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electric splitters

Started by ksks, October 27, 2013, 05:49:46 PM

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ksks

I'm sneaking my way into retirement so doing some planning to have thing set up when I get there.

I know folks usually aren't up on electric splitters over gas. But, I had a chance to borrow an electric splitter a few years ago and it did well. I was splitting oak up to about one foot. For ones over one foot I cut a line in the piece before splitting it.

I would cut 2-3 cords per year, mostly oak.

What experience do folks have with electrics?

Thanks,

ks
Striving to be average!

beenthere

Welcome to the Forestry Forum

No actual experience, but have used one helping a friend.
My take is they are extremely slow, and they require two hands on the control so can't hold the wood.

Have thought about having one to keep in the garage to split kindling size wood for the woodstove on occasion, but will be interested in your comments regards your inquiry here. Being quiet and a small footprint the positives for me.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

thecfarm

ksks,welcome to the forum.
You must be talking about a small one? The only one I ever saw in use was at a show. That was a Super Splitter. This was a unit that was at working height. I think it would split just about anything that you would want. They ran it off an extension cord. Caught my eye. It was splitting wood with no gas engine noise. Seemed odd. I like it. But I have a gas one for now.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

giant splinter

Ksks,
I still have a 6 ton DR Products electric splitter and it does a fine job of stove cut firewood and is very capable on bigger fireplace sized wood. I always enjoyed hand splitting the big stuff and finishing with the DR six horsepower electric splitter. I can use it indoors and it is a one hand on the lever // one hand on the wood with two travel speeds so its quick enough in high for stove cut and can slow down for the bigger rounds .... I have had it four years and it is very handy, low maintenance and will split anything you need in firewood.
roll with it

beenthere

south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

beenthere

south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

giant splinter

Looks like the same one , mine has the outfeed table and the work stand to set it on  .... the DR is an electric powered, hydraulic splitter.
roll with it

mikey517

I have a 5 ton Homelite unit from Home Depot. Used it for all my wood for 2 years before going with an Ariens 27 unit.

I like it a lot, and still use it on occasion, and in the garage when I need to split some kindling. But it will also split some mighty big rounds. I work with it off the tailgate of my pickup.

The 2 hand operation is a pain, but some have made their own mods to bypass this.

For what you describe, it should serve you well.

sawguy21

The two hand operation is a safety feature, keeps sensitive body parts out of harms way. ;D I am not impressed with what I have seen of the small electric portables. They are slow but of course they are limited by the power of the 120V motor. There are few service parts available, over the counter exchange while on warranty. If it gives out after the warranty expires it is junk.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

ksks

Thanks guys.  I think the DR is the one I used a few years ago.

I'll have to continue looking into it.

ksks
Striving to be average!

CRThomas

Quote from: ksks on October 27, 2013, 05:49:46 PM
I'm sneaking my way into retirement so doing some planning to have thing set up when I get there.

I know folks usually aren't up on electric splitters over gas. But, I had a chance to borrow an electric splitter a few years ago and it did well. I was splitting oak up to about one foot. For ones over one foot I cut a line in the piece before splitting it.

I would cut 2-3 cords per year, mostly oak.

What experience do folks have with electrics?

Thanks,

ks
I have a electric log splitter I built it. It is not slow let me resay that it's faster than me. The splitter has a five hp motor 220 volts single f. Three stage pump. Keep it inside in winter and out side in summer slitting all day about 6 to 8 dollars

CRThomas

Quote from: ksks on October 28, 2013, 11:16:37 PM
Thanks guys.  I think the DR is the one I used a few years ago.

I'll have to continue looking into it.

ksks
log Splitters from Rockford Il make 20 ton electric log splitter that's what I built mine off there idea I have mine set up I pull the handle it's the pump on it goes up and splits returns to open and shut motor off while I am getting another chunk. I split all day but my splitter only runs while im splitting. I have to move it with my fork lift because it weighs little over 600 it's not on wheels.

ksks

Nice CR.  Wish I had your skill to build something like that!
Striving to be average!

beenthere

Quote from: ksks on October 29, 2013, 08:40:11 AM
Nice CR.  Wish I had your skill to build something like that!

Would be nice to see a pic of the splitter that CR has...   ;) :)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

ksks

Quote from: beenthere on October 29, 2013, 10:02:59 AM
Quote from: ksks on October 29, 2013, 08:40:11 AM
Nice CR.  Wish I had your skill to build something like that!

Would be nice to see a pic of the splitter that CR has...   ;) :)

Good thing CR doesn't post his location.  It might just walk away!   :D
Striving to be average!

CRThomas


Dave Shepard

I think I would look at the flywheel type electric splitters, if I was going to go electric. They work well. brendonv has one, but I think it is gas.
Wood-Mizer LT40HDD51-WR Wireless, Kubota L48, Honda Rincon 650, TJ208 G-S, and a 60"LogRite!

r.man

I know of three that are in my area and the owners really like them. Two are in basements and do resplitting for furnaces and one gets used at a cottage. Not much that they won't split, can't really comment on speed because I haven't timed them. Saw one of them this morning and noticed it had a small four way head as well as the two. All three are the absolute cheapest thing on the market but work well.
Life is too short or my list is too long, not sure which. Dec 2014

John Mc

I've got a 16 ton electric splitter from RamSplitter

It's basically the same thing as their 16 ton gas engine splitter, but with a 2 HP electric motor. At the time, 16 ton was the biggest rating I could get, and still plug it into a standard 120 VAC outlet (you could get a 20 ton @ 120 VAC, but it would blow a normal 20 Amp circuit breaker under heavy load).  Since I bought mine, they have switched to a 1.5 HP motor for the 16 ton, and use a 2 HP for the 20 ton. I'm not sure what prompted the change, and whether the new-style 1.5 HP 16 ton really has the same splitting force as the older 2 HP 16 ton units.

It's worked out well for me, and was considerably less expensive than the SuperSplit I was really lusting after.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

doctorb

I, too, have the Ramsplitter 16 ton.  No problems.
My father once said, "This is my son who wanted to grow up and become a doctor.  So far, he's only become a doctor."

CRThomas

Quote from: ksks on October 27, 2013, 05:49:46 PM
I'm sneaking my way into retirement so doing some planning to have thing set up when I get there.

I know folks usually aren't up on electric splitters over gas. But, I had a chance to borrow an electric splitter a few years ago and it did well. I was splitting oak up to about one foot. For ones over one foot I cut a line in the piece before splitting it. I built a 20 ton electric log splitter with a three stage pump and a 5 hp 220 motor on it but not do that agin I can buy one from log splitter cheaper.

I would cut 2-3 cords per year, mostly oak.

What experience do folks have with electrics?

Thanks,

ks

CRThomas

Quote from: ksks on October 27, 2013, 05:49:46 PM
I'm sneaking my way into retirement so doing some planning to have thing set up when I get there.

I know folks usually aren't up on electric splitters over gas. But, I had a chance to borrow an electric splitter a few years ago and it did well. I was splitting oak up to about one foot. For ones over one foot I cut a line in the piece before splitting it. About retirement and firewood you buy a little piece of cheap stuff you will be moving to bigger stuff. I started off with a little cheap piece of junk. Now I have over $200.000.00 invested go to raisin666@facebook.com turned into. Firewood paid for every thing you see there. Don't make my mistake go ahead and make the jump. If your not planning on traveling with your splitter electric is the only way to go. People with gas splitters say they do it out in the wood to leave the mess my mess as they call it I bag and sell it or burn it in my kiln. When I split cherry the busted pieces I get $5.00 a bag I ain't going to leave that in the woods. With my electric I step on the pedal split take my foot off pedal it retracts shuts off I go get another chunk push pedal down. You can't do that with gas. I nice weather I move my splitter out side bad weather in side. I have a 220 plug in and out sides. My shop has heat and AC. Got to go find some trash wood fire in my kiln is getting low got make a pot off coffee a buddy drop by and he wont work with out coffee first it 0100 am my day is just starting I went to bed a 1700 got up 2330 later

I would cut 2-3 cords per year, mostly oak.

What experience do folks have with electrics?

Thanks,

ks

John Mc

I bought my Ramsplitter 16 ton horizontal/vertical electric splitter probably 6 or 7 years ago.  My thinking was that I'd cut my firewood out in the woods, and haul it back to behind my garage/barn to split.  I figured why keep another gas engine around to maintain when I could just plug in.

The plan did work, but it made a huge mess of bark and various random chunks of wood that were just too close to the barn, pond, zip line and water slide for my wife's taste (and I have to agree, it's not the greatest spot).

I've since found I much prefer to buck and split the wood trailside in the forest.  I drop a few trees, limb them, and pull them to the side of the nearest trail with the logging winch on my tractor. Then buck, split, and toss them into the trailer to haul back home.  Also a lot of my firewood is now cut from the community/cooperatively owned forest a few miles from my house that I'm part owner of. This means I bring out my generator and plug the splitter in to that most of the time, though I still do haul back the occasional load of unsplit rounds just to have nearby for when I get a bit of time to putter around the house.

Advantage of electric:

  • Quiet (even when running off the generator it's a quieter for the operator, since I can move the gas engine further from the splitting area, which allows for normal conversation when splitting)
  • no gas motor to maintain

Disadvantages:

  • tougher to use in remote areas, since I have to bring a generator along.
    Need to protect the electric cord from falling chunks of wood
  • Need to protect the electric cord from falling chunks of wood

The cycle time of this unit is identical to many gas-powered hydraulic wood splitters - about 11 or 12 seconds for a full cycle. It splits 99% of what I throw at it. The other 1% I may have to work at a bit, or I just section it with a chainsaw.

I bought the horizontal/vertical unit mainly for the fact that the working height when horizontal is much better for me than the lower-sitting horizontal-only unit. I've only used it vertical twice, and have found I'd rather just lift those big logs up than switch back and forth (that preference may change as I get older or get tired of paying for trips to the chiropractor).
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

thecfarm

Also depends on how big your wood is too. I would not want to pick up a piece of wood 2 feet across. I have ALOT left over from selling logs about that size.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

John Mc

Yeah, I don't have much for 2 foot diameter logs lately. 18"-20" is on the big end of what I'm cutting, and the majority is in the 8" to 14" range.

If I were regularly doing a lot of 2 foot logs, a 16 ton hydraulic splitter (either electric or gas) is not what I'd be using.  I certainly would not be using one of those 6 or 7 ton electric splitters driven by a ball screw -- they can have their place, but splitting 2' diameter hard woods is not it.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

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