Harbor Freight Log Splitter: Ruined by Lawyers, 5 Minute Fix.
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- Опубликовано: 9 янв 2021
- Harbor Freight nerfed their electric log splitter by eliminating single handed operation in the misguided name of safety. Here’s how to fix it in 5 minutes for $11.
Supplies used:
-Drill
-Cotter Pin
-Momentary foot switch (HF, $11 w/ coupon) 
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Came for log splitting information and got cheap but good therapy.
My mate and I married 24 years last 20 we have used 10 cord of wood every winter to heat our home 4 bedroom tri level with two fireplaces and a tarm wood boiler. Split and stack every year. You are correct Nothing heats better than wood.👍 Nothing like coming home to a warm fire crackling away in the fireplace, and the smell of wood burning give a new meaning to being Home.
Also the knowledge of in an emergency of no electricity, we can have light, heat and means to cook and bake in the fireplace. Talk about comfort in a bad situation.
The benefits of wood are amazing. It can literally save your life. Great video and fantastic content 👍
The bit at the end is gold. Marriage takes teamwork. One half can't drag the other half along. I finally myself such a teammate. Your fix is pretty clever. We have a manual HF log splitter and it's a beast. Takes 2 hands though. Sometimes it a foot too. We love it. Our upgrade will be engine driven.
Just turned 69 this month, looking to buy a electric wood splitter, swing my axe just gets heavier each coming fall.. I was amazed with your solution to a "ruined by lawyers" fix... Your absolutely right, those guys can really mess up a perfectly good operational working machine.. Thank you for your ingenuity and time to post this video....
Good video. "True that" on the relationship advice, from a 75 year old, who splits wood year around, for his wife to be able to "fire up" her cast iron Franklin stove whenever she feels a need to! It makes her smile and reminds her of how she was raised.
NICE!
My husband and I have been married for 43 years and we have burned wood for the last 30 and yes he found a gym in me that is for sure he will be the first one to tell you loved your video
Sage advice about marriage. My wife has split wood with me, walked shelter belts during deer season, layed under a truck with me swapping out a motor mount at 11 pm and given me three kids who are responsible for 7 grandkids. We knew each for other for 6 weeks when we got married. It'll be 43 years come January. It's been a helluva ride.
Your’s is an awesome tale, Brother. God Bless you and your’s.
Kool story bro
First, thank you for the video. I watched several on RUclips before buying. Yesterday I went to Harbor Freight and bought this log splitter. Very happy with it so far. I used it a little bit last night without any modifications. Today I woke up with brilliant idea. No drilling, no clamp like the other viewer mentioned. I used a couple 8 inch cable ties ("zip ties") they fit around the electric box and hold down the button perfectly.
The foot switch I have (also from Harbor Freight) was $16.99 but it's a two way on/off foot switch (not dead man type). So I can hit it once with my foot and take my foot off. After the wood splits I release the lever, the motor is still running so the ram does not retract. I can then grab the wood and move it as I hit the foot pedal to turn off the motor. Then the ram will retract. When the ram gets where I want it to put wood back in, I hit the foot switch again and ram stops there as the motor starts again.
You could also use the double sided hook & loop velcro strap to hold the button down!!!😁👍🏻
Excellent suggestion! And less than my $3 fix! HA HA
This was the best video on splitters that i have ever seen little brother. I don’t know what i liked best. The splitter hack or the excellent marital advise. I have been married for 30 years and you just spoke like a man that has been married just as long as i have been. You and your queen will go far if you keep thinking like this little brother. Peace and blessings to you and your little family. Oh yeah by the way. I am buying this over the Ryobi just because of you. Thank you My friend. LF73.
Thanks for the kind words!
Sir you deserve any and all success you find on RUclips. The advice is very much welcome and I hope there's more to come! great content man 🤝
Glad I ran across your vid. I'm in my 60's but have RA (nasty form of arthritis), and though I still swing an axe/maul, it shuts me down completely pain wise the next day. So I purchased this splitter model a few days ago and was thinking about a toggle switch but didn't want to screw my warranty. Low and behold! Here you come along and brightened my day! Thank you!
BTW, loved the part about the service person with no eyebrows hooking up your gas... lmao
I solved mine with a $3 adjustable screw clamp from HF! No drilling necessary. I leave mine on while I am splitting and have had it 5 years with no problems. In fact I used it for about 30 minutes this afternoon to split some wood down to more managable size today. My wife fires our stove, and plays with it all day. In the evenings, I stay up later than her and before coming to bed, put in a load so there are starter coals in the morning! She loves her hot spot near it very much...backs up to it and warms her buns before going to bed! HA HA
Mine wont let the ram come back until both the switch and lever out released. Did yours not have that issue?
@@boxerdog0588 Nope, as soon as let go of the lever, the ram returns to the start position. Still working well. I started splitting a 12 foot trailer load of wood today. Worked well until I nearly was overcome by the heat...99 and 108 heat index today! At least I have a fan on me and am in the shade the entire time! I am in no hurry, will work it a few wheelbarrows at a time until it is all done! Being 72, us old guys know how to work smarter, not harder! LOL
@@boxerdog0588 mine won’t return while the button is depressed either…
@@boxerdog0588 No problem with mine at all.
Mine won't work with clamp .
Being married for 47 years, I get the dry humor...and Love it..
This is the first video of yours I have seen, was in Harbor freight looking at this splitter as my big has one is dead… found your video, your comments on the electrical components were enough for me to sub to your channel. Thanks
I got one of these ~1 yr back, to let shoulder injury mend. Saved my bacon until I can properly swing a maul again. I used a woodworking clamp to hold the switch on the motor closed. When the clamp fell off, switch stayed closed. Pity that. I use a HF NO foot switch on a wood scrap to run the motor. Sharpening the wedge makes life easier on the mechanicals. One big PLUS of this machine, why I bought one, is that it takes only about 1' square space to stow it on end indoors. Shoulder responded poorly to Covid vaccine shots, but it's coming along nicely, bless it. Morso stove still great.
My father-in-law has the same splitter, and I am always the operator... I will be using this easy modification very soon. Thank you for sharing it with us!
I've split 5 cords through it so far. Does what I need it to. ruclips.net/user/postUgkxUyQswtttSffRMblGbrhCvZn7JkhtG1-7 I scrounge all my firewood and am not equipped to handle big wood, but for logs up to 24 inch diameter or so, it works great. I've been amazed by some of the gnarly bur oak and elm crotches it has split. For the tougher stuff within it's size range, you might have to study the piece a bit to decide the best attack, but if you split smart it's up to the job. It did arrive low on oil, and I was would have nicked it half a star for that, but it has regained my full confidence. UPDATE NOVEMBER 2021: Still going strong after all these years. I love the one-handed operation. Hope it's still in production if I ever need to replace it
AMEN Bother on the relationship tip! .. Thanks for sharing this quick easy mod on the log splitter. I'll be changing mine up this week.
Just returned a borrowed electric wood splitter to my neighbor (I like having my own stuff, ya know...) and have been researching electric ones and HBF pricing on this model is $329 (TN, USA) now. Probably will get the foot switch as well. Need to work on a sturdy table to bring it up off the ground as the knees and back sure feel it more now (not 20 yo anymore). I'll reply back on this thread in a few months, as it's Winter time and I'm about to do A LOT of wood splitting. Great video, appreciate your candor and sharing tips. Saved your link to check back on other stuff and things later on.
Mine is mounted on a left over metal stand from my woodshop, did not have to built a thing!
I found the foot switch at HF..two versions...dead man's vs push on/push off. At first I went for the push on/off but that's not as convenient as the dead man as the motor keeps running and the ran does not retract, even if the lever is dis-engaged. I have also been put off by the difficulty with moving the splitter "off road". I was looking to change the wheels, expand the wheel base, or something. Then HF had a hand truck on at Black Friday. Going to try mounting the splitter on the hand cart, add the switch and moving should be easier, plus the machine will be raised up by 10-12". I've had my splitter for around 5 years and it has earned it's spot in my garden shed. Thanks for the inspiration!
Brilliant solution! You've made the splitter easier to use and-I believe-safer. Plus, yes, you've got a keeper.
Numerous log splitter injuries ending in amputation seem to counter that belief. Just pointing it out, people can do whatever they want with their stuff. _(ツ)_/¯
Yes, It is safer, as you can hold onto the logs to stop it firing them across the yard. 😄
I have practically the same splitter from Tractor Supply. I bought a maounting frame for it that gets it up to waist level. I use a clamp on that button and bought the same foot switch. Now it's one hand and foot to operate. You need the extra hand to hold your wood down sometimes. It works perfectly. So you are a few years behind, I did this almost ten years ago.
I just bought one of these and I too wondered and was skeptical about the two handed operation. This”fix” is brilliant.
Thanks for the video! My dad mentioned to me, twice, during Thanksgiving, that he regrets selling his old hydraulic splitter. He's 79 and could sure use one. I was eyeballing the Harbor Freight splitter. This gives me hope.
Have you bought it for him yet??? He will love you even more if you do! HA HA
Great solution for the two handed operation. I have a review of the log splitter on my channel and and was referred to your channel for this fix. I have ordered my foot pedal and will be installing for this falls wood splitting. Great video!
Thanks!
I like it. I got the same unit last season, and split 99% of what I needed. Bought several cords already split, but had to further split it down to the right size for my fireplace insert & wood stove. I should have snugged up all the bolts that go into aluminum threads, one vibrated out and couldn't get it to stay back in, so I had to exercise my warranty privilege. Now there's a "new-in-the-box" unit in the pole barn waiting for next season. I'll snug up everything and be generous with the Loctite. I'll add a HF foot switch, too.
I put a small electrical enclosure behind the lever with the momentary push button switch installed there so pulling the lever also pushes the button. I then put a push/pull button where the original momentary switch was to act as a sort of master switch. Works great now. And the relationship advice? Awesome. You and yours are cut from the same cloth as me and mine.
Can you post a video of you solution? That’s what I was thinking of doing.
Simplest solution is usually the best. Very nicely done bro. You just sold me on one of these splitters. lol.
Great info, I just looked at one of these splitters at Harbor Freight, The switch part was very helpful.
My wife got me the same wood splitter as an early xmas present. Not fast but it does the job. I placed mine on a table so I don't have to bend over to operate.
This is awesome. Your video convinced me to go out & buy it, along with the foot pedal and the fix - I just used a nail and it worked perfectly. I can't even imagine bending over and holding that button. It's nearly on the ground! Thanks again.
Set it on a platform so you can save your back, brother, and you will thank me! HA HA
Yes. The problem with these log splitters is that you need to get down very close to them to operate both the lever and the switch. I also had a log fly into my face and have a 2 inch scar right between my eyes. I ended up extending the handle and installing a remote switch for the button. Now it can be operated without having your face right next to it.
Stumbled onto your channel. Subscribed almost immediately. How do you not have more subscribers? This is the channel I wanted to do. Thanks keep em coming!
You should do it! Any moron can. Case in point…
i bought the same model. Its great and does what I need it to do. 2 issues....it is small and sits low, so I put it on an old wire reel I have and it fits almost waist high ( I'm tall), second, holding that button down tends to hurt after a while. Can only do so much before you stop. I thought of doing a rewire with a pistol grip type switch but this is better, no wire spicing just a couple quick holes to drill and done. Thanks.
As a lawyer looking for a splitter, I want to thank you for sharing your creative solution.
Just bought that splitter yesterday and can’t wait to upgrade per your video.
Great video and Amen on the marriage comments!
Great work. No question that some of these ideas actually make things less safe. Same thing goes for the new Ryobi 40V hedge trimmers. The require 2-handed operation. Which means that if you use them from a ladder, you lose your three points of contact And fact is, people are going to use them from a ladder.
I went one step further and installed a mechanism on the rear lever that presses a button ,which means that I only use one hand to start the splitter and the other hand maneuvers the wood log
Thank you for the advice and this awesome mod! I don't have a wood stove...I wish I did.
I wanted wood heat in my home soooo badly, but I can't seem to convince the wife that it's better.
I keep telling her that it's better and if the grid goes down and electricity and propane fail, with a wood stove we'd have options to heat the house.
We'd have to have a stove installed, chimney routed to the outside and heating side connected to the vents for the rest of the house...but the benefits far outweigh the costs.
I'm in the same boat as you.. Last week she asked why I purchased a splitter, I said because I'm installing the stove soon.. 😎
I just bought the harbor freight 5 ton splitter along with the foot pedal switch. Thank you for the video
2nd biggest thing wrong with this world is the damn Lawyers! BRAVO for FIXING your splitter. I love the relationship advice. Had someone told me that 20 years ago, I would not be twice divorced. My next one is going to be a homely chick (Nowadays, Character and loyalty are well above looks on the list of things I want in a woman.) that is willing to fiddle fart with the wood stove all day to keep the house warm. :-)
Everyone gets ugly eventually. Character lasts forever!
The first thing I did when Mine arrived was order the big c-clamp and foot switch , screwed the switch to a piece of plywood, so it stays stable and does not run around the ground so much. Have used this setup for two years now and split 14 cords of firewood, works great.
I love it!
Great, simple, inexpensive mod! I have the Homelite splitter with the power button on top, works equally well with the cotter pin. I also use a cut off broomhandle to depress the lever, which mine has instead of the handle, saves me bending over. Thanks,
There’s nothing quite like taking a knotty piece of Oak right in the grille. Thanks lawyers.
Nice solution, I like the footswitch idea, as you say, 'ruined by Lawyers'
I have the same splitter, I mounted a heavy duty micro switch on the back of the lever then wired in a 230v relay inside the box, happy days.
Also, as my brother pointed out, I can tie a piece of string to the lever with a loop the other end as a foot switch, hands free!
Thanks. I was looking at videos and trying to figure out a solution. I like yours the best. I just bought myself a foot peddle control. Much thanks.
I like it--thanks! I went with a machine-shop aluminum pedal switch attached to a cord salvaged from an old sump pump float switch.
I purchased my 5 ton in early summer. I live in SoCal and the most prevalent wood here is eucalyptus. Funny thing with this wood is how hard and twisty it is. If you try with all your might and use an ax, the ax will just bounce right off the log. Very hard to split. This 5 ton from Harbor Freight has NO problem splitting this twisted wood. I have split rounds that were up to 15" diameter. Maybe not the first try or down the middle, but starting on the edges and taking slices off. Sometimes I have to work the round and flip it or just move it a quarter turn. I have it on a rollaway bench that I love. It hasn't failed me yet with over 2 cords split so far. As far as adjusting the ram, all I did was to cut a piece of wood and place it behind the ram so it won't cycle all the way back. Yes, the two hands to control is somewhat awkward at times when you want to hold your wood from raising up. I would also like to see some small spikes on the ram head to keep it from slipping off the wood sometimes.
Great solution. For a moment I thought you were going to use something like a trigger clamp to depress the button.
I like your solution. If I wanna deal with overbearing safety measures, I'd go clock into work.
We have one older splitter that turns on and stays on, it will split and retract without shutting down the motor. We have split wood with it for several years.
My Dad and I both also have the newer style. He holds the switch on using a c-clamp and cycles the power with a push on, push off foot switch. He is in his eighties and it works for him but would like to elevate and use it vertically.
I replaced my switch with a rotary on/off switch and still have to shut it off to retract.
I'm flipping the tank end for end to get the suction port to the bottom. If I can't modify the valve, we plan on using it as a manifold, plug everything we don't need, install a downer for the oil return(s) and mount an electric 2 position 4 way with one work port directed to tank or cross drill the manifold to tank. We hope to automate the process a little and add a lift. Maybe...
Great video 👍🏻 Loved the commentary and fun edits lol! 🤣
Thanks!
Great advice by the way.... I completely agree 💯👍🏻
AWSOME….. and the relationship advice was spot on. 🏆🏆🏆
Good to see someone thinking thru the process. I will use those ideas at home and camp. Takes a village.
another thought... the temporary clamp idea would be good while still under warranty. There is no way anyone could tell it was modified.
Great lesson and advice! Laughed at the Propane story!!
As a side note I have a foot switch on my drill press that way my hands are free to hold work and use the drill press and if the work gets stuck just let off foot switch in stead of trying to hold work and hit the stop button . I am thinking about getting a splitter and thanks I will use my foot switch👍
Can we tie the lawyers hands ,hold the log with your feet. Good love advice !
Great advice... I needed to hear that. ........now back to the bar.
Nice, thanks. You gave me some ideas ; I just purchased a HFLS today. 2-handed operation for a log-splitter is as dangerous as those new gas cans that take 3 people to operate. BTW, agreed, Propane scares me two. - N Idaho - edit. Married 34 years.
I have the same identical machine. But my button is on top so I was able to carve a 5 1/4 inch stick that I can wedge in that holds the button down continuously .
Then I put a bungee cord around the wood.
Saves about three arm reaches and four bend overs per log.
And I also put a 7 inch 3 x 6 piece of wood for the cylinder to relax back on.
It cut the travel time of the cylinder reach by a fourth thus it is crack crack crack crack instead of crack……………crack …………….crack………….crack
I love it. I first had it in the woodshed and now I have it in the house next to the stove.
instead of using that paver to stop the piston from going back all the way theres usually a collar on one of the 2 round rods that go out with the cyclinder on the wedge end u turn the bolt on the collar to hold it in place and stop the ram from retracting all the way
Genius on the foot switch, man. I think I am going to pick one of these up. They are cheap, and they sure beat hand splitting. I just wasn't sure what their capabilities would be since it is only a 5 ton splitter. I have used 25 and 30 ton gas powered log splitters, but I didn't want to drop the coin on one of those right now.
Good idea. Just saw that Harbor Freight also sells the foot switch
Being able to position yourself behind it really adds to the safety, IMO.
Life advice from a Harbor Freight Tool review. The man knows what he's talking about.
A wife that doesn't mind handling your wood is nice
There is an old joke about a guy fooling with a propane stove, and it blows up! On his way up, he meets a man falling down. The man yells, do you know anything about parachutes? And he tells back, no do you know anything about propane stoves?
Thanks a lot for this video!!! I’ll be doing this to mine.
Great idea! those foot switches really come in handy!!
If you're thinking about buying a log splitter but don't want to futz around with workarounds, buy a Boss electric splitter; they're still one-handed. My 7-ton unit looks exactly like the HF model in this video, right down to the oil vent screw. Had it for two years, no issues.
Luv your 'metaphors'... thx!
Not only does she run the wood stove she helps split and stack. We are in our 60’s now. It’s more than a metaphor.
Two good fixes, thanks. i also thought a foot switch would be the way to go. i'm just now considering breaking down and getting a splitter, and the two hand thing bothered me. I've got a little bar clamp that might hold down that switch on a new one, and already have a foot switch that i use on Dremel tools and knife sharpeners, so I’m a little closer to deciding which to get.
I just posted above, two 8" zip ties work perfectly. 30 cents for couple zip ties and you can save your bar clamp for something else.
@@bobfromoh Yeah considered other things, the little bar clamp was handy and unemployed. :-) I actually, long ago, used his technique on some gas cans with a button I have to hold down, which was a pain, but is not so bad anymore.
Great simple fix!
You can have the wood I burn coal better ongoing heat and low maintenance. I load my with stove with coal at 6 am and I don’t touch it until 6 am the next day. I get the coal for free from selling all the oak logs to people which I have more hard wood seasoned in tree lengths to supply 15 years
You r right about all. Get rid of crap that don't help. life gets hard
The true problem is in the valve. If there was a way to change the valve so that the pump pressure when running doesn't stop the ram from returning then you could just install a simple on/ off switch. Unfortunately I have not been able to find anything for any of these style splitter when it comes to the valve. But this is a great idea too.
This is what I was hoping to do. Flip a switch for power and use just the handle to move the ram back and forth.
@@boxerdog0588 unfortunately I've looked for valves and have had no luck. Best thing to do is buy one that's already set up that way
@@millennialhomesteading5915 I should have looked at the controls before I purchased and modified mine. I turned it into a budget forging press.
I really enjoyed this, you are a natural
Excellent fix
Thanks!
The wheel base could be wider. Other than that I have no problem with mine. I paid $307.00 out the door.
Awesome video and awesome hack! Thanks so much!
1 minute and 25 seconds in,,,,, And Im an instant sub.... That seems to be coming out of my mouth a lot more these days..
Excellent video, many thanks . Same here in the UK with the lawyers, our poor country is literally drowning in bullshit....Regards to all.
I got that impression from watching Clarkson’s Farm- crazy!
I was actually thinking of this style splitter the other day and thinking that they would be the ideal candidate for hooking a variable speed drive to. The speed could be increased a fair bit and dropped down to a lower speed as the current goes up as the motor bogs down.
Mine has a two speed switch related to the position of the lever...midway is faster to get the ram to the log, then down is the high pressure slower speed, when I hear the log pop, then I raise the lever to speed through the log.
Is that the same style of electric/hydraulic?
@@Alan_Hans__ It looks like the same splitter to me. It is an electric hydraulic splitter.
Thanks for the video & great marriage advice! 😉👍
Nice mod, I'm currently making a double lever for mine that simultaneously depresses the power button and trips the ram lever . What makes me laugh is that these morons think that having to use both hands to run the thing, allowing a split log to possibly fly up and hit the operator in the face is supposed to be SAFER? The lawyers and government regulators can ruin anything with their blatant stupidity.......
I have a fireplace and a pellet stove, I love them both
Wise beyond your years young man !!!
Slowly trying to convert my knowledge into wisdom!
@@thedoubtfultechnician8067 read Eclessiastes book of the bible to learn how to gain wisdom!
Loved the video and the marriage advice. I'm wondering if you could have just removed the momentary switch and hard wired the foot pedal.
I had thought of putting a Limit switch or Microswitch on the handle so when I moved handle forward the motor came on.. Just lazy and haven't done it yet.
Good move. Really helpful.
If you got a bad wife you’ll find out with firewood. Thanks for the easy fix, I’ll void the warranty
Clamped that stupid button down. I Plug it in and unplug when finished. No feet work.
excellent!
His model won't retract the ram while the motor's running
I got a win electric log splitter the little thing does a good job for the size but this to hand of crap I don't like I got to fix mine
Thanks for the idea. I've seen other models where it came with a switch and you left the engine running. Oh well.
I currently use my right foot to hit the button. but this foot pedal is genius
That’s impressive foot dexterity!
Great fix, thanks for sharing. Did you consider locking down the control lever as well? Seems to me just using the foot pedal would do?
It won’t retract unless you release both the lever and the foot switch.
Hey great video. Now since you sound pretty acquainted with wood splitting machines I have a question.
I have a small 6.5 log splitter. First one. It is not retracting. Any ideas what the problem might be?
I assume electric? Any idea the make and model?