Need some help on ordering my Super Split

[stepup]

Alright I have been looking around at all of the different wood splitters on the market and been really trying to figure out what to do. My house is a very open floorplan and I have a woodstove with a blower in our living room that pretty much heats our whole house. I burn a pretty good bit of wood during the winter and I am sick of splitting by hand. I just busted a pretty good pile with my 8lb maul and I hope that it will be my last time. I am pretty much set on ordering the super split. I was looking at the Husky from Tractor Supply but I wanted the 35 ton model and it is 1,999.00 so the way I see it I can put about 700 more dollars with it and have something a whole lot faster. I have been looking on there website and I am totally lost as to which model to order and which engine option. I know I want the work table with it but should I buy the J model or the Heavy Duty model. There website has no specs on it so I am not sure which one to order. Also would you stick with the Subaru engine or pay the extra money for the Honda Engine? Are there any dealers of the super split or do you have to order straight from them? Is there a warranty on this splitter? Also I probably shouldn't even ask cause I already know the answer but should I look at any other splitters before I buy this one? Sorry for the long post just thought I should put it all in here. Also I am considering a OWB in the future so I will be cutting wood for that in the future hopefully.

 

[blades]

Call super split they will be happy to answer any questions. You can't really compare a kinetic splitter with a hydro splitter other than they both split wood. All this preoccupation with speed is just bull roar. if you are working by yourself any of the splitters a fast enough even if you have a helper it is fast enough. 98% of the time a 15ton or so hydro splitter is enough to get the job done. Most of the tonnage is just marketing hype. All the units commercial built are made to split the wood not shear it, there is a big difference in how construction should be approached between the words split and shear.

 

[Cheesecutter]

I'm not sure how strongly you are considering an OWB, or how soon. If you do get one, the length you cut your firewood will probably increase. In that case will want a splitter that will split up-wards of 24-30 inches. Also with an OWB, speed may become less important and durability/force becomes more important. As the size of my stoves has increased, my firewood piece size increased as well. I could burn larger and longer chunks instead of normal splits, so I had to build larger splitters...twice. Guys with OWBs around here hardly ever split anything less than 8 inches across. Just something to keep in mind.

 

[stepup]

I'm not sure how strongly you are considering an OWB, or how soon. If you do get one, the length you cut your firewood will probably increase. In that case will want a splitter that will split up-wards of 24-30 inches. Also with an OWB, speed may become less important and durability/force becomes more important. As the size of my stoves has increased, my firewood piece size increased as well. I could burn larger and longer chunks instead of normal splits, so I had to build larger splitters...twice. Guys with OWBs around here hardly ever split anything less than 8 inches across. Just something to keep in mind.

The outside wood burner will most likely be 5 years from now so I will get the use out of the super split if I do have to upgrade to a larger splitter at that time I will be fine with it.

 

[sunfish]

I bought the J model with table and 4hp Subaru engine.

Works great and I'd do it again in a hart beat!

Call Paul for info.

 

[Philbert]

Welcome to A.S.!

You don't say how long or how large (diameter) your wood is. But since you mentioned that you might be open to options . . .

If I was looking for a splitter for wood stove use, I would definitely consider the one in this thread:

http://www.arboristsite.com/firewood-heating-wood-burning-equipment/190097.htm

Not something I would have looked at in the past. Used one recently and it took everything we gave it. Two-way action means that you don't have to wait for the return stroke, so cycle time is half. Only about $1,000.

Not the splitter for extra long or extra large wood. Not the best for heavy crotch sections, or difficult to split stuff, etc. But for 'normal' firewood rounds it is worth a look.

Philbert

 

[stepup]

Welcome to A.S.!

You don't say how long or how large (diameter) your wood is. But since you mentioned that you might be open to options . . .

If I was looking for a splitter for wood stove use, I would definitely consider the one in this thread:

http://www.arboristsite.com/firewood-heating-wood-burning-equipment/190097.htm

Not something I would have looked at in the past. Used one recently and it took everything we gave it. Two-way action means that you don't have to wait for the return stroke, so cycle time is half. Only about $1,000.

Not the splitter for extra long or extra large wood. Not the best for heavy crotch sections, or difficult to split stuff, etc. But for 'normal' firewood rounds it is worth a look.

Philbert

I typically cut the wood into 14" rounds so they are more manageable for my wife to get into the stove while I am at work. I do some to 16" but I never do anything over that. The wood is never going to be a 30" round. It will most always be 24 or smaller. I guess the way I look at it I am going to be spending more money on the splitter but they seem to hold there value very well and the quicker I get the job done the more time I get to spend with the family. I will mainly be splitting red oak and white oak. Those are the main hardwoods we have around here. I have already looked at that splitter it just makes me nervous when it hasn't been out a very long time. I am a big believer in "buy once cry once" I don't want to buy something for it to tear up the second year and then me be looking for someone to fix it. I also like the supersplit because of the speed it has. I understand with a 2 way there is no cycle time but it looks like it is a lot of trouble keeping wood up there at it. I think I would rather just be running in one direction just at a faster pace. I may be sick after I buy it but I really think I am going to buy the supersplit or try to save a bunch and buy like a 22 ton husky instead of the 35 ton husky. I just don't want to spend the money to only find out I have screwed up and be stuck with my mistake.

 

[rarefish383]

Welcome to the site. Many years ago I had a large commercial splitter that ran off a 40HP JD. A couple years ago my neighbor borrowed his nephews 38 ton Huskee, it worked well. 3 weeks ago I bought a Huskee 22 ton. It did every thing the 38 did. Working by myself, while the piston returns, I can take the splits and stack them. When I'm done splitting I can sweep up and I'm done. Split,stacked, and cleaned up. Working about an hour a day before work I've got 4 cord split. I could never work fast enough to utilize my old commercial unit, and the 38 didn't do that much better than the 22. I'm glad I saved the money and got the 22, Joe.



I back my trailer up to where the new stack is going and put the splitter in between, take the log from trailer to tray, split and stack, then clean up all in one operation, works well for me. The wood I split was Cherry, Hickory, and Black Locust.

 

[angelo c]

Stepup, i would make sure i could use the different splitters you are considering purchasing with the wood you have or can get. The wood matters. Your site matters, where you keep the unit matters, how you plan on moving it matters. Speed aint everything, but its the only thing that gets wood on the stack in the time you have to do it.

Ive split with a tw-6, a maul for years, a regular v/h hydro and my current choice-my 20 sumptin year old Super split. If you plan on using a horizontal anything- you want/need a table. If you can get a log lift you are in good shape. Nothing is perfect, but if i could figure out how to get a lift for my SS i would never look for anything else.

As Don said above, call Paul tomorrow. Ask him about parts, search a few super split posts here and you wont need to second guess your SS purchase, trust me a used one wll sell like hotcakes if you dont love it. Im sure there are a few guys that sold them and went back to hydros but i dont remember them.

Good luck.

 

[sunfish]

I typically cut the wood into 14" rounds so they are more manageable for my wife to get into the stove while I am at work. I do some to 16" but I never do anything over that. The wood is never going to be a 30" round. It will most always be 24 or smaller. I guess the way I look at it I am going to be spending more money on the splitter but they seem to hold there value very well and the quicker I get the job done the more time I get to spend with the family. I will mainly be splitting red oak and white oak. Those are the main hardwoods we have around here. I have already looked at that splitter it just makes me nervous when it hasn't been out a very long time. I am a big believer in "buy once cry once" I don't want to buy something for it to tear up the second year and then me be looking for someone to fix it. I also like the supersplit because of the speed it has. I understand with a 2 way there is no cycle time but it looks like it is a lot of trouble keeping wood up there at it. I think I would rather just be running in one direction just at a faster pace. I may be sick after I buy it but I really think I am going to buy the supersplit or try to save a bunch and buy like a 22 ton husky instead of the 35 ton husky. I just don't want to spend the money to only find out I have screwed up and be stuck with my mistake.

Neither splitter would be a mistake, as they will both split wood.

The size wood you mentioned is ideal for the SS, it will handle larger, longer also. But that size oak is a pleasure to process with a SS.

I split mostly oak with mine, from 14-24" long and up to 30" dia or so. But the majority is 24" dia down to 5-6" and 18-20" long.

I've had my SS 3 years now and absolutely do not want any other splitter made. The SS is the one! :msp_smile: