How many SuperSplit owners?

[mr.finn]

Are there pieces that I could put on the SS, take a few whacks and get it split, sure, but I like to baby it. Plus I have started to become pickier than normal about the wood that I bring around.

 

[Natster]

well, recently, we got a load of wood. It was 30" + oak. We turned the old lowes splitter vertical, and quartered it. And, loaded the quarters. Took it all home, then split the quarters at home. They were simply too big and heavy to move without quartering. Some were over 36" dia.
N

 

[Greenie]

We purchased a SuperSplit in 2005 and used it to finely split 16" hardwood - mostly white birch to sell to campers. We averaged around 50 cords a year. Prison inmates ran the splitters along with seasonal staff - it did not get babied. When I wasn't watching the crew would attempt to push up or gather firewood with a tractor bucket - making a mess and also getting a lot of gravel on the firewood. In time, despite my best efforts a channel got worn in the beam. Bearings I bought 4 at a time and replaced the bearings pretty frequently. If we would have been more careful with cleaning the beam never would have worn like it did. Despite that over the years we split about 700 cords - very fine. The Subaru motor was replaced around year 12 with a Honda. The control rod was replaced twice, the fiber handle once, the belts once.
It doesn't like 24" logs - if the ram contacts the wood (too long) the machine chatters so rather than risk the time wasted we cut logs into 22" pieces when not producing the 16" firewood. It would be nice if a longer model was available as my stove takes 27" sticks.
I retired and just burn firewood for my home now but I'm saving up for a Supersplit just because I dislike hydraulic splitters so much.

 

[Greenie]

Just ordered/paid for a Supersplitter - estimated 10 weeks to delivery.

 

[sirbuildalot]

That’s awesome. Which model did you get?

 

[Greenie]

"Which model did you get?"
Heavy Duty Splitter..........................2,898.00
Honda GX 200 (5.5hp).........................95.00
Standard Production Table...............289.00
Front leg hitch......................................80.00
Crating Charge.....................................38.00
Shipping..............................................210.00

Total.................................................3,610.00

 

[jessew]

Purchased a SSHD with the Honda motor oversized production table. Back 2019 I have over 30 full cords through it for home use and it has been one of the best purchases I have made. Sips the fuel and hits the blocks.

 

[BIG JAKE]

I bought the SS J model about 2 months ago. It's an electric because I always split in one place. We don't have much hardwood out here in New Mexico, but I like burning pine anyways or juniper. Pine can have some big knots, but Conner at SS thought the J would handle them fine, and it does. I occasionally have to hit a knot 2-3 times, but I've found with the thin wedge it slices thru and the knots have not been a problem at all. It's like shooting a gun: pull the trigger and I have two pieces of wood.
I had a nice hydraulic with a two way wedge, but it was always so slow. This year I'd had enough of twiddling my thumbs for 12 seconds for every stroke.
This J model I wanted the electric, and it came with a farm duty Baldor motor-now that's class. Anyways, I got mine right away because there were no Honda motors anywhere. So, now I BS with the wife and friends, or listen to ballgames while splitting. My hydraulic was gone I think within a week. Now the problem is it almost goes too fast-ha! BTW I'm not commercial I only burn maybe 2-4 cords a year, but I've got better things to do than stand there waiting for a ram to hit the wood. No hearing protectors, no heat, fumes, vibration, fuel or oil-what's not to like?
Now, I understand the log lift deal but my wood goes from the trailer straight on the splitter, so I'm never picking wood up on the ground. I roll the rounds up onto the trailer up in the mountains where I get my wood. Being 60 now, I am not stupid or un-necessary with my back, and it is no problem at all to take a 24" round off the trailer and swing it 180 degrees onto the extra large work table of the machine. It wouldn't be as easy to pick up off the ground-got to be smarter than that, so it always goes straight on the splitter.
If I ever need portability I will just weld a platform on at the axle and add a gas motor at that point. So far so good. I move the splitter with my riding mower, although I can move it by hand. It is heavier than my last splitter.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Big Jake: Nice write up, and obviously another happy owner.
You could change from electric to gas with just a few bolts to swap out power supply.
I have modified mine with four wheels, to tow it, and push it up to the conveyor much easier than pulling from the side. The tubes are an old mode to move it with the forklift prior to adding the steer axle.

 

[JimR]

I have a SS that I bought used about 20 years ago. It was the best purchase that I have ever made on a splitter. I also have a homemade 3pth hydraulic splitter that I built back in the early 80's. Most recently I bought a like new North Star 34 ton horizontal/vertical splitter for splitting bigger pieces on the ground. It has a 4 way on it. The only downfall I have found with the SS is the needle bearing under the Ram. I swapped mine out for a pair of roller bearings that I buy in 10 packs off EBay for cheap money. I keep those bearings soaking in oil for whenever I need to swap them out. I also updated the V belts to a dual webbed V belt and will install that as soon as I wear out the other belts again. The only other alteration I want to do is to make a folding front leg with two solid tires for the front. Mine has a steel leg that fits up into a slot on the splitter. A folding leg would be more pratical.

 

[samhop]

had my old customized SS for a while about 10 years the Hydro unit has not worked since.

 

[gtsawyer]

I just replaced the bearing under the ram with new parts from SuperSplitter. It didn't need to be entirely replaced, but I did anyway.

NOTE: the new bearing is 7/8 in diameter, while the old one (my J model is 10+ years old) is 3/4". The new bearing noticeably reduced the return friction, but there is still quite a bit of friction left in the under-beam rollers. My model has the 4 under-beam rollers, which I may look at more closely in the future. In the meantime, it returns nicely after giving all the bearings a good squirt of WD-40. (Yes, I'm sure there is a better choice of lube, but that's what I had handy).

I don't split more than a few cords yearly, but love the SS and the speed.

 

[Circle B MN]

I just replaced the bearing under the ram with new parts from SuperSplitter. It didn't need to be entirely replaced, but I did anyway.

NOTE: the new bearing is 7/8 in diameter, while the old one (my J model is 10+ years old) is 3/4". The new bearing noticeably reduced the return friction, but there is still quite a bit of friction left in the under-beam rollers. My model has the 4 under-beam rollers, which I may look at more closely in the future. In the meantime, it returns nicely after giving all the bearings a good squirt of WD-40. (Yes, I'm sure there is a better choice of lube, but that's what I had handy).

I don't split more than a few cords yearly, but love the SS and the speed.

In the years I had my SS, the only parts replaced were the rubber bumpers and the bearing under the ram. I did also have 4 under the beam but never had an issue. Ram bearings usually got tight after splitting in weather. If I was proactive I would pull it and soak in trans fluid or oil. In 10 years or better I only tossed a couple as too far gone.