If you're chopping wood by hand, your body gets tired pretty quickly. The more tired you become, the more likely you are to hurt yourself with that axe. A wood splitter is much less dangerous and takes so much less effort to use, you will wonder what you ever did without it. Of course, the right tool for a tough job always makes things go better. You will enjoy splitting wood so much that you might even get some extra done for your neighbors! A gas Performance Built Log Splitter is the perfect tool for this job.
You can purchase a small electric Forest King Log Splitter or a huge commercial hydraulic style gas log splitter that can be towed behind a truck or car. Once you've decided on the type you need, you can read the instructions to learn how it works. If you buy your splitter at a local hardware store, the staff can probably give you a good demonstration. Once you see the machine in action, you'll have no trouble running it.
Just take your log and set it into the cradle located on the splitter. Make sure that wood is securely fastened so that it can't move or fall out of the cradle. Push the button or lever and off you go. A very sharp bladed wedge or ram is pushed against the log with enough force from the motor or pump to break the log into nice even pieces. Then remove the pieces and set a new log into the cradle! It's so much faster than spitting by hand that you'll be happy to use it.
With a resetting cycle of between eight and twenty seconds, the log splitter is fast! Doing the work of almost five people at one time by hand, you'll really be amazed at how fast your chores go by! There are two types of wedges to choose from, horizontal and vertical. Most people use the horizontal type for regular home use. If you're taking your splitter off property, the vertical type is safer for uneven ground.
Shop around when you look for your new gas log splitter. There are many places that sell them, prices do vary largely. Summer purchases might save you a little more money, since everyone won't be scrambling to buy the new splitter. Some of the big home improvement stores offer many models of log splitters. They also have trained personnel to answer your questions. I would recommend looking online as well, you can get some great deals with free shipping.
When it comes to price, electric splitters are not quite as expensive as their gas powered cousins. The extra dollar value goes to the added horsepower and of course the portability of the gas style. You can take your gas splitter anywhere, but your electric type is limited to areas with electricity. Gas style log splitters tend to last a bit longer too.
If you have the extra money you can buy the style of log splitter that hooks right to the back of your car or truck with a two inch towing ball and you can take your wood splitter anywhere! Most average users stick to the smaller type that you can push by yourself, but either way, purchasing a gas log splitter will make your winter much less work!
If you choose a small splitter that you can push yourself, or a great big pull-behind style, buying a gas log splitter will be an excellent choice for your winter time chores. If you live in the northern climates where splitting wood each year is something you don't like to do, this machine will make all the difference for you.
