We recently bought the Boss® 16 Ton Electric Log Splitter. It’s pretty impressive. We’ll unbox, assemble, operate, and critique the unit.

#logsplitting #logsplitter #splittingfirewood

We’ve decided to take firewood production around here to the next level. We’ve got a great arborist friend who not only drops by wood chips but a plentiful supply of sizable trunk sections from the area - including hard and softwoods.

We are in the process of cutting sections that can’t be milled for lumber into 16” (41 cm) lengths (called “bucks”), ready for splitting, using the Boss Industrial® ED16T21 Dual Action 16 Ton Electric Log Splitter.

We chose the electric model for convenience and because we have a 20 amp outlet near our wood processing area, along with the required 12 gauge extension cord. This eliminates the annual maintenance tasks that go along with a gas motor. Another key feature is the dual action that works the ram and attached splitter wedge in both directions. So, at the end of one split, the buck is set on the other side of the wedge and the ram is returned home. This reduces cycle time and makes handling of the wood to be split pretty darn efficient!

We paid under $1600 for the unit.

Key specifications for the machine include:
115V, 60 Hz
Splitting Force: 16 ton
Splitting Length: 20.5” (52 cm)
Cycle Time: Feed - 7 seconds, Retract - 6 seconds
Wheels/Rubber Tires: 16 x 4.8 x 8 (cm: 41x12x20)
Oil Capacity: 4 Gallons (15 liters)
Machine Dimensions (LxWxH): 69x40x36 (cm: 175x102x91)
Machine Net Weight: 304 lbs., 138 kg

The machine came packed in the best crating I’ve ever received. It had a painted angle iron frame bolted to a substantial plywood pallet, with the entire unit sleeved inside the frame with a beefy cardboard liner.

As we disassembled the crate, every part was well laid out and protected and the instruction manual was easy to access. The listing in the manual corresponded nicely with the parts we unpacked. We began by gathering the tools listed and organizing our parts and workspace. We found that we could use a portion of the steel crate frame to help in assembly. We also used a floor jack to raise one of the heavier assemblies into place so we could bolt it in. We recommend you do as well.

Other than a few errant page number references or seemingly contradictory specifications on the hydraulic oil needed, the manual was very useful, and the pictograms are accurate and easy to reference.

To assemble the unit, we simply followed the steps outlined in the documentation. It went well, and there wasn’t anything or a step that was especially difficult. We had the unit in operation in a afternoon.

When we started it up, it sounded smooth and was relatively quiet. Even so, the satisfying sound of splitting wood quickly became addictive! Having a stroke be about 7 seconds moves along pretty quickly, but not so quickly that you can’t keep your hands safe.

The unit looks beefy, and the fit and finish is really nice. Having a trailer hitch and full tires makes it easy to move around with the yard tractor or by hand, and provides some nice stability.

We do think the log trays are a bit small and light gauge. If they were about 4” (10 cm) wider, that would be nice, but we are doing to build some work tables to put beside the unit, so that will be less of an issue than it is now. The gauge could be better too, as we slightly dented one in the first week of use.

We’ll come back in a year and let you know if our favorable impressions still stand. We anticipate they will, but we’ll give you the actual story then - no matter what it is.

Also, you might be interested in purchasing the optional Model CW-D2 4-way wedge Boss Industrial® offers. It slips over the ED16T21’s dual action main wedge and produces two small and two larger splits of wood. It works well on this unit but tends to bog down a bit on stringy or interlaced wood grain such as elm. Even so, we have found it to be handy.

You can check out our brief review video here:

   • 4-Way Log Splitter Wedge - Should you...  

If you’d like to purchase the 4-way wedge that fits this unit, here’s a good source:

https://www.woodsplitteroutlet.com/pr...

With this equipment, we are looking forward to having a fully stocked woodshed and a warm shop next winter. Heck, we think we’ll have excess to sell and create a bit of tool money!

JUST DO IT YOURSELF!

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