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FIREWOOD SEASON

Rent a Log Splitter in the Tri-Cities

Splitting a winter’s worth of firewood by hand is a long weekend you do not get back. A 30 ton vertical splitter turns the same pile into stacked wood in an afternoon, and you roll the heavy rounds into it instead of lifting them. East Tenn Rent-Alls has been renting equipment to Tri-Cities families since 1962.

No membership. No contractor account. No minimum rental. Homeowners rent from us every single day.

THE FLEET

The Log Splitter We Rent

We keep one log splitter, and it is a serious one.

The Model 825 VS is a 30 ton vertical splitter. For context, most rental counters hand homeowners a 20 to 25 ton horizontal unit. Thirty tons with a 13 second cycle time means the machine does not much care what you feed it. Red oak, hickory, and the stringy elm that stalls smaller splitters all go through it.

Vertical is the part that matters most. You do not lift rounds up onto a beam at waist height. You roll them into position at ground level and the ram comes down to meet them. If you have ever wrestled a wet oak round onto a horizontal splitter, that one difference is the whole rental.

Specifications

30 tons splitting force
13 second cycle time
26 inch maximum log length
24 inch ram stroke, 3,000 PSI, 10 inch wedge
910 pounds, suspension axle, standard ball hitch
98 inches long, 60 inches wide, 44 inches tall

BEFORE YOU RENT

How Long Will You Need It?

Since there is one machine, the decision you are actually making is how long to keep it. Here is how to think about that. A 10 percent damage waiver is added to every rental. Rates subject to change.

Four hours, $65

Enough for most single-pile jobs. A cord of seasoned hardwood takes most people two to four hours on a 30 ton machine. If your rounds are already cut and stacked in the yard, the half day is usually all you need.

One day, $110

The right call if you are starting from a downed tree, if the wood is still green, or if you are working through oak or elm. Green wood is heavier to handle and slower to move, and running out of clock with half a pile left is its own kind of misery.

One week, $315

Worth it if you are splitting more than two or three cords, or if you are chipping away at it on evenings and weekends. At that point the weekly rate costs less than three separate day rentals.

Measure your longest round before you come in

The machine takes up to 26 inches. Anything longer needs a cut first, and that is a lot easier to do with a chainsaw at the pile than to discover at the splitter.

TIMING

Split Now, Burn Next Winter

Here is the part most people learn the hard way. Firewood has to season before it burns well. Freshly cut hardwood holds a great deal of moisture, and wood that has not dried will smolder instead of burning, throw noticeably less heat, and load your chimney with creosote.

Six months is the usual minimum. Oak wants a full year. So the wood you split this fall is next winter’s fuel, not this winter’s, and that is true no matter how cold it gets in December.

The good news is that green wood splits easier than wood that has already dried out, and splitting is what lets it dry in the first place. A round left whole will still be wet a year from now. Split it, stack it off the ground, cover the top and leave the sides open to the air, and it will be ready when you need it.

So if you are looking at a pile of rounds and figuring you will get to it in the spring, the calendar disagrees. Fall is when you want the splitter.

A Few Safety Notes

Keep both hands on the controls and nobody else within reach of the wedge. Hold rounds by the sides, never by the ends. Wear eye protection and gloves. If a piece binds on the wedge, back the ram off rather than forcing it through, and shut the engine down before you clear anything by hand.

What to Bring and How to Tow It

What to bring: a valid driver’s license and a credit card. That covers most rentals. No contractor account, no membership.
Towing: the splitter weighs 910 pounds and rides on a suspension axle, so it tows easily behind most half ton pickups and plenty of SUVs. You need a standard ball hitch and working trailer lights. It is 98 inches long and 60 inches wide, so give yourself room to back it into the yard.
Fuel: the unit goes out full and comes back full.
Not set up to tow? Ask about delivery when you call. It is usually cheaper than borrowing a truck.
Reserve ahead in October and November. This is the busiest stretch of the year for splitters and they move fast on fall weekends.

THREE LOCATIONS

Pick Up at Any of Our Three Stores

The splitter is available at all three ETRA locations. Reserve at whichever store is closest to your woodpile.

All three stores are open Monday through Friday 7:30am to 5:00pm and Saturday 7:30am to noon. We serve Kingsport, Elizabethton, Jonesborough, Erwin, Abingdon, and the surrounding communities.

JOHNSON CITY

3711 Bristol Highway
423.282.3221
Mon-Fri: 7:30am-5:00pm
Sat: 7:30am-12:00pm
Sun: Closed

GREENEVILLE

210 Bohannon Ave.
423.638.2436
Mon-Fri: 7:30am-5:00pm
Sat: 7:30am-12:00pm
Sun: Closed

Bristol, VA

300 Commerce Ct.
276.669.3401
Mon-Fri: 7:30am-5:00pm
Sat: 7:30am-12:00pm
Sun: Closed

Log Splitter Rental FAQs

Is there a deposit, and what do I need to bring?

Rentals are paid in advance or held with a deposit, cash or a valid credit card. Bring your driver’s license, a phone number, and the address where the splitter will be used. You’ll sign a short contract and an inspection form at the counter, and if you’re reserving ahead for a fall weekend, the store can hold the unit for your date when you call.

How is the rental period counted?

A day rental is 24 hours from pickup, a week is seven days, and a month is 28 days. The four hour rate is a half day. If you’re picking up on a Saturday, ask the counter how the return works with the Sunday closure so you’re not guessing.

Do you deliver the log splitter, and what does it cost?

Yes, from any of the three stores. Delivery is priced by the size of the equipment, the trip, and the crew it takes, so call your store for a number. When the wood is done, call the store to schedule pickup. The store doesn’t assume a pickup time, so the rental runs until you let them know.

What does the damage waiver cover?

The 10 percent damage waiver is added to every rental, and its coverage and exclusions are spelled out on the contract you sign at the counter, so ask them to walk you through it before you sign. Flat tires, tire damage, and keeping the machine secure while you have it are the renter’s responsibility. If anything is damaged or stops running, call the store right away.

Do I need to clean it before I bring it back?

Yes. The splitter goes out clean, serviced, and full of fuel, and it comes back the same way. Knock the bark and split chips off the beam and foot plate, top off the tank, and check the tires before you return it.

Can I rent a chainsaw with it?

Yes. ETRA rents chainsaws too, and it’s worth adding one if any of your rounds run past the splitter’s 26 inch limit or you’re starting from a downed tree. Reserve both at the same store so they go out together, and ask when you call so the store has a saw ready for your date.

Let's Build Something You're Proud Of

Give us a call or stop by one of our three convenient locations today. We are here to equip any project, big or small!