Supersplit owners: need feedback

[doubleh]

I'm sure there are threads on here specifically about Supersplitters but I never seem to be successful in trying to use the search feature, so I'm trying to start a new thread. I have owned a DR Rapid Fire for about 10 months now. Loved the machine at first but we keep running into problems (and downtime) and I'm considering sending it back before my 12 month trial period is up.

Specifically, I have concern about the handle and link engagement. We have run about 60 cords through the machine, the worst being some almond wood which we only run limited amounts through (the majority goes through the hydraulic because it's just too twisted and knotty to get with the Rapid Fire.

First, the top part of the handle just broke off, which seemed odd because you don't really slam the handle, but the weld obviously got stressed. I had a piece of something that slid over what was left of the shaft and it worked ok. Then we had a problem with rack engagement. In reading the Rapid Fire thread I realized my link and handle engagements were bent similar to someone else's who had pictures of theirs on about page 31 of the thread. I called DR and paid for next day air shipping ($35) because I didn't want to be down for two weeks waiting for regular shipping. My package did arrive when scheduled but DR neglected to send the pins that are necessary to mount and link and handle engagements and of course since those areas are bent so are the pins (even more than in the pictures you'll see on the thread). So now I've got to call and get the pins and hope DR foots the bill to overnight them to me or pony up another $30 to get them here fast.

So I say all that to ask the Supersplit owners if they have similar problems with their engagements getting bent? I realize there is a lot of stress in this area so maybe it's just part of the deal (kind of like messing up your ram or seals on a hydraulic unit) with a flywheel splitter. But if I can hear from some folks who have used a Supersplit for an extended time without any of these issues then I think I'm going to be leaning toward ordering a Supersplit. Basically this comes down to whether Paul uses better parts as I realize the designs are basically the same.

Thanks for any feedback.

Double H

 

[3fordasho]

So I say all that to ask the Supersplit owners if they have similar problems with their engagements getting bent? I realize there is a lot of stress in this area so maybe it's just part of the deal (kind of like messing up your ram or seals on a hydraulic unit) with a flywheel splitter. But if I can hear from some folks who have used a Supersplit for an extended time without any of these issues then I think I'm going to be leaning toward ordering a Supersplit. Basically this comes down to whether Paul uses better parts as I realize the designs are basically the same.

Thanks for any feedback.

Double H

I've had my Supersplit about 9 months, it is the base model with an electric motor. No mechanical (bent or broken parts) issues to date. Since July it's been getting used on a daily basis. I had some technique issues when I first started using it, all the rounds that needed splitting had been sitting 6 months or so and were partially seasoned... big mistake. Being mostly elm rounds they got much tougher and stringy. Lots of stalls and popped circuit breakers.
Once I got through those I now split everything I cut the same day, and it goes though 99% of it like butter. Splitting 26" and smaller diameter rounds. Now if I was splitting 36" diameter american elm (tree service drop offs) all day long, I would have the biggest timberwolf I could afford. I have not even fired up the 27t hydraulic splitter for a couple months now. Could not be happier with the SuperSplit.

 

[sunfish]

I've been cuttin, splitting, selling, burning wood since 1977, the Super Split J (basic model) is by far the best piece of equipment I've ever bought.

Been using mine 2-1/2 years and have run 40-50 full cords through it, mostly oak, but also a bunch of red elm.

Only one minor problem, the bearing that runs on top of the rack went out while busting up some nasty elm crotches. I called Paul and he recommended the 'three bearing deal' that he uses on the HD model. Had the parts in 3 days and 15 minutes to install.

Paul uses the highest quality parts he can get, no Chinese junk!

I'd buy another Super Split today, if needed. Would not even consider a DR or Speedpro...

 

[agstr]

pays to read the destructions

Had my supersplit in use since early summer -- have really enjoyed using it -- split about 10 cords and getting geared up for full production; when cutting wood with a lot of pitch (here in the PNW douglass fir in particular), I need to keep the frame dry and the rack lift bearing clear of debris -- just like the instructions say, otherwise the bearing roller eventually will get clogged with debri -- putting a light coating of oil on top of the frame is not recommended. For awhile it will work until debris builds up and the roller won't turn (learned the hard way)-- with wood that is wet or 'sticky' I now just periodically use a scraper to keep the frame smooth --- the supersplit is a great machine -- to me it's the best all around choice for a small operation--investment entry point, quality design, and AMERICAN.

 

[doubleh]

Thanks for the info guys..

 

[Dozer Man]

New SS owner...

My thanks go out to the guys in the DR thread. When I returned my speedpro I had to choose between the SS and the DR. After reading of the problems with the DR, it made my decision very easy. I already went down the "copycat" road once and wasn't about to do it again.

 

[davec]

Only issue I have run into is that the return seems to be getting sticky. You need to bump it back so it fully returns now. Cleaning/scraping the beam doesn't seem to help much. I've thought about increasing the return springs or something but haven't bothered to mess with it yet.

 

[sunfish]

Only issue I have run into is that the return seems to be getting sticky. You need to bump it back so it fully returns now. Cleaning/scraping the beam doesn't seem to help much. I've thought about increasing the return springs or something but haven't bothered to mess with it yet.

It's most likely the bearing that ride on top of the beam. Juice it up with WD-40 to get it rollin good again.

 

[doubleh]

New engagement lasted 2 days

Since my original post, I took shipment of the parts to repair my bent engagements (both the rack and handle ones were bent) and completed the repair. We buzzed through a couple of cords of tanoak, which is very easy to split green, and about a cord of very dry lodgepole and everything was working properly.

Then we went back to the pile of white oak, which is what we were splitting when we bent the first engagements. One of my guys wondered if that was a good idea and I just assumed the damage to the engagement was a cumulative effect thing, not a catastrophic failure thing. This wood is very straight so I didn't think it was a big deal (of course I wasn't around when they were splitting it the first time). Well, I realize now that the wood is very dry and hard (I'm in Nevada where we have 15-20% humidity much of the year and the wood is from the foothills of the Sierras in California). I realize that now because after running about a 1/4 cord through, we hit a piece that didn't flinch when that skinny wedge it, which of course bound up the rack and pushed up into the engagement, rendering it useless once again.

So I'm left to wonder if it really would've mattered what splitter I was using (other than a hydro because that thicker wedge hitting it slower does great on it; much of it just "pops" with very little penetration of the wedge). I mean, with something like this, something has to give, right? if the engagement were stronger and didn't give, wouldn't the rack then bear the force of the collision instead of the engagement and end up with some kind of damage. I'm no engineer or physicist or whatever, I'm just wondering. But if the Supersplit is built a little stronger or with better quality parts, maybe it wouldn't.

Other issue we had with the DR right off the bat was the plate the engine is mounted to (and you slide forward and back to adjust the belt tension) had one of the screw mounts break off requiring a new plate from DR. Hasn't been a problem since we got a new one but it was more downtime. And then when I called DR Friday afternoon to get a new engagement, the office was closed for the staff Christmas party so now we'll be down for even more time.

The bottom line is I've had the machine for about 10 months and when I think about the amount of wood it's split and how fast it has split it, and without hardly any maintenance, the downtime is minimal. If my hydraulic had split this much wood I know it would've needed some kind of maintenance as well. BUT, if the Supersplit is built and made better, then I've got to consider sending the DR back within my 1-year trial period (haven't had to pay for any of the parts and the work I've sent out to a shop has been reimbursed by DR).

Thoughts?

 

[Dozer Man]

Fix the problem...

Sounds to me that just throwing parts at it ain't fixing the problem. Something is out of wack somewhere.

Is it popping out of gear or just stalling and stopping until you release it?

(Hmmm...this is like deja vu)!!!

 

[CUCV]

The SS engagement mechanism is simpler than the DR design. The SS engagement pivot pin can be bent over time or extreme use. When that happens it just doesn't auto cycle, no biggy just get a new one at some point but you can keep splitting. I didn't bend mine til well over 1000 cord and I fab'ed on a 3rd flywheel.

I might be bold in saying this but I am pretty confident that DR copied my engagement mechanism (from youtube) that I made for my SS. I can tell you from my trails to make my design robust enough that the DR design is to flimsy and the problems you are having will continue until you reenforce it or they redesign it. The DR engagement is based on the simple SS design but complexity is added to make the handle go back and forth instead of up and down. The DR design does not manage the force well and is under designed.

Since my original post, I took shipment of the parts to repair my bent engagements (both the rack and handle ones were bent) and completed the repair. We buzzed through a couple of cords of tanoak, which is very easy to split green, and about a cord of very dry lodgepole and everything was working properly.

Then we went back to the pile of white oak, which is what we were splitting when we bent the first engagements. One of my guys wondered if that was a good idea and I just assumed the damage to the engagement was a cumulative effect thing, not a catastrophic failure thing. This wood is very straight so I didn't think it was a big deal (of course I wasn't around when they were splitting it the first time). Well, I realize now that the wood is very dry and hard (I'm in Nevada where we have 15-20% humidity much of the year and the wood is from the foothills of the Sierras in California). I realize that now because after running about a 1/4 cord through, we hit a piece that didn't flinch when that skinny wedge it, which of course bound up the rack and pushed up into the engagement, rendering it useless once again.

So I'm left to wonder if it really would've mattered what splitter I was using (other than a hydro because that thicker wedge hitting it slower does great on it; much of it just "pops" with very little penetration of the wedge). I mean, with something like this, something has to give, right? if the engagement were stronger and didn't give, wouldn't the rack then bear the force of the collision instead of the engagement and end up with some kind of damage. I'm no engineer or physicist or whatever, I'm just wondering. But if the Supersplit is built a little stronger or with better quality parts, maybe it wouldn't.

Other issue we had with the DR right off the bat was the plate the engine is mounted to (and you slide forward and back to adjust the belt tension) had one of the screw mounts break off requiring a new plate from DR. Hasn't been a problem since we got a new one but it was more downtime. And then when I called DR Friday afternoon to get a new engagement, the office was closed for the staff Christmas party so now we'll be down for even more time.

The bottom line is I've had the machine for about 10 months and when I think about the amount of wood it's split and how fast it has split it, and without hardly any maintenance, the downtime is minimal. If my hydraulic had split this much wood I know it would've needed some kind of maintenance as well. BUT, if the Supersplit is built and made better, then I've got to consider sending the DR back within my 1-year trial period (haven't had to pay for any of the parts and the work I've sent out to a shop has been reimbursed by DR).

Thoughts?

 

[doubleh]

Dozer Man, you may be right but I don't know what could be out of whack. Put the new engagement parts in (everything from the roller bearing up the handleup--I forgot to mention that snapped off some time ago and it wasn't because of anything violent; just broke off on a normal forward motion) and everything worked fine until we went back to the oak. Basically the wood hit the wedge, the wedge couldn't penetrate the wood at all and it bounced back, or at least that's what seemed to happen to me, and the engagement pin and assembly were bent. Can't engage rack correctly when that happens because the throw is too far and the roller bearing pushes down too far back on the rack, which pushes it away from the pinion gear (that's as good as I can explain it). If you adjust the carriage bolt to change the throw, then it returns as soon as you hit something other than kindling.

In regards to the next post (can't remember the username, sorry), I guess you have answered my question--I need a better splitter since I'm not real handy when it comes to mods. And what you're telling me is even if the SS gets bent I can still keep some production going until parts arrive.

Thanks for the posts.

 

[sunfish]

doubleh, I'd be selling that DR asap and ordering a Super Split.

I've never heard of anybody with a SS having the problems these two 'SS copies' are having.

The first SS I saw was 12 years ago at a Huge firewood operation (never saw more firewood in one place, ever). I believe he said it was 10 years old then and used daily full time by hired help.

I drive past a large, but smaller firewood place when I go to town. They have a SS in the wood yard and it's running almost every time I drive by.

Both these places are using one SS splitter and not a hydro in sight. :msp_mellow:

 

[Dozer Man]

I agree with Sunfish...send it back asap! I feel almost blessed that I had the opportunity to return my even cheaper copy, don't waste your opportunity. From reading the DR thread, it seems dr has replaced a couple of the machines with similar issues. But it's kinda like throwing new parts at an issue that is bound to return. Is it just a matter of time before something gives way on the new machine??

Having gone down that road with another copycat, I can now say that there is a BIG "piece of mind" in knowing that I now own the original SuperSplit.

With all the SS threads now at the top of the list here in AS, if there were any bad reviews out there, at least one would have surfaced by now.