Lafont wood splitter

[sirbuildalot]

Would anyone want to see these re produce under a new name with some modern day upgrades?

I doubt it. People today would complain the price is too high for the features they are getting. People say the Super Splits are overpriced at about $2,800 for a J model with production table that will do a full cord an hour and last for generations. Every splitter gets compared to the $999 box store specials with paint drying speed.

 

[Earthandheavenlandscape]

I doubt it. People today would complain the price is too high for the features they are getting. People say the Super Splits are overpriced at about $2,800 for a J model with production table that will do a full cord an hour and last for generations. Every splitter gets compared to the $999 box store specials with paint drying speed.

I have to disagree from what im seeing the Market is very strong for commercial wood splitters as well as processors.

 

[Earthandheavenlandscape]

Almost ready to go and look at it and probably pull the trigger on it. The one thing I would like it to have is a log lift shouldn't be to hard to design and figure out. Probably have to replace the old control valve if I added the lift.

 

[Lee192233]

I have one that my wife and I inherited from her Grandparents. It is going to get a new engine. I will take it up north to the cabin after that. The old 8hp Briggs stalls out in big gnarly rounds. I also dislike having to pound knotty rounds off the wedge when it can't push them through. It must be the smallest splitter LaFont made. It's a MMS350.

Lee

 

[Earthandheavenlandscape]

View attachment 897485
I have one that my wife and I inherited from her Grandparents. It is going to get a new engine. I will take it up north to the cabin after that. The old 8hp Briggs stalls out in big gnarly rounds. I also dislike having to pound knotty rounds off the wedge when it can't push them through. It must be the smallest splitter LaFont made. It's a MMS350.

Lee

nice the one we are acquiring is very substantial machine for sure.

 

[swm63]

View attachment 897485
I have one that my wife and I inherited from her Grandparents. It is going to get a new engine. I will take it up north to the cabin after that. The old 8hp Briggs stalls out in big gnarly rounds. I also dislike having to pound knotty rounds off the wedge when it can't push them through. It must be the smallest splitter LaFont made. It's a MMS350.

Lee

Lee, why can't you just rig up a drag chain, and pull it off with the cylinder return?

 

[Lee192233]

Lee, why can't you just rig up a drag chain, and pull it off with the cylinder return?

That's a good idea. Never thought to use a chain. Do you put a hook on the chain or wrap the chain around the piece of wood?

Thanks,
Lee

 

[swm63]

That's a good idea. Never thought to use a chain. Do you put a hook on the chain or wrap the chain around the piece of wood?

Thanks,
Lee

Yes, I have a small chain about 8 feet long with a hook on one end. Loop it around the pusher when it's close to the stuck log, wrap the rest around the log close to the wedge. Set the hook and run her back.

 

[Earthandheavenlandscape]

Yes, I have a small chain about 8 feet long with a hook on one end. Loop it around the pusher when it's close to the stuck log, wrap the rest around the log close to the wedge. Set the hook and run her back.

Thats a good idea. My wife and I are heading up to tomorrow morning to pick up the new beast and tow it home! I'm looking forward to fixing it up and adding a few modern features to make it work better and more efficient.

 

[mHeikkinen]

Hey everyone I’m new to this site, I was looking online for some more info on the splitter I recently aquired.
It’s a Lafont SS-500 i think..it was purchased new by my grandparents in the 70’s.
The only thing my grandma could tell me about it was that they paid 3,000$ For it!!

I can talk to my dad to find more info. My grandpa started LaFont. $3,000 seems like a lot, but as others have said, it was built to last a long time. Grandpa always said, "Build it stronger than it needs to be." That motto is what made his first company so successful...Prentice Hydraulics.

 

[VirginiaIron]

I can talk to my dad to find more info. My grandpa started LaFont. $3,000 seems like a lot, but as others have said, it was built to last a long time. Grandpa always said, "Build it stronger than it needs to be." That motto is what made his first company so successful...Prentice Hydraulics.

Yeah $3K is a lot of money, but keep in mind the cheap Chevy $30 + lifetime warranty car starters today were $119 and 30 days back in mid/late 1970's.

 

[Jhenderson]

I can talk to my dad to find more info. My grandpa started LaFont. $3,000 seems like a lot, but as others have said, it was built to last a long time. Grandpa always said, "Build it stronger than it needs to be." That motto is what made his first company so successful...Prentice Hydraulics.

A lot of us wish your grandfather was still the head and horns of Prentice.

 

[Earthandheavenlandscape]

A lot of us wish your grandfather was still the head and horns of Prentice.

Sure I could always use more info on it. Few things I've noticed about it are it could be a little taller, needs to have a better catch pan on the end for re splits. Also I'm going to have a new wedge design made up for it. The original design has all the wedge wings making contact with the block of wood all at once this has created alot of jam ups! The new one will be thicker main wedge to 1" and the side ones 3/4" and will be staggered for easier splits. Also the log cradle will be hydraulic up and down. May try to stiffen up the main splitting beam it does flex some on harder splits. With those modern upgrades it would be awesome splitter able to keep up with today's high output splitters.

 

[Driftless Spliter]

Hey everyone I’m new to this site, I was looking online for some more info on the splitter I recently aquired.
It’s a Lafont SS-500 i think..it was purchased new by my grandparents in the 70’s.
The only thing my grandma could tell me about it was that they paid 3,000$ For it!!

My father bought a LaFont splitter in the 80s. He gave it to me when he was in his 90s and done splitting wood during his life. LoFont was based in Prentice Wisconsin.

I split about 5 cords of wood with it over the last few weeks. It starts on the second or third pull every time. Like all small engine equipment, I always run the gasoline out of the engine each fall so the engine never gums up. All the parts on the old Briggs and Stratton engine are still available.

I have a copy of the sales brochure. laFont you offered eight models, including tractor mount and a ProSeries. If your grandfather was like my dad, he probably did spend $3,000 to get the “Pro LS-500 Log Buster. About the only thing that stopped it once was a knurly piece of elm.

If you post an email address, I will send you a copy of the brochure. It has specifications for each model. I also have all of my dad’s records to check out the price he paid.

TB