Hydraulic Log Splitter

[autococker04]

Does anyone have experience with something like this? My dad doesn’t want to use an axe up at camp anymore, so he’s been talking about something like this. It would be used for enough wood for one outdoor fire at a time, not splitting cords all in one go. There are electric versions as well, that wouldn’t be out of the question but it seems like another thing that could fail.

[Evan4366]

Just get the harbor freight log splitter unless you don't have access to power at the camp. These are better than swinging an axe, but still require decent amount of effort if you're splitting a bunch of wood.

[THE_Incredible_Hulk]

My Grandpa has a gas powered log splitter. It worked good. It was on wheels and he'd hook it up to his pickup. I remember Saturday afternoons stacking wood into piles.

[markdem]

Ive used the mototrized ones. Hated them. Having to lift the log up onto the machine and hold it in place whilst operating the levers is a pain

[BLachance75]

I’ve thought about getting one of those to keep in my basement to help make kindling and to break bigger pieces of wood for my wood stove. I haven’t done it because I think in the end it would take longer and more effort to use one than it is to swing an axe.

For reference I burn about 4 cords of wood each winter. Every other year I have a log truck deliver a load of log length wood and I cut and split it myself. It’s roughly 7-8 cords per delivery

[Diesel imp]

Technically an axe is not for splitting wood, but a maul is.
that device is probably better than nothing but a decent son would supply dear old dad the muscle so the old guy wouldn't have to do that labor.
Far be it for me to lecture but that's my opinion

[Nish]

Not that one but my grandfather and i used these quite a bit. Faster and easier then splitting by hand. Just keep in mind you need to be able to lift the pieces up onto the splitter, and anything with a diameter bigger than the height of the wedge is going to lift, possibly even kick off the machine.