DR Rapid fire Log splitter???

[Industrial Toys]

The nice thing about a story like this, is that you just can't fake quality in a machine like this. What irks me in the DR videos, is that they speak of splitting really nasty wood and yet only show splitting the nicest of the nice! How freeking typical! Got a friend who works for a DR dealer. Might just buy one, to see if I can wreck it with all the knurly old ELM around!

I never knew such machines existed until half an hour ago. I have been laying awake at night thinking about building a fast hydraulic splitter. So I am somewhat intrigued, but skeptical.

If such a thing works, I'd love to power one from the front of my Steiner. Because the only thing I hate worse than a slow splitter (especially the return stroke) is a noisy, pissy-*** gas engine running at 3600!

 

[Bluegill2]

If it's close to as good as the original Super Split, it'll split all the gnarly stuff you want. I usually just cut oak, but last Fall/Winter all I cut and split was nasty Elm.

Oh, and a 1.5hp elec motor will run the thing. Now that is quiet and no exhaust if you want to run it indoors...

 

[Pa Pa Jack]

I have been researching and checking out splitters for a couple months now. I have never owned one because we burn very little wood. Probably less than a half cord per year because we had a very small fireplace and it seemed to lose more heat than it put out. We recently had a much larger insert installed and now we will be burning a lot more wood. we own 35 acres and most of it is large hardwoods.

Because of this thread in particular, I decided to order a DR Rapid Fire. It is due to be delivered in about a week. I will let you know my impressions of it shortly thereafter.

 

[Bluegill2]

Very long thread on the DR ; http://www.arboristsite.com/firewood-heating-wood-burning-equipment/179047.htm

Gets kind of ugly towards the end.

 

[btubarnbob]

I purchased a Used Speed Pro and after a few cords of firewood the Rack Gear has lost too many teeth to operate. SpeeCo won't sell me replacement parts because I am NOT the Original Owner and Tractor Supply is no help either. Can you advise any experience with repairs?
Thanks, Bob

 

[IslandTractor]

I purchased a Used Speed Pro and after a few cords of firewood the Rack Gear has lost too many teeth to operate. SpeeCo won't sell me replacement parts because I am NOT the Original Owner and Tractor Supply is no help either. Can you advise any experience with repairs?
Thanks, Bob

Tell SpeeCo you are the original owner or inherited the device. Never heard of a company that wouldn't sell available repair parts to second owners.

 

[btubarnbob]

Tell SpeeCo you are the original owner or inherited the device. Never heard of a company that wouldn't sell available repair parts to second owners.

They want to see the Original Sales Receipt. I am stuck trying to re-tool or Junking.

 

[John_Mc]

You probably don't want to try to retool this on your own, unless you have access to someone with some serious metalworking/heat-treating equipment. One of the problems with the Speeco Unit was the poor quality of the metal and/or heat treating in their rack gear.

I could see Speeco refusing to provide a part under warranty if you are not the original owner, but not refusing to sell you one outright. I suspect their real reason for not selling you a replacement is that they don't have one of the quality needed to actually hold up under use - they're just looking for reasons to minimize their exposure.

Two suggestions: can you get the original owner to order the part for you? Or at least get a letter signed by him/her saying they have sold the unit to you - you could send that in with the order for the part. The other would be to ask another splitter owner to order the part for you (after verifying that teir weren't any design changes between their unit and yours).

Speeco is probably within their rights not to sell spare parts to other than the original owner, or not to sell spare parts at all. Seems like a stupid way to run a business to me. If the two approaches above don't work, you need to make this as embarrassing for TSC and Speeco as you can. Keep records of all communications, give them an opportunity to make good. If they don't start posting anywhere you can. If you make yourself enough of a thorn in someone's side, they might sell you a part just to shut you up.

 

[Bluegill2]

I purchased a Used Speed Pro and after a few cords of firewood the Rack Gear has lost too many teeth to operate. SpeeCo won't sell me replacement parts because I am NOT the Original Owner and Tractor Supply is no help either. Can you advise any experience with repairs?
Thanks, Bob

SpeeCo had so much trouble with these they discontinued them and offered full refunds. You will likely need to find a different source for a different rack & pinion. Try McMaster Carr. You really don't want the original Speed Pro parts anyway.

I'd sell it cheap, or scrap it and get a Super Split...

 

[IslandTractor]

SpeeCo had so much trouble with these they discontinued them and offered full refunds. You will likely need to find a different source for a different rack & pinion. Try McMaster Carr. You really don't want the original Speed Pro parts anyway.

I'd sell it cheap, or scrap it and get a Super Split...

At least that explains why they won't sell repair parts.