Kinetic splitter

[Laderbuilt]

The Split Second log lift fits the Super Split also. If you had the log lift you might not need a hydraulic splitter.

Split Second Log Splitter | Accessories > Log Lift

Good to know on the log lift I'm going to look into that now thank you.
However the rounds I'm talking about are truly massive! My biggest to date if my memory is working was 63/64" inches across the face and was oak! That one I had to cut moons off it so a cut each side then two rip cuts. And I was left with a big piece of slab in the middle. The
Moons Weighed a ton I had to get help moving them onto the foot of the splitter. Some of the others are massive pines. I get one or two truck loads a year for free because it's wood the guy can't sell to anybody else and would have to pay to dispose of it or pay men to cut it up. He also gives me awesome loads when I do pay since I'll take anything he brings!

 

[4570Man]

Good to know on the log lift I'm going to look into that now thank you. However the rounds I'm talking about are truly massive! My biggest to date if my memory is working was 63/64" inches across the face and was oak! That one I had to cut moons off it so a cut each side then two rip cuts. And I was left with a big piece of slab in the middle. The Moons Weighed a ton I had to get help moving them onto the foot of the splitter. Some of the others are massive pines. I get one or two truck loads a year for free because it's wood the guy can't sell to anybody else and would have to pay to dispose of it or pay men to cut it up. He also gives me awesome loads when I do pay since I'll take anything he brings!

I'd sure hate to deal with anything that big. The biggest I've had was a little over 40".

 

[Laderbuilt]

That oak piece was insane! I remember the guy had a chain wrapped around it and he hooked it to one of my big trees in the grove and had to pull it off the truck because his claw couldn't pick the thing up. He said he had used two trucks to get it into his truck. It was the only piece he delivered to me that day. I wish I had pictures. It was draw dropping and the thud was cool to boot!

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Dave, Robs splitter is a 3 point model. They are about $2,500.

Good guess 94, but you are a little low on the price...

Well, IF my splitter cost two or three times the cost of a SS, then the SS must cost at least $7,000.00 to $10,500.00! lol

No, it cost me $3,500.00 and that included the 4-way wedge and table grate, just as you see it in my picts......not much more than a top of the line SS... I see them at shows and they are still priced about the same.

This thread proves that many of the guys here just want to argue about something they have no experience with, so they don't know what they are talking about. I mean, worried about what their splits LOOK LIKE?? Really?? lol lol

SR

 

[xring100]

How heavy were the flywheels?

I want to say they were 50 lbs but i dont recall spliting power was not my problem it was actually faster then the super split. Which is probably why it threw pieces at me all the time.

Its that you could not 1/4 logs in 1 pass. And you could not double stack the half pieces due to short push block to split 2 pieces in one go. So it took the passes to do what i can do in one stroke

My split fire goes full stroke in just over 5 seconds one way and under 5 in reverse. I dont usally run at full speed because it takes 3 people to keep the splitter busy at this speed if you splitting 8-10" rounds

 

[scdeerslayer]

Interesting, it seems that the kinetic splitter lack the power hydraulic splitters have. That's not what the ads say. Anyone dispute this?

You can't really compare the power of the two. Kinetics work like a maul does, hydraulics push a wedge into the wood. Kind of like hammering a nail vs pushing it in with a vehicle.

 

[94BULLITT]

Good to know on the log lift I'm going to look into that now thank you.
However the rounds I'm talking about are truly massive! My biggest to date if my memory is working was 63/64" inches across the face and was oak! That one I had to cut moons off it so a cut each side then two rip cuts. And I was left with a big piece of slab in the middle. The
Moons Weighed a ton I had to get help moving them onto the foot of the splitter. Some of the others are massive pines. I get one or two truck loads a year for free because it's wood the guy can't sell to anybody else and would have to pay to dispose of it or pay men to cut it up. He also gives me awesome loads when I do pay since I'll take anything he brings!

Something that big would be a pain. It would take forever to work up. One round would make a bunch of splits. Luckily we don't have too much around here like that. The biggest I had to split was probably 32-36." I remember the 28'' bar on the 660 would not reach it. I did not have a splitter at the time so I borrowed an old vertical/ horizontal with a single stage pump that was slow. I split some of it by hand.

I made a video of the log lift over the weekend.

I want to say they were 50 lbs but i dont recall spliting power was not my problem it was actually faster then the super split. Which is probably why it threw pieces at me all the time.

Its that you could not 1/4 logs in 1 pass. And you could not double stack the half pieces due to short push block to split 2 pieces in one go. So it took the passes to do what i can do in one stroke

My split fire goes full stroke in just over 5 seconds one way and under 5 in reverse. I dont usally run at full speed because it takes 3 people to keep the splitter busy at this speed if you splitting 8-10" rounds

I tried looking up the specs on the splitter the other night and could not find anything. You are supposed to lay the flat side of the wood down on a kinetic. That helps keep them from flying. I mostly lay them round side down because they are easier to pickup that way.

The wedge is also angled on the split second to help keep the wood on the splitter.



Your splitfire is fast. When you are dealing with small wood you can make a big pile fast.

 

[94BULLITT]

 

[94BULLITT]

7 ton Kinetic

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

Thanks for your replies. Seems like there is a discrepancy here. 94bullett says his Kinetic has split everything he has thrown at it, others have said they are weak and have trouble splitting anything that isn't straight grained.

I have never used a kinetic, and I don't have a dog in this hunt, but I can tell you something from my experience.


I have seen probably hundreds of people on various forums say their 22 ton [insert brand name] splitter "has split everything I've ever thrown at it, I've never stopped it once!", and these folks usually imply that buying a bigger splitter is just macho and a waste of money.

I've had my 35 ton Speeco for about 10 years now. (Speeco built for Tractor Supply's Huskee label) It is a true 35 ton. Most manufacturers rate their hydraulics at 3500, but run them at 2500, so you really don't get what you pay for. Speeco runs at 3500, so it really is a 35 ton.

I stop it plenty. I get castoffs from a log processing operation, and a lot of it is crotch pieces. Old, hard oak, hickory, elm with its twisted grain. I have bent my toe plate (replaced under warranty) once, and I can't count how many times I have stopped that machine and had to back up and try again. I've even found a piece or two that had to be split with a chainsaw.

So, are these people simply lying?

I don't think so. I think they just don't know what tough wood is. They think they do. They honestly think they do, and they will swear up and down that their (not really) 22 ton splitter will do everything my true 35 ton will do. They will talk about crotches and knots and slicing right through them. They are serious and they believe it.

But if they were to try to split my wood with their 22 ton, they would be crying and not splitting.

That looks to me a lot like what's going on here. The ones who say the kinetics don't cut it have seen it try some really tough wood, and the ones who say it splits everything just have never tried really tough wood.

I can't prove that, but I think that's probably what's going on.

 

[94BULLITT]

It is not all about tonnage. It is about how efficiently you use what you have. The wedge design is very important. Then companies like Split fire have the wedge slide on plastic to reduce friction. The ram on kinetics run on bearings. Actually wedge is a bad way to describe it. Companies like Splitfire, Split Second, and Super Split have knives. Even my old harbor freight splitter had a knife on it. It was 3/4'' thick.

 

[xcgreene]

Chuck172, seems as though we have much in common. I purchased a new supersplit HD last year. 1.5 hp 110V electric version. I buy 8ish cords of tree length maple at a time. I buck and split myself. Once I've got the tree lengths bucked into 16" long rounds, and with someone running a wheelbarrow off the end of the supersplit production table, I can split 2 full cords an hour. Thats BLAZING fast compared to the old hydro splitter I was using.

Having used it a lot now, I'm glad I went with the HD version which has the two 90lb flywheels instead of the two 70lbs. If I hear the motor bog down much on a gnarly round, which might be once per cord, ill push the lever back down which retracts the pushrod, the flywheels quickly gain speed again (2 or 3 seconds), then I engage once more. 180lbs spinning as quick as they do, and geared down to the speed that the rod is pushing equals some incredible power. The saying "if you can lift it on the table she will spit it" is very true. Sure, there is a learning curve compared to a hydraulic splitter, but after the first cord or two, taking it slow to learn safely, It'll begin to come together, you'll fly through wood. I can't tell you how many times I've waited on a hydraulic cylinder to retract for the next split. The kinetic splitter is ALWAYS waiting on me. As it should be. The Naysayers? I doubt any of them have ever owned one or used one long enough to really know.

I've also got to say that the 1.5 hp electric version is the way to go IMO. Spinning a flywheel in this manner benefits far more from torque than horsepower, and an electric motor provides a much flatter torque curve than a gas job. Need to work far out in the field or woods? a generator set behind your truck with an extension run to the splitter still gives you some quiet over a mounted gas motor. Plus you can use that generator for other jobs than just splitting wood.

Their are few things better than splitting 5 full cords of wood in one day, while listening to your kids play from across the yard while doing it, something I couldn't dream of doing until now.

 

[motownbrowne]

Chuck172, seems as though we have much in common. I purchased a new supersplit HD last year. 1.5 hp 110V electric version. I buy 8ish cords of tree length maple at a time. I buck and split myself. Once I've got the tree lengths bucked into 16" long rounds, and with someone running a wheelbarrow off the end of the supersplit production table, I can split 2 full cords an hour. Thats BLAZING fast compared to the old hydro splitter I was using.

Having used it a lot now, I'm glad I went with the HD version which has the two 90lb flywheels instead of the two 70lbs. If I hear the motor bog down much on a gnarly round, which might be once per cord, ill push the lever back down which retracts the pushrod, the flywheels quickly gain speed again (2 or 3 seconds), then I engage once more. 180lbs spinning as quick as they do, and geared down to the speed that the rod is pushing equals some incredible power. The saying "if you can lift it on the table she will spit it" is very true. Sure, there is a learning curve compared to a hydraulic splitter, but after the first cord or two, taking it slow to learn safely, It'll begin to come together, you'll fly through wood. I can't tell you how many times I've waited on a hydraulic cylinder to retract for the next split. The kinetic splitter is ALWAYS waiting on me. As it should be. The Naysayers? I doubt any of them have ever owned one or used one long enough to really know.

I've also got to say that the 1.5 hp electric version is the way to go IMO. Spinning a flywheel in this manner benefits far more from torque than horsepower, and an electric motor provides a much flatter torque curve than a gas job. Need to work far out in the field or woods? a generator set behind your truck with an extension run to the splitter still gives you some quiet over a mounted gas motor. Plus you can use that generator for other jobs than just splitting wood.

Their are few things better than splitting 5 full cords of wood in one day, while listening to your kids play from across the yard while doing it, something I couldn't dream of doing until now.

I'd love to own an electric Super Split someday. I bought a splitter this spring, so it'll be a while before I can justify another one, but they seem like the cat's meow for some stuff. I hate to question you, but 2 full cords on an hour? I've heard other super split guys say that they can do over a cord an hour with a helper, but 2 is crazy. Got any videos?

 

[xcgreene]

I'd love to own an electric Super Split someday. I bought a splitter this spring, so it'll be a while before I can justify another one, but they seem like the cat's meow for some stuff. I hate to question you, but 2 full cords on an hour? I've heard other super split guys say that they can do over a cord an hour with a helper, but 2 is crazy. Got any videos?

We really have to question what we see online, you are right, I should rein in my claim a bit here. No one can split 2 cords an hour by themselves on this machine. No one. It takes a good team. 1 quick wood pile picker, 2 wheel barrow runners, (or conveyor) and myself operating the splitter with the production table option. With this setup, we can absolutely put out 2 cords an hour of 16" long maple rounds that have an average diameter of 8" to 24" with some smaller and larger on occasion. Once we mastered the rhythm of the machine, it could wear all 4 of us out, splitting as fast as my hands can move rounds. The point I realized is that the machine is no longer the speed limitation, it is the operator. I do not have a video of this, but maybe its time this next season to show it off. Now, with just myself splitting, trying to go as fast as I can, is a bit dangerous with this machine. Knowing that, but also knowing if I really need all my wood split quickly, that it can be done with what I've already got, there is less pressure. I find myself now leisurely going out for half an hour and splitting a face cord in peace and quite. That is where I enjoy the machine the most, not going for speed, just........... :cloud9:

It's got a few quirks. Doesn't like real wet conditions as wood grim will collect on one of the rollers and stop up the recoil, just needs to be scrapped every so often. the production table option is an absolute must, so more cost added. There's usually a bit of a wait when purchasing, 4 weeks for mine. Their is some assembly required when it arrives, like mounting the motor and a few other bits. There is room for improvement on the engagement lever, if the lockdown nut isn't just right, it will disengage very easily. The parts diagram looks like it was made in Microsoft paint, 20 years ago. But all the parts are available. And their website looks pretty tacky/gimmicky IMO. But these are all minor things. The machine is solid and very well made.

Maybe 10 years ago, at the Common Ground Fair in Unity Maine, the first time I saw the supersplit, I remember scoffing at it. "but does it have enough power to split the wood sideways" I remember saying, condescendingly, to the guy showing the machine. My own words still make me cringe every time I think about it. If that fellow happens to be around the forums, I apologize for that. After the fair, I started to notice the splitter online. Youtube became popular and I started to see videos of it too, and I warmed up to the idea. I started learning about busses that used large flywheels to help power up hills, extra large flywheels on old tractors to get the very most out of small engines, and large flywheels for general energy storage. I even looked at fabricating a kinetic splitter myself, I happened on a fine job for a while, so I purchased one.

I guess a telltail for the supersplit would be to try and find a used one for sale.

 

[Weedy Fields]

I bought the HD Super split this spring.
I also went with an electric one. I plan giving it a good work out in the next couple of weeks.
I have solar panels on my workshop so I figured it would be a good way to use up all the electric I generate this summer.
I have lots of wood already cut to length and I shouldn't need more than 3 cords of wood/winter to heat my house. I have maybe enough dry and split stuff for one winter.

Time to split 6-8 cords and get it drying for the next 2-3 winters.

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

I would not dream of putting something that ugly on the Split Second. If I had a $10,000 hydraulic I wouldn't either. I take more pride in my firewood than that. I would have taken a saw and ripped it down the crotch when it was still attached to the tree then cut 16'' pieces off the tree.

And you'd have spent 10x the time it took him to make good firewood out of that.


I don't have a dog in this hunt, but that clown in the video sure is the poster child for "Work harder, not smarter!"


I'm sure he'd do the same no matter what splitter he was using.