Recommend me a Log Splitter!

[Glen1978]

You guys have never let me down so here I am again. We are moving to Buena Vista, Colorado at the end of the month / first of next month. The house we bought has a nice wood burning stove in it and the previous owners were nice enough to leave us a little over a cord of wood. There is a place up the road where you can get pre-cut wood for pennies but its not split. So....need a splitter. What do yall recommend? Most of our wood will be Pinon pine. Never split any of that but cant imagine needing much of a splitter for it. My dad has a Troybilt 29T with a Honda motor that he likes from Lowes....think he gave $1400 for it new. Ive looked at the Super Split stuff and really like it but $2500 bucks is getting up there in price. Ive found a like new Speeco 22T with 6.5 Briggs on it thats split 5 cords in its life.....looks to have been wiped down every use and garage stored for $1000 bucks. I have the local TSC, Lowes and Home Depot to shop at also. I dont mind ordering online if it comes highly recommended. Lets here it!

 

[mikey517]

I went with the 27 ton Ariens from Home Depot when they offered 18 months same as cash. Sticker price was $1599, but I got he floor model at discount, so it came to $1,300 and change tax included.

I absolutely love it. Mine is the old style before the redesign of the beam, and I like the layout very much. The Subaru / Robin motor is a workhorse that sips gas and is fairly quiet. It's split everything I've thrown at it without a hitch.

The Ariens customer support is excellent as well. 6 months after I got mine, the valve started leaking. Aries sent me to a local dealer who didn't care where I bought the machine. It was repaired, checked and returned in a week!!

And....made in USA.

 

[farmer steve]

my buddy bought the dirty hand tools splitter and i have used it on 5-6 cord. seems to work really well. it is the 22 ton model. it sat in my shop all summer and i pulled it out monday. put fresh gas in it and it fired up on the first pull. DHT is a sponser here and they have seemed to have given good service to anyone that has needed it. lowes has them here in pa under $1,000. just my 2 cents.

 

[DHT]

Welcome to Colorado! We are a Colorado company just north of Denver. Down that way you can find our product at Big R, Bomgaars and Lowes. Or give our customer service group a call, sometimes we have scratch and dent and tested units we can sell.

 

[stumpy75]

I like my 22ton Speeco. Bought it at TSC. I have nothing bad to say for it really... I split 5-8 cords a year with it for the past 4 years. No problems at all... $1000 is about what they went for new, so if you can get him down a bit, buy it! Even if you can't, it's probably an ok deal.

 

[TimberWolf530]

Welcome to Colorado! We are a Colorado company just north of Denver. Down that way you can find our product at Big R, Bomgaars and Lowes. Or give our customer service group a call, sometimes we have scratch and dent and tested units we can sell.

I will put in my recommendation for DHT. I bought their 27T last year, and absolutely love it. One thing that I hear alot of complaints on is towing. Many people complain that their splitters bounce all over the place, but my DHT pulls straight as an arrow. I've had it up to 5o mph, and have been over some rough gravel roads (not at the same time ), and it handles both very well. I have split oak, hard maple, and ash, up to 36" in diameter, and it split it all with ease. If you can get one from them right down the street at a discount, I would jump on that. I've also heard very good things about their customer service on this and other websites.

 

[cigmaker]

Believe I've put the plug in for DHT more than once on this site ... that being said my 22 ton still fires first or second pull and splits everything you should ask of a splitter. Customer service is more important to me the older/wiser I get and they have top notch people. You also get some nice features on their 22 ton others dont have main thing for me is cycle time.

 

[svk]

DHT are great and have fantastic customer service. I have used a 27T extensively from a friend and really like it.

@DHT if you see this I would love to see a splitter from you with high speed hubs for use on highways.

 

[USMC615]

Up the ante a bit and ya got three options...
A) Super Split J Model
B) Super Split HD Model
C) Super Split SE Model

...Buy what you can afford. Good splitters already mentioned, don't tax yourself with an upcoming move. Moves get pricey to say the least. Lots of good hydro splitters out there for about $1K. If you can hold out, get you a Super Split. Good luck with your purchase.

 

[Zale]

DHT 22ton.

 

[Glen1978]

Looks like DHT if I go hydro no doubt. MONKEY WRENCH!! Ole lady just watched the SS video and decides she could split firewood for extra money if she doesnt land a job up there. Currently she is a stay at home Mom and I work 7 on/7 off in the oilfield. Wouldnt take too many cords of sold firewood to pay for the SS and have a heck of a machine for us to get our firewood from. Is SS the only place to get them? If I went SS would just the J model with Subaru motor work or should I pay the premium for the Honda......OR pay the premium for the HD models? Seen lots of videos on the J and would think it would be fine.

 

[USMC615]

Looks like DHT if I go hydro no doubt. MONIEY WRENCH!! Ole lady just watched the SS video and decides she could split firewood for extra money if she doesnt land a job up there. Currently she is a stay at home Mom and I work 7 on/7 off in the oilfield. Wouldnt take too many cords of sold firewood to pay for the SS and have a heck of a machine for us to get our firewood from. Is SS the only place to get them? If I went SS would just the J model with Subaru motor work or should I pay the premium for the Honda......OR pay the premium for the HD models? Seen lots of videos on the J and would think it would be fine.

Only difference btwn the J model and HD model is 74lb each flywheels on the J, verses 90lb each flywheels on the HD. I think I'm right on those flywheel specs...if not another SS owner will certainly chime in. I bought the HD for insurance. I mainly split red oak, white oak, hickory. And it don't even grunt through 99% of it. I did opt for the Honda GX 200 on mine, but the Subarus are fine engines. A few guys here have the J models and they bust everything they can get on them...including tree types I split, plus wood that is more native to the Midwest/their locales. The SE model costs a heap more, biggest flywheels, I think 100lb each...was designed for tough elm. Few folks here have that model as well, maybe they'll chime in too.

And yes...Super Split in Mass is the only manufacturer and seller, direct. Talk with Paul McCann, owner, or his son Connor. Great guys who will steer you into which splitter based on wood type needs, that you need. They will not push down your throat a splitter, for the sake of making another dollar, a splitter model that you don't need. They are a class act, mom and pop business. And they know exactly what they're doing, since the 70's, building flywheel/kinetic splitters.

 

[olympyk_999]

@DHT if you see this I would love to see a splitter from you with high speed hubs for use on highways.

that would blow the budget...good luck!

 

[USMC615]

If you have the coins to spend my man...and if you have the ticket to wood, and you have your wife that can handle the splitting...here's your answer. The Super Split. Mine happens to be the HD model. Not saying you need it...I'm sure the J model will handle your needs.
IMG]http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/10/09/9121b6190092b54753dea5897b5c76c6.jpg[/IMG]


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[USMC615]

Doesn't look like my image of the SS HD loaded...typical IOS, Tapatalk conflict. Nothing new. I'll try again shortly.

 

[svk]

that would blow the budget...good luck!

Make it an option. That will keep costs competitive on the base model.

 

[USMC615]

Try again for the OP to see the SS HD...

Sent from my iPhone 6+ using Tapatalk

 

[olympyk_999]

Make it an option. That will keep costs competitive on the base model.

most of the people these low end splitters are marketed to don't care about things like high speed hubs/tires...specifically if its going to cost more $$, people are cheap, which is why the things have low speed hubs to begin with...majority rules

why not just hack those axle stubs off and weld a new set on? a pair of 3500lb. axle stubs with hubs is usually under $100...

 

[USMC615]

most of the people these low end splitters are marketed to don't care about things like high speed hubs/tires...specifically if its going to cost more $$, people are cheap, which is why the things have low speed hubs to begin with...majority rules

why not just hack those axle stubs off and weld a new set on? a pair of 3500lb. axle stubs with hubs is usually under $100...

...and throw in a couple of leaf springs as well.

 

[Glen1978]

That SS is a good lookin rig.....I gota give it that. NO doubt my gf can handle the splitting. She pulled a 454 out of a 82 dually for me while I was at work last summer.

We have the money for it. Especially if we were to use it "commercially". We also got two boys age 9/7 that will need cash flow here ina few years.

Yes Im positive that the DHT 22T would suit us fine for $1000 bucks and last many, many years with general maintenance. But were movin to Colorado to enjoy life and if I waste a weekend splitting wood when I could be mountain biking/hiking/skiing, whatever i would have gladly spent that extra coin on the SS VS the DHT.