Woodmaxx kinetic splitter anyone?

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EXCALIBER

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I was wondering if anyone has seen this splitter before or maybe used one. I'm still skeptical that a kinetic could/would work for me but the price seems right on this one. I sold my old Swisher 22 ton and need to replace it with something and my homemade hydro isn't finished yet. I checked out the other known brands so far and they are all way pricey!! 3K plus and every one, this one is half that. Thoughts? It has a two year warranty and I have been keeping my eye on this company for some time due to their wood chippers. Seems most are way happy with their other products and customer service. I was thinking in my head that part of the problem I see with most kinetic splitters in they have such a thin wedge that the log just gets sliced instead of being split, which means that the log gets stuck on the wedge. I have never ran a kinetic before so idk what would really work better. http://www.woodmaxx.com/LS_34T_Kinetic_Log_Splitter_p/ls-34t.htm
 
I've never run across this company but they have a very nice web site. They have spent a lot of time with photos and a nice video.
The price with freight included is very attractive too.
I look for a warranty and couldn't find that on their web site.

The wedge is a lot wider than I was expecting too.
In their owners manual they suggest running the engine is the "fast" setting. That's OK but I running mine in the mid-range at most.

I like that they have the hour meter/tach feature.

If I didn't have two old SpeeCo kinetic splitters I might roll the dice and buy one of these.

With only one review, I'm guessing this machine is fresh of the boat. You may be a guinea pig.

Let us know what you do.

Tom
 
Yeah its one of their newer products. It's a 2 year consumer parts warranty, 1 year commercial parts warranty. Do you think that wedge design would be better since it's wider, or is it going to be too wide and the machine not have enough umph to push rounds through it? I noticed they are using completely sealed bearings which to me should have been a no brainer on other models as well. They are only 75 lb flywheels but run at 465 RPM instead of 365 PRM which according to my calculations would actually give them quite a bit more stored kinetic energy at 465 than 90 lb flywheels would at 365. Two hand operation looks easy enough to cirumnavigate with maybe just a spacer block?
 
I purchased another more expensive Kinetic. I was afraid going with another company and saving money now might cost me later. Several companies have launched these and no longer make them. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get parts or service for the long haul. Sure I spent more now, but I will have a machine I can pass down to my kids.
I by no means am trying to push the machine I purchased, just throwing out what was my major concern and I think anyone looking kinetic should question.
Good luck whatever you decide. Keep us posted.
 
Yeah its one of their newer products. It's a 2 year consumer parts warranty, 1 year commercial parts warranty. Do you think that wedge design would be better since it's wider, or is it going to be too wide and the machine not have enough umph to push rounds through it? I noticed they are using completely sealed bearings which to me should have been a no brainer on other models as well. They are only 75 lb flywheels but run at 465 RPM instead of 365 PRM which according to my calculations would actually give them quite a bit more stored kinetic energy at 465 than 90 lb flywheels would at 365. Two hand operation looks easy enough to cirumnavigate with maybe just a spacer block?

The wider wedge is a puzzle to me. I think narrow is better. You mentioned sealed bearings. Their owners manual shows the tech greasings the pinion bearings.
The Speeco and others ran 90# wheels. The downfall of the imports, in my opinion, was poor heat treating of the rack and pinion. The operating RPM was too fast on the Speeco. I run mine at just above idle and have and zero failure. Both of mine have had the racks and pinions replaced with the new and improved materials. Eventually though Speeco elected to recall all of these machines. I decided to keep my machine.

The two handle system looks OK too. We have turned our into suicide machines and they are now one-handed. A lot more dangerous and a lot faster too.
The HPDE spacer is nice on this machine. This is where they are suggesting silicone spray I believe. On the push block I didn't see the type of cam follower bearings hopefully these are sealed too.
 
The wider wedge is a puzzle to me. I think narrow is better. You mentioned sealed bearings. Their owners manual shows the tech greasings the pinion bearings.
The Speeco and others ran 90# wheels. The downfall of the imports, in my opinion, was poor heat treating of the rack and pinion. The operating RPM was too fast on the Speeco. I run mine at just above idle and have and zero failure. Both of mine have had the racks and pinions replaced with the new and improved materials. Eventually though Speeco elected to recall all of these machines. I decided to keep my machine.

The two handle system looks OK too. We have turned our into suicide machines and they are now one-handed. A lot more dangerous and a lot faster too.
The HPDE spacer is nice on this machine. This is where they are suggesting silicone spray I believe. On the push block I didn't see the type of cam follower bearings hopefully these are sealed too.
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Well, you get what you pay for, and I'll never buy a front line tool again. I suggest you wait a few years to see what other customers have to say about it first, rather than risk being the one who says ' don't buy it.'

Go with a SuperSplit. Expensive, but well made with excellent customer service. You can't get them used because no one wants to get rid of them.
 
Yes, Chinese. Same model with different logo here in NZ sells for as low as US$650. I'll stick with the proven, more expensive but I suspect far better value in the long run, original thanks.
IMG_20141209_132230351.jpg

That said, I have followed Woodmaxx for a few years because of their Chinese PTO chippers. They seem like a good company and are proactive about addressing any product weaknesses that show up over time, so perhaps, in time, they'll get on top of any problems this model might have and this model might actually be worth buying in the future, but I wouldn't want to be an earlier adopter. Been there with other gear and don't want a repeat.
 
Why not approach Woodmaxx with a challenge to send one FOC to an AS GTG where it can go in a shootout with any kinetics members already have at the GTG?

Or, if they had half a marketing mindset, they'd become AS sponsors, set up a travelling kinetic splitter demo thread like what was done with the leveraxe, and reputable AS members can get to try it out and write their findings.
 
I bought one of their WM-8H power driven PTO chippers. I been happy with it and they were really helpful. Yes, it was offshore built but I don't do commercial type work. Just needed a piece that would do what I wanted and it has. Don't know anything about the kinetic they have but they do stand behind what they sell and do what they say. At least with me they did.

I don't care for the narrow stance on these as they would be plenty tippy. I'd be worried about falling over while going through the woods with ruts and such. Split Second brand seems to have some nice features but the price is up there in line with others. They do seem to be making a lot of profit with these. I feel they have their place and speed sells so they can demand a premium. Just not a lot of parts there for the money.

What's up with the small wedges on all these? Strength/fatigue issues with the beam? Looks like a 10 inch high, THIN, wedge would save even more time as less flip overs. I'm guessing OSHA or their lawyers will make all of them have the hands safe levers.
 
Just wondering if anyone had first hand experience with these brand of splitters yet. I have a co-worker that is interested in a kinetic splitter and woodmaxx meets his price point. There are half a dozen reviews on their site now, all good.
 
Hmmm. No carriage roller bearings. Instead they are using slide rails/guides. Not sure what the material is, looks like plastic. Keen to see how that wears with significant use. The UHMWPE on my kinetic table is almost unbelievably low-friction/hard-wearing.

No rack-lift roller bearing against the top of the beam.

Wheel bearings, not bushes.

Towable.

Lower CoG with the low engine.

Keen to see if the two-handed feature can be easily circumvented. If so, the table needs to lose those log supports so it is kept flat for easier, one-handed return of re-splits.

Keen to see if the wide-flared wedge rather than knife has more pros than cons.
 
I've been checking out their 3 pt snowblower. Seems that changed and improved their newest design and when comparing specs they don't seem to give up anything over any of the highly regarded Canadian brands, all for much less.

They also just released a sawmill. It looks like a pimped out harbor freight mill. Some really nice added features.
 
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