To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Electric Log Splitter...Two Hands!?!?

GarageGuy89

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 12, 2016
Messages
367
Location
Olalla, WA
Is there a regulation or law that makes the manufacturers for the electric log splitters to be operated with both hands?

Just bought one of these and love it, but the two hand thing seems ridiculous, and more dangerous then just using one hand. Gas splitters only require one lever, why do all these electric ones require two?

If it has to do with the motor running first then why not put a toggle switch on there instead of a button.

Help me understand this....
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

xela456

Well-known member
Joined
May 22, 2014
Messages
344
Its safety. if both of your hands are busy then they can't get cut off in a log splitter.
 

tatra

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 2, 2007
Messages
4,785
Location
pirate contest city
There was bunch I believe recalled due to amputations of fingers due to the design . Chances are cheaper to make it a two handed safety device then redesign a safer item ?
 

kelpaso1

MEMBER EMERITUS
Joined
Sep 28, 2009
Messages
3,962
Location
New Brunswick
There was bunch I believe recalled due to amputations of fingers due to the design . Chances are cheaper to make it a two handed safety device then redesign a safer item ?

All this safety **** on things today is getting ridiculous, but, many people are just plain stupid. Probably 20% or more are idiots when it comes to power tools. They can maim you or kill if you if you don't know what you're doing and have any common sense.
 

dutchgray

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 28, 2014
Messages
6,469
Location
Dorset. England.
Even the hydraulic ones come with two levers over here in the UK, at least you can normally join them together pretty easily. Yet you can still buy the screw type splitters.
 

GirlnAgarage

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 21, 2011
Messages
4,669
Location
Texas
Is there a regulation or law that makes the manufacturers for the electric log splitters to be operated with both hands?

Probably lawyers.

Just bought one of these and love it, but the two hand thing seems ridiculous, and more dangerous then just using one hand. Gas splitters only require one lever, why do all these electric ones require two?

If it has to do with the motor running first then why not put a toggle switch on there instead of a button.

Help me understand this....

I'm sure of it, lawyers.



Two-hands required to operate anything is bologna.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

jonshonda

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 17, 2017
Messages
4,749
Location
Wisconsin
Safety first of course. It should be implied that unless there is a serious design flaw (what lawyer couldn't find a design flaw of some sort that might sway a jury of idiots), you are putting your safety at risk splitting logs.
 

Boilerhouse

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 20, 2012
Messages
1,321
Location
Muskoka
My brother bought an electric wood splitter. They put me on it, since I had used my own home built one many times, therefore I was considered "an expert". It split wood fine but I thought the two hand design was extremely dangerous. Nothing prevented the wood from kicking up right into your face. Anyways, I suggested to put a foot pedal in lieu of the push button. Don't know if that was ever followed up. And I have not used that thing since.
 

nh_yota

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 10, 2015
Messages
4,077
Location
Seacoast New Hampshire
My brother bought an electric wood splitter. They put me on it, since I had used my own home built one many times, therefore I was considered "an expert". It split wood fine but I thought the two hand design was extremely dangerous. Nothing prevented the wood from kicking up right into your face. Anyways, I suggested to put a foot pedal in lieu of the push button. Don't know if that was ever followed up. And I have not used that thing since.

I totally agree. My dad has a Ryobi electric wood splitter that he picked up on special for $99 at Home Depot a few years back and it has surpassed our expectations for the most part. I used it last spring to split logs from a tree that fell near their house and while it did work fine it got a little sketchy when splitting the larger diameter logs.
 
OP
G

GarageGuy89

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 12, 2016
Messages
367
Location
Olalla, WA

This is what I was looking for. Funny thing is that is the same model I have. Here is their remedy.

Remedy:
Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled log splitters and contact Changzhou Globe Tool Group Co. Ltd. to receive a free set of warning labels including placement instructions.


What is even funnier is that it already has the two hand operation, and peoples hands are still getting amputated...Seems like a solution to a problem that was never there.

Love this thing though. It's about the same speed as the big gas units and haven't had a log it did not split yet.
 

BukitCase

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 11, 2017
Messages
1,075
Location
Oregon
I have one of the HF versions, sure glad I bought it a few years ago; finally took it out of the box and set it up last year, works great on smaller stuff (and for making lots of kindling out of a couple pieces of wood) -

Just checked the newer versions, looks like all they did was replace the push-on/push-off switch with a momentary.

Downside - one less way of "cleansing the gene pool" :rolleyes: ...Steve
 

scooby074

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 26, 2008
Messages
5,259
Location
Nova Scotia
Dad has a electric splitter. I get why the regs are there. My gas splitter is pretty fast and has almost bit dad a couple times when he used it. 2 hand control is certainly safer, if youre a person who isnt aware of their surroundings 100% of the time. 2 hand control is almost 100% safe, there is a reason its been required in industry for many years in "press" type situations.

I think that the push for 2 hand operation is more out of the EU than NA. Even gas powered models are 2 hands over there. There are some clever ones that allow you to support the log to be split while still maintaining 2 hands in a safe location. Not being able to stabilize and orient the log being split is my one complaint with the NA 2 handed electric splitters.

 

log man

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 2, 2013
Messages
80
Location
new york state
I purposely bought a used one that was still the old one-hand model. Up to everyone to decide what they are more comfortable with.
Depending on what brand you have there are some clever YouTube brackets that people fabbed to operate both controls. For example,
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom