a rental splitter idea

[Patrick62]

Ok guys, here is the latest idea.
My Super splitter is well on it's way here, and I can't wait.
The DR is seemingly functional at the moment and I was pondering what to do with it as a spare machine.
Rent the sucker out! if I keep the belts tight on it they seem to stay on pretty well, and it seems reliable enough.
I did send a email to my insurance company questioning what I might aught to have if I were to be renting equipment.
Then print out some garden variety contracts, and let the DR make me a little money.

One thing that brought this to light was that the store's (we have a small rental area) log splitter has sort of expired.

Thoughts, ideas, constructive ideas, criticism??

 

[chucker]

expect at least $50,000 in law suits for each digit that comes up missing because of the lack of safety guards!! figure that one out? ever try to split wood with about 15 different guards to protect all your moving parts and vision.... lol good luck!

 

[chucker]

go ahead and rent it out, but only with you as the principle operator of the machine!

 

[Patrick62]

Some of these people up here could be considered acceptable to rent something to. And some... maybe not so much.
I will wait until I hear from my insurance guy, and see what he thinks of the idea.

I found a dandy "rental form" online. It would take a pretty sharp (and hungry) Lawyer to levy a claim from a lessee and the lessor (me). Oh it could be done, no doubt about it. However, I reserve the rite to deny rental to anybody whom I deem not worthy of using the splitter...

Just thinking out loud here

 

[Wyatt183728]

I say clarify in a rential agreement that you are not responsible for the irresponsibility of the operator. In other words, if they are injured from their own ignorance and not a machine failure, its on them.


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[KiwiBro]

Sell it before it fails, which is more likely at the hands of rental customers.

 

[kevin j]

my daughter is a personal injury attorney. (don't get me started there). basically there's a way around every release liability but it cuts about 95% of the claims out and so the person has to prove it was a fault beyond their own stupidity.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

If you are fine with it being junk in a year or two, rent it.

We had an Iron and Oak at the shop for rent.

Everything from blown tires, hoses, filter punctured, heck, it came back once with the engine and pump dragging down the road behind it, just 1 hose holding it attached to the machine.
Then there was the time "the couple failed" (they didn't latch it or put the safety chains) and it flew across the highway and into the woods. They called and said basically "go get your splitter it nearly killed people" like it was the shop's fault!

Water instead of gas (had to come back full... water... gas... what's it matter I guess).
Bolts broken off the wedge, etc.

We still have it, haven't broken anything on it in many years of use. The engine is a real sob to start (usually needs ether) and burns more oil then gas, but it still works.

Similar stories with the bulldozer, backhoe, root tiller, brush mower, etc that was for rent too.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

My father-in-law borrowed my brother-in-laws splitter. He refilled it with mixed gas... because that's all he had at the time. Didn't think it would be a problem. Key words "Didn't think". Surprised everyone that Murphy's Law didn't ever catch up with him, especially when using a chainsaw like a hand saw, or driving a car.

 

[c5rulz]

There is always a chance of personal injury operating a splitter. An inertia splitter increases the odds of an accident exponentially, I certainly wouldn't risk litigation for a few bucks in rental income.

 

[sb47]

It won't mater if you win a law suit. You still lose because you have to pay big money just to prove your not responsible.
Plus rental's get abused a lot.
You said the belts stay on most of the time. Sounds like something I would get rid of just for that reason alone.
I use to just keep things that were paid for as back ups but over the years I found most of that stuff just sits and goes bad from lack of use.
I would not rent it out. Let corporations that can afford to fight the law suits do rentals. I would just sell it.

 

[JeffHK454]

My father-in-law borrowed my brother-in-laws splitter. He refilled it with mixed gas... because that's all he had at the time. Didn't think it would be a problem. Key words "Didn't think". Surprised everyone that Murphy's Law didn't ever catch up with him, especially when using a chainsaw like a hand saw, or driving a car.

Running premix in a 4-stroke engine is bad? My splitter runs a couple gallons of Cam2 mix ever fall from my race quads and seems to love it..and it makes splitting fun when it smells like you're at the racetrack!

There is always a chance of personal injury operating a splitter. An inertia splitter increases the odds of an accident exponentially, I certainly wouldn't risk litigation for a few bucks in rental income.

I was thinking these exact couple points...flywheel splitters belong in the hands of people that know what they're doing . In today's sue-happy world there's no way I'd risk everything for a couple bucks.

 

[Patrick62]

I got the general gist of the ideas here, and everyone of you guys are right. I re-read the rental agreement we have at the store, and it is there in black and white. And, I know that a sharp lawyer could get around that.
I need to talk to the insurance company for giggles yet, and then figure this out.

According to the history of the store, we rented it 10 times last year from now to the end of the year. figure something like 50 to 80 rental... 500 to 800 bux... However, some of those rentals I would decline...

And YES, there is a greater risk with a inertia splitter. And possibly why the one we had was chosen. It is s l o w . I think it was like a 27 second cycle time (gads). I bet the risk of personal injury is about the same with armatures running chainsaws or inertia splitters.

 

[KiwiBro]

How has Super Split lasted so long in USA without being buried by lawsuits?

 

[Patrick62]

How has Super Split has lasted so long in USA without being buried by lawsuits?

Valid point there! There does not appear to be a interlock on the super split. The DR has one, and I have removed it. If I were to make a "rental" out of it I would seriously consider re-installing it. HOWEVER! if there was another person standing there... and placed a block on the splitter and the operator engaged the action... and the second persons hand was in the way!
it would trim those fingers off in a blink of a eye. Interlock be damned, it is still dangerous.

Can you still cut your leg off with a saw equipped with a chain brake?

Isn't that why I wear chaps?

 

[c5rulz]

Can you still cut your leg off with a saw equipped with a chain brake?

Isn't that why I wear chaps?

Of course but it is harder to sue yourself for cutting your own leg off.

 

[Sandhill Crane]

Is the liability worth the little bit of money you could make renting it? I think I'd sell it outright and be done with it. If you rent it, you will most certainly be fixing it again too.

 

[sb47]

My father-in-law borrowed my brother-in-laws splitter. He refilled it with mixed gas... because that's all he had at the time. Didn't think it would be a problem. Key words "Didn't think". Surprised everyone that Murphy's Law didn't ever catch up with him, especially when using a chainsaw like a hand saw, or driving a car.

Running mixed gas should not harm a 4 stroke. It will smoke like hell and maybe kill the spark plug but it shouldn't harm it.

 

[cantoo]

We built several houses for some communities north of here a few years ago. The Elders decided that to help out the community they would buy a wood splitter and let people use it for free to split their own wood. A local guy got on the list to borrow the splitter and had used it several times. The "last" time he used it he decided to indulge in a few wobblie pops or whatever you guys call booze now. He ended up slicing his thumb off on the wedge. The really great part is that he didn't sue the community or the Elders, he sued the manufacturer and the seller of the splitter. In this case it was Home Depot that they bought the used Surge splitter from and also Surge as the manufacturer. They settled out of court but the guy wouldn't tell us what kind of settlement he got.
FYI, Surge Master is built by EMB MFG which is the Wallenstein brand. Amish run company not far from where I live.
I lend out stuff but never for money. It just isn't worth the hassle.

 

[rancher2]

We are talking about a splitter that on a good day with a good operator is a little cranky to keep going. A renter operator with little skills is going to spell trouble. I would sell it and cut my loss. Some times in the life a little money isn't worth the trouble.