cowroy
Addicted to ArboristSite
Most mine is under 20" too so good deal there. I have about half the money saved so I guess I'll be hand splittin again this year, but I need the exersize:hmm3grin2orange:
New SpeedPro Kinetic Log Splitter from TSC...
- Thread starter stumpy75
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Most mine is under 20" too so good deal there. I have about half the money saved so I guess I'll be hand splittin again this year, but I need the exersize:hmm3grin2orange:
originalhooker
ArboristSite Lurker
Anything to look out for with the new Speedpros?
I found / bought one of these Speed pros @ a TSC in VA, I'm in NC.
Going this weekend to pick it up as this was the only way for them to hold it for me.
Are there any "things" I need to look for from those who have seen/bought this model?
I'll carry a few 16" rounds of fresh hickory to test. Will post results next week.
I found / bought one of these Speed pros @ a TSC in VA, I'm in NC.
Going this weekend to pick it up as this was the only way for them to hold it for me.
Are there any "things" I need to look for from those who have seen/bought this model?
I'll carry a few 16" rounds of fresh hickory to test. Will post results next week.
Just bought one
Hi all,
I just purchased the TSC splitter today at lunch. I also just joined as I figure I can provide some input when I begin putting this to use this fall. I'm not using this commercially but have a bunch of wood to split for winter. I've been looking for quite some time and was ready to order the 30ton unit from Northern Tool. I was in TSC last weekend and saw these sitting on the lot. After further inspection and seeing they were only $1600 I went ahead and pulled the trigger. FYI, I just received a 10% off coupon yesterday in their flyer. Keep your eyes out as I ended up getting it less $170 discount. I will give it a test run later this week and post back my comments. For the average consumer I think this should provide many years of service. My only gripe is the size. This thing is LONG! I may have to store it on end in my barn to save some space! lol
Hi all,
I just purchased the TSC splitter today at lunch. I also just joined as I figure I can provide some input when I begin putting this to use this fall. I'm not using this commercially but have a bunch of wood to split for winter. I've been looking for quite some time and was ready to order the 30ton unit from Northern Tool. I was in TSC last weekend and saw these sitting on the lot. After further inspection and seeing they were only $1600 I went ahead and pulled the trigger. FYI, I just received a 10% off coupon yesterday in their flyer. Keep your eyes out as I ended up getting it less $170 discount. I will give it a test run later this week and post back my comments. For the average consumer I think this should provide many years of service. My only gripe is the size. This thing is LONG! I may have to store it on end in my barn to save some space! lol
D&B Mack
Sawin Wit It!
:msp_thumbup: 
Yeah that's what I was getting at. There is a good chance the Chinese Honda I have on my SS is the main contributor to any vibration when its running 3600rpm or less:msp_wink:
My father checked out a Speedpro yesterday, mentioned a small flywheel on the motor. Does anyone have pictures of that output shaft are of the motor? If that small flywheel is not balanced well that sure could cause some vibration.
the motor has a centrifugal clutch on the output shaft with a double pulley. the pulleys run a set of belts to the flywheels. They are cast steel, one of mine has 4 "holes" drilled in it and the other one has only three. I suspect this is how they balance them.
D&B Mack
Sawin Wit It!
After using and watching the one at the demo. I would say there are two things to watch for:
1. Assembly; TSC doesn't have the best reputation for putting things together well.
2. QC; as with most Chicom items, QC is generally lacking.
1. Assembly; TSC doesn't have the best reputation for putting things together well.
2. QC; as with most Chicom items, QC is generally lacking.
Some pictures for you
Ok so I got bored last night and decided to tear into it and do the button bypass mod (using a zip tie) and snap some pics for the masses. While I'm not a professional, I will say that overall this is constructed very well. The welds are strong, albeit a bit sloppy, and they used heavy gauge steel everywhere. It's a very simple machine and should be very easy to maintain for years to come. Obviously longevity is still a question but at this price point it's worth a shot. All in all I think this is a great buy for most people. Here are the pics, sorry they were shot on my phone. Also for some reason the site is turning a couple of them sideways but hope this helps give you an idea of what's inside.
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Ok so I got bored last night and decided to tear into it and do the button bypass mod (using a zip tie) and snap some pics for the masses. While I'm not a professional, I will say that overall this is constructed very well. The welds are strong, albeit a bit sloppy, and they used heavy gauge steel everywhere. It's a very simple machine and should be very easy to maintain for years to come. Obviously longevity is still a question but at this price point it's worth a shot. All in all I think this is a great buy for most people. Here are the pics, sorry they were shot on my phone. Also for some reason the site is turning a couple of them sideways but hope this helps give you an idea of what's inside.
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Hedgerow
HACK
Speeco is doing something right with their demo video's... I saw three wood varieties they showed over and over. Hedge, Mulberry, and Locust... Not one piece of oak... But if I ever got one, that button would have to go...
Just sayin...
:canny:
Just sayin...
:canny:
after doing the button bypass you'll want to turn that handle around too. I have a bit of tennis elbow from splitting the other day, i believe its coming from the angle your arm is at to push the lever down. I'm going to see if I can flip it around on Saturday
Hedgerow
HACK
D&B Mack
Sawin Wit It!
I took Oak to the demo, since this is exactly what I thought. It didn't have a problem with them. (Note: They were all pretty straight pieces for the most part) Button and handle placement are a PITA, but it is becoming obvious, this isn't much of a modification issue.
Dalmatian90
Addicted to ArboristSite
Total Serendipity ...
Day off, running errands, working out a project in my mind, left Home Depot and swung into Tractor Supply to look for bolts...
And directly in front of where I park is one of these suckers
Pros: Height seemed good. My friends SS is one of the low style ones which is probably the only drawback to that unit.
Cons:
1) The log cradle would need to go. It's going to center the logs, and I figure with these you would work some pieces like you do with a splitting ax and work around the outside first.
2) The lip I mentioned before. Might not be TOTALLY bad, it isn't welded at a 90º so it has some slope so it won't catch logs all the time, but it either shouldn't be there or have a lower slope to let logs slide off more easily.
3) Words are inadequate to describe how poor the controls are. They might have traded lawsuits for cutting your fingers off for lawsuits over repetitive motion injuries When I "dry fired" it, I found it an inconvenient and awkard way to do things -- you'd leave the log in the cradle, take half a step back, push green button, pull(?) the handle up.
I'd want to a flat "cradle" and to be able to keep my hand on the wood to hold it in position when splitting.
From the other posts here, I could fix #3, but I don't have the tools or enough experience to modify 1 & 2 myself...well I could but it would be ugly.
4) Rust. As one of the other posters mentioned, the rust probably doesn't mean diddly to the functionality or overall lifespan of the unit. But it is one of those fit-n-finish items that gives you a quick judge of the quality of parts that go into a unit. Good quality steel doesn't start rusting immediately, bad rust does. Too brief of time to know if this steel is the rust quickly but then stop quality, or the steel that will rapidly rot away, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt it's the kind that's just good enough it won't rot quickly, just cosmetically rust badly. The bolts that hold the cover below the handle were already rusting and rust colored water stains were draining away from them. (And the bolt heads were sitting in small puddles).
(Side note speaking of quality, was at the Big E on Wednesday and handled a pair of German made Knipex pliers KNIPEX - The Pliers Company. - Products - ([url]http://www.pliers-online.com)[/url] at a vendor...just one feel and you could tell they were made of VERY high quality steel)
(Side side note, didn't get to put my hands on the Timber Wolves @ the Big E...was going to stop on the way out, but made a wrong turn and I wasn't going to have the folks I was with turn around and go back when I realized it. I even had my Stihl hat on. )
Day off, running errands, working out a project in my mind, left Home Depot and swung into Tractor Supply to look for bolts...
And directly in front of where I park is one of these suckers
Pros: Height seemed good. My friends SS is one of the low style ones which is probably the only drawback to that unit.
Cons:
1) The log cradle would need to go. It's going to center the logs, and I figure with these you would work some pieces like you do with a splitting ax and work around the outside first.
2) The lip I mentioned before. Might not be TOTALLY bad, it isn't welded at a 90º so it has some slope so it won't catch logs all the time, but it either shouldn't be there or have a lower slope to let logs slide off more easily.
3) Words are inadequate to describe how poor the controls are. They might have traded lawsuits for cutting your fingers off for lawsuits over repetitive motion injuries
When I "dry fired" it, I found it an inconvenient and awkard way to do things -- you'd leave the log in the cradle, take half a step back, push green button, pull(?) the handle up.I'd want to a flat "cradle" and to be able to keep my hand on the wood to hold it in position when splitting.
From the other posts here, I could fix #3, but I don't have the tools or enough experience to modify 1 & 2 myself...well I could but it would be ugly.
4) Rust. As one of the other posters mentioned, the rust probably doesn't mean diddly to the functionality or overall lifespan of the unit. But it is one of those fit-n-finish items that gives you a quick judge of the quality of parts that go into a unit. Good quality steel doesn't start rusting immediately, bad rust does. Too brief of time to know if this steel is the rust quickly but then stop quality, or the steel that will rapidly rot away, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt it's the kind that's just good enough it won't rot quickly, just cosmetically rust badly. The bolts that hold the cover below the handle were already rusting and rust colored water stains were draining away from them. (And the bolt heads were sitting in small puddles).
(Side note speaking of quality, was at the Big E on Wednesday and handled a pair of German made Knipex pliers KNIPEX - The Pliers Company. - Products - ([url]http://www.pliers-online.com)[/url] at a vendor...just one feel and you could tell they were made of VERY high quality steel)
(Side side note, didn't get to put my hands on the Timber Wolves @ the Big E...was going to stop on the way out, but made a wrong turn and I wasn't going to have the folks I was with turn around and go back when I realized it.
I even had my Stihl hat on. )
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Hedgerow
HACK
Take that damn Stihl hat off...
1) the cradle is a non-issue, I guess an extension of the table would be a little better, but the cradle is so wide you can put a piece of wood (even a whole round) pretty much anywhere. I've split stuff up to about 22" diameter and the cradle doesn't interfere. when I bring peices back to resplit I tend to flip them back into the cradle versus drag them and it works ok. I may end up making a table extension that will bolt in place of cradle on the operator side. but so far, I can deal with it.Cons:
1) The log cradle would need to go. It's going to center the logs, and I figure with these you would work some pieces like you do with a splitting ax and work around the outside first.
2) The lip I mentioned before. Might not be TOTALLY bad, it isn't welded at a 90º so it has some slope so it won't catch logs all the time, but it either shouldn't be there or have a lower slope to let logs slide off more easily.
3) Words are inadequate to describe how poor the controls are. They might have traded lawsuits for cutting your fingers off for lawsuits over repetitive motion injuries
I'd want to a flat "cradle" and to be able to keep my hand on the wood to hold it in position when splitting.
From the other posts here, I could fix #3, but I don't have the tools or enough experience to modify 1 & 2 myself...well I could but it would be ugly.
4) Rust. As one of the other posters mentioned, the rust probably doesn't mean diddly to the functionality or overall lifespan of the unit. But it is one of those fit-n-finish items that gives you a quick judge of the quality of parts that go into a unit. Good quality steel doesn't start rusting immediately, bad rust does. Too brief of time to know if this steel is the rust quickly but then stop quality, or the steel that will rapidly rot away, but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt it's the kind that's just good enough it won't rot quickly, just cosmetically rust badly. The bolts that hold the cover below the handle were already rusting and rust colored water stains were draining away from them. (And the bolt heads were sitting in small puddles).
2) the machine is more than capable enough to drive the logs off the table over the lip, again, non-issue. the fact that its over the tongue is a bigger issue. I end up swatting them to the side off the table so you can swing the tongue and split for a while before you have to move the machine or pile . Or i just toss it in one of my pallet bags as i'm working.
as you said, 3) is no big deal. you hit the nail on the head, they did it to cover their *****. its a 5 minute fix with a ziptie or 15 minute fix to make it permanently removed.
Dozer Man
ArboristSite Operative
Got mine yesterday.......
Howdy, I'm new to the site. I've been keeping an eye on this thread and just wanted to give my $.02 worth. I picked up a SpeedPro yesterday at 5pm. Back at shop with hood off it at 5:30. Safety button completely removed at 5:40. Pull a cotter pin...remove a nut and bolt... and unhook one spring......that's it...button removed. Absolutely no vibration issues at all. Looks very solid...especially compared to some of the vert./horiz. models i've been looking at [of which most vibrate more the the speedpro]. Definately studying a fab for making an extension for the table so as to remove/replace the original log cradle. Also looking to reverse the handle too...neither job looks that hard [handle job first for ergo reasons]. For the $1000+ saved I will not complain at all. I've only split 8 or 10 rounds so far but plan to do more tomorrow. 24" white oak barely even pulled the motor...which was only at half throttle!!! I'm very impressed so far but will know more after I've split a load or 2. Time will tell.....
Great site...Great thread...
Howdy, I'm new to the site. I've been keeping an eye on this thread and just wanted to give my $.02 worth. I picked up a SpeedPro yesterday at 5pm. Back at shop with hood off it at 5:30. Safety button completely removed at 5:40. Pull a cotter pin...remove a nut and bolt... and unhook one spring......that's it...button removed. Absolutely no vibration issues at all. Looks very solid...especially compared to some of the vert./horiz. models i've been looking at [of which most vibrate more the the speedpro]. Definately studying a fab for making an extension for the table so as to remove/replace the original log cradle. Also looking to reverse the handle too...neither job looks that hard [handle job first for ergo reasons]. For the $1000+ saved I will not complain at all. I've only split 8 or 10 rounds so far but plan to do more tomorrow. 24" white oak barely even pulled the motor...which was only at half throttle!!! I'm very impressed so far but will know more after I've split a load or 2. Time will tell.....
Great site...Great thread...
Welcome, Dozer Man! Thanks for the report. 
