Customer Reviews

Swisher 12258 10-Ton Manual Log Splitter

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

When I was shopping for a splitter, I compared the Swisher to offerings from other retailers (Sears, etc.) and no one could touch the final price I got from Amazon ($154 and change delivered). As is always the case with weighty items, the shipping charges were horrendous -- these splitters tip the scales at around a hundred pounds and everyone but Amazon wanted $60-80 shipping.

That being said, I'll describe what came in the box: the splitter, fully assembled, and a short but clear instruction manual, for those who've never operated a bottle jack. It's hard to see in the online pic, but this machine is equipped with a pair of wheels on the jack end; my splitter had apparently been dropped in handling and the plastic wheels were shattered, in pieces in the box. No great loss here though... The tiny wheels would be essentially useless unless you moved your splitter around on a concrete floor exclusively. Otherwise, materials, fit, and finish were just what we've learned to expect from China-made tools -- adequate, but hardly elegant.

Essentially, this splitter is a short piece of steel H-beam with a splitting wedge welded on one end and a 10-ton bottle jack mounted on the other. The throat measures 18" as advertised; an 18 1/4" log will NOT fit! Pressure is applied by means of pumping, just as you would a bottle jack. There are two pumps, though. The "speed" pump has a larger piston than the "power" pump has. The instruction manual recommends a sort of "rowing" action using both pumps, but I found in practice that this doesn't work well. I just use the "speed" side to close the space between log and jack, then the "power" side to actually split the log.

Does it work? You betcha! Mine has successfully split every single log I've put in it, and that includes some pretty tough stuff, like yellow locust. With some of the stringier, softer wood I've had to "finish" the split with a maul, but well-seasoned hardwood logs pop readily every time. Some of the pieces I've split were two feet or more across! Ten tons may sound wimpy compared to the gas-powered models (you know, those thousand-dollar splitters), but it knocks the socks off the $400 electric kind! The electrics definitely would NOT have split some of the stuff I've busted with the Swisher.

Now, let's be realistic. This machine is NOT a professional-quality production log splitter. If you're smart enough to make a go of it in the firewood business, you're smart enough to invest the bucks in a good gasoline or diesel-powered splitter that's designed for the load. I've split a LOT of firewood with my manual Swisher over the past month, some of it VERY tough stuff! But I've been careful and patient, and I don't try to earn my living splitting firewood.

I've read the gripes about not being able to split short logs. I'm still waiting to find the splitter that WILL do that. I've used "helper" blocks without a single failure. Sure, some lawyer wrote some words warning against it, but I recently read a sticker that advised me not to use my new toaster in the shower too.

One thing you'll need plenty of, besides arm power -- TIME! This machine works well, but it does not work fast! If you're thinking of selling firewood for profit, you'll starve to death with this thing. But if you're just an average joe who burns wood for supplemental heat, I would recommend this splitter as an excellent value.

This caveat: if you're going to be using this machine in cold temperatures, change the oil! Mine came with a rather heavy hydraulic oil that worked fine at room temperature but became too stiff and slow in winter conditions. Just drain the stuff and replace it with some 10W and all will be well.

Swisher, Big Roc, and Northern Industrial all sell this same log splitter, which is made by some no-name company. Ours broke before one year or one cord was finished. The end of the bottle jack piston is welded to a yoke that is connected to two springs that pull the ram back into the jack, when you open the needle valve to let off the hydraulic pressure. Those three undersized welds broke, so now we push the ram in with our hands (NOT easy to do). The needle valve has also worn out, to the point where we have to use vise grips to tighten it enough to get (maybe) 5 of the 10 tons of pressure it is supposed to provide (so forget splitting any big or knotted logs). The seller says ship it back at our expense & they (Sportsmans) will refund the money (which is nice, but not the $51 shipping). Postage for us will run a minimum of $65, not including finding a box big & strong enough to pack this 100 pound lump of metal in and the hassle of lugging it to a UPS office (USPS max is 70 lbs). After athe refund and between the two shipping charges (assuming UPS store doesn't tack on extra fees like it *always* does), we got about 1/2 a cord of wood for $115 !!

This product does split logs as advertised, but if that log is too short, like 12 13"? It wont reach the log to split it! No way to do it, unless you use a block or something like that and then you run the risk of it flying out and injuring you, or someone else! Also, like other ratings I have read concerning this product, the seals do leak some! I dont recommend storing it inside the house because of this fact!
When I was splitting my logs, sometimes it would not split one and the handle(s)would start to bend, so you have to back the ram off and reposition the log and try again! Sometimes up to 3 times to successfully split a larger ( or harder ? ) log. Also, the end plate on the ram, seems to be bending a tad (that with splitting maybe 25 logs!)Actually, when I started this review I gave this product 3 stars.....But, after writing this review and remembering the problems I had with it?.....That has now slipped to a 2.....And if I continue on, possibly a 1.....
In fact, don't buy it, save your money up and buy an Electric DR Wood Splitter, like I should of!.....Learn from others mistakes and stupidity.....Damn!.....Another $200.00 bucks goin up like smoke.....POOF! And it's gone!.....Shoulda, woulda, coulda, did notda! STUPID !!!

Works like a champ, I've split logs up to 24-28" across. I'm not a small man, work construction, lift weights ect..
Use to split with 8lb maul, this is easier and safer. my 6 and 9 y.o. kids do it! Two cords split now with no problems.

We were very excited to get the log splitter and found it easy to use, seemed to work well. But the weld on the bar between the V that does the splitting (and holding the V in place) quickly snapped. So we're Very disappointed by the quality of construction. If we got a replacement that didn't have the problem, we'd give it five stars.

I can't swing an axe like I used to owing to a back injury. I was getting to the point that I was avoiding campfires at our cabin, or just making small ones. This log splitter gave me and my family our camp fires back. In one hour, with no back pain, I split a few dozen logs into 4-6 pieces each. I used it all summer and into fall until it got too cold for outdoor fires. Indoor we only have gas :(

Yes, this thing is heavy, but it has wheels. When it arrived, one wheel was broken. When I called the manufacturer to see if they had replacement wheels, they said I had to go through Amazon. Amazon sent me a whole new unit instead of just a wheel. And the new one had a broken wheel also. Well, two non-broken wheels are now on my machine, and the two broken wheels were shipped with one unit back. Kinda stupid for Amazon to waste all their profits on this on shipping one of these puppies back and forth for a simple few-ounce wheel, but hey, who am I to tell someone how to run a company?

I recommend this for anyone who just needs a simple home model to break a few logs a week.

I got this splitter to help me split some hickory. About 1/4 cord in, the weld that holds the ram in place broke. Had to send it back. I'm giving two stars, because it worked well for the first few minutes, and I suspect that if I were splitting a softer hard wood (like cherry), it would done the job well.

Short answer, works great. Keep reading if you want to know more.

Well, I didn't see the name "Swisher" on it anywhere, rather "Super4ce". So there's a chance the splitter I received is a knock-off; either that or the ones "made" by Swisher may actually be made in China like this one is, and sold under the Swisher name (or Northern Tool, or whoever).

In any case, it looks just like the one in the picture (except the handles on the unit I received were white, not black). Not sure if you can see it clearly in the pic, but there are two ~2" dia. plastic wheels/tires on the back - the back frame has a 45° so you can roll the splitter, rather than lift it. Well, one of the plastic wheels was cracked in half, laying in the box. These small hard plastic wheels are essentially useless, unless you only ever move the splitter on a concrete or paved surface. The dinky wheels are easily removed, though - the axle is only held in by one cotter pin. I took both off, and ran a piece if 3/8" all-thread straight through, and put two 5" lawnmower wheels/tires on the outside of the frame. Lawnmower wheels typically have 1/2" dia. axle hole, so you may have to get a bushing or some other creative solution for the axle dia. mismatch if you go this route. I used two nuts on each outside end, the outer acting as a jam nut. Now it's easy to move from my shed to wherever I need to split wood.

So with that, on to the splitting. Like I said, it works great. While moving the ram up to the log, you can use both handles to get the ram there quickly. Once it touches, use only the small movement ram - applying incremental force until a good split starts. Then you can use the larger movement handle, or both. The wood I'm splitting is hardwood (not exactly sure what kind, maple maybe?) seasoned over 2 years on some pieces. I bought a cord already split, but some of the pieces are way too big to burn in my smaller fireplace. This splitter is the perfect tool to knock some of those logs down to manageable pieces.

Would I split a whole 75' tall, 18" diameter tree with this? No; I'd rent a gas powered splitter. Is this the perfect thing to handle split logs that are a tad too big, definitely.

I bought one at Harbor Freight for well under a $100 dollars and no shipping charge. I've used it a lot for several years, mostly on sugar pine and incense cedar. It is slow, but gets the job done. My main complaint is that the length of travel is only about 7 1/2". If it was about 10" that would be fine. I use a block of wood on shorter logs and trim long ones to fit. For the money I can't really complain.

So far I have only split a few logs but they were pretty good size(diameter)and it handled them pretty good. It got a little off center on the I-beam rail a couple of times but ended up finishing the job anyway. So far so good!