How much is enough for log splitter power

[bearbuster]

Looking for some real life input. As much as I love using the fiskars splitting maul, I am in the market for a gas operated wood splitter, and most curious about what size to go with. I will be splitting 75% green/frozen birch and as well pine. Is it worth the extra $$ to go with a 37T or are the 20-27T enough? I a may be over thinking but would hate to regret the purchase down the road

[Dean2]

Search Wood Splitter. There are a dozen threads with GREAt info in them. Will answer all your questions.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showt...=wood+splitter

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showt...=wood+splitter

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10-28-2021 09:53 AM
by Big Grey Wolf Go to last post
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07-24-2021 11:55 PM
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Wtb Wood splitter
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05-01-2021 09:21 PM
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03-31-2021 11:42 AM
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03-29-2021 05:29 PM
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03-07-2021 10:49 AM
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Savage Bacon

10-13-2020 08:58 PM
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birch, firewood, logging, rocky mountain house, wood cutting 3 Attachment(s) Birch Firewood Cutting - Rocky Mountain House Area
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08-28-2020 10:29 AM
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07-24-2020 10:52 PM
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Kurt505

05-20-2020 12:24 PM
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School me on PTO hydraulics
Jerry D

12-03-2019 06:37 AM
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Wood Stove
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10-28-2019 10:52 PM
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09-10-2019 10:56 PM
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leo

06-10-2019 08:46 PM
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Jerry D

04-07-2019 08:36 AM
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Princess Auto Product Review (Multi-page thread 1 2)
threeforthree

01-12-2019 07:37 AM
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Grizzly Adams

10-02-2018 05:01 AM
by Trap Shy Go to last post
19 12,991 General Discussion

I need some assistance finding firewood
Burglecut83

11-14-2017 05:36 PM
by hilt134 Go to last post
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[Big Grey Wolf]

I split some birch that is upto 2 ft in diameter. My log spliter is 25 ton and I can split any block. Sometimes when major knots may have to turn and split from other end.

[Grizzly Adams1]

I've got a 5 ton Princess Auto splitter. Never let me down even on big green logs and adequate quantity wise. Easy to transport and can run off a generator if needed. Why go for gas ?

Grizz

[Big Grey Wolf]

A 5 ton splitter would never split the birch trees I harvest. I am not talking kindling or 5-10 inch diameter trees.

[riden]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1

I've got a 5 ton Princess Auto splitter. Never let me down even on big green logs and adequate quantity wise. Easy to transport and can run off a generator if needed. Why go for gas ?

Grizz

I had similar


Mine worked best off a 20 amp breaker

But, the biggest poplar didn’t make it work at all. Split it quite easy

[TBark]

I have the Yardworks 5T,
Am doing 12-14” diameter with it now.
And am welding up my own 4 way wedge, as the one they sell for it sux.

Better use for the big stuff BGW than firewood IMO, slabs if 18”+.
We put our Norwood MN26 sawmill or the log splitter to work depending on diameter.

TBark

[Phil McCracken]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1

I've got a 5 ton Princess Auto splitter. Never let me down even on big green logs and adequate quantity wise. Easy to transport and can run off a generator if needed. Why go for gas ?

Grizz

That...

[pittman]

I've got a 24T from Princess Auto. Nothing I've came across that I couldn't split.

[trapperdodge]

I've got a 22t. I spit cottonwood and Manchurian elm when I can get it. You can't split cottonwood with and axe. The spiral grain makes it tough. The old boys here said they used to drive wedges into it with a maul. Bury them and then drive another in beside it hoping it would split. I have never been stopped with my 22t and have split 24" stuff.

An old Swede told me when I was a kid, "Never split across the knots."

[IL Bar]

20 ton Wallenstein here with a Honda engine. Works really good. Haven’t found anything it won’t split.

[curtz]

I have a 20ton 5hp honda also, split anything I've every put on it. The honda runs nice.

[Ebrand]

Takes a little bit of work but I have split some very nasty stuff with mine

If you are able to lift it on and turn it a few times it will take care of whatever you can feed it. The bigger stuff just takes more work to get down to size.

Have used bigger gas powered splitters before. Little less work with a bigger one. But for the stuff I need to deal with mine works very well.

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1

I've got a 5 ton Princess Auto splitter. Never let me down even on big green logs and adequate quantity wise. Easy to transport and can run off a generator if needed. Why go for gas ?

Grizz

10ish years ago was in crappy tire one day and the 4 ton yardworks electric splitters were on sale for super cheap. Grabbed the splitter and a stand for it for something like $150. Thought I'd give it a whirl and if it didn't work it was cheap enough it would find a new home in the dump. My wood stove runs 24/7 all winter long, and do a minimum of a 24' stock trailer full every year for family members, and the thing just won't quit. I'm sure it would struggle on big green poplar but it handles a steady diet of tamarack up to 20" with ease. Kind of impressive really for what I thought was most likely a hunk of junk. My wood splitting for the house is done up at the shop so being electric is pretty convenient and for doing a trailer load down on the lease I just take a 3500 watt generator along.
I have tried to use it when it was -30 out and it didn't like that much when it was stored in the wood shed so now I just keep it in the heated shop for the winter
Not trying to talk you out of a gas splitter, but these little electric ones are pretty handy and do far better than I ever thought they would

[NCC]

I have the same splitter as MountainTI and haven't found anything it won't split. Cheap, safe, and easy to use.

I also have a splitter that consists of a 40" flywheel with a wedge built from a chunk of railroad iron bolted to it. Not safe nor easy to use, but will split wood as fast as I can pack the blocks to it.

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by NCC

I also have a splitter that consists of a 40" flywheel with a wedge built from a chunk of railroad iron bolted to it. Not safe nor easy to use, but will split wood as fast as I can pack the blocks to it.

Have done a bit of splitting with an old square baler/splitter. Doesn't take long to go thru a cord of wood with one of those things.....but you best be paying attention

[Grizzly Adams1]

I'm gonna ask, how are these things rated for efficiency ? My little 5 ton seems to do the job but the gas powered ones are about 12 to 16 tons, if memory doesn't fail me, which seems like overkill to me.

Grizz

[HyperMOA]

Originally Posted by MountainTi

10ish years ago was in crappy tire one day and the 4 ton yardworks electric splitters were on sale for super cheap. Grabbed the splitter and a stand for it for something like $150. Thought I'd give it a whirl and if it didn't work it was cheap enough it would find a new home in the dump. My wood stove runs 24/7 all winter long, and do a minimum of a 24' stock trailer full every year for family members, and the thing just won't quit. I'm sure it would struggle on big green poplar but it handles a steady diet of tamarack up to 20" with ease. Kind of impressive really for what I thought was most likely a hunk of junk. My wood splitting for the house is done up at the shop so being electric is pretty convenient and for doing a trailer load down on the lease I just take a 3500 watt generator along.
I have tried to use it when it was -30 out and it didn't like that much when it was stored in the wood shed so now I just keep it in the heated shop for the winter
Not trying to talk you out of a gas splitter, but these little electric ones are pretty handy and do far better than I ever thought they would

Same experience. We have similar experiences with electric splitters. Think the one I use is a princess auto one though. I just put some green 14” poplar through mine and it grunts a little more but it doesn’t struggle. The little stand/sawhorse is a must though.

I like how quiet it is. That’s the best part.

What I don’t like is it has a dummy switch so you have to use 2 hands to operate it; for safety I assume. Which if it bothered me that much, I could likely figure out a bypass. Also, it auto retracts which bugs me as when you are doing shorter stuff you have to run 10” of bed empty. I’m sure I could block out the sled too if it bothered me that much too.

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by HyperMOA

What I don’t like is it has a dummy switch so you have to use 2 hands to operate it; for safety I assume. Which if it bothered me that much, I could likely figure out a bypass. Also, it auto retracts which bugs me as when you are doing shorter stuff you have to run 10” of bed empty. I’m sure I could block out the sled too if it bothered me that much too.

Safety/dummy switches are engineered to be bypassed
Mine was after the second piece of wood

[TBark]

Ya,
I put a foot switch on my 5T and “C” clamped the “on” button down, works like a charm,

TBark

[bearbuster]

Thanks for all the replies. In the end I didnt follow a single one lol. Went to the local princess auto to pick up a 25T speeco splitter for $1400. Turns out they did not have any stock BUT the identical unit but in 35T is on sale for $800!

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by bearbuster

Thanks for all the replies. In the end I didnt follow a single one lol. Went to the local princess auto to pick up a 25T speeco splitter for $1400. Turns out they did not have any stock BUT the identical unit but in 35T is on sale for $800!

The good part is you got enough feedback from guys that actually use them to make a quality decision. That one on sale is a very good deal. Should easily handle anything you could find here in Alberta. You will have to post pictures and a review.

[chasingtail]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1

I've got a 5 ton Princess Auto splitter. Never let me down even on big green logs and adequate quantity wise. Easy to transport and can run off a generator if needed. Why go for gas ?

Grizz

That’s what I have, on sale for $249. Split massive 70 year old Spruce with ease. It’s meant for log diameter up to 10” but I’m doing 24-30”. Don’t have to listen to a noisy gas engine.