Home » NorthStar
NorthStar - Log Bear Works

NorthStar

4 Products

NorthStar builds log splitters for people who split serious volume and expect the machine to still be working in ten years. Every splitter we carry from them runs a commercial Honda GX engine and a two-stage pump, and the range starts at 37 tons of ram force, which is where most other brands stop.

Four models cover the range. The entry 37-ton horizontal and vertical runs a Honda GX270 and handles 16-inch logs up to 25 inches long on a 14-second cycle. The Deluxe version of the same layout steps up to a Honda GX390 with 12-inch high-speed tires and an Ultra-Tow package for moving between sites.

If you never want to lift a round again, the two log lift models are the reason to be here. The 37-ton Deluxe horizontal pairs a GX390 with a 5 by 30-inch stroke cylinder, takes 24-inch logs up to 31 inches long on a 13-second cycle, and its log lift handles 340 pounds. At the top, the 42-ton runs a Honda GX630 688cc V-twin on a 6 by 30-inch cylinder.

Worth knowing on the spec sheets: NorthStar quotes both ram force and continuous force. The 37-ton models deliver 34.3 tons continuous, which is the honest working number and still more than most splitters produce at peak. Compare the whole category in our Gas Log Splitters collection.

Why NorthStar

  • 37 Tons Minimum: The smallest NorthStar we sell starts where most brands top out.
  • Commercial Honda Power: GX270, GX390 and GX630 engines, not consumer-grade motors.
  • Log Lifts on Two Models: A 340 lb lift capacity so big rounds never leave the ground by hand.
  • Honest Force Ratings: Continuous force published alongside peak ram force.

How to Choose a NorthStar Log Splitter

Four things separate these models:

  • Horizontal or Both Ways: Horizontal-only suits a fixed splitting station with a lift. Horizontal and vertical lets you roll heavy rounds under the wedge instead of lifting them.
  • Log Capacity: The H/V models take 16-inch diameter logs up to 25 inches. The log lift horizontal takes 24-inch diameter up to 31 inches, which is a real step up.
  • Do You Need the Lift: If you handle rounds over about 100 pounds regularly, a lift pays for itself in your back before it pays for itself in time.
  • Towing: The Deluxe models carry 12-inch high-speed tires and an Ultra-Tow package. The base model runs 8-inch tires.

Explore Related Log Splitters

More Ways to Process Firewood

Here are other collections for the rest of the firewood job:

Quick Product Comparison

Product Name Engine Force Log Capacity Stand-out Features
NorthStar 37-Ton Horizontal & Vertical Honda GX270, 270cc 37 ton (34.3 continuous) 16 in. dia., 25 in. long Two-stage concentric pump, 14-second cycle
NorthStar Deluxe Horizontal/Vertical Honda GX390, 390cc 37 ton (34.3 continuous) 16 in. dia., 25 in. long 12 in. high-speed tires, Ultra-Tow package
NorthStar 37-Ton Deluxe with Log Lift Honda GX390, 390cc 37 ton (34.3 continuous) 24 in. dia., 31 in. long 340 lb log lift, 5 x 30 in. stroke, 13-second cycle
NorthStar 42-Ton with Log Lift Honda GX630, 688cc V-twin 42 ton Largest in the range 6 x 30 in. cylinder, most powerful we carry

Broader Firewood Equipment Collections

Why Choose NorthStar from Log Bear Works?

  • NorthStar log splitters from 37 to 42 tons, all Honda powered
  • Full manufacturer warranty included on every splitter
  • Free shipping and a 30-day money back guarantee
  • Expert support from real people in the USA who can size a splitter to your wood, by phone or live chat

Frequently Asked Questions

What does NorthStar make?
NorthStar builds heavy-duty gas log splitters at the upper end of the market. The four machines here run from a 37-ton horizontal and vertical splitter at $3,299 to a 42-ton horizontal machine with a hydraulic log lift at $13,000. All of them use Honda GX commercial engines, and the two larger machines are built around log lifts, which tells you the range is aimed at people handling rounds too heavy to lift by hand.

What is a log lift, and do I need one?
A log lift is a hydraulic arm that raises the round from the ground to the beam so you never lift it yourself. On the 37-ton Deluxe at $7,000 and the 42-ton at $13,000 it is the feature you are mostly paying for. Whether you need it comes down to one question: how big are your rounds? Anything you can comfortably roll and tip onto a beam does not need a lift. A 24-inch green oak round weighs several hundred pounds, and at that point a lift is not a luxury, it is the only way one person works safely all day.

Why is there such a price gap between the 37-ton models?
Because they are three different machines despite sharing a tonnage. The $3,299 machine is a horizontal and vertical splitter on a Honda GX270 with a concentric pump. The $4,500 Deluxe steps up to a 389cc Honda GX390. The $7,000 Deluxe horizontal adds the hydraulic log lift on the GX390. Tonnage is the least useful number for comparing them, since all three apply 37 tons; what you are actually buying as you move up is engine size and material handling.

What is a concentric pump, and why does it matter?
A concentric pump is a two-stage design that moves the ram quickly under light load and then automatically shifts to high pressure when the wood resists. The result is that you are not waiting through a slow, high-pressure stroke on rounds that split easily, which is most of them. It is why a well-specified splitter feels fast in real use even when its rated cycle time looks unremarkable, and it is standard on the NorthStar machines here.

When is 42 tons and a 4-way wedge the right machine?
When you are producing firewood at volume and the constraint is handling, not force. The 42-ton at $13,000 pairs a Honda GX630 with a hydraulic 4-way wedge and a log lift, so a single pass gives you four pieces and you never lift a round. That combination is aimed squarely at commercial production. For heating your own home, even a large one, it is far more machine than the job needs, and one of the 37-ton models will serve you better for a fraction of the money.

Horizontal-only or horizontal and vertical?
A horizontal and vertical machine pivots the beam upright so you can roll a heavy round against the wedge instead of lifting it. That is the cheap way to solve the heavy-round problem, and the $3,299 and $4,500 NorthStar machines both work that way. A log lift is the expensive way to solve the same problem, and it is why the two horizontal-only machines here can stay horizontal: the lift does the work the vertical mode would otherwise do. Compare the wider range in our gas log splitters collection.