Wood Splitter Questions

[hoss10 [OP]]

I have been splitting about 20 face cords of firewood by hand for many years. I have always thought it was a good workout and was faster then using a hydraulic splitter. My shoulders, back and wife all tell me it's time to realize I'm getting old and buy a splitter, so I need some advice. I have a Kobota L3600 tractor, 38 hp. so I have been thinking on getting a tractor mount, to avoid having another motor around to service. Anyone have any experience with splitters and the advantages of the various types.

Thanks Ted

[Egon]

As the years advance & the body starts to wear it may be time to think of young backs or different heating methods.

[John Bartley]

Before you spend any money on the tractor mounted unit, get accurate figures for oil flow requirements. Your tractor will likely have more than enough "pressure", but if the flow rate is too low you'll spend all day waiting for it to cycle back.

Also ... check the "Splitfire" splitters. They are the most expensive splitter on the market (I think), but they are also one of the fastest due to their double acting splitter operation. I used to sell them, and I have seen them work in commercial operations, doing thousand+ face cords a year. I sold one to an old guy in Ottawa who wore out a motor and the nylon slides and the splitter was still perfect once those were replaced.

Before I sold Splitfire I sold a couple of Wallensteins .... this was almost thirty years ago, but at that time they were ..... not great ... let's leave it at that. I own a Splitfire.

EDIT :: Splitfire used to sell a tractor mount type. I sold one to a guy for use on a Kubota and it worked great ... but it was slow. I seem to think it was a 3600 model Kubota ... but it was 15+ years ago.

[Wood Borer]

I don't have much experience with either but one comment I've heard from a friend who bought a tractor mount one is you can never get your loader near it which may result in extra handling.

[Egon]

If the tractor hydraulic system is used there may require more/new hydraulic flow systems. ( dealer check ). An external PTO pump could also be added.

[TedBrown]

I also block/split my own wood but have always used a splitter; guessing you are in good shape to do it by hand! I do a truck load (~20 cords) per year.

What I find is handling the wood takes more time that is wasted by the movement of the hydraulic back and forth. So two keys aspects are important to me 1) a multi-way split head 2) side platform spaces so that the wood can be picked up from the splitter rather than the ground. These two things will save you many hours vs a two way split. Having said that the Splitfire is a quality splitter with a price to match.

The choice between a tractor mount vs self contained is also worth thinking about. I use my Kubota to move the wood from where I split to where it is stored. I use both the loader and a small trailer and pile as I split so having a tractor mount gets in the way of this. It depends on how one prefers to work.

[Les@Brownsville]

I have the wallenstein wx540 with the gx160 Honda motor. Works great. I used to rent a splitfire with the same splitting force and it was much faster because of the two way splitting. When I decided to buy , I couldn’t justify the price tag of the splitfire which was almost 4 times that of the wallenstein.

[Wally in Calgary]

I have been splitting about 20 face cords of firewood by hand for many years. I have always thought it was a good workout and was faster then using a hydraulic splitter. My shoulders, back and wife all tell me it's time to realize I'm getting old and buy a splitter, so I need some advice. I have a Kobota L3600 tractor, 38 hp. so I have been thinking on getting a tractor mount, to avoid having another motor around to service. Anyone have any experience with splitters and the advantages of the various types.

Thanks Ted

Maybe talk to Jacques Leclerc -- he will have some first hand knowledge about this.

[scooby074]

Splitfire are great splitters. Very fast. Their Tractor models are quite well priced IMHO. Before I built my processor I used to rent a gas powered splitfire. If it stands up to rental abuse its a good unit!!

I made myself a firewood processor so to save wear and tear on my back Its loosely based on the Wallenstein WP 870/840. It uses a powersaw to cut the wood. I can split wood faster than 2 people can stack it! About a cord an hour if everything goes well and the wood is decent.

If you can swing it either making or buying a processor is a great investment.

Oh and make sure whatever you get has a hydraulic 4 way wedge! Really improves production!

[RV Sam]

I'm in the same boat as scooby074 and i would never be without my lift table. I just roll the monsters onto the table and it lifts to the splitting platform that is big enough so that the pieces do not drop off as bending over is Not an option, lol. A face cord an hour split and stacked by 2 people. I built this from my head as to what i would like and where i would like it to be.

[iamtooler]

I have a home made 3pt mounted vertical splitter. I built it because we were heating with the huge elms that were dying back in the 70s. You can not lift 40'' diameter pieces so vertical lets you work at ground level and chip away at it. A multi axe would take too much power in elm. For smaller pieces you lift it to work at waist height, taking it off a wagon with no bending. If you have a front mount pump for your loader the speed is fine, older tractors were pretty slow but it gives time to get the next piece or stack the split pieces and not have a screaming air cooled motor next to you.
Rob

[Mike in Waubaushene]

Does anyone here have a kinetic type splitter. The videos look really impressive and fast.

[Beaverfever1988]

Don't have any good info on a splitter for you, but as someone who has too many pistons to look after I like the idea of a hydraulic powered one for your tractor.

If I was to get one I would go for one that is a trailer with a ball receiver so I could move the thing with anything. I find I spend most of my time moving things like that out of my way opposed to using it so I think of that.

[Bob just past Ayr]

The Split Fire make looks real impressive to me but never used one. An advantage of most of the motor mounted units is they have a 2 stage pump that moves the cylinder at a descent speed until it gets tough then slows down with lots of force. It will return at a descent speed. A tractor unit will go at the same speed.
Some tractors have a constant flow pump that pumps at full capacity when just idling and some the flow rate varies as to the engine speed of the tractor. This also can be a determining factor.
Best to try before you buy if you can.
One other advantage of a self contained unit is you can use the tractor loader to move wood if you wish. Presuming the tractor has a loader.

[hoss10 [OP]]

Thanks guys.
The Specs on the Kubota

Hydraulic flow 7.8 GPM, Pressure 2490 and open flow.
If this is not enough I guess I could look at the PTO drive pump units. Good points about tying up the tractor when running the Splitter, I also do most of wood in the winter so it would also mean taking the SnowBlower on and off. I may look at the powered units.

This is a big step for me. I've always been considered a bit of a monster with a splitting mail, so I guess I'm admitting I'm officially an Old Fart!