Tonnage is force, not speed
A log splitter’s tonnage rating is the hydraulic force the ram can push into the wedge. Higher tonnage helps larger and denser rounds; cycle time, wedge design, and max log length are separate specs. This site screens force first because buying short on tonnage is the common homeowner mistake.
Diameter × hardness bands used here
Retail sizing charts commonly map diameter bands (about ≤6, ≤12, ≤18, ≤24, and larger) against softwood, medium, and hardwood midpoints. LogTons uses those midpoints as a transparent shopping screen — not a lab measurement of your specific species, grain, or knots. Size to the largest, hardest round you will process.
Green wood adder
Freshly cut (“green”) wood is harder to split than seasoned firewood. Consumer guides often add roughly 10 tons for green wood of the same diameter and species. This calculator adds 10 tons when moisture = 2. If your wood is only partially dried, prefer the green setting rather than under-buying.
Class ladder on this site
Verified VEVOR US destinations on this ladder are a 6.5 ton electric class for light softwood work and a 30 ton gas class for most homeowner hardwood demand within the 30 ton ceiling. Requirements above 30 tons return NO_MATCH instead of recommending an undersized machine. Affiliate tracking is pending; links are ordinary merchant URLs checked on 2026-09-10.
Limits and honesty rules
This screen does not model knotty crotch wood as a separate factor, frozen timber, commercial cord-per-hour throughput, or hydraulic DIY cylinder/PSI math. For DIY force from bore and PSI, use a hydraulic cylinder calculator. Always confirm live listing tonnage, max log length/diameter, dual-hand controls, and safe outdoor placement before purchase.