Thread: Advice on towable log splitter

Yeh, I see multiple listings of engine/pump combos but as you say, there are no economics in this unless you have the fabrication skills and gear.

Ive built a few splitters. And converted a horizontal one to a vertical with a table etc.

You certainly can get carried away if you want all the gizmo's. ( like lifters, conveyer, etc)

The hydraulics are the expensive part. You also need a good sized hydro tank and filters both sides of the pump. The more hydro oil the better as it performs better when its warm rather than hot.

Anything engineering is expensive these days unfortunately.

Originally Posted by ZQLewis

I've hired a Split-Fire wood spliter which impressed me as it would cut wood on both strokes. Z

Yeah, mine is a 3403. Beast of a thing. Needs three people to get the most out of it, as it produces copious amounts of split wood quickly. One loading it, one purely on the valve and one removing the split wood.

You need a conveyer Simon. They are bloody good at moving bulk wood quickly onto a trailer etc.

We just park the 1000L pod baskets next to the splitter and fill them. each hold a cube, and last two weeks in winter. They stay out in the paddock for 6 months in the sun and wind, then we round them up with the 3 point linkage forks on the back of the tractor and back them into their very own spot behind the house, right next to the rear door. Have finally minimised the number of times we actually move each piece of firewood by hand to 3. .

Yeah good. Does it dry good in the pods?? Do you modify them to accept the firewood??

I’ve used most of the ones listed here already and the link below is the one my dad uses for his business. It’s a beast. The others don’t compare.
They’ll also quite often knock the GST off for folding stuff.

https://www.troughmobile.com/product...woodsplitters/

We also dry hired one of these for $70 an hour. 110 cube split in one day.

https://youtu.be/dyBQxv9mjMc?si=xdDFzf-hS_jvR2Kq

Do the maths on that if there is a group of families doing wood together. Amazing piece of engineering. One hour of splitting is the average households wood done for the year.

Originally Posted by McNotty

I’ve used most of the ones listed here already and the link below is the one my dad uses for his business. It’s a beast. The others don’t compare.
They’ll also quite often knock the GST off for folding stuff.

https://www.troughmobile.com/product...woodsplitters/

That's some serious coin they want for those!!! Really only a commercial outfit could afford one of those.

@XR500 are you talking about the standard splitter or the Mahoe processor?

The Pierce splitter is cheaper than the Levin Sawmakers and I’d say the same cost as the Daytech splitter.

Well, having done adequate research and talked to various makers and users, I've decided to run with the Big Mutha as McNotty suggested. The maker is a real up-front guy, the exact sort you want to deal with. It's a no-compromise machine that I'm sure will do the job.

The price is the same as a smaller 9hp Daytech.

I have been holding myself back commenting!
I'm on my 3rd horizontal splitter and this will be the last.
First one was a brent Smith 13hp.
I have pretty well much copied but improved with bigger bench and longer tow bar for ease of backing.
I'm running an American 22gpm pump prince control valve and on its third motor.
It is paired to the perfect sized ram for speed and power, the same size as the brent smith which has a large spear for quick return.
I have never worried about a lifter as my stihl Chainsaws really rip well with out clogging so every thing gets made into at worst a two person lift.
I have used the verticals and safe they are fast they are not.
My three boys came out on a fund raiser firewood job and started on the flash vertical one.
Way to slow dad!
Got the trusty horizontal going.
We have a 5 cube caged tipper truck that we can fill with 2 people in an hour as we do quite a bit of commercial wood of the farm.
My dream would be that mahoe in the video as seen it at the fieldays for quite a few years.
Simple but good!
At 62 I think a bit of lifting and manual labour' won't kill me!
I might one day put a lifter on but you won't catch me turning into a vertical man!

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Originally Posted by 6x47

Well, having done adequate research and talked to various makers and users, I've decided to run with the Big Mutha as McNotty suggested. The maker is a real up-front guy, the exact sort you want to deal with. It's a no-compromise machine that I'm sure will do the job.

The price is the same as a smaller 9hp Daytech.

Nice mate. That was one of the stand out things for dad as well. Just straight up no bullshit guy.

The independent suspension is a game changer as well. Very cool design.

Originally Posted by andyanimal31

I have been holding myself back commenting!
I'm on my 3rd horizontal splitter and this will be the last.
First one was a brent Smith 13hp.
I have pretty well much copied but improved with bigger bench and longer tow bar for ease of backing.
I'm running an American 22gpm pump prince control valve and on its third motor.
It is paired to the perfect sized ram for speed and power, the same size as the brent smith which has a large spear for quick return.
I have never worried about a lifter as my stihl Chainsaws really rip well with out clogging so every thing gets made into at worst a two person lift.
I have used the verticals and safe they are fast they are not.
My three boys came out on a fund raiser firewood job and started on the flash vertical one.
Way to slow dad!
Got the trusty horizontal going.
We have a 5 cube caged tipper truck that we can fill with 2 people in an hour as we do quite a bit of commercial wood of the farm.
My dream would be that mahoe in the video as seen it at the fieldays for quite a few years.
Simple but good!
At 62 I think a bit of lifting and manual labour' won't kill me!
I might one day put a lifter on but you won't catch me turning into a vertical man!

Sent from my SM-A226B using Tapatalk

The only thing about the Mahoe was the waste. It wasn’t like it was at the bottoms of the piles either, it was spread all the way through. The amount of time spent throwing out slivers/kindling that wasn’t suitable to customers as we were losing out of paddock was huge. We thought we may have been operating it wrong but even the piles the owner did on the first day had the same amount. Could probably do with an improved sorting system at end of conveyor. I imagine the very 1m plus rings don’t help.

Originally Posted by andyanimal31

...
At 62 I think a bit of lifting and manual labour' won't kill me!
..
Sent from my SM-A226B using Tapatalk

Well I'm 66 and not heavily built. I'm def not afraid of hard work but the last thing I want is shagging my back lifting big rings. Sure I can hack them up with the big saw but it's an extra step I'd like to avoid.