your opinions on this wood splitter

[seandicare]

I am sure I am going to get some saying I should go gas, but I am really a cheapskate....lol

http://www.amazon.com/Quality-Craft-Foot-Operated-Log-Splitter/dp/B000T7HE76/ref=sr_1_24?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1458259892&sr=1-24&keywords=wood+splitter

i am thinking $70 isn't all that bad. but also thinking i might bite the bullet so i can split this week and go with a 5ton electric for $300

I am only splitting maybe a cord or 2 in a year. my back can't handle a splitting axe for very long. and want to get the blocks down to 3in blocks. it is mainly rock maple and hickory from this load.

[Cedar Eater]

Honestly, it looks to good to be true and I rarely buy anything that doesn't get at least four stars in the purchaser reviews. I would be reading those reviews very carefully.

[Run Forest Run!]

I use one similar this, except made by Champion. I think that TSC had them when I got it. It works like a charm and is like putting a hot knife through butter.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200640137_200640137

[seandicare]

Honestly, it looks to good to be true and I rarely buy anything that doesn't get at least four stars in the purchaser reviews. I would be reading those reviews very carefully.

after I posted this, I went and read the reviews, sounds like a lot of cheap welds and other issues........

now debating if I want to spend $300 on an electric 5 ton.........reviews looked a lot better

i probably only have a week or so if i am lucky of sapflow left. deciding if i need it now, or if i will just fight it out with my back, and order one online alittle cheaper when finances are alittle better.

[seandicare]

I use one similar this, except made by Champion. I think that TSC had them when I got it. It works like a charm and is like putting a hot knife through butter.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200640137_200640137

i swung in there today, all they have other than gas was a 5ton electric

[maple flats]

It depends on how much wood you will be splitting and which woods you have to split (some woods split easy, others need loads mor effort, for example if you have elm, forget either choice). The 1st one looks too light and weak. The Electric may be better, but, if you only have a small operation a splitting axe and maul can work wonders if you have a good solid platform like a tree stump sawed low.
Years ago my father used to cut and split lots of wood, even into his mid 80's. One year my brother and I decided we should buy him a hydraulic splitter to make his task easier. He used that a few times and then went back to using wedges and a maul, said he liked it better.

[Michael Greer]

Honestly, it's probably not the splitting axe that hurts your back, but the bending down and heaving big chunks of wood around. No matter how cool this splitter, or any splitter looks, you'll still be doing all that bending.One alternative could be to start with smaller stuff. I live in a fairly rural area, and there are sawmills around. They sell hardwood slab for $25 a load, and I cut it up on a big chop saw.

[Burnt sap]

Check craigslist sometimes you can pick up a nice used electric splitter for 150-175 bucks.

[seandicare]

thanks......i did find a hardware store here that rents a gas one for $60/day....just have to find a vehicle to tow it home...

[maple flats]

Years ago my brother and I burned wood to heat our houses and did our dad. We got a large pile of blocks that needed splitting but we had no splitter at the time except the traditional manual tools. We decided to rent one for the day at $50. It turned out to be areal nice splitter. It had a table that was raised by pulling a lever so the block could engage a steel large pencil type point. We just set the block in a cradle, hit the operating handle, moved that lever until the point engaged and then the block was split 6 ways and pushed off the back. The guy we rented it from said the just leave it connected to the SUV I had and leave it in neutral. As the split pile grew the splitter eventually pushed the SUV ahead as it left a nice windrow of split wood behind. The splitter had a 23(?) HP Onan engine and it was real simple to operate. We rented it at 8:00 and by lunch we had split 15 full cord that was 16" pieces (45 face cord). We had rented it for the whole day, so we called a neighbor who had a stack of blocks to split. He was at work so we offered to split his for half the rent and in under an hour we had also split his 3 full cord. That was a nice splitter.
Years later I tried to find one but could not find them anyplace.While it would not split small enough for an evaporator it was great for out home wood stoves. The name of it was a LaFort or LaFont or maybe LaFante, something like that.
My guess is that they were banned because too many things were automatic, just engage that point and just let it cycle by itself, we loved it.

[Cedar Eater]

Did the LaFont look something like this? 13978

[wobbletop]

We initially bought one of those 5 ton electric splitters. They are a bit slow and 5 ton isnt really enough if your wood has some knots in it. We moved up to a 20 gas splitter and it's much nicer/quicker. Make sure you get one with a table so the wood doesnt immediately fall to the ground after splitting. Easier on your back that way.

I still use the 5 ton splitter. I keep it in the house to make kindling for the wood stove, then move it outside for maple season to split the house fire wood into the smaller evaporator sizes.

So I'm saying the 5 ton is useful even if you move to a bigger size later.

[seandicare]

thanks for the ideas....the wood i got this trip was pretty good with few knots. thinking to elec should get most of it. but will probably just rent the gas one this summer to get things ready for next year.....

between work and weather i'm not boiling much right now, so will just fight with the axe for this season