Chopping wood is very hard work, and requires an awful lot of effort on your part. This is a daunting task that usually involves using an axe, or ram to physically cut through a log using a massive force provided by you. But that’s where a hydraulic log splitter will come in extremely handy. This tool uses hydraulic pressure to slowly shove a ram through a log, without manual effort on your part. In fact the only physical work that using a hydraulic wood splitter entails is working the lever to control the pump’s pressure, and picking up logs once they’re split.
A hydraulic log splitter is a great tool if you have a lot of work to do, or just massive logs that need to be split. There are two main types of hydraulic operated machines, and which you choose has a big impact on how well your log splitter will work for you. Typically the two types of splitters are horizontal loaders and vertical loaders. Determining which type is best for you is as simple as deciding which conforms to your wood splitting preferences.
A vertical loader refers to the way that this hydraulic log splitter actually holds a log during the splitting process. Vertical loaders stand on the ground vertically, and you place a log into the base about the same way you would if you were going to use an axe. Then you can slowly lower the maul with the use of a lever that’s attached to the hydraulic pump. This can be a slow process depending upon the size of the log, but with each press of the level the ram will move through the log until it has been completely split. After that both halves will fall out of the machine, and you can release the pump back into the starting position for the next log.
With a horizontal loader the principles are the same, except that this type will lay flat on the ground. You’ll have to place the log on it’s side in the base of the hydraulic log splitter. Sometimes horizontal loaders also require the use of your free hand to hold the log in place until the ram begins splitting the wood. This can be a slight annoyance, but you shouldn’t have any more trouble using a horizontal unit, than a vertical model. The only common complaint of hydraulic log splitters, is that they aren’t as fast as gasoline, or electric versions. So if you have a lot of splitting to do, hydraulic may not be the best choice.
For purchasing a hydraulic log splitter, you can go to a local hardware store like Lowes or Ace Hardware. The average model will range from a few hundred dollars, to well into the thousands. Make sure you get a model with plenty of power, usually 10 tons and up is a good model to follow. You’ll never need that much pressure, but it’s good to have to ensure that you’ll be able to easily cut through any log.