Up till now I have split all my wood by hand. I'm thinking curiously considering buy a small log splitter. I see electric ones that I could use with a generator. Gas ones that don't break the bank and I see a funnel shaped tool end for a drill that splits wood also. Where I would use it has no power very remote area and it wouldn't be used much and for 9 to 10 inch rounds at biggest and 16 inches long at the very longest.

Tell me what would work best in my situation and cost considered with limited use.

Never had or used an electric but if they do work well the benefit of no noise would sell me.
Rock and roll

I've split by hand, with a gas hydraulic and an electric.....the hydraulic wins hands down, but, the Electric one I had was pretty good.... enough power to split most rounds, even the big ones, just got to do the edges first, and even some gnarly stuff wasn't a problem if you read the wood and picked the best path....
It is slower, and of course you need electric, a lot easier to store and no starting problems after a lay up...I ended up selling it cause I wasn't splitting much anymore, and if I needed some split I just use the monster maul...
Got the electric from Amazon and checked out the reviews pretty hard, I don't remember the brand, and it's been awhile since I used it..but if I needed to split a moderate amount again I would get one again.....Of course like most things, YMMV...

Back when we heated with wood, we'd just rent a splitter for a day once a year. My dad, brother and I would have everything in place and ready to go, and then split non stop for the day and return the splitter. Might be an option to consider.

My son borrowed a splitter several years ago, and it was by far the best I have ever used. It was homemade. The splitter was assembled with an engine and trailer from a highway department lighting trailer. It had a one-cylinder diesel engine.
No log ever challenged it, and it would run all day on less than a gallon of fuel.

This is one i had and added a lift to it works great speeco 25 ton split everything I ever put in it.

I have a little 20 ton gas. It is slow on both the split and return but it was only $300 shipped to the house. If I pick what and where I split it does fine other then being slow. I was looking at hydraulic cylinders and pumps thinking about building one and it popped up on my computer and I bought it. I have some oak, ash and elm rounds bigger then basket balls and it splits them fine. I wish the cylinder was heavier. If I put a angled cut piece in I can see it bow. The stuff I am splitting I did not cut and it is delivered to me free ready to split, so I just take it and deal with it. I have a friend that has an electric and it is fast. It will run all the way out and back in a third of the time mine will run one way. I have no idea how many ton it is.

I'm no help as I've only split by hand but the kinetic ones that use a big heavy flywheel caught my eye as being faster than anything hydraulic. But they are horizontal only so lifting rounds might be an issue vs the hydraulics that can be used to split vertical.

Mine is a twin to yours!
22 ton and I use my deer lift, with 2 outriggers from a destroyed light plant.
Works awesome and can handle about 600 pounds.

Thanks everyone for all your views and suggestions. If I went with an electric would a 5 ton or 7 ton do the job??

I don't remember the tonnage of the one I had, 3 ton? IDK, but it was adequate for my needs...being "frugal", I'm sure it was the cheapest one of the line...

Thanks gcs! I'm frugal as well and I been doing some research and believe the 5 to 7 ton will do just fie for what I'm going to do. If I was going to split a lot of cords a year then I would be thinking different.

Thanks!!

I have a 28 ton gas that will split anything and a 5 ton electric. I got some hard wood cut offs to us as starting wood and splitting them with the electric in my shop was dangerous. The wedge would hit a knot, sort of stall out then bust through sending part of the cut off flying across the room. If it hit anyone it would defiantly leave a mark. I've only had happen once in 15 years with the gas one.

Thanks Skippy. Does that 5 ton seem to do the job though. I will have 8 inch rounds about 12 to 16 long.

My experience with any splitter is you always could use a little more power.

Yeah! I have used tractor that was hooked up with a splitter. No lack of power with them and that setup work great.

a great ide and slet someone els store it and maintain it

If I needed one more I would get this one, great reviews and those predator engines run forever

https://www.harborfreight.com/20-to...ZXX6rRtKntAB1WpLmMojEUgvYdkaAnJeEALw_wcB

Any one every try one or have one of these. I have read many reviews positive experience and then I could drag that in and never have to take it out. No motors to mess with. Some labor involved but would be easier on my shoulfers than that axe.

Ehhh, I don't know....looks like too much work, lol

Are you splitting pine? The kind of wood you split makes a big difference. I built a 20 ton and wish I had bigger.

This is true too. Wood type and how dry it is when split make it split different as well as size. The amout of wood you plan on splitting changes what you need also. If you want a pickup load is way different then wanting 10 cords.

Well, some pine but I have ash and cottonwood to split also. One thing to remember I don't need to do two or 3 cords. This is at a remote area and anything that is easier on my shoulders from running an axe or splitting wedge would be nice.

Since you've added cottonwood to the conversation I'd go with a big vertical splitter as cottonwood is a royal pain to split until it's very dry or if it's well below zero when you're splitting it which I'm certain that you know how stringy it can be when it's damp or wet .

Buy once cry once but save you're body a little bit of discomfort from having to swing a ax ! In the long run it will save you money when you're splitting 18" pieces of wood .

Wood splitters and wood stoves. Buy the heaviest one. Pay a little more up front. Easier to sell if you get done with it.

In gas powered there are 2 primary types

inertia and hydraulic

inertial if you have all knot free logs less than 16 inches in diameter you will make better time , but they do wear parts
the DR logs splitter is an example of this it has a fly wheel that is turned by a belt and you press the lever and it puts a shaft that grabs that fly wheel into the gears and splines and slams it into the wood very fast

if you have knotted up or larger logs , 22-28 ton hydraulic all the way

I am running for the last dozen years a 27ton vertical/horizontal dirty hand tools brand.

things to watch , you will eventually need to replace the love-joy connector between engine and pump how hard poor the layout of that and low pressure side of the pump supply line can cause grief.

I suggest storing inside or covering your engine , my biggest issue is the gas cap design let water in the tank if it has snow setting on the tank , a peice of tin to shed all the snow and rain from that has made a huge difference. I would have to drain the tank and carb often before.

It should handle 8 inch rounds with no trouble. The rales fairly close together. There real heavy and sort of made to be used on the ground but I put mine up on a 28 in high bench. There also made where you have to use 2 hands to operate it but I by pasted one of the switches. There's also a stop on the ram end so it won't go alll the way back if your only splitting 16 inch rounds. Just a little thumb screw. I ended up using a small pair of vise grips on mine. With all that, they are a neat michine and they will get the job done. Mines made by Bilt Hard.