Log Splitters Buyers Guide
Have you ever tried splitting wood by hand? It doesn’t take long before your sweating, bleeding, and tired and still don’t have enough wood split to last the night yet alone the winter. Blue Max Log Splitters are “built to work” for you by lightening the tiring load of splitting wood with a traditional Axe. Best of all they powered by our impressive Blue Max small engines.
A Mechanical Axe?
A log Splitter works like a mechanical axe or you could say a safety axe as it can be much safer working with a log splitter then with an axe and wedge. It also splits the logs faster and more efficiently so you never have to break into a sweat.How it Works
In simple terms: Put your log on the splitter pull the lever or push the button and watch as the log is pressured into the wedge with a hydraulic pump. The pressure on the log by the wedge is so strong that the log has no choice but to split apart. Its much safer than using an axe because the log sits safely in the log splitter and is slowly pressured into splitting while all you have to do is watch and reload. You can split more and work less.Do I Need a Log Splitter?
If you like extra tiring, sweaty, and time consuming work then you do not want a log splitter because it is going to make a long tiring job quick and easy. If you own a fireplace (burns real wood) or a wood stove you’ll enjoy their warmth much more once you add a log splitter to your garage or shop.I Already Have a Chainsaw
Log splitters aren’t jealous tools. They are actually complementary tools to a chainsaw. A chainsaw is going to cut the logs down to a size that allows them to fit on the log splitter but your chainsaw isn’t a practical means of splitting wood down to a size suitable for a fireplace or wood stove etc.What Size Log Can I Split?
Log size depends on both log diameter and wood hardness. The harder the wood the more tonnage required to split the wood, likewise, the larger the diameter or thickness of the wood the more tonnage required to split it.Use the tables below to easily decide what size Log Splitter you need.
1. Find the type of wood you plan to cut
2. Decide what size log diameter you plan to split
3. Buy the log splitter
4. Split more and work less
Tree Hardness Ratings*
Soft Woods Hard Woods
Alder 590 lbs Ash 1320 lbs
Aspen 420 lbs Beech 1300 lbs
Basswood 410 lbs Birch 1470 lbs
Boxelder 720 lbs Cedar 900 lbs
Buckeye 350 lbs Dogwood 2150 lbs
Catalpa 550 lbs Elm 1540 lbs
Cottonwood 430 lbs Hickory 1820 lbs
Fir 710 lbs Locust 1700 lbs
Pine 860 lbs Magnolia 1020 lbs
Poplar 540 lbs Maple 1450 lbs
Spruce 510 lbs Oak 1620 lbs
Sweet Gum 850 lbs Walnut 1010 lbs
* Side Hardness Janka Test, at 12% moisture content
Recommended Splitter Based on Hardness Ratings
Log 300-600lbs 601-900lbs 901-1500lbs 1501-2200lbs
Diameter
6 Inches 4 ton + 6 ton + 7 ton + 10 ton +
12 Inches 14 ton + 15 ton + 20 ton + 22 ton +
18 Inches 22 ton + 22 ton + 27 ton + 27 ton +
24 Inches 27 ton + 27 ton + 35 ton + 42 ton +
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