Wasted $150 on a fancy brick splitter that barely worked

Picked up a new brick splitter from a big box store last spring, figured it would save time on a patio job. First 10 cuts were fine, then it started chipping edges and leaving ragged faces on every single brick. Anyone else had luck with those cheap splitters or am I stuck renting the big one from the equipment yard?

3 comments

3 Comments

jamieburns20d ago

You're not the only one who hit that wall, I saw a YouTube review that said the same thing about those mid-range splitters. The problem is the cast iron head flexes after a few hard hits, so the cutting face shifts just enough to ruin the brick. Renting the big pneumatic one from the yard is a pain, but at least it doesn't leave you staring at a pile of busted-up brick.

drew_west20d ago

Cast iron head flexes after a few hard hits" - that's the exact thing I was wondering about with these mid-range units. @jamieburns, have you tried shimming the blade with a steel plate to take up that slop, or is it just a lost cause once the frame starts moving? Seems like there's got to be a cheap fix before you drop money on a rental.

jordan1846d ago

Honestly @jamieburns, shimming it is a bandaid at best, you're just making the head crack faster under pressure if the frame's already flexing. Better to save the headache and just rent the big one, or learn to live with some worse splits.