PTO Driven log splitter vs. stand alone L3902HST

[Lencho]

Hi JohnRHR,
One thing I did not realize until I got one is that stand alone splitters generally use a 2 stage hydraulic pump. Basically two gear pumps running side by side. Mine has a 10 gpm and a 4 gpm so combined it pushes 14 gallons of hydraulic fluid a minute into the large 4.5” cylinder and it moves the wedge pretty fast. When it hits a knot or tight grain there is a pressure valve that shuts off the 10 gpm pump and all the engine’s effort is sent to the 4 gpm pump. This is described as “finding a lower gear” and gives you the best of both worlds, speed when resistance is low and increased force when needed.
I have a PTO pump for my backhoe and it only has one output. Perhaps it has plenty of power but the dual pump really works well. Absolutely add a log holder to one side too.

 

[BAP]

curious, found this...

https://www.princessauto.com/en/20-ton-212cc-gas-powered-dual-action-log-splitter/product/PA0008906885

seems a 7hp gas engine will give you 20t at 14 seconds, complete, towable for 1200 Canucks.

? for BAP
'600-800 cords'
are you talking real cords or 'face' cords ? cause that's a LOT of wood to cut and split.
one of those 'size matters'.

saw a nice setup... logsplitter mounted onto the tongue of a guys dump trailer, had a Pintle hitch so no one borrowed it....hehehehe...

Face Cords is an illegal to use term in the Northeastern United States for the sale of firewood because it screws the customer. Yes, we sold 600-800 cords of firewood a year back when we used a 4 foot wood splitter and a tractor mounted cordwood saw. Then we stepped up to a full sized firewood processor and jumped to 1200-1500 cords of firewood a year.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

thanks for the info....
guys here get $120 for a face cord....calling it a cord.... one of my pet peeves.
sure glad you have a 'processor' cause my back was aching when I read 600 cords... that IS a LOT of 'wood work'......

 

[Boatman]

My vote for the OP would be to use the tractor and not a standalone. Unless you need to split many cords or in the fire wood business. Many years ago my grandfather and I were in the firewood business and standalone splitters were the way to go. At one point we had 2 splitters and ran them both at the same time. Fast forward a number of years and I found myself in the same dilema as the OP. I only need to split a cord or 2 a year and decided to go with a 3 pt splitter. Couldn't be happier. One less engine to maintain as the splitter only gets used a couple times a year. I run my tractor just above idle and its plenty fast. I can get the splitter right over my utility trailer. If I have large blocks I can lower to the ground and roll the blocks on.

 

[Steamer Pete]

Couple things to consider: 1) You're putting hours on a $30,000-ish dollar tractor & engine driving your splitter. 2) Tough to use your tractor to haul wood or manage logs without breaking the set up for splitting. 3) Really investigate the GPM capability of your tractor. Shame to run your tractor at PTO speed, but only needing to use a fraction of the HP. 4) Can you stand a 3-point splitter upright to manage large logs? 5) With some 3-point splitters, access to the other side could be tough to work with a second person off-loading. 6) Unless you REALLY trust someone to lend them your splitter AND tractor, it gets rid of the questions about borrowing your splitter for the weekend. 7) Be really clear on the hydraulic system on your splitter and tractor before you go down that road. Hydraulic parts & fittings can be really expensive. I considered a 3-point splitter, but quickly opted for a stand-alone unit. Happy with my decision.

 

[Boatman]

Couple things to consider: 1) You're putting hours on a $30,000-ish dollar tractor & engine driving your splitter. 2) Tough to use your tractor to haul wood or manage logs without breaking the set up for splitting. 3) Really investigate the GPM capability of your tractor. Shame to run your tractor at PTO speed, but only needing to use a fraction of the HP. 4) Can you stand a 3-point splitter upright to manage large logs? 5) With some 3-point splitters, access to the other side could be tough to work with a second person off-loading. 6) Unless you REALLY trust someone to lend them your splitter AND tractor, it gets rid of the questions about borrowing your splitter for the weekend. 7) Be really clear on the hydraulic system on your splitter and tractor before you go down that road. Hydraulic parts & fittings can be really expensive. I considered a 3-point splitter, but quickly opted for a stand-alone unit. Happy with my decision.

Just a couple notes on your points.

There is no need to run the tractor at PTO speed if you use the tractor hydraulics. I run mine just a couple hundred RPM off idle speed. I don't have any experience with PTO driven pump so I can't comment on that aspect. But I don't see a big deal for the OP to have a power beyond loop installed.

As for being able to split large blocks,,, as I said above the 3pt can go right to the ground. Really large blocks can be rolled next to the splitter and the sides split off to get down to manageable chunks. So the vertical aspect of the standalone is moot.

 

[jimh406]

A few points ...

From my research splitters that run off of compact tractor hydraulics don't work very well. Compact tractors don't have enough flow.

DPF tractors don't like idling. They would generate a lot of heat running at higher speeds. I wouldn't use a DPF tractor for even running a PTO splitter. I don't think it's going to be cheap to convert to PTO in any case.

So, standalone would be the best option and also give you flexibility.

 

[TheOldHokie]

A few points ...

From my research splitters that run off of compact tractor hydraulics don't work very well. Compact tractors don't have enough flow.

I guess your research did not include the performance data and video I provided.

Dan

 

[jimh406]

I guess your research did not include the performance data and video I provided.

Maybe a 15 ton splitter works well for you, and you are ok with slow cycle time. I don't know. From my perspective, that's poor performance considering every splitter other than electrics are more powerful than that.

More information ...

 

[TheOldHokie]

Maybe a 15 ton splitter works well for you, and you are ok with slow cycle time. I don't know. From my perspective, that's poor performance considering every splitter other than electrics are more powerful than that.

More information ...

I am not a youtube star making sales videos. Just a guy actually using a 3pt splitter for 20 plus years and reporting real life results.

You dont need bungees to hold valves open or expensive plumbing if you know anything about compact tractor hydraulics. That's a pure strawman argument. A $30 quick coupler is all you need to hook a logsplitter into most tractor hydraulics and how to was covered in post #12.

A 35T splitter is overkill when a 15T splitter can do the job. Real world data - an honest 15T will blow through 24" x 18"-20" long rounds of ash, oak, and locust all day long and faster than I can stage them onto the beam. A 24" round is north of 150# and bigger than many people can lift.

Perhaps you would share with us what it is you split that requires more tonnage.

Dan

 

[jimh406]

Perhaps you would share with us what it is you split that requires more tonnage.

I'm not a little guy, but I don't require tonnage. I split with a maul and sometimes use wedges. I find it good exercise. However, different types of wood can vary in how hard it is to split. For instance, 30 inch diameter rounds of Douglas Fir is usually harder to split than 8 inch diameter Lodgepole Pine.

But, what I or you do is beside the point. My point is that you found something that works for you. That is not in dispute. There are probably reasons besides sales that most pull behind splitters are much more powerful and more popular than your approach.

Or maybe you just know more than everyone else. That's possible, too.

 

[Hyperborean]

I have an L3902HST also and have purchased a Split-Fire 3403 3-point log splitter a few months back. In my case I also went with the option of getting the PTO hydraulic pump and separate reservoir since the hydraulic flow on the L3902 is only 6gpm and the pump they sell (it seems to be Prince PTO hydraulic pump, like the HC-PTO-2A model) is an 11.4gpm. I went this route since it's not another engine to maintain and especially one that would only get used a few times a year.

On a side note, I really don't understand the "don't wanna put hours on the engine" comments I see a lot. Y'all know these are diesel engines and are supposed to operate for many thousands of hours, right? Running the engine at a constant RPM to power the hydraulics doing whatever is some of the easiest work the engine will do over its life.