Log splitters

[krag]

My brother bought a Champion log splitter from Home Depot early last year, I have been doing splitting for hire with it. Every month or two I have had a job of a couple cords, etc..

He says it is getting damaged, some dents but not performance issues really. He isn't used to working on his own equipment but drops them off at the shop for mechanic service.

Now he only wants me to operate it in vertical, I have three jobs on the horizon. I told him that no one I know operated a hydraulic unit 100% vertical. He says that is the way he does it.

Can anyone recommend a good splitter for under $1000, I should probably buy one myself? The HD "Champion" $1000 unit or so is more designed for homeowners IMO.

 

[birdmeter]

i got a black diamond 25 ton from attwoods . less than a 1.000 dollars.

 

[krag]

i got a black diamond 25 ton from attwoods . less than a 1.000 dollars.

I see it here: https://www.atwoods.com/black-diamond-25-ton-log-splitter-lsp25-lct.html

Champion: https://www.atwoods.com/champion-power-25-ton-full-beam-log-splitter-100251.html

Always read the feedback; one good thing about Champion is it is backed up with the HD warranty and you can always say you got it there when you call Champion; they don't want to queer their relationship with HD.

 

[birdmeter]

now that 899 reminds me that kinda what i paid but .when i just happen to get mine the check out girl said that it had a rebate i got a 125 dollar gift card just filled out some paper work in a few months got my card in the mail.so 899 -125 good deal!

 

[krag]

Most of the rental outfits are $100 a day around here. I like the smaller and lighter units.

 

[P.M.P.]

Get a brave 2way splitter they rock worth the money. They are light can move them around one hand.
I bought a harbor freight 2way had the cylinder nut inside come loose after the warranty. Took apart fixed it also put a prince valve on it and changed the pump to a concentric. Put a Honda motor gc160 like the brave has wasn't using off a old power washer also had to add a filter new lines. What a pain in the arse would have been better off buying the brave.
It works great now I've split everything 2way makes it fast.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Just don't buy one with the saddle pins welded to the side of the cylinder. Heard and saw some bad things happening under a load.

 

[chipper1]

I've owned a lot of splitters, my favorite for most of what I do is a huskee 22 ton. If you know what you're doing then you shouldn't have a problem splitting most anything with it. They also have one of the better cycle times compared to many of the mid range units, although when you get into the 34-37 ton units they are a second or two faster. The other thing I like about them is they are lighter than the other units(not as light as the one @P.M.P. suggested though).
If you're doing paying jobs with his splitter I'd think he should get something out of the deal, if you can't afford to give him something you're not charging enough. You're charging folks for the labor, but also the equipment, why else would they be paying you except to avoid the maintenance and the labor themselves. If it was your equipment you would have to maintain it, and if you damaged a rental unit you would have to pay for damage that was not normal wear and tear.

 

[krag]

Yes, I'm not bidding the jobs high enough, have never been good at that. Rental a unit on Saturday, took all day to do one $300 job in the hot sun, and one of the arms on the Remington got bent, they ended up taking my hundred dollar deposit. I rented an MTD to do a four hour job today $200. Customer think that cash on these small jobs is an incentive and don't pay sales tax which is required in CT. So I contacted several of them on the sales tax and will rebill if not paid. When I used my brother's "Champion" from HD the money made was good, but he said he doesn't want me using his because of a few dents.

 

[chipper1]

Yes, I'm not bidding the jobs high enough, have never been good at that. Rental a unit on Saturday, took all day to do one $300 job in the hot sun, and one of the arms on the Remington got bent, they ended up taking my hundred dollar deposit. I rented an MTD to do a four hour job today $200. Customer think that cash on these small jobs is an incentive and don't pay sales tax which is required in CT. So I contacted several of them on the sales tax and will rebill if not paid. When I used my brother's "Champion" from HD the money made was good, but he said he doesn't want me using his because of a few dents.

Knowing your weaknesses is a good thing in business, overcoming them is not always easy though. I always recommend hiring out your weaknesses as soon as you can afford to do so, in this line of work I'm not sure your going to be able to afford to pay someone to do sales for you since the margins are very small. Maybe you could find someone with a splitter that would want to go into business with you and could do the sales end of things(as well as making up some contracts so it's clear taxes must be paid ). One good thing if I rememberer correctly is that firewood isn't cheap up there, here it would be hard to make any money splitting without a processor as a cord cost about the same as what I'd want to split it.
A nice used unit would get you going and you should have a good ROI with it.
As you run more units you should get a better idea what you will need on the next one you buy.