Dave, Are you still happy with the SS? Are there any differences between the SS & the kinetic from DR?
Dave, Are you still happy with the SS? Are there any differences between the SS & the kinetic from DR?
Still learning after all these years.
I don,t know what I did to make this thread jump to a different catagory.
Still learning after all these years.
I am still trilled with my Super Split. I got the 4 HP Honda option, I love Hondas. Everyone I show loves it too. These are not new by any means. They were invented over 30 yrs ago, and have been in continuous production since. The patent protection ran out a few years ago and you now see copies all over, TSC, DR, and others. Some US made others China etc.Originally Posted by cropseyvillemark
I am looking to find an old bale elevator, prefer 16-20' but can use longer if that is all I find. My only problem with the splitter is that I have too much split wood to move too soon after starting to split.
I occassionally find a piece that needs to be hit more than once, but that is easy and I've yet to find a piece that will not split unless is is cut so crooked on both ends that it won't stay put to split. To re-hit it I just push down on the lever and re lift. Doing this even 4 times takes no more time than my old hydraulic did on one complete cycle. This being said, I have no elm, that might be too much for it, but I'm not sure. After using it for about 3 tanks of gas (and splitting for 6 months) and having enough wood for 2 yrs maple ahead as well as my house wood, I love it. I see no finger danger, infact I think it is safer because it is faster. I know of hydraulic users who get hurt just because of being careless. On mine I just place the block on the table, hold it if needed at mid-point and lift the operating lever. Then I slide half on the table to one side and split the other. Plenty of room (I got the production table). If I don't find an elevator I think I'll make a drop front box extension for my tractor bucket to drive up, slide it under the production table and split til full, then back out, and drive to my staking location, drop the front and unload. This should save time moving the wood. Just let it fall into the box till full, without stacking in the box. Now I stack in the bucket but it fills so fast I get tired just getting on and off the tractor. This was never the case with my old hydraulic unit. The Super split is at least 4-6x the production of my hydraulic. In fact I had help once time, 3 able bodied guys. One feeding blocks to me by bucking and stacking them next to the splitter. The other 2 tried to keep up hauling wood away. I still had to wait for the wood to move out fast enough.
Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.
We've has a supersplit for a long time , likely 15+ yrs which has split thousands of cords of wood and have no complaints whatsoever. On the third motor now but that's about it. If you find after the years that the bearing under the ram is giving you trouble just keep a small jug of used motor oil near you and and put a small amount on the beam everyonce and awhile.
Just wanted to give my comments on the tsc version.
The summer/fall of 2011 I bought the speedco version from TCS. loved the hell out of it. I could keep 2 workers busy while i loaded and split the blocks. Having the work table was great - no bending over to resplit the blocks. The two problems i had with it while I was using it was the speed of the split could cause a piece of wood to go flying. I noticed that it only happen with a block the was not cut squarely ~enough~. Also it did not like the shaggy bark hickory. the bark would get jammed between the ram and the beam. since there is no power back, it was a sob to get it unjammed.
Now the bad. the speedco was a cheap china knock off, the ram/rack gear was not hardened properly and about 5 inched of teeth went missing after 10 cords. I returned it to tsc and the said that all of the speedcos were recalled for this reason and they gave me back my money.
a few months ago, i think it was speedco, was off loading a whole bunch of them on eBay for 1000$, I see they or TSC does not sells them anymore.
Oh I split my firewood by hand (axe) this weekend. there is still a pile of knotted and hickory blocks i will get to ... sometime. I will be looking for a kinetic splitter for next year. most likely it will be a supersplit after reading the good things everyone has said about them.
Dane.
Last edited by DanE.; 10-15-2012 at 02:40 PM. Reason: content
30 Taps - 2009
73 Taps - 2010
75 Taps - 2011
300 Taps - 2012
My super split has likely split 25 full cord so far, with no issues. I do have to spray lube on the main rail if it sets for a few weeks idle. If it was stored inside this might not be an issue. After a liuttle spray to loosen the ram return speed, all is good again.
Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.
I purchased a super splitter a couple months ago have split 7 cord with it and love it not a single issue and the speed is awesome. I would recommend it to any one.
2 1/2 x 10 with steam away leader drop flue inferno arch.
550 in gravity
I was in a log processing plant in upstate Pennsylvania a few years ago and they had two Kinetic splitters. The guy told me they were both about 40 yrs. old. And they looked every bit that old. One was diesel powered with only 20 HP and one was steam driven. Each had two flywheels. The flywheels were about 4 ft. diameter and easily a ft. thick. I think the guy told me the flywheels were 2 tons each. And the stroke had to be at least 8 ft. The flywheel shafts were 12" diameter with the pinion gear machined in the center. I only got to see it operate for a few minutes as they really do not use them much any more. That was one of my more interesting business trips as I got to see many of their operations close-up.
He told me that they were the most reliable machines in the entire plant. All of their hydraulic equipment requires 6 full time mechanics to keep everything in good working order but they only check out the Kinetic splitters once a year.
I think that I wouldn't hesitate to replace my hydraulic splitter with a Kinetic when the time comes - if I live that long.
I have been using the larger DR splitter (Pro-XL) for a year. DR often has "1 year trial" offers, so there wasn't much to lose if I didn't like it or find it safe to use. I've split about 15 cord with it and still look forward to using it.
I agree with the statement made earlier, that the kinetic splitters are less dangerous than the hydraulic units. You stay very alert for that one second each split, rather than trying to multi-task to increase productivity.
The DR machines come standard with a pin hitch - very handy.
If you get one, buy the table.
The Super Split has a trailer hitch as an option. I may add my own hitch tongue and coupler someday, maybe not. If I want to move it to another location now I use my excavator to set it on a trailer.
The speed of it still impresses me. No problems at all, and it splits lots of wood on 1 tank of fuel. My 18 yr old grandson loves to use it, so I rarely get to anymore. That's OK. In fact he has likely finished all my wood for the next 2 yrs syrup needs.
Dave Klish, I recently ordered a 2x6 wood fired evaporator from A&A Sheet Metal which I will be converting to oil fired
Now have solar, 2x6 finish pan, 5 bank 7x7 filter press, large water jacketed bottler, and tankless water heater.
Recently bought another Gingerich RO, this one was a 125, but a second membrane was added thus is a 250, like I had.
After running a 2x3, a 2x6, 3x8 tapping from 79 taps up to 1320 all woodfired, now I'm going to a 2x6 oil fired and a 200-425 taps.
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