I'm on the west coast and have about 60 acres of redwood timber in an NTMP I manage. There is an overburden of tanoak and our forester wants us to thin down the tanoak quite a bit to provide more light to the redwoods. So this puts me in the position of selling perhaps 15-25 cords of tanoak a year.
The logs are anywhere from 3" up to 24" in diameter and generally 16" length.
The Super Splitter has caught my attention, and I have a few questions.
1. Tanoak is fairly straight grained and easy to split when green, but is a bit stringy. When using the hydraulic splitter it is sometimes necessary to sort of pry the pieces apart after the split. I'm wondering how the Super Splitter approach would work on this. The splitter blade seems a bit short.
Stringy is not an issue because the SS has more of a cutting action the a splitting action. Slice through one side and if you need flip it and hit the other side. I have to do this sometimes with ash elm etc. I always have a hatchet around also in case I get a hanger.
Along these lines, have you tried both green and dry wood splitting?
Yes both green and dry split fine with a SS I have not had a problem with either.
2. Has anyone worked out any kind of feed table, lift, or other system so you're not having to lift the rounds up to the Super Splitter?
You couldn't run a lift off of the super splitter flywheels easily. If they are that big I bust them with a maul or 1/4 with a chainsaw. I also have a cheap hydraulic splitter to 1/4 with if I need. Feed table to could gravity I guess.
3. Is the electric motor as effective as the gas motor?
I have the 6.5 Robin on mine works great. I have not tried a electric because I don't keep the splitter in a fixed place. If it worked that would be great I hate all engine noise.
4. What happens if the end is not bucked at 90 degrees, but bucked crooked?
This can sometimes be an issue. This is what I mean when I say you need to learn to read the wood. You can learn how to deal with it. It will do it but you have to place the wood with the angle going up.
For what you described you'll be doing I think a super splitter will work great for you. There is a reason you see very few for sale used. People keep them because they have almost zero maintenance. Only thing you have to service is the small engine. No lines,filters,valves,hoses,cylinders, etc. Very simple,very fast,pretty cheap.
Thanks in advance, Eric