Kinetic log splitter review.

[sweetgumsux]

Recently bought this off craigslist . Just now got a chance to try it out . Split a cord of wood in about 60 minutes with my wife stacking it while I split . A lot of the wood was 3 year aged hickory and it was VERY dense and tough wood. I would never go back to a hydraulic log splitter again. Some of the big hickory rounds needed to be hit 2 or 3 times but even then, its 2-3x faster then most hydraulic splitters. I would say that using this kinetic splitter takes away 60% of the effort/work/time of using a hydraulic splitter . I compared this splitter to my Husky hydraulic 28 ton splitter , which I will now sell. Splitting 3-4 cords of wood per year with this kinetic, is childs play . The biggest key is having a helper to stack it, because it splits wood so fast.

 

[birddogtg]

That’s all I use.Time is money

 

[Circle B MN]

And another is brought over to the dark side


Had my SS for several years. It is the cat's meow.

 

[sweetgumsux]

And another is brought over to the dark side


Had my SS for several years. It is the cat's meow.

This year, I really got a good system down for splitting 3-4 cords of wood per year.
I purchased some old time metal ice tongs off ebay ..for like $9 each and then lengthened the metal handles on them with my welder . This allows me to pick up my 18 inch long logs off the ground without bending over and easily load each one onto the splitting table. I use a 4x8 piece of plywood on a stand that sits about 12 inchs off the ground and as the kinetic ram comes forewards and splits the wood into 2 pieces, it falls off the end of the splitter table, onto the plywood table for my wife to take the pieces and stack them in my wood piles . After 10 years of doing this, I think we finally have a good system that uses the least effort and is the quickest method so far. This 1st log rack holds about 2 cords, then we stack at least another 1-2 cords in between my back porch cement pillars. I keep most logs that are 18" long x 8" { or less round} unsplit ----and only split rds that are wider then 8 " .

Using this splitter, one could definitely make some $$$$ if they lived in a area where wood burning was commonly used.

I love my $48 electric bills in the dead of winter when its 20 degrees outside. Before the wood stove, my electric heat pump would cost us $300 per month in winter months, and it did not do a great job of heating the house.

1st photo is my long wood rack...2nd photo is some of the wood stacked on back porch, with the long wood rack in the background.

 

[panolo]

I have had my super split a few months now and it is crazy how fast it is. I was splitting the other day with a couple other guys helping and we had to take a break because it was so quick. I've had to blast a few pieces of sugar maple maple more than once but that was at half throttle. I think it would split a steel beam at full throttle.

 

[sweetgumsux]

Well mine had no problem with oak, ash, sweet gum, hackberry...
but I had some hickory that was several years old, and that required 2-3 quick hits with the ram, but I expected that . I think if the hickory was fresh and not 14" + sized rounds, then the normal 1 ram impact woulda been enough. I was cutting this hickory a week ago into 18 inch long pieces, and I coulda swore that I saw sparks coming off my chainsaw chain, on a few pieces. I even stopped cutting to see if there was a hidden nail/ wire in the hickory, but it wasn't . Ive read that Eucalyptus wood is even harder then hickory.

 

[mesupra]

Here is a couple pics of my homemade kinetic splitter. I've owned 3 other standard super splits, 2 gas one electric. Kinetic splitters are great. Funny story, I found this splitter in the woods behind my neighbors house. It was built at the local tech college but never actually used. When I acuired, it was just the splitter beam and flywheels. The engage mechanism and the rack sliding mechanism needed a good deal of tweeting. I mounted it to a cheap old boat trailer, added the table and the little lift boom with electric winch. The engine is a 11hp Honda, I run the engine at 1200-1300 rpm max. I can split and stack around 3 cord on one tank of gas. Next I plan on adding a gm 1 wire alterator to charge the battery a couple work lights and a electric motor for when I'm close enough to a 120v power source.

 

[sweetgumsux]

Mesupra - you split/ sell wood for a living ?

 

[Circle B MN]

Here is a couple pics of my homemade kinetic splitter. I've owned 3 other standard super splits, 2 gas one electric. Kinetic splitters are great. Funny story, I found this splitter in the woods behind my neighbors house. It was built at the local tech college but never actually used. When I acuired, it was just the splitter beam and flywheels. The engage mechanism and the rack sliding mechanism needed a good deal of tweeting. I mounted it to a cheap old boat trailer, added the table and the little lift boom with electric winch. The engine is a 11hp Honda, I run the engine at 1200-1300 rpm max. I can split and stack around 3 cord on one tank of gas. Next I plan on adding a gm 1 wire alterator to charge the battery a couple work lights and a electric motor for when I'm close enough to a 120v power source. View attachment 654959 View attachment 654960

The electric motor is nice for splitting indoors when the weather gets bad.

 

[mesupra]

No just for myself and some family. In a couple years i would like to purchase a 1 cord dump trailer or truck, conveyor and start selling 20 or so cord a year as part of my side hussle. I really enjoy working up firewood and running the sawmill.

 

[mesupra]

The electric motor is nice for splitting indoors when the weather gets bad.

And the lack of noise is really cool

 

[mesupra]

Anyone running the woodmax kinetic splitter? Seems like a decent unit for the price.

 

[sweetgumsux]

The Hickory I cut/split had been aged for several years and it was very tough. I had read that it is better to cut/ split hickory when its fresh/ green. Is this true and what other hardwoods are best to be cut/split when they are fresh, compared to being aged 6 months or more ?

 

[mesupra]

I'e never worked with hickory. American Beech is the only wood I've seen give my splitter a work out. Oak really pops when it's still green and frozen. Ash is about the best splitting stuff we have in Maine.

 

[Canyon Angler]

Huh, never heard of a kinetic log splitter before...learn sumpin new every day.

Looks like they could be dangerous if not designed right. I guess the key is requiring both hands to be away from where the rubber meets the road.

 

[mesupra]

Yea save the beers till after

 

[spotking]

Anyone running the woodmax kinetic splitter? Seems like a decent unit for the price.

I have the 34 ton Woodmaxx--have 10 hours on the motor--have had no trouble yet--of course it splits very fast--have the Honda engine--starts 1-2 pulls; Was easy to assemble in my garage--have modified it to pull across town--as the stock wheels are intended for local/farm use. I changed from a hydraulic 30 ton wedge on piston as a knotty piece "exploded" under pressure flew back and nearly killed my friend splitting with me (knocked him out, broke his nose --stitches and a CAT scan in ER). Took a chance with the Woodmaxx because of the price and good reputation of the company. No doubt the SS may be a better product but close to twice as much with shipping. We cut wood and split because its fun-- 12-15 cords per year-- use it to raise funds for Gethsemane Garden Christian Center -- a school/orphanage in western Kenya---740 children. Have a 026, 361 and just got a Echo 490. Learned a lot from this site.

 

[Deleted member 149229]

My hydraulic splitter is only 4 years old so it’s not getting replaced but I was at a charity wood cutting this spring and @lead farmer brought his kinetic. Flat out impressed me.