Kinetic wood splitter vs USA made hydraulic

324matt

Lil-Rokslider
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May 8, 2020
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253
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Illinoid
I’m looking at a super splitter HD vs a eastonmade ultra. I tried to order a ultra but they are 12mo out and $2500 for shipping to Illinois. NOPE. So I ordered a HD super split, but am wondering if anyone knows of a good splitter up to $5k that is made in the states or above. No box store chineeze junk.

Any experiences? I only need to split about 10 cords a year
 
Joined
Mar 27, 2021
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SW Wisconsin
For 10 cord go to menards and get one that’s 700 ish dollars ( looks like they are 1300-1500 now was a Black Friday deal 4-5 years ago). Dad and I both burn wood and have had it for 4 years 30 or 35 ton hydraulic. Black and yellow maybe brute brand? Could look tomorrow. Haven’t had any issues with it. It may not be the fastest in the world but it splits some twisted red elm wood no maul will split.
 

Elkbelch

FNG
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Jan 15, 2022
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Pleasant Hill Mo
I have a Brave, it’s smaller than what you want. Mines only 5hp and 8 tons. I split about 4 a year. Made in the USA and it’s lasted for years. Only the toughest elm knots give it a problem. Maybe they make a bigger one? Also maybe an attachment for a piece of equipment you own? My neighbor at the lake has an attachment for his Cat excavator that he squeezes logs through as fast as he wants

Shawn
 
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Shenandoah Valley
Well for speed I haven't seen one that will run faster than my homemade splitter. It's pretty simple, giant cylinder off something, some ar500 steel or similar for the pusher and the blade. Mounted on I beam. Yes, I have the blade fixed and a pusher plate on cylinder. I think it clears easier than having the blade on the cylinder. It's all hooked to a mini track loader that pushes 36 gal a minute.


All those little pony motor splitters seem to need to stop and build pressure, mine just goes at a steady rate and right thru stuff.

But if I have nice straight grain stuff I just use the ax. I find it easier to swing that ax a bunch than picking up and handling big pieces of wood.


No help on commercial units unfortunately.

Few minute edit:
Did just now look up the kinetic units, they operate similar to how mine does. About same speed, of course mine has a way more expensive machine hooked to it.
It looks like they are splitting pretty lightweight wood in the videos, curious what all it can handle.
 
Last edited:

49ereric

WKR
Joined
Jun 21, 2022
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834
I’m looking at a super splitter HD vs a eastonmade ultra. I tried to order a ultra but they are 12mo out and $2500 for shipping to Illinois. NOPE. So I ordered a HD super split, but am wondering if anyone knows of a good splitter up to $5k that is made in the states or above. No box store chineeze junk.

Any experiences? I only need to split about 10 cords a year
#1 what kind of wood are you going to split?
my old splitter is 17.5 ton 2 stage splitter and is 38 years old and elm was tough for it but went around the outside edge and it got it.
my splitter can also be set up to split vertical which can be good if big diameter wood. Just a 5 hp model. 1 new engine years ago.
 
Joined
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Colo Spgs
Buddy made one on his farm from a leftover steel
Beam and a hydraulic cylinder. Pretty simple parts and pretty simple to make with a little welding.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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May 13, 2015
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3,711
Oh God, to think that years ago I split wood by hand, almost daily after work. If I wasn't cutting liading and hualing, I was spliting. Nowadays, I'd be looking for a spliter too.
 
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Montana
I got one that fits onto the three point hitch on my tractor. My red fir has a lot of limbs but the splitter cuts through them. It would be difficult to split without the splitter. I've done a lot over the years with wedges and sledge hammers and some with splitting mauls but somewhere after 60 the post splitting pain was too much. I split about 10-12 chords this year. The discomfort in my tendons was noteable.
 
Joined
Mar 16, 2021
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Western Iowa
I’ve been running a DR 28 ton kinetic for around 10 years. You can pile up split dry wood in a big hurry. Have to be careful not to strip the rack or pinion gear. It is super fast and with 3 dudes we can load the 9’ bed on my old f250 in an hour or so.

Edit: the Fiskars splitting maul is the best I ever used
 
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Sep 23, 2016
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If you’re seriously concerned about speed and only run through 10ish cord per year I’d skid 20-30 cord to your landing and rent a processor. You can do 30 cord in 2 days and be set for three years for a few hundred $$$. Most recently a buddy and his buddy rebted one and did 24 cord in a weekend, and they had some down time, moved it between homes, etc….
 
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West Virginia
If you’re seriously concerned about speed and only run through 10ish cord per year I’d skid 20-30 cord to your landing and rent a processor. You can do 30 cord in 2 days and be set for three years for a few hundred $$$. Most recently a buddy and his buddy rebted one and did 24 cord in a weekend, and they had some down time, moved it between homes, etc….
This. A firewood processor is ‘da bomb. Rent one and do three or four years worth in three to four days.
 
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This. A firewood processor is ‘da bomb. Rent one and do three or four years worth in three to four days.
My buddy and I went 50/50 on the DR back in the day. However, when it shells out I may look to see if there are any firewood processors in this area. Are you talking about the unit that picks up a log, cuts, and splits all in one operation? I've see these on youtube hooked onto a skid loader.
 
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VA
My buddy and I went 50/50 on the DR back in the day. However, when it shells out I may look to see if there are any firewood processors in this area. Are you talking about the unit that picks up a log, cuts, and splits all in one operation? I've see these on youtube hooked onto a skid loader.
There are several types. A true processor is a dedicated unit that is towed behind a truck. Load several trees on a holding ramp, conveyor belt to move the tree, cuts to length, hydro ram splits the log 6 ways.

My friends neighbor has a 4 way vertical splitter. I use a standard vertical splitter if I can't bust it by hand. I did all my wood this year with the splitter because i'm still in tendon reattachment recovery. I have about 10 cords of wood on hand. Should last me 2-3 years
 
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There are several types. A true processor is a dedicated unit that is towed behind a truck. Load several trees on a holding ramp, conveyor belt to move the tree, cuts to length, hydro ram splits the log 6 ways.

My friends neighbor has a 4 way vertical splitter. I use a standard vertical splitter if I can't bust it by hand. I did all my wood this year with the splitter because i'm still in tendon reattachment recovery. I have about 10 cords of wood on hand. Should last me 2-3 years
Wish my DR had a 4 way instead of 2 way splitting head. Would save even more time not having to split again.
 
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