Silvey Grinders may be going out of business.

SierraWoodsman · Jan 24, 2013

Sorry Guy's I know that many of you that have Silvey grinders may be sad to hear this news, I know I was.
I Recieved and email today from Bailey's concerning a part I had on order with them for one of my Silvey Grinders.
It goes as follows:
"Dear Walter,
We have just been notified by Silvey that they are going out of business and that they have cancelled all orders. You had a gullet grinder assm. on order and it has been cancelled.
Thank YOu,
Diana DiLello
Asst. Call Center Mgr."

They will be missed. They really built a High Quality, Precision product.:msp_sad:

Jacob J. · Jan 24, 2013

If you saw their shop lately, you wouldn't be surprised. Every time I've gone there in the last two years, there's only like
two lights on inside and maybe one or two people there.

zogger · Jan 24, 2013

Maybe someone here can buy them out cheap and make a go of it?

Bill G · Jan 24, 2013

Well just awhile back the story was they were just going to stop production of two models

ncfarmboy · Jan 24, 2013

That hurts my heart:msp_crying:. It is a shame when any business goes under. Esp (for us) the maker of the finest grinder out there. I do understand why but it's still a shame.
Shep

tallguys · Jan 24, 2013

This is what happens when shoppers buy the "made in you know where" stuff because it is cheaper.

No business can stay afloat if the revenue decreases beyond a certain point.

TK · Jan 24, 2013

Well then, I wanted to get out of this foolish 511ax grinder and get a Silvey this year. Looks like I waited too long for that

mad murdock · Jan 24, 2013

That is a sad bit of news indeed! To add insult to injury, on a parallel plane, there has been a lot of US manufacturing capacity bought up by the Peoples Republic of China of late, in my industry (aviation) Continental Motors, and Enstrom Helicopters. The only manufacturing left may well be what we are building in our own shops within a few more years. Silvey not only built grinders, they had a product line that supported many a faller for many years. Their tree jack was the cat's meow!

Gologit · Jan 24, 2013

Jacob J. said:
If you saw their shop lately, you wouldn't be surprised. Every time I've gone there in the last two years, there's only like
two lights on inside and maybe one or two people there.

There's a good opportunity for you Jake. Re-start the business on a smaller scale, rebuild and refurbish existing products. Maybe build one type of grinder.

I sure hate to see that company name, and the good products that helped us make a living, disappear. I'd like to have the dollar value of all the timber their jacks have helped me save out.

Jacob J. · Jan 24, 2013

Gologit said:
There's a good opportunity for you Jake. Re-start the business on a smaller scale, rebuild and refurbish existing products. Maybe build one type of grinder.

I sure hate to see that company name, and the good products that helped us make a living, disappear. I'd like to have the dollar value of all the timber their jacks have helped me save out.

There's a local guy here that's been repairing and selling the jacks for years. He's one of a handful of authorized Silvey jack repairmen. There's a good chance he'll take on keeping the jacks going if Silvey really does go under. I'd be willing to take on the grinder side of it but I don't have the time, money, or motivation for that. We have a member here though, scarr, who would be great at it. He made his own carriage for a RZII grinder that I helped him get.

R DeLawter · Jan 24, 2013

Jacob J. said:
If you saw their shop lately, you wouldn't be surprised. Every time I've gone there in the last two years, there's only like
two lights on inside and maybe one or two people there.

I have always wanted to get out there and visit their business and it is sad to see them closing.
It is neat that you have been in their operation.
Isn't the owner about retirement age.

Purchased my first Silvey (510) around 1985-86 and it is still going strong. I purchased another 510 around 1989.
Closed the business in January 1993 and just recently dug the 2nd grinder out of the building I had it stored in since that time.

watsonr · Jan 24, 2013

The only problem with the whole thing is that NOBODY makes a square grinder... in or out of the USA. Every manufacturer has folded and they were all USA made... Nielson, Simington and now Silvey.

This does open the door to another country making one. Seeing that demand is what it is (we're not buying them because of price or popularity), the logging industry is not in it's hay-day and cheap products due to manufacturing cost of over-seas stuff... there may never be a square grinder made again.

I believe over-seas manufacturing is not to blame here... it's users of this product. We didn't buy enough of them to keep them busy.

Stihl still makes one don't they? Time to buy all the used and new parts, prices are going up!

w8ye · Jan 24, 2013

I'm glad I got on the band wagon before the cut-off point.

I bought a 32 yrs old Silvey swing arm last fall and resurrected it. It is simple enough that all the normal wear items are available at the hardware store 1/4 mi down the street. The grinding wheels are still available and are the same for the Simington and the Silvey. The only thing special about the motor is that it is ball bearing.

granduer · Jan 24, 2013

Must be true

Silvey going out of business must be true cause I called them today and there was a message that stated "you have reached Silvey Grinders and tree jacks, we are not making chain grinders or jacks any longer. If you need parts please call Madsen's". This is true a sad thing cause they have and had the BEST GRINDERS out there.

mdavlee · Jan 24, 2013

Last time I checked simington was still making swing arms. This was a few months ago. Maybe we need to check and see. If not there will be a shortage of parts very soon.

Philbert · Jan 24, 2013

I heard a rumor about this a few months ago. I hope that someone picks up their designs to at least keep unique parts available.

As noted, this leaves a gap in square edge chain grinders. I don't know if a new company can keep producing the Silvey designs, because I don't think that the reversing motors and exposed wheels meet UL type certifications.

I would hope that someone like Oregon or Tecomec would step in and produce some type of square edge grinder, even if it is a different design. Maybe they could even get the price down into the $500 to $700 range, to make it more accessible for more folks to use.

Could be an opportunity for a new company to also come in and pick up the other gaps left from the Silvey line. I still remember when small, upstart companies like Trek and Mad River Canoe started up in the 'mature' bicycle and canoe industries in the '70s, and went on to expand and dominate those markets.

Philbert

mdavlee · Jan 24, 2013

I hope someone will make the stuff in the US. I would love to see someone pick up the patents and keep making them.

Cfaller · Jan 24, 2013

Glad I bought two of them when i did. :msp_thumbup:

watsonr · Jan 24, 2013

Cfaller said:
Glad I bought two of them when i did. :msp_thumbup:

Me too!

Grande Dog · Jan 24, 2013

Howdy,
I think all of Ray's patents were expired a while ago. The last thing I remember was the hose clamping tool that used twisted wire. That had to be in the early 90's.
Regards
Gregg

Silvey Grinders may be going out of business.

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