Diesel: The fact that you have been around splitters is a huge advantage for you as you have an idea of what works, and doesn't work so good, as does ValleyFirewood and sharp edged fenders. I would never even consider fenders, as good or bad. They're there, that's a nice plus I guess...the other guys aren't offering fenders...sort of thing. And that's how splitters are... You have to look close. Pre-visualize (the five stitches in your shin...) and ask yourself questions as you picture yourself going through the motions. Am I taking the splitter to the wood, or the wood to the splitter? What end is the hitch on? Does it push wood off the end? Is that a plus if it does, or did I just bury the hitch? Do I need to unhook it from the tow vehicle to even start to split? Do I need to pick up every split piece off the beam to toss it in a pile? That might be a plus... if the pile is in a trailer. Where will my rounds be when I split? (in a trailer/truck, on the ground in a pile, where the tree was dropped and cut up); When I split a big round does one piece fall on the ground on the opposite side of the splitter? Can I operate it standing with a straight back, or reaching and bent over forward, bent over sideways? Is the oil tank big enough? Tires big enough? Do the controls feel natural to reach for, or is there a tire in the way? Can I run it from both sides, or is there a tank in the way on one side? If wood falls off the beam does the engine take a hit, or a hydraulic filter?
It is kind of like buying a car? All new cars are... New. The seat hugs you, the radio sounds great as it is not competing with rattles and such, yet. Dash is modern, snazzy, sharp looking...and New! After you own it three month you notice other things, the same things actually, with a broader awareness. That seat that hugged you, pushes your shoulders forward, and after an hour you find yourself sitting sideways on one cheek to relieve the discomfort. Your smile has turned into a vertical line between your eyebrows. That snazzy dash...you can't find the defroster button for crap as the road is vanishing beyond the windshield. And remember the radio...the saleman turned it on for you during the test drive for a reason... because it is a touch screen and it takes eight minutes to find the friggin menu. At 75 mph, how far did you go in eight minutes................? (5280' x 75 mph/60 minutes x 8 minutes = 52,800' or 10 miles, but that's theoretical because you will really be in a ditch somewhere seven minutes sooner than all that.) But we don't notice that stuff...because it is New, and we just see New, most of the time. Splitter are somewhat simpler, no defrost, no radio, no seat. But it is important to look past the shinny paint and big number printed on it, because some wood splitters are designed by clowns with masters degrees.
