In the early 70's in an effort to clean the air of pollutants, all car manufacturers were required to equip new cars with a "catalytic converter". The internal "beads" or "honeycomb" called the catalysts used to help burn remaining fuel from the exhaust became an additional income stream for auto wreckers and muffler replacement shops. Because this catalyst is coated with rhodium, platinum and palladium, an extraction process was developed to remove the precious metals from the catalyst for reuse in the marketplace. Auto dismantlers, wrecking yards and muffler replacement shops longed for a tool to ease the removal of catalytic converters from autos and trucks in a safe yet efficient manner. The fire from sparks generated by sawing or torching is always a safety concern. Not only can the fuel in the tank be ignited but also the floorboards, carpet and undercoating with the use of a cutting torch in the wrong hands. A tool light, simple, powerful and fast became a demand. The design needed to be tough enough for everyday use yet light enough so the worker wasn't overburdened with a heavy bulky tool. The introduction of the Supershear® in 1984 addressed this problem and several more. The patented "mainframe" was first powered by a well known device called a "port-a-pump". While one worker attached the cutter, the other pumped the handle pushing the blade through the pipe. This method was efficient yet time consuming. The patented mainframe has had a few minor improvements over the years. (Better blade screws, different hardness of the cutting blade, etc.) The "hydraulic" system has taken a much more advanced roll in the continuing improvements of the Supershear®. Today the cutter can be handled and operated by a single person. This is also a great safety feature of the new design. We introduced three hydraulic pumps to power the mainframe. A 12 volt unit that operates with an auto or marine battery can be used throughout the working area. It is completely independent of any other electrical powered source. It can be brought to remote locations with ease, it's weight doesn't prohibit it from being a one man operation. The 110/220 volt unit requires a separate power source for operation. This unit can be brought to any site that has a 110/220 volt electric source. Although the unit needs 110/220 volts to power the pump motor, the power at the mainframe handle is reduced to a non lethal 12 volts for the safety of the operator. This also reduces the chance of arching which would ignite lingering fuel vapors. Our Gas unit is powered by an 8 or 9 HP Honda Gas Engine. This unit can also be brought to the jobsite and doesn't require any additional power source. The motor is electric start and the battery used to power the starter is also used to power the switches to operate the mainframe. All three units are mounted on a hand cart with 10 inch pneumatic wheels for easy transport. All three are self contained with the power unit and the hydraulic fluid reservoir all built into the cart. The mainframe is one piece, weighs less than 20 pounds and has only one moving part. It is compact, fast and powerful with over 10 tons of cutting force. It also provides a safe environment as it works without sparks or flames. We also offer a Converter Shear machine for the removal of the catalyst from the converter. This unit can be used in a warehouse to cut the catalytic converter in half. This reduces the need for additional space as the catalyst can be removed from the converter housing and be transported without the additional weight of the complete converter. A 220 or 440 volt 10 HP motor machine is available depending on the needs of the facility. This machine is built to last, the hydraulic reservoir is built into the frame so it is completely self contained. The blade is tempered 3/8 inch steel and wide enough to handle any size converter. The hydraulic ram generates 20 tons of cutting force. Built with safety and durability in mind, it makes easy work of removing the catalyst in less than 60 seconds.
