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 | duke8444
Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 71 Bowling Green, KY 42103 
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2010-04-25 170299
Hi Guys,
I could not find the proper place to post this, so I will ask here.
I am thinking of getting a log spliter. Doing it with a maul is getting old being 66. This summer I am thinking of replacing my fireplace insert with a stove insert so I will be looking to secure more work. My land has enough supply, but most of it will have to be split. What are some of your recommendations. One question in particular, a spliter that is verticul vs horizontal. What are the pros and cons.
Earl
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 | kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 5764 NW Oregon 
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2010-04-25 170302
A few years ago I had the same decision and opted for a tow behind splitter. It can be hauled into the woods and set up for standalone operation while the tractor can be used to haul loads of split firewood back to the house or to grapple a log up for bucking close to the splitter. And there's no issues with trying to lift it for 3ph mounting or to muscle it around for storage when it's not mounted. I chain it to a tree and leave it in the area that is being worked and then move on to the next spot. No opinion on the horizontal vs. vertical, mine is horizontal and I'm happy with it. ....
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 | earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2010-04-25 170303
If you mean a spliTTer-- you need to be much more specific: 3 pt vs non 3pt, towable like a trailer by a vehicle, stand alone with it's own power (engine) vs runs off the tractor, type of splitter---hydraulic, electric, or tapered screw (The Stickler is one brand).
Typically some towable and even some 3 pt models can go from being horizontal to vertical easily. ....
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| duke8444
Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 71 Bowling Green, KY 42103
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2010-04-26 170329
I am not planning on a 3 pt. unit. A gas tow behind makes more sense to me. Usually I take the tree down in woods and then gut the trash right there. Once the trash is gone I drag the log up to where I keep my pile of wood, cut it to lenght and then the old maul trick. For me the question will be what size to get. I have no understanding on what size splitter I should get. I am not going to do this for anyone else so if the log is too large I will just leave it and move on to the next one. So do I need a 5, 10, 15,etc. ton machine. ....
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| earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2010-04-26 170334
All I see around here are 20 ton from TSC. I think they're made by Husky. Nice looking units.
If price is a concern, for about $200 you can get a Stickler-- a threaded cone about 28" long that bolts in place of a vehicle's drive wheel. I have one that I adapted to my hydraulic auger for my skid steer. ....
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 | harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY 
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2010-04-27 170355
Watch your swap sheets for a deal. Get some thing knee or mid thigh high. A bent back with vertical SUCKS after a couple of hours. A log lift is great. Roll heavy blocks on a let hydraulic lift them to the wedge.
My photos has my homemade. I have a 4X24 cylinder am going to move to a 5X24 or 6X24 depends on deal. I have a 50 gpm 3000psi pump to put on it to run bigger cylinder.
A splitter is not hard to build or modify if you can find the right prices.
I have used the screw splitter they are ok (but scary) in straight grain wood. BUT in anything knotty they are very dangerous and very scary. I will never allow one on my wood and I will never ever work around one being used. ....
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| earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2010-04-27 170367
Harvey are your hydraulics---lines, valves, etc. up to the task of 50 GPM? That is a horrendous amount of gallonage. Most conrol valves i[e seen are 28 GPM Max. Anything over that and you creat backpressure and heat---a lot of it. ....
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| harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2010-04-28 170382
EW No I get bigger valve and lines. Pump is a PTO pump from a live bottom trailer set up. Only put the pump in the splitter circuit. The other pump would run the other lif and the some time to be installed grapple.
I do like your idea of screw on front of skid steer as long as no one ever gets near it. Sit in cab drive around screwing wood and if get stuck reverse it and move on. ....
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 | auerbach
Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 2168 West of Toronto
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2010-04-28 170390
I saw a home-made one that cost next to nothing. A maul blade slid down a shaft onto the end of the vertically-held log. The tractor's front loader-bucket powered it into the log. ....
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 | Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2010-04-28 170400
I guess I'm in the minority here.
I use a 3pth splitter run off the tractors remotes, but I also have a bracket that allows me to put it on the FEL in place of the bucket if I so desire.
Without working too hard at all, and with a helper or two, I can easily split a cord an hour.
Considering I only burn about 4 cords a year between all 3 of my places, I don't see 4 hours of engine time a year a big deal.
I put more than that on it driving around the neighbourhood. ;)
Best of luck. ....
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| earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2010-04-29 170418
Harvey, the screw is good for splitting stumps either in or out of the ground. It takes a lot of power; even at 78hp at the engine it bogs down slightly and it created a lot of heat to the point the screw smokes. Takes about 4 minutes to split a 28" caliper red oak stump in half. ....
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| duke8444
Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 71 Bowling Green, KY 42103
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2010-05-07 170615
After reading all the posts. I beleive I will try the 20 Ton from TSC. The screw situation will never work for me since I always work alone. I still haven't moved on the fireplace insert yet, so I may just go ahead and get a splitter now and see if I can get enough wood before hand.
Thanks for all you guys help.
Earl ....
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