Recommendations on small electric log splitter?

[NewShockerGuy]

I just purchased a x27 splitting axe. Seems to be of decent quality for the money. Depending on how much splitting I'm doing I was looking at a small electric log splitter.

5-7 tons... I don't want a gas one and I like the idea of storing it in the shed and wheeling it out when it's needed.

I've narrowed it down to a couple on Amazon, and one at Harbor Freight.

HF: $290
http://www.harborfreight.com/5-ton-log-splitter-61373.html


Amazon:

$249 +39 shipping:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004FC7IDG/?tag=atomicindus08-20

$269 + free shipping:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002JFCSUO/?tag=atomicindus08-20

$409 PRIME: This one I know only has a lever action. Which is nice, and is 7 ton, so no two handed bs.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GNSCGIW/?tag=atomicindus08-20


Not interested in a gas model or something that is huge. This is just incase my wife wants to use it. I don't want her swinging the axe around because I can see her chopping her toes off, and frankly don't want to deal with that...lol

So honestly the two that it comes down to is the HF and the last link, Boss Industrial. Boss has the single lever action and more power, but worth almost x2? I'll probably be chopping manually but I know when I get tired this would be awesome to use and it seems like a cool toy.

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

[kctyphoon]

all i can say is the Task Force 4 ton worked on everything but oak for me.. i sold it and bought a 12 ton gas from Viper for half price, and its never not split anything ive tried to..

 

[CarsonConcepts]

Picked up one of the harbor freight one's for my parents last year after couple trees came down. They mostly use it for splitting fire wood for a fire pit. It's also small enough to put across the back seats in a compact sedan if you wanted to take it anywhere.

So far it's worked out great, very quite compared to a gas splitter. Last time I used it I split a face cord in about an hour and a half.
One suggestion would be to set it on something. It sits quite low, and being over 6' got annoying quick. I just set it on a couple of picnic table benches and it was about perfect.

As for log size, it did everything we threw at it up to about 16-18". The few larger pieces I had to put in off set and "shave" them down before it could split them through the centers. I forget what wood species they were though.

~ Carson

 

[NewShockerGuy]

Picked up one of the harbor freight one's for my parents last year after couple trees came down. They mostly use it for splitting fire wood for a fire pit. It's also small enough to put across the back seats in a compact sedan if you wanted to take it anywhere.

So far it's worked out great, very quite compared to a gas splitter. Last time I used it I split a face cord in about an hour and a half.
One suggestion would be to set it on something. It sits quite low, and being over 6' got annoying quick. I just set it on a couple of picnic table benches and it was about perfect.

As for log size, it did everything we threw at it up to about 16-18". The few larger pieces I had to put in off set and "shave" them down before it could split them through the centers. I forget what wood species they were though.

~ Carson

That's reassuring then! That's all we are going to use this for is splitting woof from the back woods after I chainsaw the dead trees, and this is going to be for the firepit.. that's it..lol

Any way to use the HF one with out the double hand operation.. Can the push button be locked down so all you have to do is use the lever? That's the biggest selling point to me on the Boss Industrial one.

Thanks,
-Nigel

 

[CarsonConcepts]

Not sure what you mean by two hand operation. On the one my parents have, there's an on/off push button on the electric motor, and there is the lever to drive the hydraulics. You just turn the motor on and it stays running, then use the lever to drive the ram, turn the motor off when you are finished.

~ Carson

 

[kctyphoon]

Not sure what you mean by two hand operation. On the one my parents have, there's an on/off push button on the electric motor, and there is the lever to drive the hydraulics. You just turn the motor on and it stays running, then use the lever to drive the ram, turn the motor off when you are finished.

~ Carson

he probably means the safety features that require you have each hand holding something for the machine to work, so you cant accidently crush one in the machine. not sure about the HF one, but the task force model i had was like that.

 

[jakemac]

I have a DR splitter with that kind of idiot switch. It's the only thing I hate about it.
I used to keep the splitter on the ground and keep my foot on the switch. I just put the splitter on a stand to save my back, so I'm not sure what I'll do about the switch yet.

 

[NewShockerGuy]

he probably means the safety features that require you have each hand holding something for the machine to work, so you cant accidently crush one in the machine. not sure about the HF one, but the task force model i had was like that.

Yep that's exactly what I don't want to have. It's annoying and I don't want both my hands and head right there by splitting wood. I'd rather just be behind the machine using the lever. Seems a lot safer to me.

I would imagine though that the ones with the idiot switch could simply be taken apart and the switch leds be soldered together. Then the machine would always think the switch is pushed in...etc.

Can't beat the HF price honestly after coupon. Does one think that the 7-ton model would be that much more powerful than the 5-ton model? Isn't going to be limited because it plugs into 120v outlet? Just like claimed compressor specs being more even though they can only go to a certain power rating based on the 120v?

Thanks,
-Nigel