, 2017)

I have never seen an Eastonmade splitter. 
From the YouTube videos it looks to have a better designed wedge than Timberwolf's with the cylinder below a narrow wedge, rather than Timberwolf's fat wedge with the four-way lift cylinder behind it. 
I would like to run one and get a feel for it.


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## CaseyForrest (Mar 14, 2017)

Crane, I would think your operation would be prime for a processor. For what you have into your TW and SS, you could have a nice entry level processor.


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## jrider (Mar 14, 2017)

Sandhill Crane said:


> I have never seen an Eastonmade splitter.
> From the YouTube videos it looks to have a better designed wedge than Timberwolf's with the cylinder below a narrow wedge, rather than Timberwolf's fat wedge with the four-way lift cylinder behind it.
> I would like to run one and get a feel for it.


Same here. I haven't found any videos or testimonies from anyone but Easton.


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## cantoo (Mar 14, 2017)

For that price point the only machine that can do your end result is a vertical splitter. There would be multiple passes but not like on a horizontal splitter. Timber Devil or the like. I would use a round staging wagon and load it with your tractor to save back work.


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## Sandhill Crane (Mar 14, 2017)

The is a used PowerSplit on CraigsList: Grand Rapids, MI under log splitters for $14,000.


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## Cody (Mar 15, 2017)

cantoo said:


> For that price point the only machine that can do your end result is a vertical splitter. There would be multiple passes but not like on a horizontal splitter. Timber Devil or the like. I would use a round staging wagon and load it with your tractor to save back work.




They're pretty damn proud of their machines, at least their price tag reflects it. I was told the little tow behind unit was $8500 USD.


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## T. Mainus (Mar 15, 2017)

Sandhill Crane said:


> The is a used PowerSplit on CraigsList: Grand Rapids, MI under log splitters for $14,000.




Thats a good price for a used double split. Doesn't look to beat up. Looks to be an older model. Can't buy a new single with elevator for that price. If we hadn't just bought our forklift I would be all over that.


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## mr.finn (Mar 15, 2017)

That's a pretty cool machine if you have the space and wood.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Mar 15, 2017)

I can say, owning a processor, I'd never go back to the hard way.
It's almost equal to digging a foundation with a shovel vs an excavator as far as wear and tear on a person.

One thing to do a couple cords a year, but to have a go at it as a business, moving wood is the name of the game.


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## lknchoppers (Mar 15, 2017)

The Eastonmade 12-22 with the 8 way wedge looks really nice @ $9k.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Mar 15, 2017)

lknchoppers said:


> The Eastonmade 12-22 with the 8 way wedge looks really nice @ $9k.



Looks pretty decent, but I don't see it being $7000+ better than a regular box store splitter.! Priced around 5k would make sense.


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## jrider (Mar 15, 2017)

ValleyFirewood said:


> Looks pretty decent, but I don't see it being $7000+ better than a regular box store splitter.! Priced around 5k would make sense.


Where will you find a box store splitter with a log lift and 8 way w


Sandhill Crane said:


> The is a used PowerSplit on CraigsList: Grand Rapids, MI under log splitters for $14,000.


Can you provide the link? I looked but couldn't find it.


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## muddstopper (Mar 15, 2017)

Only way I think your going to beat those $7-$8-$9000 dollar price tags for a commercial machine is to be a good parts scrounger and know what your doing building your own. It takes a lot of money to build a one off machine using all new parts. Manufacturers have the advantage in being able to buy wholesale and in bulk. A manufacturer can order a run of special designed parts, such as cyl with extra large rods as an ex. If you buy enough of them you can get them as cheap as buying a standard cyl. If you or I want one, we have to pay new price for a cyl and then extra to have someone replace the small rod with a big one. Maybe even to add larger hose ports. If you have a lathe and milling machine, can weld, you might save some money but you would still have a lot of time invested. The easy days of heading to a scrap yard and finding acres of used equipment to scrounge parts off of are gone around here. I dont expect to see anymore easy scroungeing until scrap metal heads back to the $0.20 lb range again. If someone happens to have a good source of used parts, that they can buy at scrap metal prices, then they might be able to build a really super splitter at a decent price. It all boils down to how big a hurry you are, and what you can buy, swap, and trade for.


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## Sandhill Crane (Mar 15, 2017)

jrider: Yeah... I tried but did not work.
Graig'sList, Grand Rapids, MI; for sale; log splitters
I do not think it will come up as 'wood splitters'
so...'log splitters' and it is the last one listed.

I pulled the down load to my desk top but could not get it to load on this post.
It says webloc...Vertical Power Splitter


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## T. Mainus (Mar 15, 2017)

jrider said:


> Where will you find a box store splitter with a log lift and 8 way w
> 
> Can you provide the link? I looked but couldn't find it.




Jrider,

There is a double split for sale in PA as well if your interested. About the same price. PM me if your interested Ill see if I can find the guys info.

https://centralmich.craigslist.org/hvo/5998641218.html


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## ChoppyChoppy (Mar 15, 2017)

jrider said:


> Where will you find a box store splitter with a log lift and 8 way w
> 
> Can you provide the link? I looked but couldn't find it.



Dunn9, that's not what I said even! I said that unit didn't have 7k of "add ons" over a box store one.


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## lknchoppers (Mar 16, 2017)

ValleyFirewood said:


> Dunn9, that's not what I said even! I said that unit didn't have 7k of "add ons" over a box store one.



It's a different animal than a box store splitter, you really can't compare the two.


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## jrider (Mar 16, 2017)

ValleyFirewood said:


> Dunn9, that's not what I said even! I said that unit didn't have 7k of "add ons" over a box store one.


 I started to write my comment then thought I deleted it because I didn't see the sense in wasting my time. Apparently I didn't delete like I had thought. Carry on.


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## CUCV (Mar 16, 2017)

What diameter wood are you dealing with?
What size wood can you lift without bothering your back?
When getting wood off Federal land do you split in the field or bring it home to split?

I think you will be hard pressed getting a commercially available splitter with a multi-wedge that will give you 3" splits in one pass. That is one big problem I have with the 4 and 6 way wedges on my TW-5, I still have to resplit much of the wood to get to the desired size. I built a 4 way for my SS that gets me the size I want.

When I get to logs that I don't want to lift onto the SS I then move to using the log lift on the TW-5. At this point I tend not to use the 4 or 6 way wedge due to the risk of jamming the log. As I get to bigger logs it gets cumbersome to roll them on the log lift or load with tractor as well as the danger of the large halves falling off the splitter so I just noodle them with a saw.

My suggestion would be to build a raised landing area so you can roll logs (or push with your tractor) onto your splitter.


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## thor97 (Mar 16, 2017)

The wood I deal with is all sizes, but mostly bigger. I can lift rounds up to 80-100 pounds and am usually ok. The big stuff I pick up with the tractor and roll it onto the ss table. (I sometimes will crack it open with the hydro if its too big). The problem is when I am cutting on the federal land. The permit is until the end of the month, regardless when you purchase during the month, and you can't bring any equipment in except a 4x4 pickup(up to one ton) and your saws. This is good as it keeps the commercial guys out who would just clean up. It is all dead wood, 100% oak, killed from oak wilt which is going nuts here. I cut, cut, cut and haul what I cut everyday or it would be gone the next as it's open to the public(lots of guys cutting). I just dump it at home and then split later at my convenience. I pull a little trailer along and roll the big stuff up the ramp of the trailer and throw the medium and small rounds on the truck. Everybody cuts the small and medium trees first as they are easier to handle. The big trees are really big and a lot of work. I do this all winter and spring and then split to be done by May 1. (I also stack all my wood and it is ready by fall) I think a commercial splitter is the biggest help now. I have all the business I can handle(don't want anymore) so I just need to fine tune what I am doing. A processor won't help me at all.


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## muddstopper (Mar 16, 2017)

Thor, I can think of two things I think would help you more than buying another splitter. First i would make a small boom with a winch to mount on your dump trailer, It would allow you to load trailer long logs on the trailer to dump and buck later. It will speed up the gathering of wood a lot as you would only have to make one or two cuts per tree instead of bucking everything into stove wood lengths, not to mention the boom would do all the heavy lifting. You can buck at home when you not under the end of the month time restraint. The second thing I would do is mount a second boom and winch on your splitter. I have a boom on my splitter and I use it for loading everything I dont feel like picking up by hand. I can use a set of log dogs to hook up a large round 20ft away from the splitter and load it without breaking a sweat, or my back. You can use the boom to hold up one half of a big split while you do the resplits on the other half of the round. This saves a ton of wrassling heavy wood and speeds things up a bunch without working harder. 

I use my 6x10 homemade dump trailer to get logs in 10ft lengths, I have bucked before loading exactly one tree in my trailer in the last 3 or 4 years. I dump my logs close to my wood shed and buck when I dont have anything else to do. I pull my splitter up to my pile of rounds and use my boom to load the logs. Sometimes i back my trailer up under the splitter and let the splitter just push the splits back onto the trailer to be back under the wood shed and stacked, and sometimes I just let the splits pile up and use the tractor to scoop the wood and haul to the shed. I do very little manual lifting of my wood, and when I do it usually only after the wood has been reduced to splits that will fit in my stove.


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## Sandhill Crane (Mar 16, 2017)

If you can drive to the wood, get a lift gate for your pickup. 
My old truck had one. It was old and looked like crap, but what a tool for scrounging firewood.
You can use the lift gate as a table next to the splitter as well when unloading.
Maybe you can find a used one on CraigsList, or an old beater truck with one already on it. 
The one I got, I got from a friend that bought an old Pepsi pickup truck to haul tools when refurbishing his 44' sailboat. He didn't have a use for the lift, and gave it to me. 
Used it for many years, and hauled a lot of big rounds with it, from a landscape farm down the road that pushed out five acres of Oaks into windrows.
No digital pictures of that one.


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## thor97 (Mar 16, 2017)

mudstopper and Sandhill Crane- both excellent ideas! Love the idea of loading logs with a crane, mudstopper, and I've seen the lift gate trucks for sale used, but never gave them a second thought! Great ideas, guys!


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## WoodTick007 (Mar 16, 2017)

thor97 said:


> Does anyone know of a good commercial woodsplitter that is capable of splitting big rounds in one crunch? I'm getting older and don't want to handle the wood any more than I have to. My splits have to be on the small side(3" or less) and I don't want to have to run the splitter more than one pass per round. Therefore it has to have automatic return, the ability to make many splits in one pass(maybe a 8 or 10), log lift, and plenty of hydraulic power. My back has been giving me fits and I don't want to give up my wood. I have a supersplit and it is wonderful, but would like to find something a little more back friendly. Hopefully 10k or less.


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## WoodTick007 (Mar 16, 2017)

For that kinda money if for personal use.you might as well buy pre split firewood. It can be had cheap if you buy 15-30 cord. I was gonna buy 15 cord and it was gonna be $22 per facecord bulk loaded by weight.


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## cantoo (Mar 16, 2017)

WoodTick007, so $66 or $88 a bush cord? How can the guy even break even?


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## muddstopper (Mar 16, 2017)

heres a pic of my boom on the splitter. Its an old mechanic crane I found in the scrap yard. It will pick up a 24"long x 48"dia round and place on the splitter. It would pick up bigger, but I didnt mount it high enough to clear bigger wood. I made the control cable 20ft long, but the winch will probably hold 50ft of cable. If i have to drag a round more than 20ft, I just move the splitter closer to the wood.


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## Sandhill Crane (Mar 16, 2017)

Yes you can buy a lot of firewood for nine K. Or, you can buy a good machine, if that's what you enjoy doing, and sell it down the road. If you keep it five years or more your probably not going to lose too terrible much.
A good piece of equipment, of any kind, is a pleasure to use.
Below: Some photos from last winter ('15/'16) for fun! 066 w/25" bar.
The absolute best ticket (easiest and cheapest) for reducing work is running a sharp chain and using plastic wedges in the kerf if needed. I have found Stihls 3 in 1 works great, and touch up often.










Sometimes the rounds still fall off. Before the wedge mod...almost everyone of these would have fallen off both sides with the first split. The mod could have been an inch or two wider on each side.


Edit: This was mostly straight grain Oak and split easily. The largest was 32" at the butt, a piece of which can be seen leaning against a tree in the forth photo.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Mar 16, 2017)

I was wondering the same thing.

I sometimes get people wanting me to cut them some crazy deal because they want x amount of cords. I don't do it, the price is the price. 1 cord or 1000, it's the same amount of work per cord for me.



cantoo said:


> WoodTick007, so $66 or $88 a bush cord? How can the guy even break even?


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## GM_Grimmy (Mar 17, 2017)

Log lift is the way to go. This was red oak, cut at 20" deep. Just have to roll it on the ground to the splitter, and it's easy after that. I've since then added a 2 wheel dolly cart to move things around to and to the splitter, which helps a lot. Bar on the saw is 28". I go after the big stuff, that most people don't have the equipment to handle.


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## fireemt799 (Mar 18, 2017)

The auto split by automated biomass systems is the closest you are going to find to what you want. Has log lift and automatically splits it.


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## Sandhill Crane (Mar 18, 2017)

How much is the Biomass?


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## T. Mainus (Mar 18, 2017)

https://racine.craigslist.org/grq/6045810810.html

Starts at 8 grand.


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## Marine5068 (Mar 19, 2017)

thor97 said:


> Does anyone know of a good commercial woodsplitter that is capable of splitting big rounds in one crunch? I'm getting older and don't want to handle the wood any more than I have to. My splits have to be on the small side(3" or less) and I don't want to have to run the splitter more than one pass per round. Therefore it has to have automatic return, the ability to make many splits in one pass(maybe a 8 or 10), log lift, and plenty of hydraulic power. My back has been giving me fits and I don't want to give up my wood. I have a supersplit and it is wonderful, but would like to find something a little more back friendly. Hopefully 10k or less.


Woodmizer are great


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## Marine5068 (Mar 19, 2017)

GM_Grimmy said:


> Log lift is the way to go. This was red oak, cut at 20" deep. Just have to roll it on the ground to the splitter, and it's easy after that. I've since then added a 2 wheel dolly cart to move things around to and to the splitter, which helps a lot. Bar on the saw is 28". I go after the big stuff, that most people don't have the equipment to handle.
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 565522


What size saw is that?


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## MFL (Mar 19, 2017)

muddstopper said:


> Thor, I can think of two things I think would help you more than buying another splitter. First i would make a small boom with a winch to mount on your dump trailer, It would allow you to load trailer long logs on the trailer to dump and buck later. It will speed up the gathering of wood a lot as you would only have to make one or two cuts per tree instead of bucking everything into stove wood lengths, not to mention the boom would do all the heavy lifting. You can buck at home when you not under the end of the month time restraint. The second thing I would do is mount a second boom and winch on your splitter. I have a boom on my splitter and I use it for loading everything I dont feel like picking up by hand. I can use a set of log dogs to hook up a large round 20ft away from the splitter and load it without breaking a sweat, or my back. You can use the boom to hold up one half of a big split while you do the resplits on the other half of the round. This saves a ton of wrassling heavy wood and speeds things up a bunch without working harder.
> 
> I use my 6x10 homemade dump trailer to get logs in 10ft lengths, I have bucked before loading exactly one tree in my trailer in the last 3 or 4 years. I dump my logs close to my wood shed and buck when I dont have anything else to do. I pull my splitter up to my pile of rounds and use my boom to load the logs. Sometimes i back my trailer up under the splitter and let the splitter just push the splits back onto the trailer to be back under the wood shed and stacked, and sometimes I just let the splits pile up and use the tractor to scoop the wood and haul to the shed. I do very little manual lifting of my wood, and when I do it usually only after the wood has been reduced to splits that will fit in my stove.


Mudstopper-
Can I see a pic of your boom mounted on your splitter? I have been looking at the Gorillabac because I have been laid up with a bad back after doing some heavy lifting onto my splitter. The Gorillabac looks like a great idea but question the durability and it actually looks pretty easy to duplicate.


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## MFL (Mar 19, 2017)

Mud,
Sorry didn't read to the end before posting. Thanks for the pic.


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## muddstopper (Mar 19, 2017)

MFL said:


> Mud,
> Sorry didn't read to the end before posting. Thanks for the pic.


Didnt read to the end!!! Now my feelings are hurt.


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## GM_Grimmy (Mar 20, 2017)

Marine5068 said:


> What size saw is that?


661c


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## Marine5068 (Mar 21, 2017)

http://woodmizer.ca/en/Products/Log-Splitters/FS350-Log-Splitter


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## Guswhit (Mar 21, 2017)

Sandhill Crane said:


> The is a used PowerSplit on CraigsList: Grand Rapids, MI under log splitters for $14,000.



Do any of you guy's own/have owned or run a Power split? The youtube videos look pretty impressive, just wondering how they are in a real world production cycle.


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## angelo c (Mar 21, 2017)

thor97 said:


> Does anyone know of a good commercial woodsplitter that is capable of splitting big rounds in one crunch? I'm getting older and don't want to handle the wood any more than I have to. My splits have to be on the small side(3" or less) and I don't want to have to run the splitter more than one pass per round. Therefore it has to have automatic return, the ability to make many splits in one pass(maybe a 8 or 10), log lift, and plenty of hydraulic power. My back has been giving me fits and I don't want to give up my wood. I have a supersplit and it is wonderful, but would like to find something a little more back friendly. Hopefully 10k or less.



How many cords are you looking to split per season ?
I think since you have a FEL your best bet is to make a staging table and load that table with your FEL.
keep the SS and noodle the rounds to your size needs. Also 10k buys a decent amount of "labor" in these parts.
Heck around here there are commercial guys that will sell you green split wood off season real cheap. split what you can handle and buy the rest/or pay for the labor to "lift" the rest.


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## CentaurG2 (Mar 22, 2017)

Guswhit said:


> Do any of you guy's own/have owned or run a Power split? The youtube videos look pretty impressive, just wondering how they are in a real world production cycle.



Like most production splitters, you can expect about a cord an hour from a single vertical powersplit/timber devil. The real advantage to the machine is the ease of production and the quality of the splits. Unlike a processor or a big splitter with a fixed box wedge, each split is exactly the size and shape you want or more importantly, your customers want. You don’t end up with a pile of slivers and blocks that need to be re-split. You can also maximize production from marginal wood.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyJ4YmxJuFY&list=PLp3vMWQRwyNl_oYACuC8LPLeO5ACLAC1L&index=1


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## ChoppyChoppy (Mar 22, 2017)

Having some variety in split size is nice, at least I think so.

Everyone talks about the dreaded "resplit". I have a 5 way on my processor (6 way, but 1 wing is broke off) it's not too often I have to resplit, maybe 5-6 pieces in a cord on average. If I fixed the knife it'd be even less.

Part of moving wood is to have a good supply of reasonable sized l9gs. I'd much rather have 10 16"dbh logs than 2 40"dbh.


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## CentaurG2 (Mar 22, 2017)

All depends on your market and how readily available processable wood is in your area. Out here on the coast, most of our customers purchase ½ or 1 cord a year. Cost per cord last year was $375 delivered and we sold over 100 cords and were sold out by December. For close to 4 bills a cord, customers want wood that is uniform for easy stacking and does not need to be re-split. 


I have run a processor with a 12 way fixed box wedge and it really could push 4 cords an hour. Unfortunatly about ¼ of the wood from the processor needed to be re-split and about ¼ of the wood was slivers and/or mulch. Log length firewood here is almost unavailable here and if you can get it, you can expect to pay about $150 a cord delivered. You take what is on the truck and pay in cash.


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## T. Mainus (Mar 22, 2017)

Guswhit said:


> Do any of you guy's own/have owned or run a Power split? The youtube videos look pretty impressive, just wondering how they are in a real world production cycle.




I was talking to the owner of a power split in PA this winter that was for sale. It was a used double spilt. He said to really get maximum production out of the two splitters, you needed three guys to operate the machine. 2 guys splitting and one guy running his butt off keeping them stocked in rounds. If you had enough rounds bucked and the right kind of wood, three guys could do 20 cord a day. There is a big operation south of me that runs a double power split. They start out with logs on a processor, cut them to length and just split them in half, then move the rounds to a dump trailer with the bed lifted, and then 2 guys run the power split there and finish the splitting process.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=35&v=sGfXuNzb0Ig


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