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buying Dirty Hand splitter - maybe???

Started by ksks, September 06, 2016, 10:15:59 PM

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ksks

Talk me out of, or into, this splitter.

I want horizontal/vertical.  28+ ton.  2-5 cords per year.

I've sifting thru a mind numbing amount of material the last few days.  Looks like this is as good as many.

I'l like to keep the price to $1500-$1800.

Any significant advantage going with the 35ton?

http://dirtyhandtools.com/28-Ton%20Web%20Page.html

Other recommendations?

Thanks for the advice.
Striving to be average!

Magicman

That is a tried and true design.  I split some very gnarly Oak and I have never felt the need for any more power.  LINK  The vertical/horizontal feature is a life (back) saver for me. 
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

ksks

Thanks Magicman.

Is your Dirty Hands a 28 or 35 ton?

ksks
Striving to be average!

Magicman

It's a 27 ton TroyBuilt, but the same basic design.  It has not failed to split whatever I presented to it.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

John Mc

Hard to tell from the picture, but it looks as though the wheels are right under the log cradle/splitting area? Seems as though that would get in the way of loading and unloading. Have you been able to try it out in person?
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

ksks

I have not tried it out.
This would be my first gas splitter so not sure what I'm looking at.
Striving to be average!

ksks

It does look like the wheels are in a bit of the way for working.  I've looked at videos and it seems functional.  Wonder if I'll do more in the vertical position than horizontal???  Old man back syndrome!

  I haven't been able to find any significant negatives on the net.

I have a chance at Lowe's to get a 35T for $100 less than the list for the 28T.  Guess I'll go with that.  I will need to move on it today.

Thanks for your ideas.  Won't be able to use it for another three weekends.  I'll let you know how a novice finds it.
Striving to be average!

John Mc

I just sold a 16 Ton horizontal/vertical logsplitter I've owned for 8 years. I suspected I would not be a fan of using it in the vertical position, and I was right. I found that position to be a pain in the butt (well, literally, I guess it was more of a pain in the back). Even if I set myself up in a comfortable position, I did not like shuffling the logs into position. I found it easier to just carry them over and set them on the splitter when set for horizontal splitting.

The reason I bought the H/V version was that I liked the height of the splitter when in the horizontal position. The horizontal-only splitter sold by the same company was just too low for me.

I just bought a Horizontal-only splitter with a log lift from another FF member - anticipating the day when I won't be able to lift the big rounds anymore.

If you are getting a 35 ton (or even the 28 ton) I hope you are also getting a 4-way splitting wedge. It saves a lot of time, and IMO, there is usually no need for that kind of power unless you are using a multi-way splitting wedge
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

Magicman

I split many sticks that are over 20" and they would be impossible for me to split other than in the vertical position.  I have 6 sticks of a tree butt ready to split that are over 30".  I use nothing but Red Oak, so it is heavy. 

The wheel is not a bother for me in the horizontal position.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

thecfarm

Mine is just about the same design. No log lift so I have to split in a vertical to get them down to size. I had ALOT of cut offs from logging that was 30-36 inches across. I would rather spilt them on the ground than up in the air.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

ksks

Kudos to Lowes in Springfield, MO.   I was a day passed the nice sale price and they still honored it.  Great people to work with there!!!

I went ahead with the 35Ton.  It was $300 off its list price and $100 less than the 28T.

I'm sure that's way more power than I need, but over-buy is my philosophy in life...

I will be splitting 90% Oak and then some walnut and elm.  That should easily handle the hard stuff.

Magicman, glad you're not bothered by the wheel placement.  It does seem less handy that other models.

John MC, I'll be interest to see what I like on the horizontal vs vertical.  I cut down 8 trees, a few with 24"+ rounds.  With my bad rotator cuff I was having difficulty lifting some of the larger diameters.  Definitely need the vertical for the jumbo size.

Log-lift---now your talking.  But, I didn't see any in my price range.

I have been looking at the 4-way wedge.  I tried one on my little electric splitter and it sat too low to make a good cut.  I see there is a replacement for the Dirty Hand.  I'm going to look more into that.  It does sound like a time saver.  It has to bolt on I think; not slip over like my other so it should be positioned better.

Anyone have experience with the 4-way on this machine?

Thanks again guys.  Sooo much info for a newbe to sift thru.  I think this will be a good option for me.

ksks
Striving to be average!

hedgerow

Enjoy the new toy.  Looks to be a well made splitter.

ksks

Thanks hedgerow.

Another nice thing about Lowes is that it comes assembled, not in a crate like many internet sites!

Looking forward to getting back to the property to give it a whirl.  Not for another month though.  :'(
Striving to be average!

John Mc

Quote from: ksks on September 07, 2016, 07:49:37 PM
John MC, I'll be interest to see what I like on the horizontal vs vertical.  I cut down 8 trees, a few with 24"+ rounds.  With my bad rotator cuff I was having difficulty lifting some of the larger diameters.  Definitely need the vertical for the jumbo size.

Some folks love the vertical split for larger logs. It just doesn't work for me. I'm sure you'll like the height of the splitter when you are working in horizontal mode.

QuoteLog-lift---now your talking.  But, I didn't see any in my price range.

Either did I, until I found one for sale used in good condition.

BTW, a real backsaver I use when moving rounds:


 

It lets me pick up rounds without bending over, and use one hand to carry them. This one is sold by Husqvarna, but similar ones are sold by other manufacturers (Oregon sells one, I believe). I use the 8" timber tongs, and find I can reliably pick up up to about 12" diameter rounds with them (sometimes more). I also occasionally use it when I need to grab and reposition a longer log. Husky also sells the larger 12" tongs, but I haven't tried them I figured they are a bit bulky to carry around, and by the time a log gets big enough to require them, I'm probably not going to carry it with one hand anyway.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

ksks

Good idea.  I have a pair of tongs stored somewhere in the back of the garage.  I hadn't thought of using them for this task.  Now I will!
Striving to be average!

John Mc

Quote from: ksks on September 08, 2016, 12:10:35 AM
Good idea.  I have a pair of tongs stored somewhere in the back of the garage.  I hadn't thought of using them for this task.  Now I will!

Those are nice, and lightweight. The only thing needed is an occasional sharpening of the points (if you are doing smooth-barked logs, like white birch or Beech). I probably touch them up once every couple of years.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

gspren

   First a word on the log tongs, I have both the 8" and 12" and I always now grab the 12", it will grab bigger stuff and on small stuff you don't bend as far. Now on the 4 way wedge, if you are only doing 5 cord a year I wouldn't bother unless all of your trees are the same diameter and it works out well. The single wedge makes it easy to get the size splits you want. Those are my experiences with cutting/splitting 10-12 cord per year of whatever happens to fall or die in my woods.
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

ksks

Thanks gspren.

I was looking at the 4-way and I think it would have to be a slip on and only used on, like you say, a certain range of diameter.  It looks like it would split too small after the first splitting of a round.
Striving to be average!

ksks

By the way, I saw someone grease the rack where the plunger slides.  Seems like a dad idea for catching chips and crap.


Anyone do that?

What about suing something like Ballistal for some lubrication and rust preventative?  May not be heavy enough.
Striving to be average!

John Mc

Quote from: gspren on September 08, 2016, 01:20:58 PM
   First a word on the log tongs, I have both the 8" and 12" and I always now grab the 12", it will grab bigger stuff and on small stuff you don't bend as far. Now on the 4 way wedge, if you are only doing 5 cord a year I wouldn't bother unless all of your trees are the same diameter and it works out well. The single wedge makes it easy to get the size splits you want. Those are my experiences with cutting/splitting 10-12 cord per year of whatever happens to fall or die in my woods.

Agreed, but my point was that if you are not using a 4-way wedge, then it's extremely rare that you'll need the extra splitting power of a 37 ton splitter. My last splitter was a 16 ton (and I'll bet that rating was exaggerated, as are most splitters). I just used a single wedge, and it was rare that I couldn't get through a log (I was mostly splitting 20" and under with it, but did occasionally go bigger).

At any rate, I'm not knocking Ksks' splitter choice. I'm sure he'll be happy with it, and a 4-way wedge is certainly an option to consider if he gets into logs of a size that warrant it.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

ksks

I did get the Dirty Hands 35T this weekend.  I've done about 1/2 cord so far and have another 1+ to do this week.

I picked it up at Lowes.  When loading the one they had for me I saw that it was leaking fluid!  Not sure what that was about, but they gave me the floor model.

It has worked great.  Starts easily.  I've used the vertical position a lot as some of the trees go 18+.  That's a lifesaver.  It has struggled on some major knots, but it does push thru.  Nothing it hasn't been able to eat.
I bet in a few years it will be too heavy for me to raise to vertical.  Will have to figure out something to help there.

Everyone says that silly tape measure scratches off the first use...yep.

No complaints so far.  It should do me well.

Thanks for the advice.

ksks
Striving to be average!

John Mc

Quote from: ksks on October 10, 2016, 11:40:59 PM... I bet in a few years it will be too heavy for me to raise to vertical.  Will have to figure out something to help there.

When my kids were helping with my old H/V splitter they sometimes had difficulty pivoting it to vertical. What they ended up doing was putting one of the heavier logs they could handle in the splitter when it was horizontal, then extending the ram just enough to clamp the log in place. This changed the balance enough that they could manage the swing. As they got a bit older and stronger, they found that just extending the ram all the way shifted the weight enough to make it easier.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

ksks

Hey, good idea!  I'll give that a try.

ksks
Striving to be average!

thecfarm

Glad you like it.
Mine tips up easy. Now tipping it back to horizontal is a little bit hard.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

ksks

I've pushed my poor rotator cuff to the limit this week.

Kinda weird hoping it gets bad enough to justify surgery to get better!
Striving to be average!

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