Best log splitter for around the £400-£500 mark?

[cornish wood burner]

Had a 12t 2200w vertical for 3 years, but because I had to use a very long extension cord I had a lot of loss of power and in the end it burned the electric motor. Wasn't economical to replace it. Was gutted because it did a very good job on big beech and pak rings. Went the fiskars route for a year (only for domestic use) but decided to buy a bit bigger (but also a bit more expensive) petrol powered splitter on a road chassis. Bought a rabaud vertical 12t (but noticed the tonnage doesn't mean a thing). Very nice machine, but to expensive for home use -even second hand ones. That said, I still use the fiskars a lot.

 

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Very good point about the extension lead Fib. If you use a long lead voltage drops at the end of if, the motor then draws more current and increases the chance of failure. Any big motor needs as short and as heavy a lead as possible. I use a 2.5mm lead for my pressure washer, saw and splitter etc. I have plans to wire a socket in the ring main to run the splitter and saw which will be the better solution.

[Fib]

That's it Cornish... At that time I didn't know that. Grew up with conbustion-engines, not electric motors.

 

As for logsplitters, I think that is one big negative point for electric ones. Most people don't split logs in their living room.

 

Converting the old electric-hydraulic splitter to combustion-hydraulic with an old Honda 6,5hp lawn mower at the moment.

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Reckon you could make one for £500; alot better than an off-the-shelf machine...

[cornish wood burner]

That's it Cornish... At that time I didn't know that. Grew up with conbustion-engines, not electric motors.

 

As for logsplitters, I think that is one big negative point for electric ones. Most people don't split logs in their living room.

 

Converting the old electric-hydraulic splitter to combustion-hydraulic with an old Honda 6,5hp lawn mower at the moment.

 

Sounds like a good idea, you might even be able to run the pump a little faster as no doubt you have planed to do.

My wood shed has electric so I do everything under cover now. I used to split outside with a maul but now I bring the wood to the shed after a suitable dry spell normally mid summer. I split cut some and store the rest in lengths or large pieces , then deal with it inside when I have time.

[Typhke]

As long as the extension cord is sized well, distance isn't a problem. I'm running my 7.5kW splitter with 50m extension cord (3ph 380-400V) using a 5x2.5mm² Nexans LineAX cable (I think I can go to 74m before losing 5%, which is the official norm). There are websites to calculate loss on extension cables but they only mean something when you have a good extension cable. One using copper and of a decent brand, the cheaper ones in the building stores have a far higher resistance causing a higher power drop (like not even half the efficiency of what they should be).

 

A friend of mine has a Güde 1050/10 TL Horizontal splitter. He has been very happy with it, splitting logs for 3-4 families for a couple of years now. I can't seem to find them on their website though, seems that they are no longer available, but they were within you price range. It also depends on the wood you are splitting, easy or hard stuff. But there are some decent machines available for that price. And if you don't like it or decide to buy a more expensive one, you shouldn't have a problem selling the cheaper one either. Good luck

[Fib]

I know Typhke, it's not the machines fault -I just don't do well with electrickery...

 

Always hear these things after they break down with me-and very irritatingly are told to me as if they were that obvious for everyone else.

[Typhke]

I know Typhke, it's not the machines fault -I just don't do well with electrickery...

 

Always hear these things after they break down with me-and very irritatingly are told to me as if they were that obvious for everyone else.

Sorry if I sounded like that, didn't want to offend you . I only have limited experience with electricity, some smaller stuff at home and connecting a few 3ph machines. But I had to figure it out when I was building my splitter. Just wanted to share what I learned, nothing more .

 

I've read on a Belgian forum that some of the cheaper brandless extension cords only reach 22% efficiency, that would cause enough burned up motors even when the extension cord is the right size. Not a user mistake but just bad quality, inferior goods that shouldn't be sold at all imo.

[Fib]

I was not offended. It's just when the machine broke down the people at the place where I bought it told me I wasn't using it correct. Even tough they were the ones that sold me the thing in the first place telling me this was the perfect machine for my splitting. You learn every day😂

[cornish wood burner]

As long as the extension cord is sized well, distance isn't a problem. I'm running my 7.5kW splitter with 50m extension cord (3ph 380-400V) using a 5x2.5mm² Nexans LineAX cable (I think I can go to 74m before losing 5%, which is the official norm). There are websites to calculate loss on extension cables but they only mean something when you have a good extension cable. One using copper and of a decent brand, the cheaper ones in the building stores have a far higher resistance causing a higher power drop (like not even half the efficiency of what they should be).

 

A friend of mine has a Güde 1050/10 TL Horizontal splitter. He has been very happy with it, splitting logs for 3-4 families for a couple of years now. I can't seem to find them on their website though, seems that they are no longer available, but they were within you price range. It also depends on the wood you are splitting, easy or hard stuff. But there are some decent machines available for that price. And if you don't like it or decide to buy a more expensive one, you shouldn't have a problem selling the cheaper one either. Good luck

I would always recommend a 3 phase cable with flexible braided armour. Big risk of mechanical damage especially over a long length. Remember you have 415 between

conductors so increased risk of a short between them. Quite expensive though.

Biggest volt drop I have found is the power companies cable. I did a check on a house

supply and the voltage fell through the floor when the cooker was turned on. They work on a very wide tolerance so can put in a smaller cable. If you run a motor on an extension lead all

these volt drops can add up and kill your motor. Industrial 3 phase is normally a bit better in my experience.

[Typhke]

I would always recommend a 3 phase cable with flexible braided armour. Big risk of mechanical damage especially over a long length. Remember you have 415 between

conductors so increased risk of a short between them. Quite expensive though.

Biggest volt drop I have found is the power companies cable. I did a check on a house

supply and the voltage fell through the floor when the cooker was turned on. They work on a very wide tolerance so can put in a smaller cable. If you run a motor on an extension lead all

these volt drops can add up and kill your motor. Industrial 3 phase is normally a bit better in my experience.

Flexible braided armour would be even better ofc. Not really needed in my case imo. I'm just a homeowner and the line runs through a safe path, between some flowers and then under/next to a hornbeam hedge. Only there when needed and no one except me that can go there. We've got 380V by the way (Belgium). I got a little higher voltage than normal myself.

Edited March 27, 2015 by Typhke