# Horizontal vs. Vertical Log Splitter Use?



## Rckymtnhigh (Jun 24, 2013)

Hey Y'all

This weekend I was doing some splitting with my buddy's 22T Huskee in the vertical position for some larger rounds, and dang it was kind of a pain in the back. So that got me thinking. How much do you use your splitter in the Horizontal position vs. the Vertical position? And further I guess, how many cords per year are you doing? Just seems like there has to be a better way for large rounds.


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## greenskeeper (Jun 24, 2013)

90/10

if I can't lift it then the splitter goes vertical, which is about 10% of the time. 

when splitting vertical, I only do enough to get it to where I can lift the pieces for horizontal splitting.


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## greendohn (Jun 24, 2013)

*100%*

Horizontal, always...'course my splitter will not go vertical. 

I have split with buddies who tilted up vertical and I couldn't believe the loonacy. Always bent over, on your knees, the rounds wanted to tilt off the base plate,,,whatta' pain in the ass and back!! Reached the point I insisted on horizontal splitting or I was done helping them. They were somewhat new to the game and we were working some very nice walnut. I do hope they have wizened up,,haven't worked with 'em since as they are beer can wood cuttin' hacks.

( I'm also a wood-cuttin' hack, minus the beer when running saws)


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## DSS (Jun 24, 2013)

greendohn said:


> Horizontal, always...'course my splitter will not go vertical.
> 
> I have split with buddies who tilted up vertical and I couldn't believe the loonacy. Always bent over, on your knees, the rounds wanted to tilt off the base plate,,,whatta' pain in the ass and back!! Reached the point I insisted on horizontal splitting or I was done helping them. They were somewhat new to the game and we were working some very nice walnut. I do hope they have wizened up,,haven't worked with 'em since as they are beer can wood cuttin' hacks.
> 
> ( I'm also a wood-cuttin' hack, minus the beer when running saws)




My thoughts exactly. If I can't lift it, it gets noodled. Takes maybe 10 seconds with a good saw. 

I'd like to have a log lift.


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## spike60 (Jun 24, 2013)

Well, first off you have to find a comfortable position to work in. In the vertical mode, I just sit on a round in front of the splitter while working. That saves all of the bending over, which obviously does a number on the back. On soft ground the base plate will sink in enough that pieces won't fall off. If on a harder surface, a piece of a 2x6 or whatever works OK. But there's no doubt that it's far more comfortable to split horizontally.

Now while the vertical position can come in handy for some big stuff, I hardly ever use it that way anymore, and much prefer to split horizontal. One reason is that after many years, it dawned on me that a round that was too heavy to lift onto the splitter was also too heavy to lift into the truck!  Now when I'm cutting, anything big gets halved or quartered before loading. (usually with a 288 or 930 super with a 24") So, I hardly ever have anything big enough that I even think about using the splitter vertically.


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## sunfish (Jun 24, 2013)

20 cords a year. Never vertical for me. Tried it, didn't like it! Pieces get halved or quartered in the woods to load in the truck. So I never have any rounds in the wood lot that I can't lift...

That said, my current and the only splitter I'll ever own doesn't go vertical. :msp_biggrin:


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## dakotalawdog (Jun 24, 2013)

I probably do 80% horizontal, 20 % vertical, though I have been doing more vertical lately, especially on the larger chunks.

When I split horizontally, I back up my Ranger right to edge of the splitter, so when I split a large chunk that needs to be split multiple times, I have a place to set things down right next to me and don't have to bend down quite as much.

When I split vertically, I've been putting a low chair next to the splitter, and sitting down when I split. That way I only really have to squat down or get up when I need to get another chunk. On the big ones, that may be every 8-10 splits. It seems to help with the back.


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## Kevin in Ohio (Jun 24, 2013)

I've run verticals before and didn't care for it. I lift them with a cordless remote and have at it with no wrestling.


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## stihl023/5 (Jun 24, 2013)

I have done some very large rounds vert. So about 90/10


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## Fifelaker (Jun 24, 2013)

Only the big stuff and when they get small enough to lift it goes horizontal. So 90/10 or there about for me also.


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## avalancher (Jun 24, 2013)

I have a speeco 35 ton that goes vertical as well, but have NEVER SWUNG the thing down for vertical use. Just a plain pain in the butt. usage varies from year to year, as high as 70 cords a year, as low as 25 last year, and I just plain wont do a vertical split. If I cant lift it, it gets noodled until I can lift it. Generally I dont even noodle as the majority of my wood comes in on my flat bed trailer, and the rounds roll right from the trailer across a ramp on to the beam. But for the occasional round that hits the ground and cant be lifted, it gets noodled.


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## brenndatomu (Jun 24, 2013)

I guess I'm not gettin why everybody is so down on a combo splitter?! I probably am like you guys 90/10 maybe even 95/5, but dang it, that vertical sure is handy to quarter up some monstah rounds (like 1-2 minutes each) then finish 'em horizontal with the resta the wood pile. I take my splitter to the woods with me sometimes and a quartered (or more) round is the only way some of those bad boys is gettin in muh truck! Screw noodlin, too much time, mess, wear and tear on my saws, so easy with a combo splitter!


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## huntindog1 (Jun 24, 2013)

I run my Huskee 22T verticle all the time.

I got me some of those contractor knee pads at lowes works like a charm.

Bending down on one knee is comfy now.


Splitting Horizontal I was always bending over picking up pieces that were halfed to split again.

Vertical saves all the bending over but if you dont have knee pads its hard on the knees.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Jun 24, 2013)

If it's too big to lift I'll usually just hop on a piece of equipment to stick it on the splitter.

It would have to be the deal where no one is around and no equipment is around for me to tip it vertical.


I know a few guys that split vertical. They sit on a log or milk crate and work at about the speed of grass growing. Might take a week or so to split a cord of wood :msp_scared::msp_scared:

With me cutting and another guy running the splitter we can usually get about a cord in 1-2 hours (depends on log size) cut, split and loaded on the truck.


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## avalancher (Jun 24, 2013)

brenndatomu said:


> I guess I'm not gettin why everybody is so down on a combo splitter?! I probably am like you guys 90/10 maybe even 95/5, but dang it, that vertical sure is handy to quarter up some monstah rounds (like 1-2 minutes each) then finish 'em horizontal with the resta the wood pile. I take my splitter to the woods with me sometimes and a quartered (or more) round is the only way some of those bad boys is gettin in muh truck! Screw noodlin, too much time, mess, wear and tear on my saws, so easy with a combo splitter!



Well, I reckon thats why they say, "different strokes for different folks", whatever works for you my man. Personally I would rather chew my way through a round with a dull spoon to get it small enough to heave on up to the horizontal beam rather than get down on my knees and split the dang thing. We got a feller in town that sells firewood right along the highway, and he splits all his stuff vertical. Gets himself a little stool and hunkers right down at that thing, and just about any time of day you can drive by and he is out there splitting stuff getting ready for winter sales. And his total amount sold? Never stopped and measured his woodpiles, but from the looks of it there aint but a dozen cords out there at any given time. It just looks plain ole slow,and i hate slow! Name of the game in firewood is "how fast can I make a ton of firewood and get it dumped on someones driveway and get the heck out of there with a chunk of change in my pocket. It bothers me to no end when something goes sideways in a day and I see my hourly wage dipping down into the teens as it is!


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## ChoppyChoppy (Jun 24, 2013)

EXACTLY! I figure my labor is sort of free (I pay myself only after everyone gets paid and the bills are paid) but when you have a guy or two working for you, you start doing the "well there went $100, 200, 300, etc"



avalancher said:


> Well, I reckon thats why they say, "different strokes for different folks", whatever works for you my man. Personally I would rather chew my way through a round with a dull spoon to get it small enough to heave on up to the horizontal beam rather than get down on my knees and split the dang thing. We got a feller in town that sells firewood right along the highway, and he splits all his stuff vertical. Gets himself a little stool and hunkers right down at that thing, and just about any time of day you can drive by and he is out there splitting stuff getting ready for winter sales. And his total amount sold? Never stopped and measured his woodpiles, but from the looks of it there aint but a dozen cords out there at any given time. It just looks plain ole slow,and i hate slow! Name of the game in firewood is "how fast can I make a ton of firewood and get it dumped on someones driveway and get the heck out of there with a chunk of change in my pocket. It bothers me to no end when something goes sideways in a day and I see my hourly wage dipping down into the teens as it is!


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## stumpy75 (Jun 24, 2013)

As already mentioned here, I split about 5% vertical. If it's too big to lift, I'll turn the splitter vertical. I split about 10 cords a year, and try to get all smaller stuff, but every once in a while, someone drops off a big chunk. My saws usually are not big enough to noodle some of the rounds.


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## avalancher (Jun 24, 2013)

stumpy75 said:


> As already mentioned here, I split about 5% vertical. If it's too big to lift, I'll turn the splitter vertical. I split about 10 cords a year, and try to get all smaller stuff, but every once in a while, someone drops off a big chunk. My saws usually are not big enough to noodle some of the rounds.




That right there is an ready made excuse to get you a bigger saw!! Here goes my logic.....

"Well hon, I dont really NEED a bigger saw. After all, I know you dont mind me being laid up with a really sore back. After all, I know only after a really bad sprain does my real sun shiny personality come out. Specially when i got a sore toe cause I figured I would just run out in my sneakers and bust up a few rounds instead of puttin on my boots, and dropped a round on em. Then sprung my back cause I was trying to chunk a 400 lb chunk of red oak on the splitter. Specially since I know you like it 87 degrees in here in the winter so I was tryin to lay up a good bit more firewood than last year. Nope, dont need that Husky 395 I been yacking about till you puked in your dinner plate like the other night. I will just make do with that really long bar on the 372, even though a slow saw kinda makes me cranky and we gotta go over to your folkses house that night for dinner. Im sure your mom will understand when I snarl about the taters being a might lumpy. She'll understand, after all, sometimes a real cranky guy at the dinner table can really liven up the mood, specially if you like shoutin and all. Whats that? You just discovered an extra $1500 in the budget?Well......I guess I can go ahead and buy that bigger saw, although I will feel guilty the whole time runnin it, seeing as how that was your bucks you socked away for some perfectly good piece of computer gear that you didnt have the slightest ####ing need for. I mean, bucks you socked away for a rainy day."


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## sunfish (Jun 24, 2013)

My splitter has a work table, at the right height for me not to have to bend over. Once a round is loaded the whole thing gets split without anything hitting the ground.


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## jthornton (Jun 24, 2013)

sunfish said:


> My splitter has a work table, at the right height for me not to have to bend over. Once a round is loaded the whole thing gets split without anything hitting the ground.



Ditto on mine + log lift = no bending over or squatting.

JT


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## stumpy75 (Jun 24, 2013)

avalancher said:


> That right there is an ready made excuse to get you a bigger saw!! Here goes my logic.....



:agree2: :msp_biggrin:


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## Whitespider (Jun 24, 2013)

I've tried using a vertical splitter... no-thank-you very much (my splitter doesn't go vertical).
Not only is it slow and painful work, the vertical convertibility adds a bunch of (unnecessary) weight and bulk, requires longer hoses, forces the wedge to be mounted back-azz-wards (i.e. on the ram), and the required wheel placement makes the tongue too darn heavy to easily move the splitter by hand... Oh... don't forget the extra dollars that ridiculous option costs you.

Try and remember this is only my opinion, I'm not trying to start fights... As far as I'm concerned the horizontal/vertical splitters are nothing but a joke and sales gimmick, I wouldn't have one.


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## jrider (Jun 24, 2013)

I only have a horizontal splitter and don't see the need for a vertical. Ones I struggle to pick up I just use a 2x6 and roll them in place to be split. I do about 60-80 cords a year.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Jun 24, 2013)

It's kind of funny, I used to be on another site and most of those guys had a raging hard on for splitting vertical.

I guess you can be as slow as you want when your retired and have all summer to cut and split 4-5 cords of wood? I usually do 10-20 cords a week.


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## sb47 (Jun 24, 2013)

I found it much easier to split in the horizontal. I never use the vertical.


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## DSS (Jun 24, 2013)

This saw belongs to me now. I fail to see how trying to muscle around a 200 lb round to split it vertical is easier or faster than this. And as far as wear and tear on the saw, does it sound like its working hard? I bought my saws to use. 



http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VZRsFoQwU0E#


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## apn73 (Jun 24, 2013)

I'm shocked at how many of you prefer horizontal. Mine is set vertically all of the time, get a log to sit on, get comfy and go to town with my 10 cords per year. I cut up wood by the grapple load and the splitter is set up to one side of the load, so I don't have move anything to great a distance. If it's too heavy then I grab either the Kubota or a hand truck with nice big pneumatic tires, no problem. I haven't been at this nearly as long as some of you and I'm still learning. I think I've got a pretty good system going, but maybe I'm missing something.


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## half (Jun 24, 2013)

*splitting posotion*

I have a combo splitter but find if i shift some of the rounds out of the way on the trailer I push the splitter over the end of the trailer as far as it will go and split on the trailer, standing on the ground ,no lifting as such, just roll the rounds to the edge of the beam turn them and lift one end into the splitter


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## stihl023/5 (Jun 24, 2013)

apn73 said:


> I'm shocked at how many of you prefer horizontal. Mine is set vertically all of the time, get a log to sit on, get comfy and go to town with my 10 cords per year. I cut up wood by the grapple load and the splitter is set up to one side of the load, so I don't have move anything to great a distance. If it's too heavy then I grab either the Kubota or a hand truck with nice big pneumatic tires, no problem. I haven't been at this nearly as long as some of you and I'm still learning. I think I've got a pretty good system going, but maybe I'm missing something.



There is a guy I have seen on my way home from work that splits vertical sitting on a round, and a six pack along side. Maybe there is something to this?:msp_confused:


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## sb47 (Jun 24, 2013)

apn73 said:


> I'm shocked at how many of you prefer horizontal. Mine is set vertically all of the time, get a log to sit on, get comfy and go to town with my 10 cords per year. I cut up wood by the grapple load and the splitter is set up to one side of the load, so I don't have move anything to great a distance. If it's too heavy then I grab either the Kubota or a hand truck with nice big pneumatic tires, no problem. I haven't been at this nearly as long as some of you and I'm still learning. I think I've got a pretty good system going, but maybe I'm missing something.



Only 10 cords a year? I sold over 100 cords last year and have tripled that this year.
I found it easier to noodle them down where I can pick them up.
Trying to get a large round in by hand is way to much work.
But I guess if your only doing 10 cords a year, it would not be a big issue.
I am working on getting a small crane to put on my splitter to pick up a bigger round.


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## sb47 (Jun 24, 2013)

stihl023/5 said:


> There is a guy I have seen on my way home from work that splits vertical sitting on a round, and a six pack along side. Maybe there is something to this?:msp_confused:



Getting drunk and low production is all you’ll get by doing it that way.lol


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## stihl023/5 (Jun 24, 2013)

sb47 said:


> Getting drunk and low production is all you’ll get by doing it that way.lol



Well my plan was a reclining lawn chair or hammock the beer and watch the kids split!:msp_thumbsup:


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## stihly dan (Jun 24, 2013)

If I use the splitter, its on the nastier stuff. I use it in the vert position. If it where a foot higher, I would go horizontal. At the stock height its a back KILLER for me. And I don't like how some of the rounds can fall on the engine.


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## BillNole (Jun 24, 2013)

I've used the phrase "to each his own" for more years than I can remember...

I used mine horizontal the day I bought it (used/home made) and that was before I purchased it, just to be sure everything worked. Since then, I've used it vertical for every single stroke. I choose a round that's sized and shaped to fit the moment as my seat and position the rounds nearby enough to grab. I have to stand up and bring other rounds in closer every few minutes and that helps keep me from stiffening up from sitting too long. The greatest benefit to me is eliminating the bending and lifting of splitting horizontal or standing too long.

I fail to see how splitting v is so much slower as so many of you are claiming. My cylinder will only cycle so fast and that's what controls my speed, not whether I'm standing or sitting or reaching or lifting. In fact, I believe that I can turn and slide a round into place quicker than I can go get another one and lift it. Same with turning and bending over to pick up the split pieces to re-split, vs. simply rotating the parts sitting right there where I'm working.

I've split with my father in law and his splitter and we split almost exclusively h, as that was what he was used to and thus preferred. He'd flip it up every now and then for some larger rounds, but I think it was just to show off the option as he was rather proud of that feature when he first bought it. Honestly, I haven't thought about it before this thread and I'm ok with either, thus it seems I must have a preference for sitting...


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## GVS (Jun 24, 2013)

I've one of each.Take the combo every time.Has to be a monster for me to noodle.


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## Dogsout (Jun 24, 2013)

Well I will weigh in on the vertical side. First off I am not splitting for production but for home use. (About 8 to 10 cord a year) I would guess that I do 90% vertical. I am not a spring chicken but have no problem working from my knees and can do this for quite some time. I do some really good size chunks and don't have a big problem rolling them over to the splitter, lining them up to tip it over so it lands right where I need it on the splitter. halve it first and push one piece to the side, then just start turning and chipping away at the first piece. I my minds eye I would like to think that if a three foot diameter log was line up to drop for me and a person with a saw was standing over the same size piece, that I could easily have this split before the person that is noodling, halves and then quarters it, then still has to pick it up off the ground and finish splitting it. As has been stated before to each his own but put me down happily in the vertical camp.


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## apn73 (Jun 24, 2013)

stihl023/5 said:


> There is a guy I have seen on my way home from work that splits vertical sitting on a round, and a six pack along side. Maybe there is something to this?:msp_confused:


Now yer talkin my language! For a second there I thought that you were going to ask if that was me that you were seeing splitting wood with a six pack, but noticed that you're in Michigan, so probably not. I've never consumed a six pack while splitting, but I've had a couple. Sitting down on a round in front of the splitter works for me, just neve saw the need to pick up a piece of wood, split, pick them up again and resplit.


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## apn73 (Jun 24, 2013)

BillNole said:


> I've used the phrase "to each his own" for more years than I can remember...
> 
> I used mine horizontal the day I bought it (used/home made) and that was before I purchased it, just to be sure everything worked. Since then, I've used it vertical for every single stroke. I choose a round that's sized and shaped to fit the moment as my seat and position the rounds nearby enough to grab. I have to stand up and bring other rounds in closer every few minutes and that helps keep me from stiffening up from sitting too long. The greatest benefit to me is eliminating the bending and lifting of splitting horizontal or standing too long.
> 
> ...


Seems like I have taken pages out of your book as this is almost exactly how I do it and how I think about the situation.:cool2:


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## apn73 (Jun 24, 2013)

sb47 said:


> Only 10 cords a year? I sold over 100 cords last year and have tripled that this year.
> I found it easier to noodle them down where I can pick them up.
> Trying to get a large round in by hand is way to much work.
> But I guess if your only doing 10 cords a year, it would not be a big issue.
> I am working on getting a small crane to put on my splitter to pick up a bigger round.


Ummmm, that's enough for me. Just a homeowner that's heating with wood, and I hardly have enough time to get that split. If I could buy just enough logs to get me six cords a year then I would do that to save the time.


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## VW Splitter (Jun 24, 2013)

I don't have a lot of time using a vertical splitter, but I didn't really like it. My splitter doesn't go vertical. Before I added valves to slow it down, my log lift could catapult a 5 or 600 lb log across the beam. It doesn't struggle to pick up whatever you put on it. Howeverrrr......, what are you gonna do after you split a 600 lb round?:msp_ohmy: about all you can do with a 300 lb half is lay there under it till 2 of your friends come and get it off of you. When they get over 400 lbs I noodle.


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## dave_376 (Jun 24, 2013)

Lately I have been doing my splitting with it vertical since my wood is too heavy to lift up without risking injury to myself. If I bring home a trailer full of smaller stuff I will un-load it onto the horizontal splitter before I stack it. when working vertical I sit on a round and used my picaroon to drag/roll the next on over to me for splitting. It is much faster and easier than trying to do it horizontal.


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## AIM (Jun 24, 2013)

For me it's vertical 99% (if not 100%) of the time. I'm with the few of you that don't see the big issue with working on the ground. To me it is WAYYY easier than trying to lift 100 .lb rounds up to the bed.
Spin em around and push em in.

I for one would not own a horizontal only splitter.


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## Tazfreak (Jun 25, 2013)

sunfish said:


> My splitter has a work table, at the right height for me not to have to bend over. Once a round is loaded the whole thing gets split without anything hitting the ground.


:chainsawguy:
Ditto,my horizontal splitter, 3 cub metre,trailer is an all in one unit, setup has loglift which also doubles as a logbench,it holds about 300 lbs of log rounds to process through the splitter at a time before u have to reload. I work at about just below chest height which is comfortable for me.The splits go on catch table then straight into 3 cub m trailer and or trayback truck.When delivered to client,I use long handled pickaroon to unload and just pull the splits off.No stacking.I never have to pick up or touch wood by hand after its split.Bending down only happens to cut timber into rounds and to load loglift.I noodle big rounds down to size,it,s much quicker and safer than struggling with huge,heavy rounds.I cut, split,sell around 350 to 450 cubic metres of hardwood every season.I also run a cutting,splitting service for landowners who have trees but can,t process them themselves.


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## turnkey4099 (Jun 25, 2013)

spike60 said:


> Well, first off you have to find a comfortable position to work in. In the vertical mode, I just sit on a round in front of the splitter while working. That saves all of the bending over, which obviously does a number on the back. On soft ground the base plate will sink in enough that pieces won't fall off. If on a harder surface, a piece of a 2x6 or whatever works OK. But there's no doubt that it's far more comfortable to split horizontally.
> 
> Now while the vertical position can come in handy for some big stuff, I hardly ever use it that way anymore, and much prefer to split horizontal. One reason is that after many years, it dawned on me that a round that was too heavy to lift onto the splitter was also too heavy to lift into the truck!  Now when I'm cutting, anything big gets halved or quartered before loading. (usually with a 288 or 930 super with a 24") So, I hardly ever have anything big enough that I even think about using the splitter vertically.



Exactly. Over 30 years of 'wooding' hauling stuff home to be split. Not once did I have a chunk come off a truck that I hadn't put up there, ergo, if came home, I can put it on the splitter.

Just watching someone using a splitter vertical makes my back hurt.

Harry K


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## turnkey4099 (Jun 25, 2013)

brenndatomu said:


> I guess I'm not gettin why everybody is so down on a combo splitter?! I probably am like you guys 90/10 maybe even 95/5, but dang it, that vertical sure is handy to quarter up some monstah rounds (like 1-2 minutes each) then finish 'em horizontal with the resta the wood pile. I take my splitter to the woods with me sometimes and a quartered (or more) round is the only way some of those bad boys is gettin in muh truck! Screw noodlin, too much time, mess, wear and tear on my saws, so easy with a combo splitter!



I have never had mine in the vertical - no reason to as I can lift anything on it that I hauled home. 

Down on combo splitters? Definitely YES! since making one that can be swung up puts the running gear smack in the way of the operator when horizontal. I cuss mine every time I use it because of that. When I bought one I went looking for horizontal only but they were all about $1,000 over the TroyBilt and the like brands.

Harry K


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## turnkey4099 (Jun 25, 2013)

huntindog1 said:


> I run my Huskee 22T verticle all the time.
> 
> I got me some of those contractor knee pads at lowes works like a charm.
> 
> ...



As is getting up/down to get more rounds. Then your 'leverage' for adjusting rounds is at least halved when on the knees.

Harry K


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## Whitespider (Jun 25, 2013)

Why is a horizontal faster than a vertical??
Well, I know I’ve posted most of this before… but I’ll do it again…

Making firewood (and I only make it for myself) is all about time for me… the faster I can get more done, the more time I have for other things. I never “load” anything until it’s ready for the stacks (or the firebox)… I do all the splitting at the cutting site, thereby leaving all the mess there also. Admittedly I have the advantage of making all my firewood in my own woodlot, which borders my yard on three sides.

My horizontal-only splitter weighs less than 200 lbs (I can load it in a pickup box by myself) and stores in less space than a lawn tractor uses. The beam (which doubles as the reservoir and about knee high) is positioned to one side of the axle, the engine on the other side. Because the engine and 90% of the cylinder is behind the axle they act as a counterweight, which allows me to easily lift the beam end with one hand (heck, I can lift it with one finger) and roll it around… even in soft earth. It has a 25-inch stroke with 10-second cycle time… and the “return” stroke is adjustable via a thumb screw to any desired length (which shortens the cycle time more). It is 100% hands-free auto-cycle (and auto-throttle)… just throw the lever forward and let go, the engine speeds up, the ram cycles (to the preset return stop), and the engine idles down. The valve does not have a pressure relief, and the small diameter cylinder operates at 8000 PSI… a true 18-ton of splitting force throughout the full stroke. With a low beam it is quite easy to sort’a “hook” a large round on the edge and lift/roll it onto the beam without much effort. For really large rounds the beam and cylinder tilt to the side (by loosening a single wing nut).

I almost never waste time and energy “moving” rounds; when I cut it just lays where it falls (sometimes I need to push some to the side a little, usually with my foot, so I can keep cutting). After it’s all bucked I bring in the splitter; I never “move” rounds to the splitter, I move the splitter to the rounds. Because the splitter is 100% hands-free auto-cycle I have both hands free to grab the splits as they come off the end of the beam and toss them directly in the trailer. I’ve never noticed the “low” beam as being a back-breaker… probably because the hands-free operation allows me to always be doing something else (and besides, I have to bend over to get the rounds… but I only need to lift them a few inches). Larger rounds are a piece-of-cake… I get the large round on the beam and throw the lever, after that I have both hands free to control the “off-side” half so it doesn’t fall, the “near-side” half slides off the end of the beam (away from my feet) and drops right next to me. Once I get it halved or quartered (depending) I start splitting off “firebox-size” pieces… using one hand to keep the larger part from falling, using the other hand to grab the smaller piece before it falls and toss it in the trailer. When the trailer is full I pull it directly up to the stacks.

I can easily (including beer breaks) take _standing wood_ and convert it into a cord of _stacked splits_ in half a day, two cord in a full day (more if I wanted to work harder/faster). Ya’ just ain’t gonna’ get all that done (felling, bucking, splitting, hauling, stacking) sitting on a stump next to an overweight, oversize, convertible splitter… especially getting up to move rounds to it. And it’s even more efficient when the wife helps; she controls/grabs/tosses all the wood coming off the beam, I put the rounds on the splitter, slap the lever and turn to grab another round… by that time the ram has returned and I place it on the beam, slap the lever and turn to grab… With her help splitting and stacking (after the saw work) we’ve converted _standing wood_ into well over 3 cord of _stacked splits_ before supper (including a lunch break) more than once (for some reason we just ain’t got to the full 4-cord mark yet… but we ain’t really tried either).

Heck, it's faster than splitting with maul or axe... 'cause you ain't "moving" rounds or "picking-up/loading" splits afterwards. I just move the splitter (with one hand) as I work, and nearly all the splits get tossed in the trailer without ever hitting the ground.


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## sunfish (Jun 25, 2013)

I like the work standing up straight. When I split rounds right off the truck, I can do a whole load without ever bending over. The work table on the Super Split is a very wonderful thing to have! :msp_smile:


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## 4seasons (Jun 25, 2013)

brenndatomu said:


> I guess I'm not gettin why everybody is so down on a combo splitter?! I probably am like you guys 90/10 maybe even 95/5, but dang it, that vertical sure is handy to quarter up some monstah rounds (like 1-2 minutes each) then finish 'em horizontal with the resta the wood pile. I take my splitter to the woods with me sometimes and a quartered (or more) round is the only way some of those bad boys is gettin in muh truck! Screw noodlin, too much time, mess, wear and tear on my saws, so easy with a combo splitter!



You must not deal with the monster rounds that I do. When I get into something big it takes more like 5 minutes to wrestle it under a vertical splitter. Then once it is split I now have 2 huge pieces that are still to heavy to move and fight each of them for a few minutes to get them into something manageable. Add to that the time it takes to sit the splitter upright and My math comes up to more like 10-15 minutes to split a monster piece. A 60 cc saw will noodle it into quarters in under 2 minutes. So I figure I come out ahead by at least 5 minutes a piece. And I don't get the wear and tear issue as my saw couldn't care less if it was throwing chips or noodles. The combo splitter has to have the wedge on the ram so you lose the option of an out-feed table. For speed of production there is no comparison. I would rather split everything by hand than fight a vertical splitter.


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## GVS (Jun 25, 2013)

sb47 said:


> Only 10 cords a year? I sold over 100 cords last year and have tripled that this year.
> I found it easier to noodle them down where I can pick them up.
> Trying to get a large round in by hand is way to much work.
> But I guess if your only doing 10 cords a year, it would not be a big issue.
> I am working on getting a small crane to put on my splitter to pick up a bigger round.




If I was doing 100 cords a year or any where near it I'd have more than a spliter I'd have a processer .


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## boda65 (Jun 25, 2013)

apn73 said:


> I'm shocked at how many of you prefer horizontal. Mine is set vertically all of the time, get a log to sit on, get comfy and go to town with my 10 cords per year. I cut up wood by the grapple load and the splitter is set up to one side of the load, so I don't have move anything to great a distance. If it's too heavy then I grab either the Kubota or a hand truck with nice big pneumatic tires, no problem. I haven't been at this nearly as long as some of you and I'm still learning. I think I've got a pretty good system going, but maybe I'm missing something.



I agree. I also do no more than 10 cords a year, usually less. I didn't think I would like the vertical mode but liked the option for large pieces. After splitting both ways, I use vertical probably 90-95 percent of the time. Pull up a round to sit on and go at it. Big rounds I just roll over to it, then flop them over flat on the end plate. You do need to lay down a 2x8 or something to keep them from tilting away from the beam. In horizontal mode I am constantly bending over to pick up logs. My disc-deficient back likes vertical much better. Plus I am 6'2" tall and those pieces that really pop when you split them are right at 'nad height when horizontal. Don't want to wear a cup just to split some wood.
Jim


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## Guswhit (Jun 25, 2013)

I built my own splitter 20 years ago, and have done some major modifications since. It is both H/V, but 95% horizontal now. I am getting to old and fat to wrestle large crap on the ground and I can make much faster production standing up. I just can't seem to make the jump to a supersplitter yet, especially since I just sold the house and OWB, and we are going to rent for a year before we get the new place built. The vertical has come in very handy over the years on some giant oaks and I have a few to get split for a couple neighbors yet this year. Saying that, I generally sit on a round, run the splitter and another guy wrestles the rounds to me as I split. We don't make as much production as I do splitting say 16" rounds, but it's what the customer wants and how I do it for them. I have never had a problem with my axle being in the way, but I used a rear axle from an old hay wagon that give it a wider stance. I also mocked everything up when building it so I could get the weight distributed so it isn't too tongue heavy. With the high floatation tires on flat ground I can maneuver it by hand for several feet with out much effort. I intend to order a supersplit once I get back into full production again after the house is finished and save the hydro for the oversized stuff. Definitely going to miss the wood heat this winter, heating gas prices will probably spike to all time highs with my luck.


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## zogger (Jun 25, 2013)

Whitespider said:


> Why is a horizontal faster than a vertical??
> Well, I know I’ve posted most of this before… but I’ll do it again…
> 
> Making firewood (and I only make it for myself) is all about time for me… the faster I can get more done, the more time I have for other things. I never “load” anything until it’s ready for the stacks (or the firebox)… I do all the splitting at the cutting site, thereby leaving all the mess there also. Admittedly I have the advantage of making all my firewood in my own woodlot, which borders my yard on three sides.
> ...



Yours is the slickest one here by far, for what it can do at tiny size.


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## Rckymtnhigh (Jun 25, 2013)

*Wow...lot's of reaction*

Y'all, never would have there would be this much response.

I don't have a ton of experience splitting but the other day the manufacturing engineer side of me got me thinking about how to be more productive. Thinking the faster we get through the wood pile then the faster we get to drinkin!!

I guess we had it pretty easy...mostly pine rounds in the 10-24in dia range so they weren't too heavy, but I could see how a big huge round would be a pain in the keester to lift. 

It sounds like quite a few of you out there have some add on tables and racks to assist the loading of rounds. 

What other stuff do you do to split faster?


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## DSS (Jun 25, 2013)

zogger said:


> Yours is the slickest one here by far, for what it can do at tiny size.




In 1500 words or less, its the bias ply tires he bought.


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## zogger (Jun 25, 2013)

Rckymtnhigh said:


> Y'all, never would have there would be this much response.
> 
> I don't have a ton of experience splitting but the other day the manufacturing engineer side of me got me thinking about how to be more productive. Thinking the faster we get through the wood pile then the faster we get to drinkin!!
> 
> ...



To split faster, my boss would just tell two of his goofs instead of one to get to it....


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## blades (Jun 25, 2013)

My splitter was originally a h/v unit, now it is strictly h after rebuild. Used in vertical mode maybe twice on big rounds, lot of wasted effort, more trouble than it was worth far simpler/easy to noodle down to acceptable size/weight. But I did like to store it in the vertivcal position as it took up less space. For me that was its only positive point.


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## sb47 (Jun 25, 2013)

sunfish said:


> I like the work standing up straight. When I split rounds right off the truck, I can do a whole load without ever bending over. The work table on the Super Split is a very wonderful thing to have! :msp_smile:



I agree, picking them up from ground level is way more work then from the trailer.
i do that if i have the time and dont need the trailer again rite away.


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## luckydozenfarm (Jun 25, 2013)

I guess I'm completely different as usual. I am 100% vertical all the time. But....I sit on a chair with a soft boat cushion. Even on a small round..always vertical..The log never leaves the ground when I split. I roll the logs to my splitter or use the grapple bucket on the big ones..I even made a spot to hold my beer and a small fan clipped to the cylinder hose.


Here is the key to it all..

I grab the log with both hands, resting my arms on my knees, then I do a toe raise while leaning back. The logs only lifts an inch off the ground.

The only caveat...splits pile up all around me in short order, cause I'm too low to throw them...then I have to move the splitter with the tractor. With shade I can split all day long.

Today was 100 degrees with 30% humidity...you could almost see the steam coming off the splits pile. )


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## AIM (Jun 25, 2013)

Ok guys.. Your gonna have to clue me on. For those of you that are Horiz only. All I can think of is that you are cutting and splitting some rather small stuff. 18" or less. What do you do when you get into the big stuff. Noodling sucks and takes forever. I've done a bunch of it and no way is it faster than just splitting. I still have to noodle on occasion but avoid it at all costs.

I just recently cut up a huge ash crotch. Likely 4'-5' width across the longest part. It was branching with 2- 30" or so diameter limbs. I was able to noodle it one time down the middle and then split it up. Oh don't get me wrong. The two halves were a REAL bear to get tipped up on the splitter but I'll bet within 60 secs or so after the noodling I was splitting. I would have noodled for another 10+ minutes to make them light enough to lift. 
How would a horiz been better for that?

I don't know. Maybe I'm just young and limber enough that getting up and down doesn't bother me.


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## apn73 (Jun 25, 2013)

GVS said:


> If I was doing 100 cords a year or any where near it I'd have more than a spliter I'd have a processer .


If you can justify it financially a wood processor is the only way to go over the goofy stuff we're going back and forth with in this thread.


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## Whitespider (Jun 25, 2013)

AIM said:


> *Ok guys.. Your gonna have to clue me on. For those of you that are Horiz only. All I can think of is that you are cutting and splitting some rather small stuff. 18" or less. What do you do when you get into the big stuff.*



Yeah, I do a lot of "small" stuff...

OH... here's some of that "small" oak I convert to firewood...


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## jack_90125 (Jun 25, 2013)

I am a vertical guy.I have a system where I buck right to left and split left to right. pull up to the pile and split everything in reach. move the splitter and continue on. no bending stooping.and it goes fast no strain no pain just piles of split wood.


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## AIM (Jun 25, 2013)

Whitespider said:


> Yeah, I do a lot of "small" stuff...
> 
> OH... here's some of that "small" oak I convert to firewood...



Ya now tell me you lifted them right up onto your splitter...

Is that metal thingy in the middle of the pic the tool that makes Horiz splitters SOOO much easier?:jester:


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## turnkey4099 (Jun 26, 2013)

AIM said:


> Ok guys.. Your gonna have to clue me on. For those of you that are Horiz only. All I can think of is that you are cutting and splitting some rather small stuff. 18" or less. What do you do when you get into the big stuff. Noodling sucks and takes forever. I've done a bunch of it and no way is it faster than just splitting. I still have to noodle on occasion but avoid it at all costs.
> 
> I just recently cut up a huge ash crotch. Likely 4'-5' width across the longest part. It was branching with 2- 30" or so diameter limbs. I was able to noodle it one time down the middle and then split it up. Oh don't get me wrong. The two halves were a REAL bear to get tipped up on the splitter but I'll bet within 60 secs or so after the noodling I was splitting. I would have noodled for another 10+ minutes to make them light enough to lift.
> How would a horiz been better for that?
> ...



There might be a case like you made for those people who get chunks delivered. For ones hauling wood home? If you haul it, you have to load it. that means for me there has never been a chunk too big for me to pick up. I wedge/sledge or noodle the big ones to a size I can load - that is around 130-150 lb per chunk.

You did point out one problem with the verticle - stuff piling uop around you, another one is having to stop splitting to bring more rounds within reach of the operator. When using the splitter on 'just brought int stuff' it comes off he truck onto the splitter using a hookeroon. very little lifting involved.

Harry K


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## blades (Jun 26, 2013)

AIM said:


> Ok guys.. Your gonna have to clue me on. For those of you that are Horiz only. All I can think of is that you are cutting and splitting some rather small stuff. 18" or less. What do you do when you get into the big stuff. Noodling sucks and takes forever. I've done a bunch of it and no way is it faster than just splitting. I still have to noodle on occasion but avoid it at all costs.
> 
> I just recently cut up a huge ash crotch. Likely 4'-5' width across the longest part. It was branching with 2- 30" or so diameter limbs. I was able to noodle it one time down the middle and then split it up. Oh don't get me wrong. The two halves were a REAL bear to get tipped up on the splitter but I'll bet within 60 secs or so after the noodling I was splitting. I would have noodled for another 10+ minutes to make them light enough to lift.
> How would a horiz been better for that?
> ...



It'll kecth up to ya sooner than later.


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## Whitespider (Jun 26, 2013)

AIM said:


> *Ya now tell me you lifted them right up onto your splitter...
> Is that metal thingy in the middle of the pic the tool that makes Horiz splitters SOOO much easier?*:jester:



Now you tell me... how do you lay those big rounds (weighing several hundred pounds) down and slide them into position under your vertical splitter?? Hmmmmm??
Me, I "noodle" about a third of the way through, set a wedge, and smack it once with that wooden-handled "_metal thingy_" in the pick... 9 times out'a 10 that will give me two halves I can convert to quarters with a couple swings of that wooden-handled "_metal thingy_" in the pic.


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## cmsmoke (Jun 26, 2013)

Nope, just roll them near the beam, push it over and it lands on the plate. It is pretty easy to judge and in the few instances that it needs adjusted, grab the timberjack and use it sideways to manipulate.


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## saxman (Jun 26, 2013)

Well I am a 99% vertical guy and I tend to split big rounds. I noodle them with a saw if they are really big but generally I find a round that is the right height to sit on, I place the splitter next to the rounds to split and as I split I throw them into a pile opposite the rounds. I just sit and split and listen to my work tunes, with no lifting or having splits fall off on my feet. I can get a lot done by myself and have fun doing it but whatever works the best and safest is the way for you to go. 

Steve


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## blades (Jun 26, 2013)

Wood gathering/splitting/stacking = Gym Membership for me, deep knee bends , weight lifting. twisting- gotta work that doughnut off the mid section - otherwise I aint going to be able to keep up with my springers and them feathery varmints. Sittin on stump is huntin time for those four legged, sticks on head, varmints.
Gave up on the two legged painted variety , too expensive!


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## GVS (Jun 26, 2013)

As I said earlyer I have one of each( one horizontal,one combo).I use the combo 99% of the time and 99% of the time in the hor. mode.When I come across a piece 2+ ft. in diameter and 20 in. long I'm not about to lift that beast onto the beam and Im' not going to noodle it either. I'll wait til I have 3 or 4 BIG UNS to split ,switch to vert.,roll them to the unit and stand them up on the foot plate and split,turn an eighth of a turn and split again. Works real well for me.


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## VW Splitter (Jun 26, 2013)

AIM said:


> Ok guys.. Your gonna have to clue me on. For those of you that are Horiz only. All I can think of is that you are cutting and splitting some rather small stuff. 18" or less. What do you do when you get into the big stuff. Noodling sucks and takes forever. I've done a bunch of it and no way is it faster than just splitting. I still have to noodle on occasion but avoid it at all costs.
> 
> Hydraulic Log lift. Will pick up whatever you put on it. That's how I do it. The lift doubles as a tray to hold the ones that need to be split again. The only problem is when the rounds get bigger than 30". Once they are split, 1/2 a round is too heavy to deal with. That's when I noodle. I don't mind noodling, I use a ported 372xp to noodle with. It's a screaming noodle making machine.


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## apn73 (Jun 26, 2013)

Whitespider said:


> Now you tell me... how do you lay those big rounds (weighing several hundred pounds) down and slide them into position under your vertical splitter?? Hmmmmm??
> Me, I "noodle" about a third of the way through, set a wedge, and smack it once with that wooden-handled "_metal thingy_" in the pick... 9 times out'a 10 that will give me two halves I can convert to quarters with a couple swings of that wooden-handled "_metal thingy_" in the pic.


Roll over like you're wheeling a 55 gallon drum, hand truck, or Kubota. It sits right there on the bottom pad, wedge comes down, splits and you either pick up the pieces and resplit, or you turn it. Not sure what the difficulty is.


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## Whitespider (Jun 26, 2013)

cmsmoke said:


> *…just roll them near the beam, push it over and it lands on the plate. …the few instances that it needs adjusted, grab the timberjack…*





apn73 said:


> *Roll over like you're wheeling a 55 gallon drum, hand truck, or Kubota. … Not sure what the difficulty is.*



Yeah… OK… I get it.
But remember, I don’t move he wood to the splitter, I move the splitter to the wood.
And also remember, I think about time when making firewood.
If I have a dozen (or a few more) rounds too big to easily flop on my (low) horizontal I walk through and noodle each ¼ to ⅓ of the way, grab the wedge and swing the maul a few times to finish them into halves or quarters (depending)… then start rolling my splitter right up next to each hunk (using one hand, beer in the other). I’m bettin’ (a friendly bet, say a box-o-beer) that’s a lot faster (and likely less work) than rolling 400-600 pound, 30-60 inch rounds around on soft ground… and then trying to turn/rotate them after the first split while on your knees!!


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## Wood Doctor (Jun 26, 2013)

*Vertical*

I'm outvoted by a longshot here, but most of the time I split vertically. Most of the rounds I have are enornmous, and lifting them atop the beam would be almost impossible. More important, about four years ago I tried working too fast while horizontal and somehow got my left hand between the log and the foot of the splitter (my splitter's wedge moves). That broke three bones in two fingers on my left hand. They healed, but it scared the pea out of me.

Splitting vertically, I have never injured myself. To make it more comfortable, I have a dedicated and strong old chair that I sit on rather than kneel. It also seems that I have more control of the wedge position and the size of the split log when splitting vertically.

However, to each his own.


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## AIM (Jun 26, 2013)

I'm not really arguing here. This is actually kind of a fun thread.

You may move your splitter to the wood but rolling the rounds around isn't really that hard. Especially if they are pretty round. (like the ones in spideys pic) Then you just get em to the right position and shove em over like someone said here and your splitting. 
I won't lie though. You'll bust a nut sometimes just shoving them upright. 
Split up a huge sycamore tree a couple years back with my buddy's splitter and all I can say is WOW!!! That stuff is HEAVY when green! Took 2 of us just to shove them upright. (this tree was close to 48" or so diameter though)

I'd love to take spideys bet but it's to damn hot to split anything right now. If I remember it this fall maybe I'll do up 2 equal rounds in each position and compare times.


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## WidowMaker (Jun 26, 2013)

AIM said:


> Ok guys.. Your gonna have to clue me on. For those of you that are Horiz only. All I can think of is that you are cutting and splitting some rather small stuff. 18" or less. What do you do when you get into the big stuff. Noodling sucks and takes forever. I've done a bunch of it and no way is it faster than just splitting. I still have to noodle on occasion but avoid it at all costs.
> 
> I just recently cut up a huge ash crotch. Likely 4'-5' width across the longest part. It was branching with 2- 30" or so diameter limbs. I was able to noodle it one time down the middle and then split it up. Oh don't get me wrong. The two halves were a REAL bear to get tipped up on the splitter but I'll bet within 60 secs or so after the noodling I was splitting. I would have noodled for another 10+ minutes to make them light enough to lift.
> How would a horiz been better for that?
> ...


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## memory (Jun 26, 2013)

We always split wood in the vertical position. I don't see how anybody can split horizontal unless they have all the lifts and such. Unless the splitter is at the right height(I doubt most box store splitters are), that would kill my back having to be crouched over just to run the control. 

On our splitter, if we split horizontal, the pieces could fall off and hit the engine. I would have to build some kind of protector and split catcher if I were even to think about splitting horizontal. I do not have a problem splitting in vertical. I just put some knee pads on and I could split all day and it does not bother my back. One thing that helps with splitting in the vertical position is I made the bottom foot plate bigger which really helps with the bigger rounds. With bigger rounds, you have to hold it up until the ram hits it. With the piece I made, once you get the round on there, you don't have to hold it until the ram hits it and the rounds slide around pretty easy too since the top is made out of a piece of stainless steel. 

There are certain things that bothers my back and splitting in the horizontal position would be one of them, at least with our splitter it would be.


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## Tiewire (Jun 26, 2013)

View attachment 302027
View attachment 302026

When I built splitter I thought that I wanted both horizontal and vertical. After splitting some bigger rounds vertically I knew that something had to change so I added the boom as an afterthought. It could not make me or my back any happier. Would not be worth a crap without table. Hookeroon is life saver also.


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## Wood Doctor (Jun 26, 2013)

AIM said:


> I'm not really arguing here. This is actually kind of a fun thread.
> 
> You may move your splitter to the wood but rolling the rounds around isn't really that hard. Especially if they are pretty round. (like the ones in spideys pic) Then you just get em to the right position and shove em over like someone said here and your splitting.
> I won't lie though. You'll bust a nut sometimes just shoving them upright.
> ...


There was nothing fun about running my splitter horizontally and almost losing two fingers on my left hand. I've never busted a nut postioning a round but I have almost busted my back several times by lifting a huge round onto a horizontal splitter beam. 48" dia.? Noodle cut that thing into 4 to 6 blocks. That's what I do.





Hey guys, to each his own.


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## Eric Modell (Jun 26, 2013)

I split one or two rounds vertical, never again.


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## Wood Doctor (Jun 26, 2013)

*Why Not?*



Eric Modell said:


> I split one or two rounds vertical, never again.



Why not? Eric, please explain. Otherwise, how can I believe you, especially when it's been four years since I mashed my fingers splitting horizontally and have split 30 cords of wood vertically since then?


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## WidowMaker (Jun 26, 2013)

Because my ol' back and knees won't take it. It's been about seven years since our splitter was last used verticle and we split something between thirty to 50 cords a year. All with eihter a maul or two 6" handlles...Hydraulics forever...


===
and some noodling


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## cheeves (Jun 26, 2013)

Because of my back I split most of my wood in the Vertical. Sit on a big round and pull the wood over to where I'm sitting with a three pronged clam rake! Been doing it so long am used to it!! Just split about 12 cords that way! Pics in " Good Morning Thread" a while back.


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## Wood Doctor (Jun 26, 2013)

*Help is on the Way!*



cheeves said:


> Because of my back I split most of my wood in the Vertical. Sit on a big round and pull the wood over to where I'm sitting with a three pronged clam rake! Been doing it so long am used to it!! Just split about 12 cords that way! Pics in " Good Morning Thread" a while back.


Finally, another guy on the same page. Let the other beasts lift the 24" dia., 200-Lb rounds that I can handle by myself sitting down with the splitter standing up. This thread is finally starting to get interesting.

Go ahead, guys. Get your wife or grandson to help you lift those big rounds up to the horizontal splitter beam. They just can't wait to help you. Show a Pic of all parties in action.


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## fin460 (Jun 26, 2013)

We do everything with the Fiskars, in the timber, just a load or two at a time, but were farmers and stubborn, and until this year while cutting with a friend who had a splitter, we didn't know any better. We cut as a family around 30cords a year maybe more. We noodle some of the big knotted pieces, but usually there is a way to split it with an axe, if you are stubborn enough. Since were in the timber some of those bad knots just get rolled back into the brush pile.

I'm not stupid and I now know splitters are nice, we will probably build one this fall, but since we don't cut all our wood ahead of time, and only a few loads a week during the winter when we need it, the big rush isn't usually a problem.

There's a sort of pride when splitting a whole load of split wood with just a light fiskars axe.


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## AIM (Jun 26, 2013)

I have a bad disc between L4 and L5. Crawling around on my knees shoving wood around seems to not scare me like trying to lift heavy pieces.

Of course the stupid thing is that anytime I hurt my back is when I sneeze, cough, crawl out of the truck, or something silly like that. Never seem to do anything to it while doing hard heavy work:confused2:


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## apn73 (Jun 26, 2013)

Whitespider said:


> Yeah… OK… I get it.
> But remember, I don’t move he wood to the splitter, I move the splitter to the wood.
> And also remember, I think about time when making firewood.
> If I have a dozen (or a few more) rounds too big to easily flop on my (low) horizontal I walk through and noodle each ¼ to ⅓ of the way, grab the wedge and swing the maul a few times to finish them into halves or quarters (depending)… then start rolling my splitter right up next to each hunk (using one hand, beer in the other). I’m bettin’ (a friendly bet, say a box-o-beer) that’s a lot faster (and likely less work) than rolling 400-600 pound, 30-60 inch rounds around on soft ground… and then trying to turn/rotate them after the first split while on your knees!!


I don't know Spidey, the Kubota is pretty darn fast, and the hand truck is pretty good on level ground. It just sounds like you're working too hard!:hmm3grin2orange: I think also depends somewhat on your situation. You sound like you're cutting in a big wood lot. I'm cutting up grapple load at a time set out on three or four forebearers in my backyard. Things are tight and I really can't spread wood all over the place, that and there is a steep hill. The other thing is that I generally am not splitting anything over 20" in diameter, but the Kubota is still pretty fast.


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## turnkey4099 (Jun 27, 2013)

cheeves said:


> Because of my back I split most of my wood in the Vertical. Sit on a big round and pull the wood over to where I'm sitting with a three pronged clam rake! Been doing it so long am used to it!! Just split about 12 cords that way! Pics in " Good Morning Thread" a while back.



I'll bet if you used a real hookeroon once you'd never go back to a rake, hoe or other substitutes. I know I didn't.

Harry K


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## ChoppyChoppy (Jun 27, 2013)

Same here. I've run about 75 cords on the splitter so far this month and all was horizontal.



Eric Modell said:


> I split one or two rounds vertical, never again.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Jun 27, 2013)

I have employees and equipment to do the heavy lifting. 



Wood Doctor said:


> Finally, another guy on the same page. Let the other beasts lift the 24" dia., 200-Lb rounds that I can handle by myself sitting down with the splitter standing up. This thread is finally starting to get interesting.
> 
> Go ahead, guys. Get your wife or grandson to help you lift those big rounds up to the horizontal splitter beam. They just can't wait to help you. Show a Pic of all parties in action.


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## NSMaple1 (Jun 27, 2013)

This debate is silly.

I've got a tip-up, sometimes I go horizontal, sometimes I go vertical - mostly depending how my back feels at the time.

Different strokes - do it the way you want to & don't worry about it.


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## Wood Doctor (Jun 27, 2013)

AIM said:


> I have a bad disc between L4 and L5. Crawling around on my knees shoving wood around seems to not scare me like trying to lift heavy pieces.
> 
> Of course the stupid thing is that anytime I hurt my back is when I sneeze, cough, crawl out of the truck, or something silly like that. Never seem to do anything to it while doing hard heavy work:confused2:


Agreed. For example, changing a toilet out in the house can throw your back out for over a week. BTDT.

Thousands of people suffer from spondylolisthesis (spondo for short) and many don't even know it. Whenever you lift a heavy round onto a splitter beam or the truck tailgate for that matter, you can suddenly increase the cost of your firewood.


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## bleoh (Jun 27, 2013)

I do about 90% vertical. Between my brother and I we probably split about 10 to 15 cords a year. It is usually bigger oak and we have a history of back problems. We also usually have plenty of helpers so there are two people at the splitter, one person sitting at the splitter (operator) and one making sure the rounds are within reach of the operator and also loading/stacking the splits. If my splitter was a little taller (I am 6'1" and my brother is 6'4"),had a lift and a real work table (it just has a cradle) I think I would do horizontal more. I have had to split pieces so big there was no way to move them. In those cases we used a digging bar to pry under the round and lift it up a few inches, then slid the splitter under the round and start a crack in the round. Then move the splitter over a foot or so and do it again until we got enough chunks out of the wood to be able to move it rather then the splitter. Doing that really made you appreciate a nice straight 12" round tree!!
Brian.


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## apn73 (Jun 27, 2013)

NSMaple1 said:


> This debate is silly.
> 
> I've got a tip-up, sometimes I go horizontal, sometimes I go vertical - mostly depending how my back feels at the time.
> 
> Different strokes - do it the way you want to & don't worry about it.


It may be silly in your mind, but I have learned a lot by what others with more experience are saying. I still prefer vertical, but that's just me. Silly, maybe, lots of good information for people to pick up on if they're paying attention, absolutely! Becaus of this I don't think this dabate is the least bit silly.


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## spike60 (Jun 27, 2013)

apn73 said:


> It may be silly in your mind, but I have learned a lot by what others with more experience are saying. I still prefer vertical, but that's just me. Silly, maybe, lots of good information for people to pick up on if they're paying attention, absolutely! Becaus of this I don't think this dabate is the least bit silly.



You are right in that both sides of a debate like this make valid points, and there is certainly some valuable info there. 

But if these things go on long enough, they begin to take on the tone of an argument, and that is where it starts to get silly. It's cool to say "I prefer it this way because..........". But you can start to detect a lot of comments from one side suggesting the other side is "wrong" and doesn't know what they are doing. Then they in turn will naturally defend their position and say that the other guys have it all wrong, and off we go. It's like the outdoor vs. indoor stove debate that takes place 8 or 9 times every year. (Or the inboard clutch vs outboard clutch debate that takes place every other week over on the saw forum. :msp_razz

NSmaple is right in his main point, which we probably all agree with: Do it which ever way you find works best for you. Doesn't matter if someone else has a different idea.


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## cat-face timber (Jun 27, 2013)

stihl023/5 said:


> Well my plan was a reclining lawn chair or hammock the beer and watch the kids split!:msp_thumbsup:



Are you sure you are not my Dad?


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## djones (Jun 27, 2013)

View attachment 302133


Only way to go.


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## Whitespider (Jun 27, 2013)

Silly?? No.
Resolvable?? No.

Everybody is gonna' make what they have work... and it's what you get used to, as well a physical limits. If you have bad knees or hemorrhoids then a vertical that puts the plate on the ground ain't gonna' be worth sour-owl-crap for you, but a table-top vertical might be. If you have a broken ankle or gout then standing at a horizontal would be miserable.

I split at the cutting site, so all the wood is laying on the ground. Even though I prefer a horizontal, I'd positively hate one that required lifting rounds to waist level... mine only requires I lift the wood a few inches. The larger/heavier stuff isn't really lifted, it's more like rolled onto the splitter... meaning I use a comparatively small amount of effort to put a 200 lb round on the beam. And, worst case, I just loosen one wing nut and the wedge, beam, push-plate and cylinder tilt over on their side to get the really, really big rounds. See... I never lift any "heavy" wood, ever, 'cause I don't load it until I'm splitting it. If I was splitting wood from the back of a pickup, well then... my low-to-the-ground splitter would be a huge PITA (but I never do that, 'cause I don't want to lift the heavy pieces into the truck).

OK, so some of these guys say they'd rather work a vertical while sitting on a stump then work bent over a low horizontal. Well guess what guys?? My low-to-the-ground horizontal is "low enough" you could sit on a stump while operating it (if sitting is your thing). Really though, I've never noticed a sore back issue; the operating lever is tall enough to manipulate while standing straight up, and I have to bend over to reach the wood anyway... I mean really guys, no matter how you slice it, you have to bend over and pick the wood up at some point, I just do it (and the loading) during the splitting operation rather than 2, 3 or 4 separate, more time consuming operations. It's called streamlining... I have nothing to gain, and everything to lose by having a "taller" horizontal, and even more to lose using a vertical. Besides, with the 100% hands-free auto-cycle, it ain't like I have to be bent over holding a lever anyway... my hands are free to be doing something else.

Which brings me to my next point... the hand-free auto-cycle and adjustable return stop. Man, I just can't imagine having a splitter without those. Really, that's something I'd pay double, even triple the price for... and you couldn't give my one without it. You can talk about how fast your splitter is all you want... but if you're standing still holding levers you're wasting massive amounts of time. More often than not I have the next round ready to drop on the beam before the ram returns enough... as soon as the ram returns enough I drop the round and slap the lever _before_ it even hits the stop. In other words, I'm splitting rounds just as fast as I can turn and grab them! If I'm a bit slow grabbing the next round the ram only returns as far as I've preset it... I ain't wasting time with the push-plate floating through dead air.

Which brings me to my next point... the push-plate on the ram and the wedge on the beam (impossible with a H/V convertible). That setup puts the axle, engine, pump, operating controls and everything else well back and out of the way... no way for anything to fall on them. And with the splits being pushed off the end of the beam there ain't any chance of squashed feet either. My push-plate is a small round affair that tilts, swivels and rotates to grab angle cut rounds without problem. And it keeps all the force directly in line with the ram... rarely any bind on the slide, often rattling loose during the split.

And lastly, all of the above, plus the 8000 PSI working pressures, make for a small, light weight, compact and powerful machine that stores in less space than a riding lawn mower.

I may not be able to convert you with words, but I'll guarantee that running my splitter for an hour would permanently convert you away from those other monstrosities.


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## cmsmoke (Jun 27, 2013)

I like that little splitter. I've seen it before. It could be put up on blocks if it is too low for some of us. The capability of laying the cylinder and beam on its side makes it as usefull as a combination splitter. I see one drawback when using it on the side...if the log is close to or heavier than the splitter, the splitter is going to walk away from log as it is splitting. Make sure you don't run anything over!


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## spike60 (Jun 27, 2013)

Whitespider said:


> Silly?? No.
> Resolvable?? No.
> 
> Everybody is gonna' make what they have work... and it's what you get used to, as well a physical limits.
> ...



First statement, 100% agreement

Second statement, nope. I've run those low to the ground splitters and don't like them at all. I much prefer the "table height" set up. 

Doesn't really matter though; we still both go home with a truck full of wood.


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## Whitespider (Jun 27, 2013)

cmsmoke said:


> *The capability of laying the cylinder and beam on its side makes it as usefull as a combination splitter. I see one drawback when using it on the side...if the log is close to or heavier than the splitter, the splitter is going to walk away from log as it is splitting.*



That is 100% correct... and it will "walk" every time. The round will not move, the wheels allow the machine to roll sort'a pulling the wedge through. It's not a problem as long as you keep that in mind and plan accordingly... and the little machine is super easy to roll back into position. I mean... I don't position the large round to the machine, I position the machine to the round (with one hand).


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## Whitespider (Jun 27, 2013)

spike60 said:


> *I've run those low to the ground splitters and don't like them at all.
> Doesn't really matter though; we still both go home with a truck full of wood.*



Ahhhhh yes... but have you run one with a tall operating lever and 100% hands-free auto-cycle??
See, the only difference with that setup (when splitting rounds laying on the ground) is you set the log on the beam before you straighten-up, rather than straighten-up before you set the log on the beam. It's the exact same amount of bending and straightening... but with a whole lot less lifting!!!

Oh... and I've never hauled firewood in my truck :hmm3grin2orange:


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## bleoh (Jun 27, 2013)

djones said:


> View attachment 302133
> 
> 
> Only way to go.



I disagree 100%. This is the only way to go! Only I should have been in a chair instead of standing up and casting a long shadow.


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## cmsmoke (Jun 27, 2013)

I think that about everyone posting on this thread can agree on a couple of things...Large rounds take extra work. We all use something extra to make them manageable. It could be anything from a tractor, log lift, vertical splitter, noodling and or using a maul and splitting wedges. We are not in the mindset of passing them by, or letting them lay as some do in these parts. I get most of my wood by what others deem as "too big to handle" or why bother when you can find smaller stuff? There are many ways to end up with the same result, which is "staying warm"! I think we could all shoot holes in someone elses methods, but sometimes we can pick up a new trick or two along the way. I always look for a better way to do things.


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## Wood Doctor (Jun 27, 2013)

cmsmoke said:


> I think that about everyone posting on this thread can agree on a couple of things...Large rounds take extra work. We all use something extra to make them manageable. It could be anything from a tractor, log lift, vertical splitter, noodling and or using a maul and splitting wedges. We are not in the mindset of passing them by, or letting them lay as some do in these parts. I get most of my wood by what others deem as "too big to handle" or why bother when you can find smaller stuff? There are many ways to end up with the same result, which is "staying warm"! I think we could all shoot holes in someone elses methods, but sometimes we can pick up a new trick or two along the way. I always look for a better way to do things.


Yes, really large rounds make extra, back-breaking work. Here's my solution to that problem, before loading the rounds onto the tailgate and before hauling them to the splitter:





Noodle cut to make two:





Noodle cut to make four:





Now load the truck:




Now split the quarters. Sometimes even the half moons are too heavy to mess with.


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## Toddppm (Jun 27, 2013)

The first couple pages had me wondering WTH I was missing not splitting horizontal! I have a 31 ton MTD that can be used both ways for about 15 years now and can't remember the last time I used it horizontal. I don't have time to split my wood as I get it. All my wood comes from the tree work we do, gets brouht home and dumped or moved up the hill with the bobcat to be split later. I don't pick and choose, whatever came from the job I bring home if I don't give it to somebody else.
Like most of the other vertical guys I have a nice height round I sit down on and roll everything to the splitter, nothing gets noodled unless it was done at the job.
I've watched a bunch of videos here and even though it's just splitting wood or moving it around, most people would be bored to death watching that but it's interesting to me! I'm pretty sure I can keep up with most people working by themselves using a horizontal splitter if they're picking up rounds off the ground or noodling them first.
I can split a cord an hour by myself sitting down and tossing into a pile, everything from 10"-36"+ rounds, only thing is it gets boring after an hour or two and I'm not selling so no push to get more done. I only burn for myself 10-12 cords a year.


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## SPDRMNKY (Jun 27, 2013)

has anyone tried splitting diagonal? :jester:




bleoh said:


> I disagree 100%. This is the only way to go! *Only I should have been in a chair instead of standing up and casting a long shadow.*



until that Jeep is up and running...no chair for you!


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## AIM (Jun 27, 2013)

Supposed to be in the mid 70's Sunday and I know right where a rather large white oak trunk is laying. 
I might just get an inclination to try a few things.


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## WidowMaker (Jun 28, 2013)

Spidy,

I would be interested in how your auto cycle works. Does it have to go full stroke to go into return mode???

===

Never mind spidy, I did some more research into it and think I have my info....Thanks anyway...


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## Whitespider (Jun 28, 2013)

AIM said:


> *Supposed to be in the mid 70's Sunday... I might just get an inclination to try a few things.*



Mid 70's is still way too darn hot for splitting firewood... ... ... unless ... well, unless you're splitting *my* firewood.
Yeah, c'mon over ta this side of the river, I'll buy the beer!


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## AIM (Jun 28, 2013)

Whitespider said:


> Mid 70's is still way too darn hot for splitting firewood... ... ... unless ... well, unless you're splitting *my* firewood.
> Yeah, c'mon over ta this side of the river, I'll buy the beer!



I wouldn't normally do it but I'd sort of like to do a little time trial so to speak. Plus it's a Sunday. What the hell else should I do? haha


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## brenndatomu (Jun 28, 2013)

Diagonal!?!? HMMM...

I think we can all agree, this is the best! Heck, this first guy has his A/C on!
mini excavator with wood splitter - YouTube
360 excavator based log splitter and firewood auction - YouTube
That last one is a true _LOG SPLITTER_!


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## GVS (Jun 28, 2013)

This dosen't answer the horiz. vs the combo debate(nothing will) but a friend of mine told me what they did when alot of big maple,oak,ash or what have you had to be split useing a splitter.A trench was dug just deep enough so that the splitter beam was just above ground level. The splitter was rolled in, the blocks rolled up and the spliting commenced.


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## blades (Jun 28, 2013)

There will never be a consensus of opinion in this thread, or a Ford vs Gm, or any similar type thread, But the shared info of various ways of accomplishing the end result are priceless. Have great weekend. Chris


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## Tiewire (Jun 28, 2013)

Whitespider said:


> Mid 70's is still way too darn hot for splitting firewood... ... ... unless ... well, unless you're splitting *my* firewood.
> Yeah, c'mon over ta this side of the river, I'll buy the beer!



Hell if the temp is above 60 this fat boy can wait for a better day!:sweat:


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## boda65 (Jun 29, 2013)

brenndatomu said:


> Diagonal!?!? HMMM...
> 
> I think we can all agree, this is the best! Heck, this first guy has his A/C on!
> mini excavator with wood splitter - YouTube
> ...



Very nice machines. I can't imagine the volume of wood required to pay for an excavator though. Certainly not my 6 to 10 cords LOL.
After much thought I think I would like or even prefer a horizontal if it had a log lift and work table. But those types of splitters are generally quite expensive and I got a screamin' good craigslist deal on a Speeco 35 ton. I think the Speeco is poorly designed as a horizontal splitter. Axle in the way of operator, no work table/cradle, wood can drop on engine, etc. I absolutely love it in vertical mode, and it will split anything I've given it. If it can't split a knot or crotch it just cuts right through it. I've put it through the ringer and I see no signs of bending or twisting anywhere on it. As others have stated, to each his own. I've found something that works well for me and my vertebrae are tickled pink to see rust on my maul.
Jim


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## splitter77 (Jul 1, 2013)

boda65 said:


> I've found something that works well for me and my vertebrae are tickled pink to see rust on my maul.
> Jim



Now isn't that the truth! To bad I didn't have the rust start a bit sooner.


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## Hedgerow (Jul 1, 2013)

AIM said:


> Supposed to be in the mid 70's Sunday and I know right where a rather large white oak trunk is laying.
> I might just get an inclination to try a few things.



Swing by and pick this one up... You may like splitting horizontal... :msp_rolleyes:


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## memory (Jul 1, 2013)

If I had a splitter like that, I would probably prefer to split horizontal.


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## Dieselbreath (Jul 1, 2013)

I don't think we are going to change any ones mind here. Its a personal preference. I've tried splitting in the vertical position but after about 10 minutes my back says no more. Now, I can split horizontally all day long even if it does mean bending over many times because of the change in activities. But at 70 yrs old I needed to make my life easier, especially with the large pieces. What I do now is push the larger rounds into the 7' bucket of my tractor, drive it over to the splitter and just roll the rounds onto the beam and throw the splits back onto the bucket of the tractor which I then dump where needed. Works for me and saves the back. (something you younguns should think about)


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## AIM (Jul 1, 2013)

I might just split horiz also if this was what I was splitting. I gotta say though that I don't see a single piece in that pile that I would split. If their already that small they go right in the boiler.
View attachment 302767


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## Hedgerow (Jul 1, 2013)

AIM said:


> I might just split horiz also if this was what I was splitting. I gotta say though that I don't see a single piece in that pile that I would split. If their already that small they go right in the boiler.
> View attachment 302767



It all got quartered... Round wood don't sell...
But if I had an OWB, I'd just half everything and roll with it...
Or not at all... Just toss it in..


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## sunfish (Jul 1, 2013)

AIM said:


> I might just split horiz also if this was what I was splitting. I gotta say though that I don't see a single piece in that pile that I would split. If their already that small they go right in the boiler.
> View attachment 302767



We roll with stove wood around here buba! :msp_wink:


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## Hedgerow (Jul 1, 2013)

sunfish said:


> We roll with stove wood around here buba! :msp_wink:



Yeah... Everything gets split here... I got customers that pay 150 a cord and pick it up themselves... Just because the Mrs. Of the household likes it split small...
I don't do deliveries... 
:msp_wink:


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## AIM (Jul 1, 2013)

Guess it sucks to have a stove... Whole different debate though....


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## Hedgerow (Jul 1, 2013)

AIM said:


> Guess it sucks to have a stove... Whole different debate though....



Yup... Both have their place...
Just need different fuel...
I got 1 customer that has a big Taylor OWB...
He burns 15 cord of strictly hedge a year. Burns year round, and I cut it special for him...
If I can get it on the trailer, he'll take it... 24" long...
Great guy... But not the norm for this region...


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## sunfish (Jul 2, 2013)

AIM said:


> Guess it sucks to have a stove... Whole different debate though....



Nope! You couldn't run fast enough to Give me a wood furnace, outdoor, indoor, or otherwise. 

:hmm3grin2orange:


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## zogger (Jul 2, 2013)

*Absolutes! Extremists!*

Never any compromise! Country going to heck in a handbasket! Partisan discord, radio talk show hosts having fits!! Civil war!!!

and etc.....

..no one splits at a 45???

%^)


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## stihl023/5 (Jul 2, 2013)

AIM said:


> Guess it sucks to have a stove... Whole different debate though....



Not really.


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## AIM (Jul 2, 2013)

AIM said:


> Guess it sucks to have a stove... Whole different debate though....



Just to be clear. I "REALLY" don't have a problem with stoves. I heated my shop with one for many years and loved it. I just like my OWB wayyyyy more.

Back to splitters. Another thing that I have noticed in this little debate is that many of you take your wood to the splitter. 
I take the splitter to the wood. I seldom split at home. I drop the tree. cut it up and back the splitter right up to it. I never have to lift a piece off the ground until it is split.
Again with LARGE rounds,, it seems to make sense to me.
View attachment 302897

This is an employee of mine with my splitter. We had to take down a few maples for an addition to a carry out. I let the guys split up campfire wood for themselves. That's why the rounds are so short


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## half (Jul 3, 2013)

*wood to splitter*

I find that I can get a lot more wood on my trailer if it is just big rounds than I can split, Its the old story, thrown cord or stacked, and in rounds it is like stacked wood, Plus my splitter is not road legal, IE no rego or warrent ,so it does not go far from home


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## stihl023/5 (Jul 3, 2013)

I dont take mine down the road either. I Load up the rounds and bring em home.


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## half (Jul 3, 2013)

*splitters*

And if you bring them home, and split on the drive ,You get all the splitter trailings for kindling, and a wee time to dry and they are ideal


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## turnkey4099 (Jul 4, 2013)

AIM said:


> Just to be clear. I "REALLY" don't have a problem with stoves. I heated my shop with one for many years and loved it. I just like my OWB wayyyyy more.
> 
> Back to splitters. Another thing that I have noticed in this little debate is that many of you take your wood to the splitter.
> I take the splitter to the wood. I seldom split at home. I drop the tree. cut it up and back the splitter right up to it. I never have to lift a piece off the ground until it is split.
> ...



That makes my back hurt just looking at it. All that bending over, repositioning chunks for more splitting while bent over, etc.

I'd rather lift the round once and split it up at about thigh height.

Harry K
Harry K


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## Whitespider (Jul 4, 2013)

AIM said:


> *This is an employee of mine with my splitter.*



Is he... is he just standing there, hunched-over a bit, neck bent over, _holding_ the lever??
Too funny... and no-thank-you-very-much.

Forget about the horizontal/vertical thing for a moment; if'n I had to _hold_ the operating lever on a log splitter... well... I push it in the nearest sinkhole and get something else.

Let's see now... after he gets that round halved he needs to bend over, squat, or sit down to reposition the halves?? When he's done with that round, he needs to get back up and move another round over to the splitter, likely needs to get on his knees to position it (that's after he moves the split stuff out of his way)... and then start the whole up & down, up & down, up & down thing over again. Yeah, I don't blame you... I'd make one of my employees do it before I would also!  *L-O-L*


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## sunfish (Jul 4, 2013)

Good call spiddy.

If I had employes splittin wood, I'd want them to be a bit more efficient. Ya know, me havin to pay them and stuff!


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## Kevin in Ohio (Jul 4, 2013)

Whitespider said:


> Is he... is he just standing there, hunched-over a bit, neck bent over, _holding_ the lever??
> Too funny... and no-thank-you-very-much.
> *L-O-L*



That's the same thing I see with yours but you say it's not a big deal. Yours is what, 18 inches higher? Your lever may be the same level or LOWER from what I see. Everything has it's pluses and minuses and that's why there are so many different ones out there. Mine a monster that's too big to move easily(to you) and yours is too low. (for me) After dealing with wood as long as you and I have, we get our own ideas on what works best for OUR own situations. Like someone said earlier, comparable to a Ford/Chevy debate I guess. 

I'm happy you like yours and I'm happy with my set up so all is good. It's just nice to see different views and setups to address the same end result and learn from them.


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## Whitespider (Jul 4, 2013)

Kevin in Ohio said:


> *That's the same thing I see with yours but you say it's not a big deal.*



Huh??

I don't need to _hold_ the lever... I don't even need to bend over to reach it... I don't even need to touch the lever to retract the ram 'cause it's automatic. I certainly never need to get on my knees to position a round, but I do need to bend-over to grab the next one, just like anyone else splitting wood with any sort of splitter (unless they loaded it in a pickup box, but they still had to bend over to do that). While that guy is "_just standing there, hunched-over a bit, neck bent over, holding the lever_" I'm retrieving the next round. While that guy is retracting the ram I'm already splitting my second round and retrieving the *third* at the same time. While that guy is retrieving/positioning his *second* round I'm splitting my third and retrieving my _*forth*_ at the same time. While that guy is "_just standing there, hunched-over a bit, neck bent over, holding the lever_" splitting his *second* round I'm splitting my fourth and retrieving my _*fifth*_ at the same time. While that guy is moving splits out of his way, and rolling more rounds over to the machine I've already moved my machine to the wood with one hand, started splitting, and have a new pile of splits started.

Yeah, my splitter is low, but if ya' don't have to stand there bent over holding something, if ya' can always be moving and doing something else, if the machine is always sitting right next to the wood and if ya' have to bend over to pick up the rounds (at some point) anyway... what difference does it make how high or low the machine is?? Heck, my thinkin' is the lower the better... after-all I already have to bend over to retrieve the rounds, why would I want to lift (or carry, or roll, or whatever) them more than a few inches if I don't have to?? Most of the time I don't even need to bend over to pick up the splits... with both hands free I can grab 'em coming off the wedge and toss 'em in the trailer.

I don't see where you find the comparison... I'm never "_just standing there, hunched-over a bit, neck bent over, holding the lever._"


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## stihl023/5 (Jul 4, 2013)

Mine is not automatic because my kids use it.


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## BillNole (Jul 4, 2013)

stihl023/5 said:


> Mine is not automatic because my kids use it.



I'd be a bit surprised to hear that automatic is an option due to liability. Mine retracts automatically, but I have to hold the lever to split. Is automatic in the splitting direction even an option, other than home grown or modified versions anymore? I could see where it would be handy and would probably like the option myself, but will be surprised if it's available without doing it yourself. Somebody edumacate me on this please?


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## sunfish (Jul 4, 2013)

My Super Split is automatic, pull the lever and let-er-rip hands off! 
Splits and retracts in 2 seconds. :hmm3grin2orange:


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## Hedgerow (Jul 4, 2013)

Whitespider said:


> Huh??
> 
> I don't need to _hold_ the lever... I don't even need to bend over to reach it... I don't even need to touch the lever to retract the ram 'cause it's automatic. I certainly never need to get on my knees to position a round, but I do need to bend-over to grab the next one, just like anyone else splitting wood with any sort of splitter (unless they loaded it in a pickup box, but they still had to bend over to do that). While that guy is "_just standing there, hunched-over a bit, neck bent over, holding the lever_" I'm retrieving the next round. While that guy is retracting the ram I'm already splitting my second round and retrieving the *third* at the same time. While that guy is retrieving/positioning his *second* round I'm splitting my third and retrieving my _*forth*_ at the same time. While that guy is "_just standing there, hunched-over a bit, neck bent over, holding the lever_" splitting his *second* round I'm splitting my fourth and retrieving my _*fifth*_ at the same time. While that guy is moving splits out of his way, and rolling more rounds over to the machine I've already moved my machine to the wood with one hand, started splitting, and have a new pile of splits started.
> 
> ...



That splitter is auto retract... You don't have to hold it. If your splitter has an auto forward, I'd have to make scrap metal out of it... I teach all the boys the same thing...
Left hand on top center of the log, right hand on the lever.... 
Also, I'm callin BS on ya' spidey... 
If you had that Husky splitter, you'd dink with it and make it work...
Cause you're too damn cheap to get another one...
You ain't foolin' me...



Tightwad...


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## Hedgerow (Jul 4, 2013)

sunfish said:


> My Super Split is automatic, pull the lever and let-er-rip hands off!
> Splits and retracts in 2 seconds. :hmm3grin2orange:



Yeah... The super splitter is one of the coolest ideas out there... And after running yours, the ONLY thing I would change, is the height of the work area.. But that ain't the machine's fault... Just cause I'm freakishly large... 
:amazed:


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## Kevin in Ohio (Jul 4, 2013)

Whitespider said:


> Huh??
> 
> I don't need to _hold_ the lever... I don't even need to bend over to reach it... I don't even need to touch the lever to retract the ram 'cause it's automatic. I certainly never need to get on my knees to position a round, but I do need to bend-over to grab the next one, just like anyone else splitting wood with any sort of splitter (unless they loaded it in a pickup box, but they still had to bend over to do that). While that guy is "_just standing there, hunched-over a bit, neck bent over, holding the lever_" I'm retrieving the next round. While that guy is retracting the ram I'm already splitting my second round and retrieving the *third* at the same time. While that guy is retrieving/positioning his *second* round I'm splitting my third and retrieving my _*forth*_ at the same time. While that guy is "_just standing there, hunched-over a bit, neck bent over, holding the lever_" splitting his *second* round I'm splitting my fourth and retrieving my _*fifth*_ at the same time. While that guy is moving splits out of his way, and rolling more rounds over to the machine I've already moved my machine to the wood with one hand, started splitting, and have a new pile of splits started.
> 
> ...



This is what I was referring too specifically."hunched-over a bit, neck bent over". As you stated, unless out of a pick up or table, we all have to either pick up, roll or lift onto the beam when using horizontal. When I stand erect. My elbows are at 47 inches. When I carry I've found walking straight up gives me less back problems. If I can eliminate leaning over one more time to split that is an advantage to me. Trust me, we have a 3 point splitter as well that I could try all different levels and what is the best for me is 40 inches high.

When splitting large round multiple times, with no tables, I was leaning constantly trying to lift MULTIPLE times more than I do now. Putting half of the split back on the rail once it fell off after resplitting the first half. My back is WAY better at the end of the day and that's what is important to me. That was my scientific experiment and no back issues now. I'm near 50 and was planning for the future to be able to do this by myself. My dad who is 77 and works along beside me agrees. Granted, I am slower by myself as opposed to 2, but I handle some pretty large stuff with my setup which is what it was made for. Again, personal preference on how you decide to "gather and split" comes into play here. I just know my back would actually get spasms when I used the 3 point low to roll big ones on. When doing 24 inch long 4 ft round beech it takes 2 guys(for me at least) to roll them around and up on the rail. We used a ramp but you still strain a lot. Now, once I pick up a 4ft round ONCE, it never hits the ground again till all the pieces are to size.

I run a full auto cycle as well and like it. I would not be comfortable having someone else run it though. As you said, you can be getting ready for the next one if you are pieced to size or dealing with small stuff.

How high is the top of your beam? Our old stationary splitter was 24" and it was too low for me as well. My fingertips are 30" off the ground when walking straight up so maybe that is another factor. I'm not picking a fight with you, as I stated earlier, Just offering different ways of doing the same thing so others can have options.

Over the years I've helped people in wood gathering at their location and just go along with their method. You gain a little info quickly if something works or not, just as I have done looking around on this site. Horizontal, vertical, electric, noodle, Fiskars debates will always be that,,,,debates.

Have you tried the new Fiskars electric?


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## Hedgerow (Jul 4, 2013)

Kevin in Ohio said:


> This is what I was referring too specifically."hunched-over a bit, neck bent over". As you stated, unless out of a pick up or table, we all have to either pick up, roll or lift onto the beam when using horizontal. When I stand erect. My elbows are at 47 inches. When I carry I've found walking straight up gives me less back problems. If I can eliminate leaning over one more time to split that is an advantage to me. Trust me, we have a 3 point splitter as well that I could try all different levels and what is the best for me is 40 inches high.
> 
> When splitting large round multiple times, with no tables, I was leaning constantly trying to lift MULTIPLE times more than I do now. Putting half of the split back on the rail once it fell off after resplitting the first half. My back is WAY better at the end of the day and that's what is important to me. That was my scientific experiment and no back issues now. I'm near 50 and was planning for the future to be able to do this by myself. My dad who is 77 and works along beside me agrees. Granted, I am slower by myself as opposed to 2, but I handle some pretty large stuff with my setup which is what it was made for. Again, personal preference on how you decide to "gather and split" comes into play here. I just know my back would actually get spasms when I used the 3 point low to roll big ones on. When doing 24 inch long 4 ft round beech it takes 2 guys(for me at least) to roll them around and up on the rail. We used a ramp but you still strain a lot. Now, once I pick up a 4ft round ONCE, it never hits the ground again till all the pieces are to size.
> 
> ...



Absolutely... Can't hardly get a beam too high in my book. The splitter you built was just plain cool and well thought out... 
One thing we can all agree on, is we like the end result...






Unfortunately, my slave wasn't around to stack it as it was coming off the tables...
:msp_thumbdn:


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## sunfish (Jul 4, 2013)

Hedgerow said:


> Yeah... The super splitter is one of the coolest ideas out there... And after running yours, the ONLY thing I would change, is the height of the work area.. But that ain't the machine's fault... Just cause I'm freakishly large...
> :amazed:



You're about a half foot taller than regular folks... :msp_biggrin:


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## Hedgerow (Jul 4, 2013)

sunfish said:


> You're about a half foot taller than regular folks... :msp_biggrin:



Yea... The work bench in my shop is 44"... A little high for levi, but he's growing into it...
:msp_rolleyes:


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## splitter77 (Jul 4, 2013)

Hedgerow said:


> Unfortunately, my slave wasn't around to stack it as it was coming off the tables...
> :msp_thumbdn:



Next time he is around get him to stack it like this :tongue2: :

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...76639934.19170.117732588251333&type=1&theater


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## AIM (Jul 4, 2013)

OK Spidey I gotta call bulll#### on your part also. :msp_biggrin:

Aint NO way your just floppin a round up on that beam of yours hittin a lever and walkin away. What is holding that round till the wedge comes in contact. (the spidey force)
Then if the rounds have any size at all your not goin after another. Your waiting for it to split so you can BEND BACK OVER flip the half onto the splitter and split again, Then you BEND BACK OVER. Grab that half and split again. Then you walk around the splitter, BEND BACK OVER grab the other half for the splitter... Over and over again.

BTW, did ya notice Jasons log he was using as a seat. I just snapped the pic while he wasn't sittin on his ass.


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## AIM (Jul 4, 2013)

And honestly spidey I just can't figure out how your midget splitter can be any easier than any other splitter regardless of horiz or vertical. Other than maybe your lever I don't see anything that does not require bending over to do something. Well unless of course your 3 foot tall.

Many here have spoken of back breaking knee work and I really can't catch on. 
Roll the rounds up.
Tip the rounds up.
Split em up.
Never have to LIFT a thing until it's split.

I'm not talking limbs here. Hell I'd split limbs horiz too. (and I can stand all upright other than picking them up)
I'm talkin about 300+ lb rounds. (you aint lifting them anywhere)(if you are, you are risking your back WAY more than just tipping them up and getting on your knees)

As I said previously though. Maybe I'm just young (at 45) and limber enough that getting up and down and working on my knees doesn't bother me. I can do that all day and quite frankly I do. (40+ hours a week.)

Maybe someday I'll rethink this entire debate but for now I just think Vert is WAYYY easier for the big stuff.


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## turnkey4099 (Jul 5, 2013)

AIM said:


> OK Spidey I gotta call bulll#### on your part also. :msp_biggrin:
> 
> Aint NO way your just floppin a round up on that beam of yours hittin a lever and walkin away. What is holding that round till the wedge comes in contact. (the spidey force)
> Then if the rounds have any size at all your not goin after another. Your waiting for it to split so you can BEND BACK OVER flip the half onto the splitter and split again, Then you BEND BACK OVER. Grab that half and split again. Then you walk around the splitter, BEND BACK OVER grab the other half for the splitter... Over and over again.
> ...



There are "on/off feed tables". Once a round is on my splitter, nothing leaves until it has been split to size. 

Harry K


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## Whitespider (Jul 5, 2013)

BillNole said:


> *I'd be a bit surprised to hear that automatic is an option due to liability. … Is automatic in the splitting direction even an option, other than home grown or modified versions anymore?*


*
Full hands-free auto-cycle is standard on every Log Boss splitter; in fact there ain’t even an option to get one without it. They also come with auto-throttle control and the thumbscrew-adjustable stroke length as standard features. I haven’t modified anything…




AIM said:



OK Spidey I gotta call bull...
Aint NO way your just floppin a round up on that beam of yours hittin a lever and walkin away. What is holding that round till the wedge comes in contact. (the spidey force)

Click to expand...

Well, first of all, like I’ve said, I don’t “walk away” because I roll the splitter to the wood… I just need to turn and grab the next. But more to the point, I don’t need “the spidey force” to hold the log while waiting for the wedge to contact the wood… because that time is so miniscule. Don’t ya’ remember, the splitter has an infinitely adjustable stroke length? You’ve seen the pictures of my stacks, I cut everything to 16 inches (give-or-take a half-inch or so)… I just set the ram stroke length at about 18-19, and at an off-load speed of less than two-tenths of a second per inch… Well, yeah, I pretty much just flop a round on the beam, slap the lever and turn for the next.





Then if the rounds have any size at all your not goin after another. Your waiting for it to split so you can BEND BACK OVER flip the half onto the splitter and split again, Then you BEND BACK OVER. Grab that half and split again. Then you walk around the splitter, BEND BACK OVER grab the other half for the splitter... Over and over again.

Click to expand...

Not quite, I don’t believe I’ve ever “walked around the splitter” to retrieve a half round… worst case, if I lost control of a few, I’d just wait until it was time to reposition the machine (remember, I’m not walking away or moving wood to the machine… ever). I believe I explained how I handle larger rounds earlier in this thread… but, I’ll explain it again. I work with the lever to my right… after I slap it on a large round I have both hands free to control the far-side half so it doesn’t fall (and a large round allows me to do that standing erect, not bent over). Usually it’s no problem to balance it on the beam ledge next to the wedge using one hand as the ram retracts, then I sort’a give it a spinning-flip back into position (like anything else… after using it for near thirty years you develop a technique). The near-side half slides off the beam end where it can’t fall on anything (including my toes) and lands right next to my left foot… so yeah, I do haft’a pick it back up. I don’t split the “half” into triangle quarters, I usually position it so the “split-side” is vertical and I end up with “slabs” rather than triangles. Finally, I use my left hand to control the “slab” as I split-off stove size pieces… my right hand slaps the lever and grabs the “stove-size” pieces as they come off the wedge… tossing them in the trailer. This all happens pretty fast because having the stroke length set to 18 inches brings the cycle time into the 6-7 second range… the retract happens in 3 seconds or less. When someone is helping me, simply just catching the “stove-size” splits as they come off the wedge, it darn near happens at light speed because my right hand is free to slap the lever into retract position anytime a split doesn’t require the full stroke (straight-grained, easy-splitting stuff). And really, if’n I wanted to, just like vertical splitters, once I have rounds reduce to manageable “slabs” I could sit down on a log to finish them up (but then I'd haft'a pick up the splits, rather than grab them as they come of the wedge)..*


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## zogger (Jul 5, 2013)

Whitespider said:


> Full hands-free auto-cycle is standard on every Log Boss splitter; in fact there ain’t even an option to get one without it. They also come with auto-throttle control and the thumbscrew-adjustable stroke length as standard features. I haven’t modified anything…
> 
> 
> 
> ...



There's an actual practical use for your smartphone you don't like. Get us a vid of you doing your splitting, a few decent rounds anyway, post it up. I *really* like your splitter, like to see some more action shots/vids of it. Normal rounds then a real big one with the adjustable beam around it action.


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## BillNole (Jul 5, 2013)

Whitespider said:


> Full hands-free auto-cycle is standard on every Log Boss splitter; in fact there ain’t even an option to get one without it. They also come with auto-throttle control and the thumbscrew-adjustable stroke length as standard features. I haven’t modified anything...



Well, as I often say, educate me! Thanks Spidey!

That sounds like a really nice, top-end type machine you've got there. I'm just a homeowner that uses in the neighborhood of a couple of cords per year at best. My home-grown splitter does what I need and based on using it and others previously, I prefer the vertical (wasn't that the original question? lol) mode, particularly when working alone, but respect that others prefer horizontal. Truth be told, I actually prefer swinging the maul and/or Fiskers to any other method, but am learning to head the lessons of life and the signs my body is sending me.

Above all else. Nobody in this thread is wrong! Everyone has reasons for doing it how they are and while there may be some that have learned a better way in this thread, I'd bet they are few and most of us are ornery enough to stick with what we know and are used to, while still respecting different opinions.

As I'm even fonder of saying... To each his own!


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## Whitespider (Jul 5, 2013)

BillNole said:


> *As I'm even fonder of saying... To each his own!*



Yeah, ain't that the truth... but I will finish with this...

Two of my neighbors, one down the road round the corner and the other less than a mile away, have Husky H/V splitters from the local fleet store. After each has used mine, both have said they wish they would have bought the Log Boss.

Three of my "gun" friends (from trap shooting league) have fleet store H/V splitters, and after using mine, and working them side-by-side all three have stated they should have bought the Log Boss. One of them just got his splitter last year... he didn't want to wait (he told me the Log Boss waiting list was 5 months) so he bought the Husky 35 ton... and he says it's one of the stupidest things he's done. He's now put his name on that list, and is planning to sell the Husky when his Log Boss is built.

All five of those guys say the same thing(s)...
The small, compact size and low weight plus the hands-free auto-cycle, adjustable stroke, auto-throttle and less fuel usage (you're hard pressed to burn 2 full gallons in a full day) far out-shadows any advantages of the larger, heavier H/V splitters. And then, when working them side-by-side, I can easy do a pile of splits close to three times larger than their piles in the same amount of time... they just shake their head.


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## BillNole (Jul 5, 2013)

Whitespider said:


> ...Two of my neighbors, one down the road round the corner and the other less than a mile away, have Husky H/V splitters from the local fleet store. After each has used mine, both have said they wish they would have bought the Log Boss...



Is this what you use Spidey?

Log Boss

Log Boss Side Tilt

Log Boss Mfg.


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## Hedgerow (Jul 5, 2013)

BillNole said:


> Is this what you use Spidey?
> 
> Log Boss
> 
> ...



Yup... But what you didn't know, is he's a midget...
So it's the perfect working height for him...


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## GVS (Jul 5, 2013)

BillNole said:


> Is this what you use Spidey?
> 
> Log Boss
> 
> ...



That thing makes my back stiff just watching it in operation! The auto ram return is nice though.


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## Hedgerow (Jul 5, 2013)

GVS said:


> That thing makes my back stiff just watching it in operation! The auto ram return is nice though.



True...
But not if you're a midget...


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## aokpops (Jul 6, 2013)

No one offerd this splitter


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## aokpops (Jul 6, 2013)

Got a lot flack with this .But I can roll a very large round pretty easy on this an be sitting on my butt when splitting .For me this is far better than vertical


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## sb47 (Jul 6, 2013)

GVS said:


> That thing makes my back stiff just watching it in operation! The auto ram return is nice though.



I thought ya’ll were talking about some big rounds. Then I see the video and LMAO. Those are some baby rounds that guy is splitting and he is staying bent over the whole time wile he holding that baby round in place.
I’m with you, that makes my back hurt just watching him split those baby rounds.
I’m 53 and hell I can even lift those rounds all day long up on my Husky splitter.


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## GVS (Jul 6, 2013)

sb47 said:


> I thought ya’ll were talking about some big rounds. Then I see the video and LMAO. Those are some baby rounds that guy is splitting and he is staying bent over the whole time wile he holding that baby round in place.
> I’m with you, that makes my back hurt just watching him split those baby rounds.
> I’m 53 and hell I can even lift those rounds all day long up on my Husky splitter.



I'm just short of 72 and those little rounds don't even rate going verticle with me and my 35 ton huskee combo.My best suggestion to Spidys 5 friends is to put their H/V units on EBAY,CL,Penny Saver or Free Trader.Lots of people are looking for them.Put the proceeds toward the Log Boss IF that is what they want.


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## Whitespider (Jul 6, 2013)

BillNole said:


> *Is this what you use Spidey?*



Yeah, that's it.
The video shows auto-cycle and tilt feature pretty good... but that log wasn't big enough to justify using the tilt-over.
And, for whatever reason, those guys aren't using the stroke return stop either??


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## Whitespider (Jul 6, 2013)

For you girls with weak backs, I'm bettin' the guys over in Marble Rock would build you one in any height your heart desires.
But that would sort'a defeat the tilt-to-side feature don't ya' think??

Heck, it makes my back stiff and sore just thinkin' about lifting every round waist high!!! It ain't the bending over that gets your back, if it was "they'd" never recommend toe-touching exercises for back patients, it's the _lifting_ that does it.


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## sunfish (Jul 6, 2013)

BillNole said:


> Is this what you use Spidey?
> 
> Log Boss
> 
> ...



I'm sorry, but dang that thing is Low and SLOW!


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## sunfish (Jul 6, 2013)

sunfish said:


> I'm sorry, but dang that thing is Low and SLOW!



Painfully so!!!


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## BillNole (Jul 6, 2013)

Whitespider said:


> Yeah, that's it.
> The video shows auto-cycle and tilt feature pretty good... but that log wasn't big enough to justify using the tilt-over.
> And, for whatever reason, those guys aren't using the stroke return stop either??



At least I now have a more complete picture of what you've been describing. I was imagining (and even stated once!) that you must have a high end processor with all sorts of lift and off-load table, etc. to be as great as you've indicated. 

I'm still in the "to each his own" camp, but you've been pretty adamant that your machine is better than going vertical when in reality and unless you are truly a little-person as posited by another, your's appears to present ergonomics that would be more likely to induce injury than most.

Don't get me wrong, you clearly prefer it and I think that's great! I like mine and prefer vertical mode, as do many others. Knowing how I operate, I won't be a bit surprised if I get into a pattern at some point in the future and end up switching my preference. No worries!

I actually think your's is pretty cool and particularly like the way the engine speed automatically adjusts. I think it was Sunfish that said it looked slow, but it looks faster than mine! I might want to find a way to get away from the in-between height it presents so I could either work seated, or standing straight up. You may have found a way (unless again, the little-person thing...) but from the video on YouTube, it looks a bit less than perfect.

Oh well, good thing you like it, since it's what you have. Me too!!! :msp_thumbup:


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## Whitespider (Jul 6, 2013)

BillNole said:


> *I think it was Sunfish that said it looked slow, but it looks faster than mine!*


*L-O-L*
That's because *sunfish* is comparing it to his inertia type splitter!
I've used the Super Split, and it is fast, really fast... in the right type of wood. Splitting the tough and/or stringy stuff you need to hit the round two, three or more times and that speed advantage is lost. _Necessity is the mother of invention_ and it's been claimed that Dutch Elm Disease was the driving force behind developing the hydraulic splitter... the Super Split is fast, but it just ain't up to a steady diet of nasty, gnarly, stringy, tough to split wood like American Elm, Bur Oak and Sugar Maple (90% of what's around here). I don't know of anyone in this area with a Super Split, but up around the lake home, where 90% of firewood is Red Oak, Paper Birch and various pines, I know of several.




> *...from the video on YouTube, it looks a bit less than perfect.*


Perfect??
The only way a splitter could be perfect is if it did *ALL* the work while you sat in the shade next to an ice chest packed with beer... short of that, everything else is a compromise.


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## Hedgerow (Jul 6, 2013)

Sunfish actually brought his SS to a GTG we had in Jasper, and I supplied him with 2 knotty rounds of Hedge and a couple rounds of American Elm...
It split them all without a hiccup... It would have to be a pretty horrible piece to not split on the SS...


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## Whitespider (Jul 6, 2013)

The one that I tried would not split 26 inch elm rounds without hitting them at least three times, some took several more cycles. It totally failed on the crotch... and we ended up cutting the stuck crotch off the wedge. It did pretty good on the straighter pieces of Bur Oak with only an occasional second cycling needed, but the twisted and knotty pieces gave it some trouble... and just like the elm, it failed to split the crotch.

Don't get me wrong, it got the job done... I'm just sayin' the need to use multiple cycles to make a split negated any speed advantage.


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## BillNole (Jul 7, 2013)

Whitespider said:


> ...Don't get me wrong, it got the job done... I'm just sayin' the need to use multiple cycles to make a split negated any speed advantage.



Perhaps on the occasional extra tough split, but saying that one out of ten (or whatever...) that requires an extra hit or two or three negates an advantage might not be fair. Even your own will likely pause for the occasional really tough split through a gnarly elm crotch. As often as not, many of those just get crushed anyway and not really split to well and the results aren't really fit for neat stacking.

Those things go a little "too fast" for my likes anyway. I'd probably be fine using it myself, but I wouldn't want my kids or any friends using it, if it was mine. And those flywheel splitters? I wouldn't touch 'em myself or even want to be around when anyone else runs 'em!

I cut and split firewood and burn because I enjoy it. Buying a splitter this year was to maintain my health and avoid beating my body up any more than I must. I still split by hand, but now have another option when it fits. I like mine, but also like a lot of the other types I've seen here.


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## sunfish (Jul 7, 2013)

*The Super Split is not for everyone, but I Love the Thing!*



Whitespider said:


> The one that I tried would not split 26 inch elm rounds without hitting them at least three times, some took several more cycles. It totally failed on the crotch... and we ended up cutting the stuck crotch off the wedge. It did pretty good on the straighter pieces of Bur Oak with only an occasional second cycling needed, but the twisted and knotty pieces gave it some trouble... and just like the elm, it failed to split the crotch.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, it got the job done... I'm just sayin' the need to use multiple cycles to make a split negated any speed advantage.



Mostly Oak here Spidey. I usually let the Elm rot in the woods. But year before last I cut and split around 10 cords of dead Red Elm and the Super Split was fantastic! Had to hit one out of ten rounds twice (that's 4 seconds) and maybe one out of 30 thrice. The oak I cut is always a one hit wonder.
:msp_smile:


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## NSMaple1 (Jul 7, 2013)

After watching the vid, I gotta say I like how all the controls work on that low-boy, and the auto-idle thing.

But there's no way my back could stand working it. It is very much the bending over that gets my back - and I don't have to be lifting anything while bent over. It doesn't stop me from doing a lot of work, but I have to lift with my knees & legs and avoid the bending. That why a H/V works for me - I either lift the wood up to the beam, or go vertical when they get too big & do some sitting, squating or kneeling.

Whats the over/under on the pages before this thing dies?


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## airwolf (Jul 7, 2013)

Whitespider said:


> Now you tell me... how do you lay those big rounds (weighing several hundred pounds) down and slide them into position under your vertical splitter?? Hmmmmm??
> Me, I "noodle" about a third of the way through, set a wedge, and smack it once with that wooden-handled "_metal thingy_" in the pick... 9 times out'a 10 that will give me two halves I can convert to quarters with a couple swings of that wooden-handled "_metal thingy_" in the pic.



Hey Spidey, Why do you choose to noodle and wedge the big rounds, rather than use the tilt-to-side feature of your splitter?


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## zogger (Jul 7, 2013)

NSMaple1 said:


> After watching the vid, I gotta say I like how all the controls work on that low-boy, and the auto-idle thing.
> 
> But there's no way my back could stand working it. It is very much the bending over that gets my back - and I don't have to be lifting anything while bent over. It doesn't stop me from doing a lot of work, but I have to lift with my knees & legs and avoid the bending. That why a H/V works for me - I either lift the wood up to the beam, or go vertical when they get too big & do some sitting, squating or kneeling.
> 
> Whats the over/under on the pages before this thing dies?



Not seeing beam height being a problem, as it would only take a few minutes to cut some cookies and drag it up on them to get it higher. Non issue really, ior get creative with some welded on trailer jacks maybe??

I know I would rather have a light weight adjustable one like that, because you only need one trip to go get the wood, and that is towing a trailer. You could throw that thing right up on your wood trailer along with your score, no towing two big things down to the tree, just one vehicle, one trailer, and still have room for plenty of saws/wood to bring back..and the splitter.

With that said, i split all by hand now, but if/when I go to a mechanical splitter, it will be that one, or something dang close. I watch my back all the time and have to lift correctly, so it doesn't matter to me low beam, high beam, in between. Lightweight and still do the job would be more important. Can't see going from two hundred lbs total weight, that could be loaded back up and hauled, not towed, to like half a ton or something, that has to be towed no matter what, to split the same wood.

I have used the big towable mambo one here with a log lift, it will bust 36" long piece or two 16-18s thrown in at the same time, pick up the biggest round you could get on the lifter, and sure, it will bust the big pieces..if you can get the big pieces to the splitter or the splitter to the big pieces..which sometimes would get to be a serious pain either way. 

I towed it one time down to some big wood, not gonna do that again. Just doesn't go offroad real well, then you have to take it back, turn around, hook up a cargo trailer, go back and handle the splits all loose..nuts. Now one trip, instead of two, splits right into the trailer..that is way more reasonable and less handling involved.


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## Whitespider (Jul 7, 2013)

airwolf said:


> *Hey Spidey, Why do you choose to noodle and wedge the big rounds, rather than use the tilt-to-side feature of your splitter?*



It's mostly a time thing and depends on the type of wood. I can jerk and roll some pretty big stuff onto the beam, but stringy, hard to split stuff just takes more time to do with the tilt-to-side. First you do one side, the roll the splitter around the other side, and then it still might not be completely halved so now you need to roll the round so you can catch it in another spot. Wood like Red oak is no problem, hit it on one side and you usually have two pieces, Bur Oak and American Elm is a different story... although I rarely have elm rounds I can't put on the beam, 30+ inch Bur Oak is fairly common. It's just flat faster to noodle 1/4-1/3 of the way through and give the wedge one or two hard whacks with a sledge/maul. Bur Oak is not easy to split with the grain (or end-to-end), ain't nothing straight-grained about it, but going cross-grain (or bark-side-to-bark-side) it will usually pop 'cause the wedge don't haf'ta follow ... and I'm willing to work a little bit harder to save a lot of time.


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## Hedgerow (Jul 7, 2013)

Whitespider said:


> The one that I tried would not split 26 inch elm rounds without hitting them at least three times, some took several more cycles. It totally failed on the crotch... and we ended up cutting the stuck crotch off the wedge. It did pretty good on the straighter pieces of Bur Oak with only an occasional second cycling needed, but the twisted and knotty pieces gave it some trouble... and just like the elm, it failed to split the crotch.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, it got the job done... I'm just sayin' the need to use multiple cycles to make a split negated any speed advantage.



No it didn't...
There's nothing faster than an inertia splitter..
Period...
That's in "normal" wood...
Over 70% of the stuff I get is reject junk, that's the ONLY reason I went with a big hydro, and I'm not too pig headed to admit I MAY have been better off with the SS...
But see, it don't matter.. I take what I got, and make it the most productive rig I can, given its strong points, and avoid the weak points...
Just like you do...
That don't make it the best splitter in the world...
Just the best I could think up at the time...


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## Whitespider (Jul 8, 2013)

*Hedgerow*,
Are you sayin' I look like this... ig: ?? :msp_tongue:


The best splitter in the world?? I don't know if there is such a thing for all circumstances.
Like you, most of what I work is tough and gnarly... even the stuff that ain't supposed to be (such as ash) seems to be stringy, twisted and tough 'round here. And well over half of it is bigger and heavier than I can (or even want) to lift to the height of a Super Split. Now, if I had to halve or quarter the big stuff, load everything and haul it home in a pickup before splitting?? Well, splitting rounds/halves/quarters coming off a tailgate, I think a SS would be right up near the top of the list of picks... likely even at the top of the list. But than again... if I had to do that I'm not so sure I would do it at all... I just don't have the time, often working on the road during the week my weekends are pretty full.


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## greendohn (Aug 4, 2013)

View attachment 307598


here's my "Robush" splitter. Built by some guy in Decatur county about 25 miles south of me back in 1982 or '83. That honda gtx is the 3rd engine been installed on it. 
It aint fast, it's horizontal only and it won't split the worst of the uglies, but it's mine and it has never failed me.
I can pull it by hand in the woods or around the shed, and I wouldn't trade it for anything I've seen in the farm stores nor the box stores.


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## Dogsout (Aug 5, 2013)

Must have failed you twice seeings how you are on your third motor. Just kidding. Glad you found something that lasts and you like it.


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