Log splitter...manual, electric, gas?

[Jokarva]

DH has decided he needs a log splitter (and here I thought that he was the log splitter.....), we just split a couple of cords a year, so no heavy duty use. We've been borrowing my BIL's gas powered splitter, but DH is pretty fit - so I thought a manual one would work. Or an electric one might be a good compromise. The gas powered is expensive, noisy, puts out fumes, needs gassed up....seems like too much trouble/expense for so little wood. But neither of us has much experience with them....

So...manual, electric or gas.....pros and cons?

[Gripshover]

I have a gas 22 ton from tractor supply and I like it. I only split wood for myself and think it was well worth the money.

[Danaus29]

A couple cords is a lot of wood when you're doing the splitting.
My brother uses a gas powered one, not sure what brand.
Better to get one that operates vertically instead of horizontally, IMO. You have to watch your hands closely with the horizontal ones. The vertical ones you just set the log on the base and hold the lever (joy stick, whatever the technical term is).

[Ramblin Wreck]

I try splitting all of my firewood with a maul first. It's usually faster, if the wood is agreeable. If I don't make a dent after a few whacks I throw it back on the pile and bring in a gas powered wood splitter to finish off the hard sticks. I've had good luck with a unit I bought from Northern Tool. It is a horizontal unit, and I agree with the post above that those are easier to deal with.

Edited to correct: I should have said vertical splitting is better above. Mine travels/transports horizontally, but it pivots to split vertically.

[Ken in Maine]

Why not go to your local rental place and rent a wood splitter. My center has the "Super Splitter" ( it's the original that DR copied and is selling).

It rents for about $70.00 for the weekend and you can split 4 cords in that time. Much cheaper than buying one... after all it's only used a couple days a year. A good splitter will cost in excess of $1500.00

[PD-Riverman]

Originally Posted by Ken in Maine

Why not go to your local rental place and rent a wood splitter. My center has the "Super Splitter" ( it's the original that DR copied and is selling).

It rents for about $70.00 for the weekend and you can split 4 cords in that time. Much cheaper than buying one... after all it's only used a couple days a year. A good splitter will cost in excess of $1500.00

This is exactally what I would do if I did not want to buy a real good splitter. Every electric I have seen are slow. I would cut my wood and pile it up, then rent one for a couple days----let the rental place keep it for the next 363 days.

[OkieDavid]

For a couple of cords IMO an electric is to slow/small. A gasoline one will require you to devote alot of work just getting it running since it's going to sit most of the year. I agree with renting/borrowing one for a weekend or two a year.

[DW]

We rent one once or twice a year for 1/2 day. Vertical is way easier for us old folks.

[Cascade Failure]

Originally Posted by OkieDavid

For a couple of cords IMO an electric is to slow/small. A gasoline one will require you to devote alot of work just getting it running since it's going to sit most of the year. I agree with renting/borrowing one for a weekend or two a year.

No it won't, shut off the gas and let it run dry.

[Cascade Failure]

Originally Posted by Ramblin Wreck

I try splitting all of my firewood with a maul first. It's usually faster, if the wood is agreeable. If I don't make a dent after a few whacks I throw it back on the pile and bring in a gas powered wood splitter to finish off the hard sticks. I've had good luck with a unit I bought from Northern Tool. It is a horizontal unit, and I agree with the post above that those are easier to deal with.

A maul is faster? Are you sure? How quick can you split 4-5 cords?

If we're talking about splitting a few rounds a day, then sure,the maul is faster.

But, any real volume at a time the gas splitter wins; and you can occasionally do it with a beer in your hand. Not the bigger rounds of course, safety first.

[Cascade Failure]

Originally Posted by Danaus29

A couple cords is a lot of wood when you're doing the splitting.
My brother uses a gas powered one, not sure what brand.
Better to get one that operates vertically instead of horizontally, IMO. You have to watch your hands closely with the horizontal ones. The vertical ones you just set the log on the base and hold the lever (joy stick, whatever the technical term is).

On the horizontal, set the log in the cradle and hold the lever...no safety difference there.

Verticle wins on the big rounds that are too heavy to lift.

Ergonomics come in to play here as well; what motions are you more comfortable working with? Best choice is one that can do both but, try it before you buy it. 99% of my splitting is horizontal.

[Cascade Failure]

Originally Posted by Jokarva

DH has decided he needs a log splitter (and here I thought that he was the log splitter.....), we just split a couple of cords a year, so no heavy duty use. We've been borrowing my BIL's gas powered splitter, but DH is pretty fit - so I thought a manual one would work. Or an electric one might be a good compromise. The gas powered is expensive, noisy, puts out fumes, needs gassed up....seems like too much trouble/expense for so little wood. But neither of us has much experience with them....

So...manual, electric or gas.....pros and cons?

A maul is great for straight grained woods with few knots but I wouldn't want to do great quantities at one time.

I have no experience with electric splitters.

I love my Huskee 27 ton gas powered.

My truck is gas powered. It beats walking and I haven't seen an electric truck that can perform as well.

[Danaus29]

My brother switched from horizontal to vertical because he was splitting stuff too big to lift. Lifting one big log the wrong way will put you out of commission very quickly.

[Old Vet]

Originally Posted by Jokarva

DH has decided he needs a log splitter (and here I thought that he was the log splitter.....), we just split a couple of cords a year, so no heavy duty use. We've been borrowing my BIL's gas powered splitter, but DH is pretty fit - so I thought a manual one would work. Or an electric one might be a good compromise. The gas powered is expensive, noisy, puts out fumes, needs gassed up....seems like too much trouble/expense for so little wood. But neither of us has much experience with them....

So...manual, electric or gas.....pros and cons?

If it is so easy why not do it your self? Swinging a maul is hare work and so is the manual one. Electric is slow and will not split big rounds. If you can rent one for a weekend and split all the wood at one time that is great. I bought one of the gas ones and love it. A car is expensive but bets walking.

[Cascade Failure]

Watch places like Tractor Supply for the $999 22
ton deals...

[andyd2023]

I used to hand split with a hand maul. Did that for many years.. Then got a manual pump type splitter, they are very slow, but they can split stuff that a hand maul won't. Last year I broke down and bought a 20 ton gas powered splitter. Best $1000 I ever spent.
Now I have time to clean up all the dead trees that the drought has left me....
Andrew

[rambler]

Sounds like hubby should get _you_ a manual one & you can show him how easy it is.

I used to split a couple cords of elm wood a winter. Not sure my shoulder & back would allow that any more, and I still play some volleyball 2 times a week in summer. A maul takes some serious work.

The manual ones are terribly slow. Up to you if you want to use one, just - it's slow slow slow. Never really saw a big one that splits real wood, but must be out there....

Electric - the 120v models are a joke. The 220v models need a big fat cord and the right wiring, so will not be portable, you need to bring allt he wood and mess to one location. If that fits you works fine, but doesn't work well for most people. Prefer splitting at the tree fall site, leave the mess and dirt there, pick up & transport the split wood not the whole pieces.

Gas - now you're talking.

--->Paul

[ChristieAcres]

DH logged our property 5 years ago (just 3/4 of a acre or so, left 5 acres of forest), sold the best logs, and kept others for firewood. These "logs" were from 2nd growth trees, so splitting them was challenging. He split those huge rounds for a few days and then came inside to inform me, "I am done! It is time to build a splitter!" Boy did he build one, a hydraulic one, somewhat industrial, that does horizontal/vertical splitting (DH is a certified Welder/Machinist with hydraulic experience...). We still have that log splitter, use it every year, and DH's parents use it very year, as well (late 70s). DH's splitter is fast and has no problem splitting 2nd growth. Cascade posted GOOD info! No, DH has no problem firing up his log splitter, no matter how long it sits.

[luvrulz]

Originally Posted by Ken in Maine

Why not go to your local rental place and rent a wood splitter. My center has the "Super Splitter" ( it's the original that DR copied and is selling).

It rents for about $70.00 for the weekend and you can split 4 cords in that time. Much cheaper than buying one... after all it's only used a couple days a year. A good splitter will cost in excess of $1500.00

great idea!

[pheasantplucker]

I've split wood since I was in high school. 95% of what I've done was accomplished with mauls and wedges. I have used the DR electric ones, and to be honest, I was surprised and impressed with how well they worked. Very quiet, little to no maintenance, and light enough that when you're done with it, you can put it on a shelf in the garage without it taking up too much space. It didn't have the capacity or ability to do the bigger stuff, though and the cycle time seemed somewhat slow. If I were going to use a splitter for just a few cords a year, and it was 16 inches or less in length and a reasonable girth, I'd probably opt for this. I don't know what they run but I'm sure it has to be less than half of what a gasoline splitter goes for. On the other hand, I've also used horizontal and vertical hydraulic splitters that run on gas engines. It's true they do make some noise (not that bad) and probably some fumes, but they do have power and capacity for the bigger, knottier, crooked grain stuff. I concur with those who prefer the vertical splitters...a huge help when dealing with massive stumps...I used one this summer and used a vertical splitter to bust up the biggest (circumference) round at the bottom. I got 26 pieces of split wood out of that one round, and they were not super small...just average pieces or slightly below...there's no way I could have lifted those onto a horizontal splitter. I, too, would go the renting route, if possible. I have tillers, augers, generators, mowers, snowblowers, etc. that all take up valuable floor space. If you do use a splitter, two pieces of advice: First...of course is safety...Don't be tired, under the influence of ANYTHING, or distracted while working with one. I have a good friend who took off the tip of his thumb about five years ago because he was getting fatigued and wasn't watching closely enough what he was doing. He can't shuffle cards anymore.
Secondly, and this is something most people don't think about including me, until it happened to me...splitting in the winter...you can still get poison ivy from handling logs that have poison ivy on them...Good luck.