# Oregon Kinetic Log Splitter



## Philbert (Jul 15, 2016)

New 'super split' type splitter?



Philbert


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## Sandhill Crane (Jul 15, 2016)

I'd like to see a kinetic splitter taken to the next level. Larger type trailer, bigger tires, larger table, an adjustable four-way shelf wedge, hydraulic log lift on each side, and a folding conveyor.
Edit: add self powered, a steering wheel, four wheels and a seat.


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## sawjunky23 (Jul 16, 2016)

Anybody that has experience with these type of splitters comment on how they do with stringy wood like elm/ hackberry?


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## ChoppyChoppy (Jul 16, 2016)

I don't know any commercial firewood guys that use splitters. Time/labor is money. Equipment is cheap compared to hiring several laborers.


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## Hddnis (Jul 16, 2016)

sawjunky23 said:


> Anybody that has experience with these type of splitters comment on how they do with stringy wood like elm/ hackberry?




They do fine, doesn't slow then down.


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## Hddnis (Jul 16, 2016)

ValleyFirewood said:


> I don't know any commercial firewood guys that use splitters. Time/labor is money. Equipment is cheap compared to hiring several laborers.




I know several, and know several that use hydraulic splitters. Mostly land clearing and tree service companies that process their own wood. I keep trying to get a friend of mine to try a SuperSplit since all he uses right now is cheap Home Depot special splitters. He does land clearing and tree work and sell ~600 cords of wood a year, about half of that is oak. Lot of places have wood that simply won't fit in a processor.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Jul 16, 2016)

Hddnis said:


> I know several, and know several that use hydraulic splitters. Mostly land clearing and tree service companies that process their own wood. I keep trying to get a friend of mine to try a SuperSplit since all he uses right now is cheap Home Depot special splitters. He does land clearing and tree work and sell ~600 cords of wood a year, about half of that is oak. Lot of places have wood that simply won't fit in a processor.



Yeah, true. We usually leave those trees in the woods. Processor can do about 22"


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## KiwiBro (Jul 16, 2016)

Sandhill Crane said:


> I'd like to see a kinetic splitter taken to the next level. Larger type trailer, bigger tires, larger table, an adjustable four-way shelf wedge, hydraulic log lift on each side, and a folding conveyor.
> Edit: add self powered, a steering wheel, four wheels and a seat.


You forgot the beverage cooler.
It's quit uncanny how similar our trains of thought are on a number of firewood ideas.


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## 009L (Jul 16, 2016)

ValleyFirewood said:


> I don't know any commercial firewood guys that use splitters. Time/labor is money. Equipment is cheap compared to hiring several laborers.



What "Equipment" do they use? 

Thanks


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## KiwiBro (Jul 16, 2016)

OK, so, the usual questions about any new SS-clone entrants:

- price
- can the safety features be eliminated
- warranty
- towable

*edit* - so, towable. But if that double-handed safety crap can't be circumvented it's a real shame.

Nice to see the weight of engine down low.
A pity they had to fall into the same BS marketing trap as others and compare the speed to an underpowered snail version of a real hydraulic splitter. That sort of BS turns, or at least should, many away.


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## KiwiBro (Jul 16, 2016)

ValleyFirewood said:


> I don't know any commercial firewood guys that use splitters. Time/labor is money. Equipment is cheap compared to hiring several laborers.


Horses for courses.
Apart from a tree service add-on, there's the guys that don't have the cash and don't want to go into debt to afford and support, a bigger processor.

Your point about the time/labour cost is not the only reason for a processor though. In my case it's a near-pathological fear of anyone in my employ hurting themselves on my watch. I'd rather automate as much as possible and stay a one-man band or at least automate the risky bits and leave the safe jobs for others.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Jul 16, 2016)

Yeah safety too. I have a bad back so there'd be no way I'd be able to process wood using a chainsaw and splitter. The bending and lifting would cripple me.
I do own a splitter for the stuff that won't pass through the processor. I usually throw all that stuff in the back 40 and when the pile gets big we split it into chucks that will fit in the processor. I have a minion on staff for the heavy lifting. 

Makes me think of those Timberwolf splitters, darn near the cost of a small processor but only a splitter. Not sure the thought process on that?


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## Jhenderson (Jul 16, 2016)

sawjunky23 said:


> Anybody that has experience with these type of splitters comment on how they do with stringy wood like elm/ hackberry?



There's a reason the wedge is only 8 inches tall and you never see a 4 way on this style machine. I know a guy who had one. Twisted maple or big knots gave him fits. 3-4 cycles then roll the stick 180 degrees and try the other half.


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## KiwiBro (Jul 16, 2016)

Hddnis said:


> They do fine, doesn't slow then down.


Very stringy wood does seem to slow me down on my SS. Old man pine can be both knotty and stringy and it is quite a fight at times. In some stringy species, it makes a difference if splitting up the tree or down the tree. I keep my knife pretty sharp but still with an edge that won't fold over in denser wood, and a sharp knife certainly helps in stringy stuff, but it's still a pain.


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## MNGuns (Jul 16, 2016)

Jhenderson said:


> There's a reason the wedge is only 8 inches tall and you never see a 4 way on this style machine. I know a guy who had one. Twisted maple or big knots gave him fits. 3-4 cycles then roll the stick 180 degrees and try the other half.



Every see twisted maple or big knots run thru any of the high speed machines..? SuperSplit, TW6, even processors such as Block Buster and Cord King. They are designed for high volume commercial firewood. Have yet to see a bundle of wood for sale full of knot wood. You spec the logs that run fast thru the machines. The logger brings you just that if he wants to sell you more. Leave the junk wood for the weekend warriors.


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## Jhenderson (Jul 16, 2016)

I leave nothing over 4inch in the woods. There's a home for everything. I do refuse to sell processor only wood. Maybe that's why I haven't been out of work in 30+ years.


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## MNGuns (Jul 16, 2016)

Jhenderson said:


> I leave nothing over 4inch in the woods. There's a home for everything. I do refuse to sell processor only wood. Maybe that's why I haven't been out of work in 30+ years.



3" an up in MN for state lands. You are right, saw logs, pulp wood, firewood logs, tops and chip. It all has a home, just not all of it comes to my home


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## TedyOH (Jul 16, 2016)

That thing does a number on punky wood.........Dr. Power equipment has had one out for a few years, I think I remember people complaining about a belt always jumping on tough wood, something like that anyway.


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## sunfish (Jul 17, 2016)

Another copy. Cool


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## Dalmatian90 (Jul 17, 2016)

Hmmm....

Blount owns Oregon.

Blount bought Speeco in 2010.

Speeco's Speedpro came out in 2011(?) and retreated 2012(?)

Blount filed this patent in 2014, granted 2015:
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20150151448.pdf

Speeco's version, with red instead of black plastic...you'll note the guy didn't even change their tee-shirt from filming the Oregon video  I'm also suspicious of him wearing a Colorado t-shirt and that's where Speeco is based.


What that all tells me is Speeco licked their wounds after their first try and took a lot of time to do some design revisions. It'll be interesting to see how this one performs!


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## Dalmatian90 (Jul 17, 2016)

And I want the one with the clear plastic covers


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## blades (Jul 18, 2016)

Unless they stand on top of their Chi-com sources- it will be the same senario all over again. Chi-com sources have a real bad habit of switching out materials from that which is spec-ed if you don't.


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## Hddnis (Jul 18, 2016)

Rack and pinion are usa made and those seem to be the trouble areas on most of the copies.


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## Hddnis (Jul 18, 2016)

Also made under Woods brand.


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## Hddnis (Jul 18, 2016)

Little bit of background info on the guy who is in the videos and did a lot of the testing. Also addresses the "What about tuff to split wood?" from all the doubting Tomasses.


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## Supreme Being (Jul 18, 2016)

All these kinetic splitters seem like they are trying to build a better mousetrap.

I'll stick with a hydraulic horizontal splitter with a 4 way and log lift. 


Thanks you


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## sawjunky23 (Jul 18, 2016)

They look like they would be the ticket if they hold up decent. Anybody know MSRP on one?


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## Hddnis (Jul 18, 2016)

sawjunky23 said:


> They look like they would be the ticket if they hold up decent. Anybody know MSRP on one?




Online I saw the Speeco for 3k

They really seem to be targeting the commercial market with these units. Funny to me how they mention how much simpler they are than a hydraulic splitter and then they want three times what a hydraulic unit costs. It doesn't cost them more to build the kinetic splitters and may even cost them less per unit.


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## damato333 (Jul 24, 2016)

I like that with the safety switch. That is the main reason why I would never get a super splitter. It always worried me that I would put my hand in the wrong spot. How does it hold up?


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## Sandhill Crane (Jul 24, 2016)

damato333 said:


> I like that with the safety switch. That is the main reason why I would never get a super splitter. It always worried me that I would put my hand in the wrong spot.



Over ninety percent wood the wood I split is on a kinetic. I love the height, the rhythm, the clean splits, and built in (optional cost) table. They sip gas, etc., etc. And they are terribly dangerous. So is your car...

The finger thing...that is operator error. That is not the splitter. If you put your fingers in harms way and the splitter is faster than your fingers...it still is not the splitter at fault.

The speed/danger does factor in however, but in another way that few, if any, have mentioned.

If the piece does not split, but instead...rides up the wedge on a knot, or angled cut,...it is going to summersault, and come backwards, in a blink. I have had a twenty five pound piece or more go two feet high and about cold cock me with the stored energy of both flywheels. One came back and cracked the fiberglass cover. I've learned to keep my body and head upright, away from the vertical plane of the beam. Too also read the wood and focus on the tip of the wedge when initiating a split, being prepared to disengage the rack, by pushing the handle down. That in itself prevents most summersaulting. The machines are faster than box store hydraulics, but not so fast you can not stop the ram. And lastly, because of the speed/energy, I do not try to stop or block the wood once it is moving. Most of the time, a kinetic will cut a knot cleanly, without any problem.

Hydraulic two-way splitters often push pieces up the wedge, in fact, all the time, but the result is very different because of the speed and "stored energy" behind the kinetics ram. With hydraulic, you stop, reposition, try again. After a kinetic tries rearranging the teeth in your jaw from one side to the other, you might pause before picking the piece up off the ground and resplitting.

The other thing is, the kinetics are truly one person machines.

Kinetics are fun to use, easy on the back, and the splits pile up quickly. They also require your full attention aside from wearing radio head muffs.


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## damato333 (Jul 24, 2016)

I totally understand what your saying. It's not guns that kill people, people kill people. Same thing with kinectic splitters. Just because I put my hand in the way and get it chopped off, doesn't mean it's the splitters fault. It's my fault for being a $#@$ idiot. I was thinking I would like one. But considering the logs can still get thrown, I'm going to stay away. Stay far away. I'm going to stick with hydraulic log splitters. Very few ways of getting hurt on a hydraulic log splitter. 


Sandhill Crane said:


> Over ninety percent wood the wood I split is on a kinetic. I love the height, the rhythm, the clean splits, and built in (optional cost) table. They sip gas, etc., etc. And they are terribly dangerous. So is your car...
> 
> The finger thing...that is operator error. That is not the splitter. If you put your fingers in harms way and the splitter is faster than your fingers...it still is not the splitter at fault.
> 
> ...


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## Hddnis (Jul 24, 2016)

Keep in mind that hydraulic splitters hurt and kill people too.

Worst stuff seems to happen with one operator and nobody else around and second is multiple people working around/feeding a hydraulic splitter and the guy running the handle simply isn't wired into the brains of everyone helping.

Any machine that makes work easier, including the simple axe, has inherent dangers that need to be understood by the operator. You have to work safe no matter what you use.


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## sunfish (Jul 25, 2016)

After having a Super Split for 6 years I could never go back to hydraulic.

I've had a few pieces jump up, but never one fly off the splitter and hit me.


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## blades (Jul 25, 2016)

Sooner or later we all experience the flying boxcar, or in the case of manual splitting , shrapnel/ flying wedge or separated axe/maul head. Pentup energy on a hydro unit can be quit spectacular. Shrapnel from an improperly maintained steel wedge or mall face can be deadly.


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## carhartt (Jul 25, 2016)

I talked to Oregon Rep and this product isn't being offered anymore. At least it isn't offered to me. There maybe a few floating around out there yet.


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## Philbert (Jul 25, 2016)

carhartt said:


> I talked to Oregon Rep and this product isn't being offered anymore.


??? 
Still on their web page: http://oregonsplitters.com/product/commercial-kinetic-log-splitter/

Philbert


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## carhartt (Jul 25, 2016)

I agree with ya Philbert. I am just repeating what he told me. Isnt the first time ive been told a fib and wont be the last I promise ya. He said Oregon owns and makes Speeco products and I am guessing that Speeco was the maker of the kinetic splitter.


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## Philbert (Jul 25, 2016)

Oregon's parent company Blount does own SpeeCo, so I am sure that they are the same.




Philbert


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## Hddnis (Jul 26, 2016)

I think he mean it isn't being offered 'yet'. They posted the video on June 13th of this year, just over a month ago. A week ago they replied to a comment on that video saying the website for the splitter was still in development.


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## sunfish (Jul 26, 2016)

After the disastrous first round Speeco had, I'm surprised to see it return. 

It would have to be a completely redesigned machine and a good move not to put the Speeco name on it. Oregon and Woods have a good rep, maybe this wont hurt em much?


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## Philbert (Jul 26, 2016)

Might be sold under different brand name through different distribution channels. 

Philbert


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## chuckwood (Jul 26, 2016)

MNGuns said:


> Every see twisted maple or big knots run thru any of the high speed machines..? SuperSplit, TW6, even processors such as Block Buster and Cord King. They are designed for high volume commercial firewood. Have yet to see a bundle of wood for sale full of knot wood. You spec the logs that run fast thru the machines. The logger brings you just that if he wants to sell you more. Leave the junk wood for the weekend warriors.



........and the noodlers. I hate to see potential firewood rotting away because its a crotch or full of knots. But then I'm no pro trying to make a living at it either.


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## Sawyer Rob (Aug 3, 2016)

I'll just stick with what I KNOW works EVERY time, knots, stringy wood and EVERYTHING else!







I push absolutely everything through the 4-way, I've never found anything that will stop the ram...











It is worth every penny I paid for it!

SR


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## Hddnis (Aug 4, 2016)

Yeah, you stick to what you know, those who know splitting for profit in a commercial setting are switching away from set-ups like yours because they like black in the bottom line and green in their pocket.


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## Sawyer Rob (Aug 4, 2016)

What? They figured out how to make money by leaving un-split rounds in the woods?? Sounds like a good thing to know to me too!

SR


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## Hddnis (Aug 4, 2016)

Maybe, if you can't turn something into a product that makes you profit you don't mess with it. Lots of low grade material gets left behind in mines, on the farm, and in forests, that is how the world works.

Truth is that a kinetic splitter gets the biggest pile of wood in the same time as any other splitter in it's price range. People that complain they only do easy stuff have never run one or couldn't process wood to save their life.

As to your pictures, nothing there I couldn't run through my kinetic splitter, that is far from hard to split, and yet you still put it through the "easy" way.


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## Sawyer Rob (Aug 4, 2016)

Yup...bam bam bam bam bam bam bam and you just may get through it... lol lol

I've used bam bam splitters and seen many more in use... SO, i'm not guessing here... BUT, that's what makes the world go around... we all like different things and I'm just fine with that.

BTW, top of the line bam bam cost about the same as I paid for my splitter WITH 4-way, table, ect...

SR


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## damato333 (Aug 4, 2016)

I'm still throwing around the idea of getting a kinectic log splitter. Right now I have a hydraulic log splitter with a lift. I use the lift to stage wood on. I use a skid steer log splitter to quarter everything so it is manageable. I am stuck on the idea of having to pickup every piece of wood to put it on the kinectic splitter. I was wondering if anyone built something that can have rounds dumped in it or on it. To keep bending to a minimum. It would have to big enough to keep me busy for a couple hours. I was thinking of a table that is built very sturdy. I also have rock bucket that scoop up the rounds with. Thanks to who ever can help.


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## Philbert (Aug 4, 2016)

Dig a hole, and drop the splitter table flush with the ground? 

Leave enough space to walk around it. Throw the finished splits into your skid steer bucket.

Philbert


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## Hddnis (Aug 4, 2016)

damato333 said:


> I'm still throwing around the idea of getting a kinectic log splitter. Right now I have a hydraulic log splitter with a lift. I use the lift to stage wood on. I use a skid steer log splitter to quarter everything so it is manageable. I am stuck on the idea of having to pickup every piece of wood to put it on the kinectic splitter. I was wondering if anyone built something that can have rounds dumped in it or on it. To keep bending to a minimum. It would have to big enough to keep me busy for a couple hours. I was thinking of a table that is built very sturdy. I also have rock bucket that scoop up the rounds with. Thanks to who ever can help.




I set mine up with a roller table that slopes towards the operator, it has a bit of a table so they don't roll into the operator. No bending over. We load the table either with another conveyor or a loader, depends how we are set up on site.


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## damato333 (Aug 5, 2016)

Philbert said:


> Dig a hole, and drop the splitter table flush with the ground?
> 
> Leave enough space to walk around it. Throw the finished splits into your skid steer bucket.
> 
> Philbert


I should dig a hole and bury the log splitter. Screw splitting firewood lol


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## mesupra (Aug 5, 2016)

They actually make screw style splitters. Never used one but I'm pretty sure I would prefer one over a hydro unit.


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## Sandhill Crane (Aug 6, 2016)

No matter what you split this monster chunk of wood on it would require a great deal of effort man handling the pieces for re-splitting. The time it would take to noodle it into two more manageable pieces would be well worth it both time and effort, and safety wise. As for cost comparison to be fair, the cost of the tractor should be added in. Obviously this works very well for you, and is an excellent piece of equipment. Hard to tuck in the corner of the garage, or tow down the road. It sounds like damato 333 has an equally good set up with a skid steer splitter for the biggies and rock bucket. He just needs a hay wagon to stage rounds like you use.


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## Sawyer Rob (Aug 6, 2016)

There's not as much man handling as you would think... The heavy top portion sits on top of the 4-way, and I just roll or flip it back over on the beam, and push it through again.

Even my wife can do it, on all but the biggest rounds,






As for the tractor, a tractor can be used for a thousand other things, but a thousand or two will get you a good running decent older tractor. And, the tractor in the picture ?, I've made thousands of dollars with it rototilling gardens/fields (+ my own) with it in the spring. It came to me with a 6' Howard rototiller on it, for $3,500.00 and the tiller was easily worth half of that...

SR


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## MNGuns (Aug 7, 2016)

That piece right there looks like a great place to sit and eat a sandwich......in the woods. The bugs can nibble on it, perhaps a critter of some sort could move in underneath it. Excellent candidate for worm wood. 

How many other rounds can you process in the time it takes to wrestle that thing...?


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## Sawyer Rob (Aug 7, 2016)

They all go through the 4-way, whether it's that one or some other one... The big ones, just turn out nice splits and lot's of it...

SR


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## Sandhill Crane (Aug 8, 2016)

Sawyer Rob said:


> The big ones, just turn out nice splits and lot's of it...





We all do it different, and it isn't always about making money or doing it fast. There is a lot of good wood there in monster chunk splits, premo stuff. I used to cut on someone else's acreage, which meant cleaning everything up where I cut, and scattering the 1" or smaller branches. No option of leaving stuff like SR's picture if I wanted to come back. If a tree was partially punky, the whole tree got left as is, au naturel, or... all of it got cut up (that was the deal) and hauled out with a quad, log arch, and atv trailer. MNGuns has a point too for the critters, if that's an option.

I just liked being in the woods, and leaving it looking as if I had not been there.

Now that I sell wood, I buy twenty cord loads, and my customers don't really care what kind of splitter I use. Most, well over 90%, is split on a SuperSplit HD. If it looks like I could not pick up a round cut from a log, the whole log gets set aside until there are a dozen or so to deal with, and the TW with log lift quickly makes splits out of them, as Rob said.


You can do big rounds on the little splitter, and little rounds on the big splitter, it works both ways. Or you can use an ax... Doesn't matter what you use (or the other guy), as long as it is still fun and your heating your house. I miss cutting in the woods.

I do thank all you guys posting about your kinetic splitter. Five or six years ago I had never heard of one until I discovered the ArboristSite. I found it to be a good choice. Same with the log arch. No drag marks, no dirt in the bark when cutting rounds. Thanks guys, for sharing stuff about your experience and equipment.


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