Super Split discussion anyone?

[sunfish]

Interesting. yeah i get a lot of nasty wood out here, madrone knots and stuff like that SUCK and are hard to split, sometimes even when it is green. cracked the ram on a 24ton hydro and had to re-weld it twice. i think the hd is what i'm going to have to go with. i'll end up going through quite a few cord this year. the extra $430 is only about 3 cord of wood which i figure the super split could knock out in about 2-3 hours ...maybe sooner if i have a redbull and 5 hour energy but that might not be a safe combination haha
thanks for the info sunfish!

You're welcome.

I hear the HD model now has heavier flywheels, so that would help with the nasty wood.

 

[Hedgerow]

Yeah you can barrow it! And sell it while you're there. :msp_smile:

I'll be in touch... You may not have to look too hard for a buyer...:msp_rolleyes:

 

[mr.finn]

Just got the phone call and will be picking up the splitter on Monday. Pictures to follow.

 

[Clarkbug]

There is no difference in how the machine works. I broke the single bearing on the cam engagement while splitting several cords of large nasty Elm. I was actually trying to find the limit of the splitter, splitting Elm crotches and the nastiest, stuff I had. The three bearings (US made) and machined shaft/bolt cost was around $100 for the up grade and 30 minutes to install.

Now that I'm doin around 20 cords a year, I feel the HD would have been justified. But I am 100% happy with the J model.

Any chance you can take a pic of the mods that you made to install the three bearings? Maybe I just need to put eyes on it to see what you did...

I also tried adding bearings to the ram, and that doesnt work so well for the J model. It needs to pivot, so four bearings is a no-no.

 

[mr.finn]

It's HERE

Went and picked it up on Monday afternoon, met with Connor, Paul's son. Really good people down there and would reccomend anyone interested buy a SS from these guys, they know the business. I only got to mess with it for a few minutes. I am trying to get my splitting area cleaned up before I really go at it. Here are a few pics to start

 

[sunfish]

Any chance you can take a pic of the mods that you made to install the three bearings? Maybe I just need to put eyes on it to see what you did...

I also tried adding bearings to the ram, and that doesnt work so well for the J model. It needs to pivot, so four bearings is a no-no.

I'll try and get a pic at some point. But it's pretty simple, instead of one bearing pushing down the rack, the upgrade has three bearings side by side running on top of the rack. I only did the upgrade because I broke the single bearing, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered with it. I was splitting a bunch of elem crotches trying to find the limit of the splitter, stuff that most hydro splitters would have had trouble with. :msp_smile:

I never could wrap my brain around the 4 bearings on the ram. It has to pivot on the front set of bearings, so the back set would only make contact on the return cycle?

 

[sunfish]

Went and picked it up on Monday afternoon, met with Connor, Paul's son. Really good people down there and would reccomend anyone interested buy a SS from these guys, they know the business. I only got to mess with it for a few minutes. I am trying to get my splitting area cleaned up before I really go at it. Here are a few pics to start

Congrats on a fine machine!!!

 

[Clarkbug]

On the standard model, the rack is bolted to the shuttle that slides on the beam directly, so it has to pivot. On the HD, the rack connects through a pivot point, so the shuttle just goes straight back and forth, and rack pivots separately.

My SS has been "customized" already, so ill have to see if I can add more bearings.

 

[sunfish]

On the standard model, the rack is bolted to the shuttle that slides on the beam directly, so it has to pivot. On the HD, the rack connects through a pivot point, so the shuttle just goes straight back and forth, and rack pivots separately.

My SS has been "customized" already, so ill have to see if I can add more bearings.

Now that makes sense. It would have to pivot to use 4 bearings.

 

[Clarkbug]

Yup. I found out the hard way when I bought the extra bearings for the shuttle part, and then it didn't work...

 

[soapstoneguy]

Purchased my super split. can someone send me pictures where the grease fittings are so I know where to grease the rack and pinion. I see the two grease fittings for the fly wheels but not for the rack and pinion. I have the hd model. I looked at the owners manual but having teouble finding them.
Thanks guys







QUOTE=sunfish;3497290]I sharpened the wedge on mine, will slice through most knots, instead of trying to split through.

No grease on the roller bearings, just the rack and main bearings at the grease fittings.

I run mine at 1/2-2/3 throttle, but wind it up for nasty/gnarly wood.

If crap gets stuck under the ram head, it will sometime not retract. Mine rarely does this now, but did some when new. Keep the I beam clean.

Yes, best splitter ever made and Paul is a very good guy to deal with.

The table is worth every penny and is not a "shakey jake" . Very stout and well made!

I bought the J model, the heavy duty has an extra bearing on either side of the ram and more HP. The bearings can easily be add if needed. I haven't needed the extra bearings or extra HP. I just split a bunch of elm the other day, easy work for the SS.

I also wanted electric, but Paul talked me into going with gas. No regrets, but I'll put an electric motor on mine one day. Easy change/add on.[/QUOTE]

 

[MI_Habitat]

Purchased my super split. can someone send me pictures where the grease fittings are so I know where to grease the rack and pinion.

There aren't fittings associated with the rack. You just apply grease manually to the underside of the rack like sunfish said near the front of this thread.

FWIW - I bought one after reading nearly all the threads online and it works just like in the videos! I've done a variety of ash, elm, hickory and maple, small stuff up through 26" rounds. Once in a rhythm it's just :split:, :split:, :split:, :split: .... works like a fantastic American-made piece of equipment should and well worth the price.

 

[sunfish]

Purchased my super split. can someone send me pictures where the grease fittings are so I know where to grease the rack and pinion. I see the two grease fittings for the fly wheels but not for the rack and pinion. I have the hd model. I looked at the owners manual but having teouble finding them.
Thanks guys

Like MI_ said, just put grease on the bottom of the rack. I use a putty knife.

Used mine just the other day and split a bunch of nasty stuff that had been thrown off to the side.
Worked Great!

 

[tla100]

Well, reviving old thread vs starting new......ran neighbor/buddys for the first time this weekend. Very nice machine. Runs good with 2 people. Did notice anything over 16-18" diameter needed to be flipped over after one hit. It did not split into 2 halves. Not a big deal, but for a lot that I do is that size or larger. Small stuff works awesome, had a few knotty pieces that needed 2-3 hits. It was ash, been sitting for a year or 2 in full logs. Just bucked that day. Split for a couple hours till rain came.

Did get to break out a new chain for the 440. Love that saw.....

Missed out on a old Stihl model 058? with a 3' bar that looked like new for $300 on CL. Could not find much on that model, so wondering if it was a 056. Anyway......

 

[Joesell]

Did notice anything over 16-18" diameter needed to be flipped over after one hit. It did not split into 2 halves. Not a big deal, but for a lot that I do is that size or larger...

Next time try to split around the outside first, then split the middle. It's like splitting with an ax. You'd never split a big round right down the middle.

The SS is meant to be fast, not powerful. I think everyone makes the same mistake when using a SS for the first time. It's not a brute force hydro splitter.

 

[tla100]

OK, will do. Once halved I would pop off splits and "chip away" at em with the size he wanted. It worked good. Fun machine with lots of potential.

 

[unclemoustache]

Yup - you need to think while splitting with the SS. Technique helps keep the speed going. I really wish I could play more, but that's the kids' chore in the mornings. I rarely use it myself.

 

[USMC615]

Yep, yep...all about splittin 'outside to inside' when dealing with larger diameter rounds...makes short work of 'em.

 

[tla100]

That is why I love my vertical. Just roll them big ol rounds over and start going to town.

 

[USMC615]

That is why I love my vertical. Just roll them big ol rounds over and start going to town.

Just a different method to the madness...buddy of mine and I did a little time deal with my SS HD and his 28 ton hydro. Both had 24" rounds of white oak on them...I was done making eight splits in half the time, cleaving a round that big from the edge vice center, before he was on his fourth/fifth split. It's all about cycle time when it comes down to it...they'll all achieve the end result, which is simply busted wood to burn. It's all good from that standpoint...heat.