Looking for wood splitter

[Got Stripers]

Just took delivery on 7 cords of log length wood and I figure the hours I'd need to rent one, I'd be better off buying. The electric's are cheep and while I purposely bought a load of smaller diameter logs that my 16" echo saw could get through; not sure I want to use electricity. Home depot has a gas 7 ton Champion on sale online for $499, which seams like a decent deal, but a good used one I'd look at to if anyone has one sitting idle.

[Raven]

been looking around craig's list myself
but they have so many variations it's amazing
i like the one that has a catch table after the split
makes no sense to have to bend over to pick up
the two halves ....

[Fishpart]

I have borrowed a splitter where the wedge is on the ram and the ram can be stood up. I sit on a milk crate and have little lifting. You can split monster logs by working them into the cutting zone
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[PRBuzz]

Originally Posted by Fishpart

I have borrowed a splitter where the wedge is on the ram and the ram can be stood up. I sit on a milk crate and have little lifting. You can split monster logs by working them into the cutting zone
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only way to do it!

[Got Stripers]

The stuff I see on craigs list are mostly either commercial models I don't need or priced close enough to buying one new at the Depot, it makes no sense to go by used. I got a load of mostly smaller stuff, coming off a job Newcomb did at the Plymouth airport and I buzzed through probably 2-1/2 cords yesterday and today with my 16" Echo, so while the vertical option is really nice for the big stuff; most of this load I can lift. There are probably 4-5 logs that I'm going to have to get someone over with a bigger saw, to get through the lower half, but I'd have them cut short to keep the lifting possible.......unless your neighbor wants to loan that out in trade for some plastic.

[ronfish]

Originally Posted by Got Stripers

The stuff I see on craigs list are mostly either commercial models I don't need or priced close enough to buying one new at the Depot, it makes no sense to go by used. I got a load of mostly smaller stuff, coming off a job Newcomb did at the Plymouth airport and I buzzed through probably 2-1/2 cords yesterday and today with my 16" Echo, so while the vertical option is really nice for the big stuff; most of this load I can lift. There are probably 4-5 logs that I'm going to have to get someone over with a bigger saw, to get through the lower half, but I'd have them cut short to keep the lifting possible.......unless your neighbor wants to loan that out in trade for some plastic.

Having heated my home with wood for the better part of 35 yrs. I get a chuckle out the people who say they need a larger saw to go through the log lengths they have. A saw with a 16" bar will cut a tree with a 32" diameter no problem. So unless you got some real old growth trees you should be able to cut those logs. Splitting is another problem altogether.
Ron

[Got Stripers]

Originally Posted by ronfish

Having heated my home with wood for the better part of 35 yrs. I get a chuckle out the people who say they need a larger saw to go through the log lengths they have. A saw with a 16" bar will cut a tree with a 32" diameter no problem. So unless you got some real old growth trees you should be able to cut those logs. Splitting is another problem altogether.
Ron

My little 16" Echo is a nice saw and in the last couple days, I've cut up at least two cords worth, maybe closer to three. It will cut anything in the 12" size like butter, the larger stuff just takes a bit more time, but it will cut the bigger pieces. When you get to the large base pieces, with maybe a split into two large branches, that is when I'm sh*t out of lunch. Those become yard decorations.

[MikeD]

Sorry this question is a little off the point of the thread but you guys will have opinions I'm sure.

Whats your recommendation on seasoning it? I split about 2 cords and stacked it in my yard in an area where it will get good sun all summer. It is uncovered. We just moved here and I'm debating building a structure with a little roof. My uncle said its good for it to get wet and swell and dry and shrink and to leave it uncovered. What is your technique and how much time do you ideally let it sit for before burning?

Good luck finding your splitter and thank you! After reading this thread I just went down a youtube rabbit hole and ended up watching a video of a Canadian dude using a processor you drop the whole tree in and it has an automatic chainsaw drop the logs into a lower chamber where the ram drives it through a star maul and its all joystick operated. Probably costs 6 figures but man you'd be through those 7 cords in no time!

[trevier]

Originally Posted by MikeD

Sorry this question is a little off the point of the thread but you guys will have opinions I'm sure.

Whats your recommendation on seasoning it? I split about 2 cords and stacked it in my yard in an area where it will get good sun all summer. It is uncovered. We just moved here and I'm debating building a structure with a little roof. My uncle said its good for it to get wet and swell and dry and shrink and to leave it uncovered. What is your technique and how much time do you ideally let it sit for before burning?

Good luck finding your splitter and thank you! After reading this thread I just went down a youtube rabbit hole and ended up watching a video of a Canadian dude using a processor you drop the whole tree in and it has an automatic chainsaw drop the logs into a lower chamber where the ram drives it through a star maul and its all joystick operated. Probably costs 6 figures but man you'd be through those 7 cords in no time!

I leave split wood uncovered thru the winter an into the spring, then it gets covered for the upcoming season. You have to cover it for at 6 months imo. A building with a roof over it to help keep it dry is a good idea.

[ecduzitgood]

I just keep a tarp over it when rain or snow is in the forecast.
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[Raven]

covering with a tarp can force moisture into your wood
unless it's just overnight

the best "outdoor structure" has a hard roof
and open sides for good airflow

[trevier]

Originally Posted by Raven

covering with a tarp can force moisture into your wood
unless it's just overnight

the best "outdoor structure" has a hard roof
and open sides for good airflow

this^^^^^exactly,

[PRBuzz]

CONTRARIAN HERE! Most of the time after splitting my wood is dry (not exposed to rain) and I try to stack it that way and cover with black plastic ASAP or before 1st rain is forecasted. I don't want water getting down into the stacked wood! There is plenty of drafts through the stacks to aide in drying the wood enough from logs that were cut 1 yr prior in about 6-8 months. The black plastic creates an oven effect I imagine. The plastic is weighted down by whatever I can get a hold of and usually can get 3 years out of a piece. Much more flexible and inexpensive than a permanent structure. More important to keep the wood up off the ground!

[wdmso]

went to pellets and never been happier cleaner easy even heat and no back breaking labor thats a plus and a minus and more hours to do other things that i didn't do while dealing with the whole wood thing

it just worked for me

[trevier]

Originally Posted by wdmso

went to pellets and never been happier cleaner easy even heat and no back breaking labor thats a plus and a minus and more hours to do other things that i didn't do while dealing with the whole wood thing

it just worked for me

you pay for pellets, I've never paid for any wood I've burned. I always get it for free. The day I have to start paying for wood, I stop an just turn up the heat.

[piemma]

I cut down, haul and cut and split 6 to 8 cords every year. Always split with wedges and an 8# maul. I bought a 22 ton splitter at Tractor Supply last year for right around $1000. It can be put in vertical mode or horizontal. Kolher motor and it is the "balls". I have split 24" Tupelo which is almost impossible to split with a maul. The splitter had no problem with it or Oak knots, etc.

[Rob Rockcrawler]

A neighbor and i bought a fixer upper splitter. It needed a new motor. For 500 bucks we are good to go. A spliter is something that isn't used all the time. If you have all your work lined up you could rent one for a weekend and save a bunch of cash in the short term.

Prior to that i used a Fiskars x27 splitting axe. I still use it all the time on stuff that is easy to split. I would recommend picking one up. It takes the place of a maul on most occasions. It is a serious axe that gets great velocity, easy to use, no handle vibration and sharp as a knife. All my neighbors either borrow mine or have bought one.

[Got Stripers]

A few years back I made a pallet barn, it's three pallets wide and three pallets deep. Last year I put three pallets together and with some help secured them to the back and raised them up to get a roof on most of it. I tarp it with the black side up and if I have a stretch of warm sunny and breezy weather I'll pull back the tarp to get some air.

I picked up 7-8 cord of log length for $700 delivered and rented a 30 ton splitter from a new Shauwnessey in Plymouth, which was the balls. It had a hydraulic lift on the side for the big boys and a 4-way blade that made splitting the smaller stuff a one pass deal. I think I have about 4 cord cut, split, stack and most of it under cover. I have a friend giving my Echo 16" saw a little TLC and then, I need to do some more cutting to move some of the wood off to the side of the driveway.

This week, I've had the wood stove going with some of the left over seasoned wood, but have mixed in a few of the newer ones since I don't need all the heat. I'm much rather have some sun and call it a season for the wood stove.

[sks]

Yup pellets would be easier but when you get a chance at free wood, they won't work in a pellet stove. If you think you are going to keep getting wood every year a splitter is good. But once in a while have a wkend ready and rent. Tough splitting in the warm weather. I did 24+ cord this year and did 90% before March stacked to let the air thru. I burn 4-5 cord/yr and sell the rest. Keeps me busy. Been using a HomeD splitter for last 5+ yrs and it still going with avg 10 or so cord per year. Kind of off subject