# Should I rent out my log splitter?



## seaotter (Sep 16, 2010)

Thinking about renting out my splitter. Mainly just to locals, at about $50 a day. Does anyone have any experience or advice regarding this? How much "rental abuse" can I expect? Is there a liability issue? 
Thanks!


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## stihl sawing (Sep 16, 2010)

seaotter said:


> Thinking about renting out my splitter. Mainly just to locals, at about $50 a day. Does anyone have any experience or advice regarding this? How much "rental abuse" can I expect? Is there a liability issue?
> Thanks!


My experience with rental property is you better be prepared to work on it. Renters are rough on the equipment. They don't care if something breaks. If it was me i wouldn't rent mine out but that's just me.


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## seaotter (Sep 16, 2010)

Yep, that's a big concern of mine. My splitter is nothing fancy, but it's in really good shape and I love it. I'd hate to see it get destroyed, but then again, if it can pay for itself in a season or two, or at least buy me the occasional case of beer...it's a tough call.


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## D&B Mack (Sep 16, 2010)

Not sure what type of splitter you have, but a 24 ton + splitter around here rents for 100+ a day. Rather than rent it "bare" for $50, I would rent it and yourself for the day at whatever you think you're worth. I would never subject anything of mine to the "general public".


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## TreePointer (Sep 16, 2010)

Your splitter is destroyed in an accident or has severe damage. What do you do?

Someone is injured towing/operating your splitter? Do you carry insurance to cover all liabilities?


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## seaotter (Sep 16, 2010)

Kinda sad, but the whole liability thing is what worries me the most. I could probably repair most damage, but if somebody does something stupid and loses a finger? Are you OK if you have them sign a release? Maybe not if they have a good lawyer.


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## John D (Sep 16, 2010)

My take on it is,unless you know the person,and they are your friends,and your confident they know how to operate it,dont do it! You are not in the rental business....dont try to start for one machine...there is a very GOOD reason renting a splitter costs 100 a day....the upfront costs,the damages caused by neglect,abuse,and careless operators,combined with the cost of carrying adequete liablity insurance all combine to put the cost where it is in order to make money...


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## Junkrunner (Sep 17, 2010)

:agree2:


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## Alan Smith (Sep 17, 2010)

*No*

No.


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## pipehead (Sep 17, 2010)

Sadly, you can't assume common sense. I get equipment in the shop all the time that makes you stand there and think to yourself "why in the :censored: would they have done that....". If you do rent it out, I would make sure you know the person well enough to know that they possess a bit of common sense when it comes to running even the smallest machine.


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## derwoodii (Sep 17, 2010)

I built a small money maker with my Super Axe splitter. 
http://www.superaxe.com.au/
I saw it as an opportunity as many tree customers would say thanks for the removal now how do I split all this wood? I would offer it as a day rate worked quite well till I moved away from the big trees to my local smaller woods. So I left it with a local rental yard and went 1/2 deal and it was good they did all the paper work and I just got a cheque each month till they saw how well it made money and built and bought their own. Then I did a half deal with another rental yard worked well till again owner saw chance for more in his hand so he bought his own. Then I left it with a wood yard and was getting rental plus purchase over a year then it got stolen. Sigh. End of story I reckon a 6 grand machine made me about 27+k over 7 years and I did not lift a bit off wood. So yep can be done just get a good machine. 
Interestingly about 3 others same machines were stolen about the same time so a put option must have been placed with the local thief's as they are good bits of gear. I now rent out my 6 inch Bandit but only to a few well trusted and just go $ on engine hours used.


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## Storm56 (Sep 17, 2010)

seaotter said:


> Kinda sad, but the whole liability thing is what worries me the most. I could probably repair most damage, but if somebody does something stupid and loses a finger? Are you OK if you have them sign a release? Maybe not if they have a good lawyer.



When you rent something out it is then a business venture and your home owners insurance will not cover you. Chances are pretty good a signed waiver will not stand up in a court room. 

So the answer to renting as far as I would be concerned is NO.


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## sunfish (Sep 17, 2010)

When I was selling wood 30 years ago, I used to advertise log splitting; 'Have splitter will travel'. I charged $20 an hour, lot of money back then, so I didn't get a lot of splittin business, but I got all I wanted. 

Like said, rent yourself and splitter...


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## olyman (Sep 17, 2010)

John D said:


> My take on it is,unless you know the person,and they are your friends,and your confident they know how to operate it,dont do it! You are not in the rental business....dont try to start for one machine...there is a very GOOD reason renting a splitter costs 100 a day....the upfront costs,the damages caused by neglect,abuse,and careless operators,combined with the cost of carrying adequete liablity insurance all combine to put the cost where it is in order to make money...



friends??? hah--the one i had--dang near destroyed the splitter----i DONT let the chainsaws,of which i have plenty, the splitter,nor the wife get "loaned" out--the 50 you would make,wouldnt be enough to cover repairs, esp if they blow the engine--


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## BlueRidgeMark (Sep 17, 2010)

seaotter said:


> Is there a liability issue?





There is ALWAYS liability.




D&B Mack said:


> Not sure what type of splitter you have, but a 24 ton + splitter around here rents for 100+ a day. Rather than rent it "bare" for $50, I would rent it and yourself for the day at whatever you think you're worth. I would never subject anything of mine to the "general public".




I'd do that if I had the time. Since I don't, mine sits. No way I'm going to risk someone ruining my splitter!


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## cat-face timber (Sep 17, 2010)

I can remember when I was young my dad loaned out his splitter to one of my cousins one weekend, the next weekend my dad needed to split some wood and when he went to get it he saw the beam had deep gouges in it.
They were not there before and looking around he saw a big pile of muddy wood that was just split. My dad asked my cousin what happened to his splitter and my cousin said " I did not know that rocks could hurt the beam"

That is what I would be worried about, no common sence out there.

Good luck


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## Bushman_269 (Sep 17, 2010)

Unless you are renting yourself out with it as an operator I would not - both from the damage to your equipment and liability angles. 

Short splitter story: Many moons ago my Dad and Uncle were at the rental center renting a steam jenny to clear some frozen pipes when a young fella came in to rent a log splitter. The manager had him sign the rental agreement and went through the operation of the splitter with him and asked if he had experience running a splitter. The fella affirmed that he had been running splitters for many a year. When my Dad brought the steam jenny back the next day the guy at the rental center told him the young fella with the splitter ended up in the emergency room after cutting his hand off at the wrist with the splitter. Not sure how you manage to do that but imagine if that happened today to someone you rented the machine to?


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## cassandrasdaddy (Sep 17, 2010)

*i used to*

loan mine out had folks fill the oil up with gas and one put gas in the hydro


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## seaotter (Sep 18, 2010)

Well, thanks yall. Helped me make up my mind to not rent it out unless I'm the one running it. Appreciate the feedback (and horror stories).


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## Dalmatian90 (Sep 18, 2010)

$35/hour including operator seems to be the going price on Craigslist out here...only seems to be a few guys doing it, usually charge travel time if it's outside of their or adjacent towns.

One guy with a TW-5 provides his splitter with himself as the operator, client is responsible for moving wood to and away, he recommends the client provide two good assistants to keep his productivity maximized (a cord/hour) so you're not paying for idle time.

While it doesn't eliminate the liability, it sure does reduce the chances of something going wrong when you're the owner operating your own machine.


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## twincam (Sep 18, 2010)

No Way. I take to much pride in my #### to rent it out to some douchebag who will abuse it.


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## Kydan (Sep 18, 2010)

Good advice in this thread, on renting equipment. No' I wouldn't rent a screwdriver as it has injured more than any tool.


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## Frank Boyer (Sep 18, 2010)

My neighbor has rented his 27 T Bachtold out, in the neighborhood. About half of the time something is bent or broken when it comes back. The jack mount, a fender, and the cradle/table have all been damaged. NOT WORTH IT!


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