Heavy Duty Electric Logsplitter

[NJA]

On 02/05/2020 at 22:49, Dan Maynard said:

My theory is that heavy duty is not the same as high tonnage. I have a Posch 6T splitter, it's well built and suited to continuous use. You do need a 16A socket though.

The fundamental issue of splitters is that power = force X speed, if you have a single phase motor you're limited to about 3kW (or 4hp) so going for higher tonnage has to mean lower ram speed. Better is a engine, best is a tractor.

So I think 6T with two stage pump for fast return stroke is the best you can do with small electric. It's not great on really knotty wood although you can break most things down, but on reasonable logs it is relentless. The return stroke on mine is about 30cm/s so it's back up ready for the next log before I am. Overall I'm happy with electric and accept the compromise it represents.

I think you can split one log faster with an axe but after a few hours you have slowed down, the splitter just keeps going whether it's a small log or big old lump. Also I went for vertical splitter with a table so once I've picked the log up to start there is no bending down at all, which I found another huge difference on all day usage vs hand splitting.

A lot of the cheaper machines seem to be really low down so you're bending to use it.

Thank you Dan, good point so although electric promise the same tonnage, you have to compromise speed..?  hmm, petrol of the same tonnage have about 6.5hp rather than 4hp electric.  Yea exactly, hand splitting seems great its a couple of days in you wish you had something else!

[neiln]

That makes sense - the slowing with an axe over time.  Maybe i should stick to the axe...i split in short stints of an hour or so, as that's the pickets of time I have.  Also these pockets are either late evening after my two young girls are in bed, or while i mind them in the garden in sunny weather, while the 'Thwack!' of an axe doesn't seem to annoy any neighbours or them, how noisy are electric hydraulic or electric kinetic splitters?

[peatff]

I asked about splitters a while ago and I can't find the thread. I have a small electric 4 ton splitter which is alright on perfect wood with no knots but I wanted something bigger and mobile. I recently bought a Black tools 18 ton splitter from woodmanstore on eBay. I took it down to the farm yesterday and we split a trailer of seasoned stuff we'd cut up and it didn't baulk at anything we put in front of it. I tried it in the upright position on some biggish rounds and it cracked them no problem. It has a Loncin 6.5hp engine which is only running about 1/2 revs and didn't use much fuel in the hour it was running, I have to get the hang of starting it but am getting there. It arrived in a crate and took about 3 hours of assembly I needed a hand to fit the ram section but once it was together with the wheels on it was easy to move round single handed. 

[difflock]

and it didn't baulk at anything we put in front of it.

 

Ah Ha!

[Ratman]

I asked about splitters a while ago and I can't find the thread. I have a small electric 4 ton splitter which is alright on perfect wood with no knots but I wanted something bigger and mobile. I recently bought a Black tools 18 ton splitter from woodmanstore on eBay. I took it down to the farm yesterday and we split a trailer of seasoned stuff we'd cut up and it didn't baulk at anything we put in front of it. I tried it in the upright position on some biggish rounds and it cracked them no problem. It has a Loncin 6.5hp engine which is only running about 1/2 revs and didn't use much fuel in the hour it was running, I have to get the hang of starting it but am getting there. It arrived in a crate and took about 3 hours of assembly I needed a hand to fit the ram section but once it was together with the wheels on it was easy to move round single handed. 

Got any pics peatff?

[peatff]

2 hours ago, Ratman said:

Got any pics peatff?

 

Didn't bother yet as there are pictures on the eBay item in the link and if you go to the Woodman store website there are the same pictures. There are videos on Youtube but they show it in ideal conditions with perfect wood, the stuff we were splitting was gnarly and knotted and it went straight through it all. Park the splitter near the heap so you aren't walking all over the shop. The splitter has a different operating twin lever system and only one table but I made one for the other side.

 

Edited May 8, 2020 by peatff

[Ratman]

Any thoughts on the Rock Machinery 12 tonne venom splitter, the 240v version obviously?

[peatff]

I've never read a bad review of any of the Rock Venom machines and in their videos on Youtube they look good.

[Ratman]

I've never read a bad review of any of the Rock Venom machines and in their videos on Youtube they look good.

Well i’ve gone for and ordered the Rock Venom 12 ton machine, 4-5 week waiting time mind [emoji849] shall give my reports/thoughts once i have taken delivery of it [emoji106]

[NJA]

33 minutes ago, Ratman said:

Well i’ve gone for and ordered the Rock Venom 12 ton machine, 4-5 week waiting time mind shall give my reports/thoughts once i have taken delivery of it

Be very interested to hear your feedback.