I am going to get a wood splitter. Just how much HP do I need. I will be splitting juniper, pine, and quakies.
I have seen splitters mostly powered by 5hp Honda motors. Is this just the standard, or is it a reliable setup? What would you buy? Are the ones at Home Depot and big box stores any good? Do I need to spend a little more and get a higher quality splitter? Horizontal? Horizontal/vertical? Brands of hydraulic pumps? Types of hoses?
Advice appreciated.
Steve
Steve, Much of what you ask is not really answerable, except eventually by you. Depends most on your situation and your value-weighting-factors. Or ... you could DAGS?
WTF are "quakies"? I hope not Quakers.
5hp can be quite adequate, depending on other aspects of design. I'd much prefer any Honda engine to cheapie B&S.Rather than buying anything, I'd continue to use 6lb maul I've used for
30 yrs. I've used and sold various hydraulic splitters in years past, and prefer the maul. New handle maybe every 4 years- buzz and burn the old piece of hickory. J
I own a splitter which uses the 5hp honda. It works great and I have used it often. It has plenty of power to split the toughest wood. The only reason to buy one larger is if you want to split wood faster. A larger splitter would likely have a shorter cycle time than the 5hp. I will no longer use a maul because of an injured shoulder.
Mine is one which can be used horizontal or vertical. I have rarely used the vertical splitter so I don't think you need it. the only time I have used it is when i had a piece so large that I couldn't lift it up on the machine. With the machine in the vertical mode you can just roll the stump up underneath the tool, no lifting.
The vertical option is a hassle to use regularly. this is because the split wood is constantly getting in the way of the next piece. with the horizontal option the wood just falls onto the ground out of the way. when the pieces get up to the height of the splitter it is time to take a break from splitting and move those pieces onto a pallet or to stack in their final location.
The only thing I didnt' like about the splitter is that I had to assemble it. try to get yours assembled and ready to tow if you can. It will be worth any assembly fee that is charged.
Lawrence
"Quakies" probably is "Quaking aspen".
I was hoping so, thus a minor attempt to raise consciousness to possible insularity (ancient and honorable 'murican tradition.) :')
Aside: too bad OP has such lousy fuel-wood available!
J5hp is quite adquate for a home owner. The critical parts of a splitter (after the iron work of course) is
a. size of cylinder. 4" minimum recommended and not much need to go bigger unless you are splitting really tough stuff. Smaller cylinders give less 'push' but cycle faster.
b. Size of pump. Home owners will usually be around a 13gpm model and best if they are two stage.
c. Motor. 5 hp minimum. Doesn't hurt to have a bit more but no need to overdo it. You want a commercial duty one. Honda is king but B&S IC (Industrial Commercial) are also reliable.
c. Stroke - how far does the ram extend? Ram length plus open space before it contacts the wedge says how long a round you can split. I have a homebuilt one with a 15" ram, 4" gap at end of stroke so it will take 19" long wood.
Harry K
I'd not buy a splitter without the vertical option. Why lift when you can roll? With a couple of coordinated people, you can split rapidly. A teenaged helper takes the wood away as fast as it is split.
I used to love splitting wood with a maul, until I blew out my shoulders.
Aside:
It's free. Much cheaper than the gas to go to another state for "good" wood.
Steve
"HeatMan" wrote
I have had three shoulder surgeries, including one Munford.
I now will take the pushbutton hydraulic version of a young strong foolish man.
Steve
Thanks to all those who gave advice relevant to the question. These puppies are about $1,000 and I like to ask for a little feedback before parting with that much money. Mainly, because I like to buy with knowledge, and buy only once.
Steve
Yep, that's why I burn Willow. All I want within 15 miles of the house vice having to literally go into another state for better and 100 miles away.
Harry K
I for sure wouldn't want to run a verticle except for the great big stuff. Who wants to bend way down there to position each and every stick. You may be running the controls but someone has to do the stoop labor.
Harry K
snipped-for-privacy@sme-online.com wrote in news:1155235939.265270.107610 @i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:
I always thought those shit woods loaded the chimney up with creasote real fast.
Even having the chimney/pipe cleaned frequenly I guess could be easily be offset by the free wood factor. But...I have personally seen a chimney fire wich fortunately was contained before the house caught fire.
I was doing some roofing and heard this loud freight train woosh across the street. I didn't realize a creasote fire made that kind of noise. Like I said, it was contained because the fire dept showed up quick. The owner stood by helpless as the fireman got up on the roof with the hose and opened it up down the chimney. I cannot imagine what the inside of that place looked like afterwards.
Although not in the market myself, I've wondered how the Harbor Freight splitters work out. They seem to be decent, meet all the specs, etc... but.......
They do. But what else ya gonna use if that's all that's available?
They do have a dry system for chimney fires.
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in news:0JSCg.7664$FN2.3710 @newssvr14.news.prodigy.com:
This was around 1981 in VA.
Wonder how they get that dry stuff to go in? It was shooting a flame out the top with pressure like a furnace or something. That's what was causing the wooshing. Obviously they have it figured out.
What's a Munford?
Shoulder surgery was reccommended, but I'm not bad enough yet. I know what I can do and can't do, that helps.
That is the old wives tail for sure. You won't find anyone burning the 'shit woods' who will be spreading it, nor will anyone spread it who burns -any- wood for serious.
Creosote is caused by burning green wood and burning 'dirty' fires. Yes, some softwoods (pine for example) will produce more creasote but nothing that is a hazard. Clean your chimney once or twice a season (no matter what wood you burn), burn clean and burn seasoned wood and it doesn't matter what type of wood you are using.
If it weren't for the 'shit woods', a great part of the continent wouldn't be able to burn wood at all as that is all that is available.
Very good description of a chimney fire.
Harry K
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.