Log Splitter For Sale

If you’ve given any length of time chopping wood, you know that it can be quite physically commanding. Employing an axe or maul is laborious and takes a price on your back, knees, arms and hands. Although the project can be enjoyable and good activity at first, it swiftly gets old. Lifting, splitting and stacking wood demands a long time when you have to do all step by hand. Hardwoods can be challenging to break and will take more extra work than one stroke to do the job. Freshly cut wood has more moisture bound in the wood, and that makes it even more arduous to split. Thankfully, there is a solution that significantly diminishes these physical demands: finding a decent Log Splitter for sale.

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What is a Hydraulic Log Splitter?

A Hydraulic Log Splitter is an excellent alternative to manually chopping wood and can save you time and strength, and can also be much safer for people of all ages. We won’t get too deep into the mathematics behind how hydraulic log splitters function, but let’s do a quick basic run-through to understand better how they work so you can better pick one for your needs. Hydraulics, in general, give a mechanical advantage through applying force over a large area and then assigning that pressure to an area of a smaller space. The pressure created by an engine applies pressure to a larger fluid-filled tube and transfers it to a smaller container or piston, which then allows the chopper to focus a considerable amount of force (think anywhere between 4-30 tons) into the splitting wedge.

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Choosing a Log Splitter

Log splitters arrive in all shapes, sizes, power, and can be gas-powered or electronic. So to pick the right one for you, it depends on what you will be using your wood splitter for the most. To decide what size and how powerful your rig should be, it mostly depends on what type of wood you will be cutting and in how much wood you will be splitting. Then you can pick the best log cutter for your needs.

Electric Log Splitters
The first question to ask yourself when is whether you prefer a gas-powered or electric model. Electric log splitters are appealing for many folks since they are often smaller and cheaper. However, they do have some drawbacks. They won’t be able to produce as much force as gas-powered models, so are ideally suited for smaller, dryer logs. If you are going to be using the machine mostly for firewood, then you’re probably okay to go with an electric log splitter. However, keep in mind since it is powered by electricity, you will need to be within reach of a power outlet which reduces the versatility of it, so you won’t be able to take it up into the bush without using a generator (eliminating the benefit of being electric in the first place). Due to the absence of any fumes being produced, they are also more comfortable to work around for long periods, and more environmentally friendly.

 

Gas-Powered Log Splitters

Gas-powered wood splitters, on the other hand, can typically produce much higher force than their electric counterparts, usually around 20-tons and greater. They don’t often make lower-force models; simply because at that range, there’s no point wasting gas when you can use cheaper electricity to produce an equal force.

If you are going to be using your rig for large pieces and  81dxxyg7dl-_sl1500_freshly cut wood, which is saturated with moisture and sap, you will likely want a more powerful gas model to tackle these jobs. An electric splitter just won’t cut it (pun intended) and you may find yourself having to finish those logs manually. As a result of the increased power, gas-powered models will be bigger and heavier, reducing their portability slightly. However, they include a built-in tow hitch connection to tow behind a vehicle. Because you don’t need any electrical input, these machines are ideal for those who will be doing the majority of their work up in the bush. You will, however, need to pick up gas and monitor the oil level to maintain the machine.

 

How Much Force (Tons) Do You Need?

Once you’ve decided between an electric or gas hydraulic log splitter model, you still need to determine how powerful of a wood splitter you will need. If you are using it mostly for firewood from smaller trees, then you likely only need something that produces under 10 tons of force. Most wood will have had some time to dry, which reduces the amount of moisture that has built up in the plant tissues. This results in a piece of wood that is more easily split. If you are cutting drier wood, typically fitting logs with dimensions of equal to or less 18-20 inches long and 12 inches diameter, check out a splitter that produces around 4-8 tons of force.

If you are going to be working with larger, freshly cut wood that is larger than 20 inches long and 12 inches in diameter, then you will likely want to look at a more robust model. Freshly cut wood will be much tougher to split due to the higher moisture level. If you are working with knotty wood or notoriously hard-to-split wood like elm, then you will need the extra power of a 20+ ton splitter. Any model that produces more significant than 20 tons should be enough to handle most sized logs, up to 24-26 inches long and more than 16-18 inches in diameter.

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