Broke my SS today.

[unclemoustache]

Actually the kids did. Had a nasty crotch from a red oak in there, and the wedge popped right off.



Turns out it was a combo of two probs - weld didn't penetrate deep enough into the wedge, and there was a big gap between the wedge and the I-beam. You can see in the above pic a 1/4" metal shim in the back of the wedge, but a gap on the rest of it. some of this was air space, and the rest took about 3 passes just to reach the wedge.
Anyway, I didn't think my little 110v welder would do the trick, so I took it to a nearby shop and they fixed it right up - ground off the shim and the old weld, and welded it back on. Will run it tomorrow morning if it doesn't rain.

I did contact SuperSplit to let them know that the shim wasn't a good idea. Maybe it got the height they wanted, or maybe it was because the cutting edge of the wedge was a bit wider and they needed to space it evenly. It would be better to grind the wedge level and weld the whole thing down properly, IMHO.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

120v you mean, 110v is England.

 

[NHMike]

Glad your back up & running. I don't recall seeing a shim on mine, but I'll take a look this week when I take mine out of storage. I've run through plenty of nasty pieces but haven't had any issues yet.

 

[hseII]

When I read the title, I thought somehow MadDogg was in a Bind.

Thank Goodness I was wrong, and Rick is good to go: well as good as His Ancientness can be.

 

[LoveStihlQuality]

You didn't break it. Defective weld was fault.

LoveStihlQuality

 

[rageej]

Send that bad boy over to me, I'll weld it up for you AND test it before sending it back. Note: testing can take from 10 -15 years depending on product.

 

[mu2bdriver]

Those are some near perfectly square pieces of wood. I make one of those every once in a while but it looks like that's your goal. Tell your kids nice work.

 

[Marshy]

It's worth letting them know you had a failure.

 

[sunfish]

First one of these I've seen.

 

[Ryan'smilling]

120v you mean, 110v is England.

Actually voltage varies here in the good ole USA. People and products commonly refer to standard household voltage as 110, 115, 118, or 120. It's all the same.

 

[Henry and Wanda]

Hello,
You would think that for as much as one of those things cost, they could at least weld them properly !!!!!!!


Henry and Wanda

 

[Erik B]

Actually the kids did. Had a nasty crotch from a red oak in there, and the wedge popped right off.

View attachment 500411

Turns out it was a combo of two probs - weld didn't penetrate deep enough into the wedge, and there was a big gap between the wedge and the I-beam. You can see in the above pic a 1/4" metal shim in the back of the wedge, but a gap on the rest of it. some of this was air space, and the rest took about 3 passes just to reach the wedge.
Anyway, I didn't think my little 110v welder would do the trick, so I took it to a nearby shop and they fixed it right up - ground off the shim and the old weld, and welded it back on. Will run it tomorrow morning if it doesn't rain.

I did contact SuperSplit to let them know that the shim wasn't a good idea. Maybe it got the height they wanted, or maybe it was because the cutting edge of the wedge was a bit wider and they needed to space it evenly. It would be better to grind the wedge level and weld the whole thing down properly, IMHO.

@unclemoustache It is a bit of a bummer when your splitter breaks down. Glad to hear your fix was easy and fast, at least faster than mine. My breakdown took a week to get fixed. Time to get the kids back to work

 

[sam-tip]

Wow first picture I have seen where wedge breaks on SS. Heard it happening.

I had it happen on my first hydro splitter that I modified. I didn't preheat my steel.

 

[unclemoustache]

Paul McCann already replied to my email. He said that happens rarely, but it does happen. He said the shim is intentional to get a root weld under the wedge. He agreed this was just a bad weld, but I think the shim was also a bad idea - at least that large of a shim.

He even told me he was sending out a 'care package' for my trouble. Cool!

As for the square firewood, it's much easier to pick up a square piece than a triangle. They have edges your fingers can grip.

 

[LoveStihlQuality]

Actually voltage varies here in the good ole USA. People and products commonly refer to standard household voltage as 110, 115, 118, or 120. It's all the same.

Or rewire with 220 or 221, whatever it takes[emoji5]

LoveStihlQuality

 

[LoveStihlQuality]

Paul McCann already replied to my email. He said that happens rarely, but it does happen. He said the shim is intentional to get a root weld under the wedge. He agreed this was just a bad weld, but I think the shim was also a bad idea - at least that large of a shim.

He even told me he was sending out a 'care package' for my trouble. Cool!

As for the square firewood, it's much easier to pick up a square piece than a triangle. They have edges your fingers can grip.

How long have you been running your SS and typical cords per year? I want to but haven't pulled the trigger yet. I've heard good customer service.

LoveStihlQuality

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Actually voltage varies here in the good ole USA. People and products commonly refer to standard household voltage as 110, 115, 118, or 120. It's all the same.

I've been all over the US and have never seen anything but 120v (+- a few volts) unless there was a problem.

Either way it's 240v and 120v.

 

[Ryan'smilling]

I've been all over the US and have never seen anything but 120v (+- a few volts) unless there was a problem.

Either way it's 240v and 120v.

I'm certainly impressed that you've been all over the US. And with a multi-meter to boot.

You're welcome to Google it and learn why you are incorrectly correcting someone.

Or, you can continue to look like a clown.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

As for the square firewood, it's much easier to pick up a square piece than a triangle. They have edges your fingers can grip.

I believe that's called flitch split when it is flat or square splits. Pretty common on the super split with the table. I use a pulp hook 90% of the time, but then I work alone. Probably not a good idea with others around, especially kids. Never used a pulp hook until I saw a Power Split (wood splitter) video and the Canadians using them. The tip has a special grind to it. Not a pointed tip at all.
As for the SuperSplit, I've had a few knurly pieces through it, but what's the point. Now it's thrown in a bin of splitter trash for my neighbor and on to the next piece. Same with the TW... because it jut makes four pieces of junk out of one. SS makes much less splitter trash in general, as it does cut better and make usable firewood out of stuff the just TW tears a part.
I guess kids just like to see how things are put together. We had an 'old' 1990 Range Rover. The three kids used it a lot in high school as our third vehicle. Off to school, drum lessons, dance, games, work, play... Over ten years later I'm still hearing stories, them tell on each other about driving it. "Me? What about a the time you ..." They hated that car the first time they saw it in the driveway. That all changed.
Yep, Unclemoustache, your going to have a houseful of stories! And one of them will be the break they got from splitting.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I'm certainly impressed that you've been all over the US. And with a multi-meter to boot.

You're welcome to Google it and learn why you are incorrectly correcting someone.

Or, you can continue to look like a clown.

You go to school to be an electrician like I did as well? The only clown here is you!