Alternative to the Super Splitter.

[treeguyinoh]

This looks like a good little splitter. For that cost, it would be very challenging to build your own. I believe that the problem most people run into when building a splitter of this design is bringing the speed down enough. The rack moves much too fast with stock gears available. If you are an experienced machinist, you may have a chance, but it will probably end up with a lot of time at the mill and more than a few parts made to suit your liking. I believe that the general concensus is that you need three teeth on a 1 3/8 shaft to come pretty close to the Supersplit.
Dennis

 

[Phil_Marino]

Its definitely different in some way, if not SS would have yanked it off the market. I believe he offers the bigger wheels, and the steel tongue.
Maybe one of us close to Howard can rent it sooner or later and make a video.

If the SuperSplitter has really been around for 30 years, than they no longer have any patent protection for the original design ( if they even had patents to begin with) .

Anyone can legally build and sell them. There is nothing SS could do.

Phil

 

[ASETECH]

A rack system? Do you mean to stack wood on?

No. I mean the gears. These are not hydraulic.

 

[Cmccul8146]

Treeguyinoh, I built one of these mechanical splitters in my spare time last winter and I am using a 2.500 pitch dia. 15 tooth pinion gear. I machined my flywheels from 2 inch thick steel plate, & they weigh 102 lbs. ea. With my clutch pulley dia., flywheel dia. and gear configuration, I am only running my 3 hp engine at half throttle and approximately 160 flywheel rpm. The SS runs at a flywheel speed of 300 rpm at full throttle. I believe the SS has a 9 or 10 tooth pinion gear, but not sure of the pitch dia. I think that Paul has these specially made as a 1 piece unit, whereas I used available stock spur gear & bored it for a 1 3/8 shaft. Maybe one of the SS owners here could enlighten all of us . By the way, my homebuilt version has a cycle time of 2 seconds even at the lower flywheel rpm.

 

[Pcoz88]

Was it cheaper to build then a hydo. unit??Thanks!!

 

[treeguyinoh]

Cmccul, What kind of recovery time do you have on the flywheels? I would think that at that low of an rpm you could see issues with not being able to make a full cycle in tough stuff. But I guess 102 lb flywheels help with that. Any pics?... would love to see 'em. I have been mulling a inetia splitter build overr for a while, but couldnt get the math to add up. But i will take real world testing over numbers and theroetical values all day long. Thanks.
Dennis

 

[ASETECH]

My next question is how to shift / engage the rack to a spinning gear? I really need to see one of these splitters. I would love to see some pics.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I do know SS has been around for 30 years +/- and supposedly the owner's dad invented it. But it would be interesting to know who copied who.

If it's been around 30 years, the patents have expired and copying is fair game.

 

[giXXer]

Looks like SS might have a little competition. I know that there is such a thing as the "Wood Wolf" which I have not seen, but hear it is a cheaper knock off of the SS. If this new Amish built unit is well built at $1299 it could be a home run. One thing that I notice is how narrow the axle is considering how high the engine sits. It looks like it could tip over pretty easily with that high of a center of gravity, might be difficult to set it up to tow down the road or on off-camber terrain.

After seeing a flywheel splitter in action (the SS) I've dreamed of owning one.

 

[treeguyinoh]

ASETECH, these things are very simalar to mechanical punch presses. If you have the chance to check one out, it would probably answer a lot of questions.

 

[epicklein22]

A while back I mentioned that there was an Amish gent, in the near by town of Howard. He makes a splitter that is very close to the Super Splitter, and I hear good things about it. I was told that someone could rent it for 24hr, but only run it for 8hr (hr meter) for $100. The man who owns the trash collection service is a big hard working guy, and he vouches for it saying" if you had the wood stacked and ready, you could run a cord an hour through it"
I've spoken to a few here who like it, and if its anything close Im going to rent it and test it out.

Nice post DJ4wd! He gave me the info earlier this year about the splitter and I ended up going with a SS HD since I know they have a solid reputation. After looking at the pictures in this post, I have seen 2 of these machines in my area. One was an amish guy (He sell firewood on 534) and then the other was just a regular joe homeowner.

I believe the flywheel covers are green, so I saw one this time last year. Here is my thread, no real information though.
http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?p=1780369

 

[ASETECH]

ASETECH, these things are very simalar to mechanical punch presses. If you have the chance to check one out, it would probably answer a lot of questions.

Thanks. I will see what I can learn!

 

[Pcoz88]

bump

Bump

 

[Ductape]

Just some food for thought:

Last winter, my neighbor, who owns this OLD Super Split, asked me to check into a couple parts for it (he has no computer / internet access). I'm guessing this is at least twenty years old ...... maybe more. It has survived a barn fire (with a new motor), and literally split thousands of cord of firewood. He also asked me for some info on the Wood Wolf, as he thought there was a possibility he'd replace it instead of fixing it.

Super Split had the new rack and / or pinion gear in stock and I could drive there that day to pick it up. Wood Wolf had no parts in stock as he was waiting for a shipment of parts to come in from over seas to assemble a few more. Not sure when those parts would arrive.

Personally, I think the SS is a little over priced for what it is .......... BUT, they appear to have great customer service. That is definitely worth something. How much is it worth to have wood to split for next winter, and be waiting months for a proprietary part for your China made knock=off ?? I dunno. I suspect when you add everything up, the price difference between a genuine SS and a cheaper knock-off isn't all that much.

 

[sunfish]

Ducktape, well said, and the reason I went with Super Split. I couldn't get Wood Wolf to return my calls and found out he was many months (year or more) behind on orders, because he was waiting on overseas parts.

That is a very old SS and a testament to their ruggedness.

 

[Ductape]

Ducktape, well said, and the reason I went with Super Split. I couldn't get Wood Wolf to return my calls and found out he was many months (year or more) behind on orders, because he was waiting on overseas parts.

That is a very old SS and a testament to their ruggedness.

The Wood Wolf is made about fifteen miles from me. He does sell every splitter he builds ahead of time (always more orders than inventory). A good position to be in, for sure. Since he had no splitters to sell I asked his thoughts on fitting one of his racks /pinions to a Super Split (to repair my neighbor's splitter), which he didn't feel was realistic. Plus, he couldn't seem to give any time frame on when his next shipment of parts would arrive. The Wolf may be built as well as the SS....... I dunno, I've never run a WW. But for a guy who does not have access to a machine shop, getting parts to repair one may be a problem. That doesn't appear to be the case with an SS. As far as the rack / pinion needing replacement on my neighbor's SS .... it owes him nothing, and is probably mostly due to him half-assing it every time it needs an adjustment or fix (as you can see by the pic). He is an old farmer and sells 30 to 50 cord a year of firewood using that old SS.

Oh, P.S. He still hasn't replaced the rack on the SS. He had someone locally weld the broken / worn teeth and regrind them enough for it to work again.

 

[sunfish]

Wood Wolf ordered a complete parts list / break down / manual from SS right before he stared making his copy.. I had a problem with this and helped make my decision...

BTW, I don't have a problem with an individual that wants to make his own SS copy, and would be glad to provide info, based on my splitter.

 

[Pcoz88]

4 way???????????????

Could you put a 4 way on a splitter like this???:bang::bang:

Pete

 

[PLAYINWOOD]

My next question is how to shift / engage the rack to a spinning gear? I really need to see one of these splitters. I would love to see some pics.

I have been told my Gripo is a super split that's cheaper for the Canadian market.
2500$ for a new one.

If this is true then the handle you pull up is a spring loaded cam lobe that forces the "rack" downward to engage with the constantly spinning "pinion" thats attached to the flywheels.

The rack gets flung toward the wood but is short so it passes by the cam, which drops even further, but then it releases, and the spring return pressure causes it to all lift once again.

During this whole process the rack has a spring attached to it, and once it disengages from the pinion the spring retracts the rack to its place of rest.

Rubber stoppers cushion the return blow.

I've replaced both stoppers, broken the return spring 4 times, just keep shortening it, but now its beyond repair, the bearing that travels with rack has been replaced, bolts have all come out on pusher head with thread, I've welded them all now, arm that holds bearing has broken, The eccentric cams that adjust the clearance for the brass shim that the pusher head rides on continually loosen, one side is still tighter than the other.
Bolts all rattle out on the cover and belts are shredding...
Wood slivers and dirt/snow are more than enough to stop the head from returning, so your constantly cleaning and sometimes just the tiniest bit of oil is needed to keep the bearing from seizing.
9/16 is a must in your pocket for those cams.But you have to take the springs off to adjust PITA

I bought barely used two years ago for 1500 and I've put maybe 80 cord through it.

Reminds me. I've got to order some parts.

 

[sunfish]

Wow! Sounds like that Canadian model is not so good.