Reviewing old threads, came across this guy. Like the Northern Tool stuff, having a good motor like a Honda is critical, bad motor would shut the whole operation down. But even Honda's (my BIL uses lots in his contracting biz) can have problems with wearing out the pulley rope, so a spare assembly and spare rope is a must. Right now we rent or borrow a splitter at the lake, would like to get something of our own (if we in fact keep the property in the family), as right now all we have to ourselves is the Timber Blaster I got from Duluth Trading that requires old school brute human force.