Kinetic Splitter tips and tricks

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CaseyForrest

I am NOT a tree freak.
. AS Supporting Member.
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Out running the splitter today and a post from @Sandhill Crane came to mind as a couple of the scenarios he mentioned took place. So I figure it this would be a good place to put all the small nuances that come with using a kinetic splitter as opposed to a hydraulic unit. Ill start with his post because it is most definitely going to get lost in a very unrelated thread.

By using a kinetic splitter you are changing the way you split wood.
I would add a caution, or two:
-Keep your back and neck straight, and your head out of the vertical plane of the beam to avoid eating summersaulting splits.
-Keep your fingers on top of the wood, or grasped on the side of the wood when resplitting, and fingers off the ends at all times. When grabbing on the side, keep fingers from sliding on table surface, as there is a pinch point where the gap stops between the table and beam at the wedge.
-Adhere to the sticker that says 'One person operation', (or something like that).
-Read the assembly and instruction manual completely. The handle nuts should allow vertical play of the handle on the engagement shaft.
-a typical retracting issue, and it will occur, is alignment of the cam roller on top of the beam. Turn machine off. Tap cam lightly on one side or the other. Pull ram out manually and release to check alignment. Also check all five cam followers to see if they spin freely.
-an old hand saw is a thin, good tool to clear buildup under the push plate between the beam and brass wear plate.
-splitter trash can wedge under push plate. A 9/16" wrench is handy to loosen the six push plate bolts that connect the lower cam follower brackets. You will also need a 1/2" and 7/16" wrench handy to pull the cover for maintenance. Pretty simple.
-a 2' L-bar, or pry bar, is handy to unstick the push plate if it jambs against a split when extended. This is often caused by side pressure on the push plate if a round has a twist. I keep it within arms reach when I'm splitting.
-I think I've mentioned before, I hit the top corner of the wedge with a hand file to dull it. At some point you will probably back hand it a time or two when reaching over or around it.
-vary engine speed to find the sweet spot for engagement. Mine varies from day to day between 3,500 and 3,700 rpms.
_I would suggest an hour meter. Ive recently added one as I do 1/4 cord at a time so lots of on/off during a day, fifteen to twenty minutes at a pop. It adds up quick and easy to loose track of accumulated hours.
Not trying to be a know it all. Just passing along a few things that have come up the past couple seasons and have found to make things run smoother. I just pulled the engine to change oil, clean it up, grease the flywheel shaft zerks, and look it over. Three years old and a few cord behind it.
Very good choice of splitters. I believe the more you use it the more you will like it.
Retracting can be an issue, and tapping the top cam roller to realign will typically solve it, being the main thing.
And ask yourself the question before you engage the handle... Do you know where your fingers are?
Dancan got it right in the last post...
 
ALSO.....

I realize reading the a manual is not a manly thing to do, and I have a tendency to do so AFTER I have put everything together and started using something.

Ive said it and I have seen many other Super Split owners say the same thing... "it splits even at half throttle."

Well, the owners manual says the maximum flywheel speed should not exceed 310rpm which equals 3000 rpm on the motor. I put a tach/hour meter on mine and 3000 rpm is just over half throttle. So that makes sense.
 
Once you use a kinetic splitter you'll rarely ever go back to a hydraulic splitter. Let me preface this statement by stating a couple of items. Don't use a kinetic for splitting huge crotch pieces. That's what your hydraulic is suited for. Our rule of thumb on log size is if you can't load the log onto the splitter by yourself then the piece is too big to begin with.

As Casey so succinctly stated... using a kinetics splitter is a completely different machine. Caution and care is a must in operating this type of equipment. The efficiency is second to none.
 
I don't sell firewood. I wanted to shorten the time I spend splitting.

But I do understand the need to justify the expense. I asked for forgiveness.

sent from a field

Just showed up with it didn't you? lol

I've always found the kinetic splitters pretty cool and interesting.

Keep us updated with your experiences.
 
Keep the top edge of the beam clean. That little cam follower bearing will run you over $20

Put the nasty end on the wedge end, and be careful it does not fly back and hit you in the face.

Don't overwork yourself. Being tired and complacent is not a good idea with this splitter.

Make sure your fingers do not get down inside the opening between the beam and work table.

This splitter is a one man job. You can have helpers stack wood that has fallen off the end of the work table, but do not let anyone help feed the beast. Even with helpers on the end, be careful as sometimes a nasty will catapult off the end.


I am trying out two roller bearings (together) in place of the small cam follower bearing and will report on longevity. I go through 2 cam follower bearings a year on mine, and even if they don't last any longer, they are a 1/3 the price. I really need to get mine into a machine shop and have the top of the H beam welded and machined as there is a nice grove worn in it from locked cam followers.

Problem is, there is just no time to do it. I have at a minimum 50/cords that need to run though it before spring. This is bundled firewood, so it has to split the wood smaller than your average wood stove sized piece.
 
When you do have to split a piece with a knot or crotch, set it so that the knot is cut first.

Also, if you have a bigger piece with a knot or crotch, split off the straight grain and avoid the knot as much as you can and save it for last. Split with the knot facing up (or down) - not to the side.
 
Heres a tip I picked up today...

It takes more than 1 person to realize the full production capacity of the splitter. We had 3 people most of the day today. My daughter was running the lever, 1 person was placing logs and the third was clearing the table and routing wood back around that needed to be split again. We probably split a full cord in about 1 hour, but we got a VERY healthy rhythm going. There was a slight, safety inspired delay, though. My daughter had strict instructions to keep her hand off the go lever until all other hands were clear of the danger zone or she was given a verbal "go ahead."
 
Heres a tip I picked up today...

It takes more than 1 person to realize the full production capacity of the splitter. We had 3 people most of the day today. My daughter was running the lever, 1 person was placing logs and the third was clearing the table and routing wood back around that needed to be split again. We probably split a full cord in about 1 hour, but we got a VERY healthy rhythm going. There was a slight, safety inspired delay, though. My daughter had strict instructions to keep her hand off the go lever until all other hands were clear of the danger zone or she was given a verbal "go ahead."
The part of one person operating the control while another is loading scares the crap out of me. I've had a kinetic for 6 years and I love my hands way too much to try that.

My $0.02 with [emoji16]

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
 
Heres a tip I picked up today...

It takes more than 1 person to realize the full production capacity of the splitter. We had 3 people most of the day today. My daughter was running the lever, 1 person was placing logs and the third was clearing the table and routing wood back around that needed to be split again. We probably split a full cord in about 1 hour, but we got a VERY healthy rhythm going. There was a slight, safety inspired delay, though. My daughter had strict instructions to keep her hand off the go lever until all other hands were clear of the danger zone or she was given a verbal "go ahead."
Pretty day for start of new year


Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk
 
Heres one I discovered today.....

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Not the table. The cart under the splitter table to catch all the splitter trash. I tried a second one under the beam but it gets in the way of where I stand.


Sent from a field
 
Oh... I thought you were just splitting really small.

Anything for trash helps.
EDIT:
Actually, the collapsible bins are for cut offs and splitter trash, and the Thule trailer is for saw chips. With a stationary set-up the chips build up fast under foot. When they get several inches deep the bench gets shorter, it gets harder on the back, and it's time to scoop them out. There are two bins. One near the saw table and one behind the Thule trailer for splitter trash.
 

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