Credit due

[Walker570]

Just invested in an electric drive hydraulic log splitter for use up by the house.  I have a large tractor driven one in the wood but sometimes there is a log in the store which is just a bit too big and swinging a splitting wedge was getting a bit of a chore.  I had a look on the web and Wickes had 6ton Handy splitters on offer at £220 and it was delivered within three days.

It looked very substantial and a couple of trial splits it worked fine until I put a short log(6inch) on and then it did initially split it but began to make that unmistakeable noise when a pump is struggling for fluid, so I checked the reservoir and when assembled they had failed to put sufficient fluid in to reach the lowest setting on the dip stick.

I e mailed Handy this morning explainign and enquiring if I could use what I normally use in my other hydraulic units (ATF) and received an automated reply explaing they where struggling becaue of covid and it may take longer to repond. This afternoon I got a friendly reply apologising for the problem and explaing that ATF would not do the job and that they would send me some of their fluid to enable me to top up the reservoir.  I thought it was a brilliant response. 

The splitter looks like it will do what it says on the label and save me a lot of swinging the splitting axe.  Just need to build a bench for it now.

[oowee]

I have been using a Ryobi one for the last 8 years. It looks a little worse for wear now that the side bars are bent from the logs. An excellent piece of kit non the less but sometimes a little dangerous as the logs can fire off horizontally when they go with a bang. For all logs I now use a padding log to reduce the stroke length and speed up the process.

[Benthejockey]

FIL got one from Charlies a few years back. I've split some big rounds with it but its seriously heavy to shift off road or lift into my truck. Its good just a bit slow on the down strike.

[Ultrastu]

ha I've just bought a nice hickory handled spliting axe for a few logs in the garden .

The only fluid it runs out of is elbow grease   😆

[Dougy]

6 minutes ago, Ultrastu said:

ha I've just bought a nice hickory handled spliting axe for a few logs in the garden .

The only fluid it runs out of is elbow grease   😆

I know what i would rather be using if i had a trailer load to split. 

[loriusgarrulus]

32 minutes ago, Ultrastu said:

ha I've just bought a nice hickory handled spliting axe for a few logs in the garden .

The only fluid it runs out of is elbow grease   😆

I used one as a child and a bill hook for stick wood on an oak log in the yard as did OH.

That is great until you get to 65 and both have arthritis. Then a petrol or electric log splitter takes over.👍

[London Best]

58 minutes ago, Ultrastu said:

ha I've just bought a nice hickory handled spliting axe for a few logs in the garden .

The only fluid it runs out of is elbow grease   😆

Most of us will run out of elbow grease years before we are Mr. Walker’s age!

[WalkedUp]

Yes, very impressive you have had the physical strength and grit to carry on without one so far into your golden years. Many young men would have given up long before. 

If you split your own logs they warm you twice. 

[team tractor]

The size of your hands nev I’m surprised you dont pull them apart 😂

[figgy]

Father bought a good one after putting a fuskars x27 splitting axe through top if his foot. 

Lives it and gets through his rounds much faster

[Walker570]

Well, I double up on my  'CREDIT DUE' comment.  The post lady this morning dropped off a large parcel containing a gallon of hydraulic fluid sent by Handy.  It is great when your faith in good service is re built.   Well done Handy.