Advice about first splitter purchase?

[Sawyer Rob]

I have some similar threads on this site and one other. One thing that has just been pointed out to me is that there are true, Honda engines, and "Made To Honda Spec" engines. How do you tell the difference? I don't know. I'm researching that right now. My search for a new splitter has narrowed down to the 27 ton DHT(local Menards doesn't carry the 28) and Huskee 28 ton.

Well, if it's made in china, it's a clone and I've never seen a clone that said Honda on it. I don't think the clones are as high of quality as a Honda, but they don't cost as much either.

SR

 

[Brettl]

That's good to know. I figured Honda was made in China or Japan or somewhere overseas since everything else is. I just made an assumption, I'll have to look in to it closer.

 

[muddstopper]

I'm not going to give you any advise on what splitter you should buy BUT, i'll tell you what "I" would NOT buy again!

The splitter I own now has the wedge on the cylinder and a foot on the end of the beam to split against. I wouldn't ever buy another splitter like that again. They are slower to split big rounds and more work to get them split.

My next splitter WILL have the wedge on the end of the beam and a table for the splits to fall on, as then the re-splits don't end up on the ground. Also, all split wood just get's pushed out the end, and that means it's going away from me, without me having to touch it!

I also would want the tongue on the "cylinder" end, NOT to be pushing the splits off on the tongue end, or have to remove the tongue each time, to get it out of the way..

SR

Very good points!
The short wedge on the cylinder pushing against, a way to small, plate and very large rounds just dont mix. Often, a large round isnt completly split into half and this results in having to spin the entire round to finish the split. At that time, the short plate wont catch the entire round and will kick or slide off the foot, just causing more work. For large rounds, a tall wedge works best. My wedge is 24in tall, aint much it doesnt completely spilt in half in one pass. Also tongue at rear of cylinder allows the split wood to just be pushed out of the way instead of pileing up at your feet, or having to throw every piece out of the way before the next split. Tongue at rear also means when you get a big pile of splits pileing up, you can just pull the splitter up a few feet and your wood will be in windrow piles when you finish splitting. I keep my splitter hooked to my small tractor and start splitting at one end of the pile and just pull up a few ft toward the other end as I split. My foot area stays clean and not clutterd with split wood as i work..

 

[Brettl]

Hey mudstopper. Is your 24" wedge on a custom made splitter or is it a mod on a factory unit?

 

[muddstopper]

Im located in the Spring Creek area 40 mins North of Asheviile. And Yes I think the Honda is worth the money-their standard on the Northern Tool- The 5.5 hp will run 6-7 hrs per tank.

I know where Spring creek is too, and MeadowFork. I think Ken Spangle bought a new processor last year. I tried out his old blockbuster. Did he ever sell it?

 

[muddstopper]

Hey mudstopper. Is your 24" wedge on a custom made splitter or a mod on a factory unit?

My splitter is all home made. 5in cylinder, 28gpm 2stage pump. I modeled it after the 42ton Northern splitter with the adjustable wedge. I made my blade a 4 way and then changed it to a 6way. With blade lifted all the wayup, I can split 12in rounds in half, all the way down it splits 4 ways, and in the middle it splits 6 ways. Going to make a 8 way for it next. Doing 6way splits in 30in rounds I endup with two splits that are 5in thick and 15in wide and have to resplit them. A 8way will solve that problem.

 

[Brettl]

Sounds like an awesome machine. My friend works on pipelines and is going to teach me to weld to made headache racks for my two trucks. Eventually I might tackle a custom splitter. I think it would be a fun project for someone with the talent to do so.

 

[Flying]

I have a dirty hand tools 28 ton and have 5 cords of apple wood and it split great. I had rented a 22 ton splitter and it had a hard time with the apple wood. I would have gone with the 27 ton but I wanted the bigger engine and faster splitter times. I have Honda and Kohler engines on power equipment at work and for the money I would go with the cheaper engine. The Honda is quiter.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[muddstopper]

Sounds like an awesome machine. My friend works on pipelines and is going to teach me to weld to made headache racks for my two trucks. Eventually I might tackle a custom splitter. I think it would be a fun project for someone with the talent to do so.

If one can weld, it doesnt take a lot of knowledge to build a wood splitter, they are pretty simple machines. Plenty of builds on this site of some really nice machines. I have watched hundreds of utube vids of homemade splitters, havent seen anything i would really want to trade mine for. Some are a lot prettier than mine, I didnt add paint.Of course I built two others before this one and you sort of learn what features you like. I know there are some folks that wouldnt want a splitter like mine, to big, to heavy, dont need that kind of power, blah blah blah. It boils down to what each individual likes and their needs are, and most of us are not alike. I dont sell wood, I build my machine to suit me to split my wood. I wanted a machine with a tall wedge, because I knew what a short wedge would do and I wasnt satisfied with the results. I wanted a adjustable height multi wedge because i dont like to handle rounds more than once. I wanted power, because other splitters had problems splitting the wood I get to split. I wanted speed, because when I start working up my wood, I want to get finished and not drag it out all summer. I will make a few more modification to my machine as time goes by. If I can figure out how to make it load itself and stack the wood under the shed by itself, I might finally be satisfied. I am also building a processor for my personal use, it will have a conveyor to carry the splits into the shed, but i will still have to stack it by hand. Wish someone would post a video of how they get around that part of splitting wood

 

[Frank Boyer]

I have the 35T Speeco from TSC. Over the years I've had 4" and 4 1/2" bore splitters and the 5" bore gets it done. I don't do a lot of firewood, but I get larger rounds because other people don't want to deal with them. The smaller units work well for smaller straight grain stuff. Both the 4" and 4 1/2" bore units slowed way down when splitting hard stuff. Get a table and a unit with a log lift or one that goes vertical.

 

[pickwood]

I know where Spring creek is too, and MeadowFork. I think Ken Spangle bought a new processor last year. I tried out his old blockbuster. Did he ever sell it?

Ken sold his old Blockbuster and runs the new/larger one year around=I live about 3 miles from Kens shop/home.

 

[mAxman]

I have some similar threads on this site and one other. One thing that has just been pointed out to me is that there are true, Honda engines, and "Made To Honda Spec" engines. How do you tell the difference? I don't know. I'm researching that right now. My search for a new splitter has narrowed down to the 27 ton DHT(local Menards doesn't carry the 28) and Huskee 28 ton.

I haven't come across this issue while looking around yet, but if you find out please do share. Looks like we may be in the same phase of purchasing and I'd like to know as much as possible about what I'm buying.

 

[muddstopper]

Ken sold his old Blockbuster and runs the new/larger one year around=I live about 3 miles from Kens shop/home.

Uh oh, your not a Frisbee by any chance. How far do you live from the barn with all the old car tags nailed to it.

 

[Brettl]

I haven't come across this issue while looking around yet, but if you find out please do share. Looks like we may be in the same phase of purchasing and I'd like to know as much as possible about what I'm buying.

I sure will and thank you for letting me contribute to your thread. Don't want to hijack but you and I are in the same phase of purchase as you mentioned.

 

[066blaster]

I'm not going to give you any advise on what splitter you should buy BUT, i'll tell you what "I" would NOT buy again!

The splitter I own now has the wedge on the cylinder and a foot on the end of the beam to split against. I wouldn't ever buy another splitter like that again. They are slower to split big rounds and more work to get them split.

My next splitter WILL have the wedge on the end of the beam and a table for the splits to fall on, as then the re-splits don't end up on the ground. Also, all split wood just get's pushed out the end, and that means it's going away from me, without me having to touch it!

I also would want the tongue on the "cylinder" end, NOT to be pushing the splits off on the tongue end, or have to remove the tongue each time, to get it out of the way..

SR

What if a round needs multiple splits you would have to catch it or pick it up off the ground. And big rounds will lift the tongue off the ground if pushed out the back. I guess each has its pro's and cons.

 

[Como]

That is why he needs the table, anything without a table would be a pain.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

What if a round needs multiple splits you would have to catch it or pick it up off the ground. And big rounds will lift the tongue off the ground if pushed out the back. I guess each has its pro's and cons.

No, multiple splits stay on the table or along side the beam and properly balanced splitters are not tongue light, even when splitting.

SR

 

[philoshop]

Honda makes two series of small 4-strokes: GC is residential/homeowner grade, and the GX is commercial grade. I don't know what the actual physical differences are.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Honda makes two series of small 4-strokes: GC is residential/homeowner grade, and the GX is commercial grade. I don't know what the actual physical differences are.

The GC is considered an OHC motor and isn't built to last as long, it's usually painted black and normally isn't made above 6.5HP.

The GX is called an OHV motor, is "industrial" rated and is usually painted red, and is made to higher HP levels.

SR

 

[safetyboy715]

I have a 22 ton brave. Honda 160 motor and splits anything I put on it. Goos splitter 1400