Finally got a Splitter!

[Full Chisel]

Thought it was time to get serious about splitting wood so I picked up this homemade splitter earlier this week. The hydraulic log lift, electric start and car tires sold me on it. It's got a HF Predator 420cc engine on it, better than a Briggs I figure. The tonnage isn't the highest, I believe the cylinder is a 3" bore and I'm not sure what the pump is rated at but I'm thinking it's somewhere in the ballpark of 15 tons. So it doesn't like crotch wood or large twisted, burly rounds but it does well otherwise. Knowing how to read the grain from splitting by hand helps to get the most out of it. I do have a 35 ton rated cylinder that I could install on it with some modification.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Tonnage is over rated. You really don't need a lot. Enjoy!

 

[Full Chisel]

Tonnage is over rated. You really don't need a lot. Enjoy!

I actually kind of enjoy eyeing up a round and figuring out the best way to split it. Not the best for productivity but I'm not aiming for huge volume anyway. IME, high tonnage often shears a knotty wood grain instead of splitting it and makes for messy "splits". One thing I really liked about splitting by hand is how uniform the splits tend to be. But the splitter sure is easier on the body after several hours of splitting!

 

[rarefish383]

I loved splitting by hand, until I bought my splitter, now I can't find an ax. That one looks good, I like it, Joe.

 

[svk]

I think unless you are splitting tough stuff like elm on a regular basis I'd rather have speed over power anyhow. The cycle time makes a big difference in productivity.

 

[Full Chisel]

This splitter is pretty fast in straight grained stuff...it has a short stroke and fairly fast cycle. It only accepts logs up to about 20-22" which is perfect since I try to cut all mine between 16-18".

The only downside that I see so far is that it is a heavy b*tch and a bear to move by yourself. But that just tells me it is built well!

 

[r black]

nice, I have been looking at the dirty hands 22 ton splitter at Lowes on sale now at $999 with 10% off with charge card however at $999 its just looking right now

 

[lknchoppers]

Thought it was time to get serious about splitting wood so I picked up this homemade splitter earlier this week. The hydraulic log lift, electric start and car tires sold me on it. It's got a HF Predator 420cc engine on it, better than a Briggs I figure. The tonnage isn't the highest, I believe the cylinder is a 3" bore and I'm not sure what the pump is rated at but I'm thinking it's somewhere in the ballpark of 15 tons. So it doesn't like crotch wood or large twisted, burly rounds but it does well otherwise. Knowing how to read the grain from splitting by hand helps to get the most out of it. I do have a 35 ton rated cylinder that I could install on it with some modification.

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if you want that to split just about anything put a 1" thick wedge on it. A sharp edge will do wonders and a narrow wedge is so much better than a triangular shaped wedge when it comes to 15 or 20 ton units. I bought a slip over four way, and because it's so much fatter it has issues with wood the regular wedge blows right through. It stops splitting even before it gets to the four way wings so it's the shape of the cutting surface where it first starts splitting. That is an awesome splitter you got there.