What are the Limitations of Harbor Freight's Central Machinery 5 Ton Log Splitter?

[@gonedeep43]

I've been splitting Oak and hickory, both hard woods. This splitter is outstanding.

[@flipperc6042]

What about new wood trunks the hurricane took down? We can’t leave the wood stumps out to dry. City won’t let us. Will the machine split wood that isn’t seasoned? Have you done it?

[@sootie620]

Have had one of these splitters for 12-13 years and have split every type of wood, big 24-30” rounds small rounds of all classes of timbers and it’s still going as strong as the day I brought it home 👍😜🇮🇪

[@migueldayot3762]

I have that log splitter and it works amazing, hand it for almost 3 years now and it skips a beat. Gets the job done, for a homeowner grade splitter i recommend it.

[@MichaelSemon-d9m]

Own mine for a least 6 years and split dry and wet wood. It works great for me as a backyard fire pit homeowner. It does struggle with larger pieces so I shave the those starting on the outside edge. Only had to replace the capacitor once in the time I’ve owned it.

[@majorcornflakes4194]

How hard of a fix was replacing it

[@MichaelSemon-d9m]

Two wires 5 minutes

[@KillingStuffWithJosephJackson]

Where did you find parts or how did you know that you were getting compatible parts?

[@MichaelSemon-d9m]

@@KillingStuffWithJosephJackson you can get the part at your local ace hardware or air conditioning/electrical warehouse. Capacitors are very simple to replace all you need to do is match the MFD# on the part.

[@trwilkinson4623]

​@@MichaelSemon-d9m, suggest same or upto 10% microfarad over original value. Also a higher V rating is more durable.

[@jafquist27]

I've had mine for five years. I spent all day, today, 20APR24, , splitting 20 inch plus oak rounds.(it takes some practice for those) I love this machine. I filled it with fluid when I bought it, and it still reads full; about twelve cords of oak later. It paid for itself the first time I used it. I can't recommend it high enough. For the money, it cannot be beat.

[@apenza4304]

The weakest part is where the two rods are welded to the two zig zag shaped plates on each side of the splitter. They notched the plates to accept the rods in a recess where they are welded. The second season of using it the welds broke and the plates bent too far out of shape to save them. I cut two new plates from 1/4” steel and welded the rods back without notching the plates. That was two years ago and it’s been working fine since then.

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

I’ll have to keep my eye on that.

[@apenza4304]

@@DereksWorkshopAndProjects Welding some extra beads across the existing welds where the rod meets the plates should help strengthen that particular connection. Those plates are 3” across and the notch is cut 1 1/2” or half the plate weakening it to the point of failure. Unbolting the rods and welding the plates from the inside would also help to keep them from failing.

[@danielroden9424]

i have something similar. it will split 19 inch length oak but it cannot handle huge diameters. but thats what a maul is for. break the big rounds or at least crack it to give the splitter a chance. works pretty good for what it is. its also much quieter out side so its rather ok to work with for long periods. dont forgot to open the air bleed valve when operating and close it when done.

[@om617yota8]

I have the Homelite version of this splitter, otherwise looks exactly the same down to the red paint. I was skeptical buying it, would 5 tons be enough? Between the splitter being cheap and me *really* not wanting another gas engine to maintain, I rolled the dice. 10+ cords split later, maybe 10 pieces of wood it hasn't handled. Very pleased. When it's raining sideways outside, I particularly appreciate splitting wood from the comfort of my shop.

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

I didn’t even think of that. Being able to split wood indoors is a huge bonus of this.

[@NordicDan]

That reminds me, it's pouring down rain where I'm at today. I think I'll throw on some flannel, pour myself a mug of beer and go run the splitter in my shop 😁

[@om617yota8]

@@NordicDan Enjoy!

[@LKerrTxn]

I just bought one of these a few days ago. A cord of wood would last me three years easy because our winters down here are not so rough, except for the occasional “blizzardy snowstorm“ that we get. However, this thing split wood like a champ, and I am extremely pleased with it’s performance. I appreciate your video in helping me make my choice to buy this particular log splitter. Thanks again!!

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

You say “down here” I’m guessing Texas? Sounds good. Hope it serves you well. Thanks for watching!

[@LKerrTxn]

@@DereksWorkshopAndProjects Texas it is!!

[@TheRealMonnie]

If you build a rocket mass heater you will use 10% of the wood you use now. Wisconsin Winters in a double wide manufactured home you need just over half a cord a year.

[@ellobo1326]

Great video. Thanks for posting. I will be getting one of these splitters soon.

[@marcellemay7721]

I got an older version of this splitter...they call it a 7 ton. I'm not sure if it's 7 ton or not. But it does work really well for what it is. My neighbor has a 3 point hitch splitter for his tractor and he's constantly borrowing my little electric splitter because he says it's quicker. The only thing is it's kinda heavy to get up on a bench by yourself. So I usually just sit down on a milk crate and use it. I gotta make some kind of retract restrictor on it so that the cylinder doesn't' retract all the way back which wastes a lot of time. I was thinking that just a piece of PVC pipe with a slit in it that slips over the cylinder rod would probably do the trick.

[@TheRealMonnie]

I was thinking the same thing watching this video. "I'd put a blocker on that real quick." I wonder why they made it auto retract...

[@marcellemay7721]

@TheRealMonnie it's just a spring return. It's not hydraulic power in reverse.

[@Wayne-fu9qz]

I have another brand one,a PROYAMA wood splitter from Amazon.For a Homeowner with limited duty this little splitter is very good. While this is a compact unit for storage and moving around - it is heavy! I see some people mounting this on a small wagon and towing to the site they want to split wood at. If you are on flat terrain, not a big deal to move around for most, on hilly terrain, the small wheels make it a pain in the a$$. That being said, I like it, and it works well for my needs. As I trim trees on my property I cut the limbs and trunks to be split for firewood.And it also comes in a version with a stand.

[@wigletron2846]

Great demonstration. I have a bunch of red oak to split, some rounds are really big. This video convinced me to pick up this splitter.

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

I hope it works well for you!

[@billtoews6485]

Hey, I have a bunch of red oak too, also some fairly big pieces, how did it do?

[@wigletron2846]

@@billtoews6485 haven't had time to use it yet. It's been raining constantly. Hopefully the wood being soaked doesn't make it harder.

[@wigletron2846]

@@billtoews6485 I finally got around to using it and it's worth every penny. I was shocked at how easily it split some larger pieces that my maul would just bounce off of. The largest piece I split was probably 16 inches diameter and 20 inches long and it had no trouble. It has some trouble with knotted, twisted wood but you can usually move the piece in a way that will allow it to split. It's also much easier if you have a 2nd person to hold the piece on the splitter so odd shaped pieces don't fall off.

[@billtoews6485]

Thanks @@wigletron2846

[@sfret1]

I like mine (2nd or 3rd hand). Didn't have the directions but after a little frustration, I found them online. Don't overfill the oil. Open the vent screw the 4 times required.

[@Damitman644]

I own this splitter had it for 3-4 years now I have split tons of wood with it it does work great but here where I’m from it won’t touch gum over 6 inches most of the time and hickory if it’s over 8 inches it won’t touch it oak red and white I have split 24in rounds no problem unless they are knotty guy in the video is splitting stuff that just breaks apart compared to what I split

[@mikeh8228]

I have this splitter, and if I can lift it to get it on it, it will split it. I split red oak, white oak, maple, and hickory. In this south, no one heats with pine as it is considered a trash wood, but it does make good kindling due to the sap!

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

I see that! It’s not a great firewood compared to what’s in the world, but compared to what’s readily available within a 30 minute drive of me, it’s the most abundant. There is some white oak and other stuff around us, buts it’s sparse, and if it’s easily accessible with a 2 wheel drive truck, it’s already been cut or it’s still green and you can’t cut it according to Forrest service regulations (which is a good thing). So I just go for the less desired since it’s so abundant and quick to get. Jealous of you guys around and east of the Mississippi! I wish we had the variety and abundance of trees, grass, and water that you guys do!

[@robertm5969]

I burn everything. A lot of people turn their noses up at softwoods around here which means more of it for me! I split by hand and it's 3x easier to split pine than locust. I get free wood from local tree service companies. Maybe after I get a powered splitter I'll be more choosy

[@jackboot5321]

I bought mine back in 2012. I built a rocket stove, and split 2 cords of Larch. Burning 1x per day for 4 months.......I still have 3/4 of a cord left. The splitter never had a single problem cutting up 10-12" diameter logs. I split them all into 1-1/2" (roughly) kindling. On mine, you can bypass the 2 handed safety mechanism (factory made) so you can get the pieces to the splitting surface quicker. It's still running strong. I have split several cords over the years for my elderly neighbor.

[@briandalrymple9986]

One modification I have done is to run a weld bead align the top front edge of the pusher. I ground this weld bead to be steel teeth. 🦷… This means the wood will grip on to the teeth and not slip sideways. I also sharpened the anvil edge and took the paint off it. Never had an issue with it even cutting through knotty pieces.

[@anthonyrichard461]

Split some pecan on my newly acquired used 7 ton Harbor Freight this weekend. It did well but some pieces were very tough and had to repositioned a few times to get it done. Pecan is tough and it had many knots.

[@ptech88]

Just bought one and split 20” pine logs fresh cut not aged. No issues at all i was impressed

[@ElizabethPerdisatt]

I had this log splitter for years and it was a bad ass. Just have to cut your pieces the right length so it fits. Really great investment for the price. I gave it to my friend when I moved and still running like a champ.

[@smokeydk7712]

if you put a piece of wood between the log and the ram it saves trying to split pieces apart after

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

I’ve done that a few times. Good idea.

[@seanrich1367]

Used mine for a couple years now. It is worth the money , a great tool to have. It is very much limited when you have knotty wood , however. If it won't split? Endo or rotate the wood. That don't work it's time for the 25 ton Gas machine.

[@Onemanstrash1]

I have picked up 3 of these things from the scrap pile at the dump , I might try getting one to work

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

Nice. Hope you get them running.

[@robertm5969]

I found a few modifications which should further improve the performance of this splitter. Welding an axe head on the front of the wedge helps with splitting big hardwood rounds. This mimics the profile of modern splitting wedges, allowing the wedge to penetrate immediately before fanning out the wood. Also safer since the wood doesn't want to pop out as much. You lose some travel for longer rounds, so another alternative is to file down the wedge and apply linseed oil. Another modification is to attach a wood clamp over the on button to free up a hand to handle the round while splitting. Then use a foot pedal switch to turn it on and off.

[@CombatDoc54]

Down right impressive and a damn good video.

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

Thanks a bunch man!

[@admorse77]

$300 well spent! i love mine, picked it up a few months ago

[@briancurran2988]

2nd season owning my splitter, mines equivalent to a 7 tonne splitter, Im pretty sure the manufacturer makes these splitters in lots of colours and configurations, just different company labels on them. Ive not made any changes to it, it came with 2 wedges, one at each end, and a collar on the side bar so it doesnt return to the very beginning, which makes things quicker when splitting short logs. I split logs/rounds up to approximately 16" without too much of a problem Ive found the only problem is where a branch joins the main trunk can be very tough, probably because the grain is all knotted and twisted. Overall well worth the money, I paid £300.

[@hawkforgeusa1014]

Great video ,great splitter however You need to remove the wing nut on the right hand side of the splitter it is a vent that should be open while using . I use mine as a press at my forge.

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

I don’t think it’s supposed to be all the way removed is it? Just loosened? All I have done is loosen it and I haven’t had a problem.

[@hawkforgeusa1014]

As long it’s opened it should be fine it just seems to work better for me to just take it out but I max mine out a lot .

[@gregploysa4135]

I have the same splitter but not HF. Ive used it for roughly 3 years now mostly oak. Purchased from my local ag store here in France. No problems what so ever.

[@robertm5969]

I just picked one up and ran into some issues. After bleeding and refilling the fluid it seems to be working better, but still bogs down at the end of the stroke. It struggles with locust rounds over 8" and anything knotty. Will need to run some more pieces through it to see what it can handle. If further bleeding doesn't work I may see if I can exchange with a different one.

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

I would definitely suggest trying to get it replaced if it seems to be working poorly.

[@robertm5969]

@@DereksWorkshopAndProjects HF said they can replace it no problem within 90 days of purchase

[@filoIII]

That thing trips my house breaker. I need a maintenance vid of this thing.

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

I have no idea why. You may have wires touching somewhere that shouldn’t be?

[@filoIII]

@@DereksWorkshopAndProjects Every outdoor outlet trips. I just use a 3000w generator.. ha

[@whyiseverythingonfireagain1190]

I have one of these and I use it to split in new England with all sizes of hardwood, but it is rarely enough. Only able to resplit small pieces. A good force meter says it's putting out 6400 lbs, so only 3 tons

[@gangofgreenhorns2672]

Hoping it holds up over time. Worked great.

[@leebennett3672]

Looks very good.Thanks for posting

[@marksanders5279]

I also bought one of these splitters about 1 month ago and it performs well overall. The only problem I've found is the oil seal for the hydraulic cylinder is starting to leak a small amount of oil during use. No doubt a very cheap oil seal! I plan on tearing it apart this summer and replacing this seal with a better one. Watch your seal just in case...

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

It’s pretty good! Haven’t had the oil seal problem myself but I’m sure it’s coming someday. I’ll keep an eye out for it.

[@moto5513]

​@@GunClingingPalinI was given one like this, DR 6 ton and the seal were completely leaking, I was able to find new seals at A.C. Depuydt in Commerce, California.

[@vzedgewater]

Thanks for the demonstration I just got one Now playing need to split my wood😉

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

Good luck with it!

[@PainterD54]

If I were to change anything with those splitters it would be first I would make the wedge sharper with a protruding point on top to keep wood from riding up as it splits I notice that alot) And also I would put some kind of barbs or points on the ram end that is so smooth. I see pieces riding up as they split, which could be dangerous (I've seen pieces shoot and almost hit a person in the face!) A steel plate/table behind the splitting wedge would be nice for the wood to slide onto after it's split instead of landing on the ground (or your foot if you have it on a stand)

[@suche114]

great review!

[@stevepatch1809]

I just bought one of these today and I had a 16” red oak with some twisties in it and I stopped it, but for the money you can’t beat it.

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

Ya I have ran into several piece of wood I can’t make it through up to this point but definitely still good for the money.

[@markabrice]

I have a Boss 7-ton (model ES7T20), which looks almost identical in construction to this machine. It's only rated for up to 10", but I've split oak rounds up to 20" with it. Best $450 I ever spent.

[@chrissilkwood5439]

the boss is one handed operation, it's easier to use and safer

[@TickleBall]

Great video. Keep up the great work. 💪🏼

[@hotratz69]

I think this is a good option for those who don't depend on firewood for heat but need an occasional fire to supplement.

[@keithwilliams8861]

Looking to split some big red oak. We will see how it does.

[@SteveSnowman]

Nice, thanks. - N Idaho -

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

Thanks for watching!

[@smilingdog54]

My son in laws splitter has worked wonderful. The only thing that has happened, trying to split oak, the ram plate has bent. We have tried to get a replacement to no avail. Anyone know where to get one?

[@theonlyvinz]

just tested mine.. take care if you have a big fresh wood stock on the anchor sometime wood come back so fast to the black part of the machine ,it brake me a finger

[@wlan246]

7:43 If I were splitting that with a maul, I'd be hitting the other side. No matter what line you choose on the crotch side for your splitter, you're going to have wood fibers on both sides of the blade crossing to the other side: instead of separating fibers from their neighbors, you're going to have to _cut_ those fibers, which is a much harder job.

[@brianczuhai8909]

That's the easy, straight grain, stuff. Try splitting more crotches of branches. I'm wondering if those 27 ton models just pushes through them. Have you notice these small ton electric ones are all just about identically the same?

[@jimmiebogle4823]

Ive had mine for around 6 mths now i split 24 in oak and walnut green and seasoned.its failed once.and thats when i figured out it was low on oil.filled it up and weny right through it.the little splitter has paid for itself in money saved buying from other peaple.

[@youngypaul]

great review!!!

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

Thank you!

[@carldaniels4827]

use it on trunks that have a double trunk or knotty bottom sections.

[@cowetaok]

I have a older one of these and for what they are they are wonderful . Problem I see from this is they have went to a two handed system to run it how sad. Mine you turn the motor on leave it on and then operate the hydraulic cylinder with one hand and you can handle the wood with the other.

[@alexgrant11]

So 18" is the max length of the splitter? Thanks very much, very informative.

[@ralphcoleman9642]

Has anyone tried splitting Mesquite wood and hays the diameter of the wood ?

[@426superbee4]

The bigger round it is the shorter i cut it > Cause of the weight! Red Oak is very heavy, and most of it is GNARLY < > It did a great job if you ask me. 👍👍 1st thing i would do to it is ? Make it 4 way splitting

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

4 way splitter with softwoods would be great I think!

[@clutch5sp989]

Thanks Derek for the vid. Maybe typical wood doesn't require 1000 megaton splitter'n mosheen with 500hp engine to do the simple task. I really like HF tools and have bought work'n out in the yard sneakers at VVallmert. Big brand names for tools & equip are just that....BIG...and cost way too much. Pride can get in the way of many things these days.

[@alexgrant11]

Did you notice th motor getting hot during the more difficult wood? How long have you run it at one shot?

[@philg6115]

Can u put a 7 foot oak on there?

[@danielchambers1958]

Good video Sir

[@18twilliams]

Most people split wet wood then season it?

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

I don’t know what most people do. I do some of both. I get dead and down wood that is certainly dried out. Then I split that. Then I also get wet wood. And I’m getting around to splitting it so it will be ready for next winter. I’m just scrounging for firewood anywhere I can get it.

[@yooperguy8585]

How does it do on green wood?

[@halfcrazyoldchristianredne895]

Great vid. Thank you

[@skyraider2021]

Do you have to hold the start button? I have the same spliter mine stays on. You have to push the button in deep.

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

It seems no matter how hard I push it in that it doesn’t stay on, so I’m not sure.

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

I believe they made changes to it at some point in time.

[@dirtbikeheaven1129]

Mine has had at least two previous owners and the motor runs as soon as it is plugged in. I split a lot of white oak up to about 14” and it does a great job.

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

@dirtbikeheaven1129 starting up the motor does get old.

[@danielbuffington2041]

So did you ever undo the vent plug so you didn't destroy the internals or did you not read the manual

[@ronnieriley5557]

Cut you a 4 " block put between pusher

[@timhawkins2502]

Here in the East we call it "piss Elm" no heat output and smells- it also burns to chunks instead of ash.- Nice video

[@rogermalaval2906]

Ajouter tout explication en français

[@426superbee4]

Try some Gnarly red oak

[@Joe-k5b7y]

Cheap way o ut for light work of somthing brakes are parts to be found

[@bparker86]

You guys burn pine for heat? I live in the north east and we burn nothing but the basic hardwoods maple, oak, ash nobody burns softwood that I know anyways. New to me

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

Because hardwood in your area is plentiful, hardwood in the highland forests of the desert southwest, is very hard to come by. It’s nearly all we have and population in my neck of the woods is growing so much that anywhere a 2wd pick up can go has been picked clean with oak and alligator juniper which are our two major hardwoods here. Softwood is all that is readily available and easy to take. Other hardwood options are the shaggy bark juniper and Siberian elm but both are very very hard on chains and have their own issues with burning like extra ash with shaggy bark and bad smell with Siberian elm.

[@bparker86]

@DereksWorkshopAndProjects well alright then I appreciate the explanation. I would be so bummed out of there was no hardwood in my area. I'm going to remember to be grateful for that from now on

[@chiefeaglespiritdancing9624]

I just purchased one follow the instructions set to remove the pin, removed The pin and it seems as though the pump is no good. Just purchased it yesterday. Absolutely disgusted

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

I’m sure it’s inconvenient to return it but I’d just get it replaced ASAP.

[@somethingoutdoors1412]

Trust me, if you are freezing and that's the only wood you have you are not going to care about the smell lol

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

It’s completely dried out and isn’t so bad any more. Not good but not bad.

[@dutchbeef8920]

Some would argue the limit is 5 ton

[@gmel4967]

Too slow, and cylinder should be behind the material? Just reviewed a cordless Ryobi, much faster, more compact but limited over all length.

[@ericripley9739]

No, the cylinder doesn’t have to be behind the material. The force is simply transferred by the 2 rods running back to the “ pusher”. This design makes the whole unit very compact. I bought mine back in 2003 and when I first saw it my thoughts were “ that little thing can’t be very good”. Had it for 10 years, no problems. Moved to an oil heated ( then heat-pump) house. Sold the splitter. Yes , it was a bit slow but easier than using a maul and wedges.

[@Juzzy520]

Try some knotty oak??💪💪👍

[@vo1non]

EVERYTHING has its limits.

[@larrypratt5148]

I have had this splitter for probably 10+ years. It runs continuously so it can be a one hand operation, unlike the mewer versions. There is a mod or 2 in this video to remedy that, makes it much faster to use. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aXatg5JnoN-pr6s

[@currentresident1794]

Skip to 5:30

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

Knowing the hardness of the wood does matter. I could split large pieces of aspen all day and that’s the easiest splitting wood I know of on earth and it wouldn’t be impressive.

[@marcusjaimes-t7d]

It will not split dry oak wood

[@rogermalaval2906]

En français tout

[@mrh0wler353]

Use shorter pieces and be 120% impressed? I'd like to see the splitter struggle and stop, like would happen to the normal user using as much of the tree as possible, even the gnarly stuff.

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

12-14 inches? It’s not like it’s so short it’s unusable. Just not my regular 18ish inch rounds with softer wood.

[@filoIII]

Won't do wet big logs.

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

I’ve done some big wet logs and had it struggle with others. Just depends I think on what it is.

[@Joe-k5b7y]

A toy not made for big rounds or large volumes of wood you get wat u pay for

[@umiricanucorsu1801]

I call BS on all these videos about that splitter. It's completely under powered compared to what these videos show. It's choking on some oak logs smaller than 10 inches and I have to start them with the axe.

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

I wonder if yours isn’t just defective? I have actually now, (over a year later) hit wood that it couldn’t split, but those are like 12” + elm wood pieces that are really wet still.

[@michaeldose2041]

To the headline, 5Tons, that's a pretty significant limitation, right there.

[@agentleebs]

I’ve learned to ignore those strength numbers ( the copy editors all seem to be in a race to out do each other / lie) and wait to see a good review like this one. Gasoline splitters went thru that years ago. Speed vs power vs price is always a trade off.

[@michaeldose2041]

@@agentleebs Okay my comment was a bit tongue in cheek. If you've looked at those little machines, they are not heavy duty. I split a lot of eucalyptus. It has a density that is slightly greater than oak. In some varieties it has a spiral grain, throw in some knots and add the fact that they can often exceed 30 inches in diameter. That little HF splitter wouldn't stand a chance. In fact, the home depot in my area rents 6hp hydraulic splitters. They flat out tell you theirs will not split euc. So yeah, I know the rating doesn't mean that much, but the engine, pump and diameter of the cylinder does. It takes a beast of a splitter to tackle what grows in my area. At least if you want the good stuff.

[@168Diplomat]

A lot of yapping and little demonstration

[@DereksWorkshopAndProjects]

Understanding the wood hardnesses was important to the video. Also, sounds like you got what you paid for.

[@168Diplomat]

@@DereksWorkshopAndProjects lol yeah I probably did.

[@kennethschauer1801]

I have split 20in. Round logs