Let A New Wood Splitter Do The Hard Work Of Splitting Logs For You
Stockpiling fuel for the cold winter days can be an uphill battle and a backbreaking task. Ideally, you should have your fuel chopped and stored by the end of the summer months so it will be at least starting to dry by the time the chill sets in.
When it comes to splitting those thousands of wooden logs, you have three main choices. You can spend many back-breaking days doing the job yourself, you can employ somebody else to do it for you, or you can fork out for a log splitter, or wood splitter as they are also known.
Of these choices, the most pain free option is to purchase a wood splitter. A splitter makes use of a hydraulic rod to unleash enough pressure to split logs. To put it simply, the rod pushes the log over a stationary blade, thereby cutting it into two pieces.
Log splitters can be fuelled by a gas engine, by electricity, or some can be driven manually, and each option has its advantages and disadvantages. Often gas models have wheels so they can be transported to out-of-the-way places and the chopping can be done on site. Electrical wood splitters are more suitable for domestic use and can even be used inside.
A newer development is the hand wood splitter. These are most often powered by foot or hand using levers and, while there is some effort involved, it is a lot easier than using an axe or a maul.
The power generated by log splitters can vary from about ten tons to 25 tons. Ten tons is usually enough for home use. Larger log splitters are mostly used for commercial use and are often powered by, and attached to the rear of, tractors.
Like any kind of hydraulic equipment, wood splitters can cause serious injuries if mishandled so certain safety precautions must be taken during their use. Log splitters should only be used by trained adults and people should not stand in close proximity while they are splitting wood.
That said, log splitters can save endless hours of hard graft with an axe, a hammer and a maul, and with a few basic precautions can be an invaluable tool.
In light of the amount of time and effort they can save, wood splitters are not too pricey. A decent manual splitter can be acquired for around two hundred dollars, while small electric wood splitters start around three hundred dollars. For a full-size gas-powered log splitter with wheels you could expect to spend at least $1,300.
Log splitters are widely available online and on main street. If you just need enough wood split to heat your home for the winter then you may not want anything too expensive. However, if you have a large number of logs to get through, then a good gas-powered splitter might be the right pick for you.
