Why the inflated cost of skid steer splitters?

[Rio_Grande]

I have looked at new splitters off and on for a few years and am getting close to building a new one. I have a CTL 70 tracked skid steer that we use in the woods to gather wood and whatever else is needed. I thought I should concider if it was wise to build the new splitter based off of the skid steer as the power unit. This curriosity came mostly due to the observation of how expensive the skid steer units are. After looking at the skid steer splitters I dont get it. There is nothing to them. I know the quick attach is an added expense over a 3 point hitch model but there is no valve, so why do these very simple units cost 2,000+?

As an experiment I flipped our 3 point hitch model over and played with it a bit and dont think it is for me. We dont deal with wood that is so big that I cant get it onto the splitter we have so I dont see the advantage for us on the skid steer model.

Dont get me wrong it is neat you can stack and split at the same time with it but the trade off is running a 80 hp engine to do so, I think I will run my internal engine.

Concidering the above what do you think of the skid steer splitter units? am I right that they are just overpriced play toys?

 

[Kingsley]

I'm with you, why run an 80hp engine when a 6/10 hp engine would do the same job.

The only real advantage is getting into "monster" size wood, then you can pick, move, and split something you normally wouldn't just lift with your own arms.

When we deal with large rounds we just halve/quarter them with the saw until they are managable.

I have no idea why skid steer attachments run for big bucks?

M

 

[GeeVee]

Absolutely-.

+1

Like, totally

Who are they kidding?

You got 80 hp, a thumb control, and a pair of quick attach hyd fittings. Slap you a beam and a ram together. Get the big stuff split to handle, then go back to the firewood maker.

The offerings are wasting money on duplication.

Rio could get more out of his 3 point model if he ran it off the nimble Skidder, but still really, it aint super fast on "firewood".

One thought for the three of us? Skidder splitter will be safe when dealing with the "tree service delivery" Angled cuts, hacks and split sheared ends are a pain on a conventional splitter, or you gotta prep it with fresh ends. Worrying a funky round isn't safe on a conventional, skidder don't mind a wiggly round so much, know what I mean?

 

[Rio_Grande]

Hadnt thought about odd shaped ends but that is a good point. I went tonight a picked up a few things to improve upon my current design and make the 3 point splitter a little more user friendly. I will just use the skid steer and grapple to move wood to the splitter. I am small scale, if I cut and split 5 cord of wood a year that gets me through the winter, Well so far. With an impending logging for our place I was hoping to ramp up production but I dont see a skid steer splitter helping us in that relm.