Rail road tie sawing seminar in south east Michigan

[smwwoody]

Ron

I've benn sawing for and selling ties to BPB since 1986.  If you mention my name to any of the owners Or the plant manager or the grader in the DuBois plant they will tell you that as long as they are buying they will buy any tie or timber I saw sight unseen.  I have a very good rep for quality with them.  The dumping junk on them goes both ways..  when you saw good ties for them they will help you get rid of a little junk sometimes.  A good tie buyer will let you know how the market is and what they can take and when.  you have to work with them and they will treat you well for the long run.

Woody

[jpad_mi]

I'm about a day late on this, but... you're right Oakiemac, Jeremy said boxed heart only, one tie per log.

Another interesting tidbit from the seminar : they are paying the same amount for 7x9 grade ties (8' 6"), 7x9-10' switch ties, and 7x9-12' switch ties. If you're sending in 12foot switch ties, you're losing profit potential.  Instead of loading two 12 ft switch ties on the truck that bring $36.50, lop them off at 8'6" and throw another on the truck to get paid $54.75.  You're not getting paid for the extra 4 feet of tie, and it eats up some of the trailers weight capacity. 

[FiremanEd]

Jpad,

I'm don't understand why they're not paying you more for the longer ties,,, they're selling them for more....

Koppers and BPB both pay well for the extra lengths. We're getting $18.75, 21, 21.50, and 26.75 for 8'9", 9'6", 10'6" & 12'6" 7x9's.

I wouldn't thing regional differences would make that much difference on the tie market.

[jpad_mi]

It's the current supply and demand at his plant (Wisconsin). The tie buyer said he can't get enough of the 8'6" grade ties, and apparently has too many 10's and 12's. I think he said they end up cutting the 10's and 12' down to 8'6".

I guess the moral of the story is know what your getting paid for each length so you can make tradeoffs as necessary. The prices you quoted seem a lot more reasonable.

[Rod]

I think it takes 3000 ties to go a mile,so I think thats the reason they keep runing out of the 8 footers.Tie buyers around here will send a price list there giving for ties.

[Ron Wenrich]

woody

I've been sawing ties since '82.  They put everyone on quotas in '84, since the market was so bad.  My buyer doesn't give me any rejects and will buy mixed hdwds at the oak price on occassion.  You got your reputation by producing good ties.  Those that produce junk also get a reputation.

I think the markets are different in each locale.  The 10' & 12' switch sell for the same price.  So, I just cut them back, if the log warrants it.  Bridge orders have not been plentiful.  Switch ties from 13'-23' are usually pretty good.  The price on the longer ones is really good.  But, those markets can come and go.

With oak markets going south, oak production will fkiw over to the tie market.  That will keep prices steady.

[Rod]

Hi woody,I was wondering if you have tried the new woodmizer sliver tip blades yet?

[Sunfield Hardwood]

Hi everyone; I attended the rr tie seminar in Mi. last week and a fellow from this group called okiemac told me to check out this forum,man am I glad he did, Thanks. I've been trolling thru several years worth of posts and seems like people who get me, and look forward getting to know,I have a bandmill here in mid Michigan,I do some logging, custom sawing, and grade sawing of my own logs. okiemac, I have a freind nearby with a band saw who saws fulltime and we are going to combine our ties to make a load. we are going to great lakes logging expo, I've been to several and thought I was the only one who gets excited looking at logging and sawing equip.Thanks again for the invite to read and participate

[gary]

hello Sunfield     

[Chet]

Sunfield,
There should be a few of us folks there at da congress. You'll have ta look out for da Forestry Forum hats and introduce yurself.

[dewwood]

Welcome to the Forum!  Is that the same Sunfield where Quality has their mill?  

I am planning on attending the Logging Congress maybe we will run into each other, I will probably be wearing my FF hat along with a bunch of other people.  See you there.

[tnlogger]

welcome aboard sunfield  coun't find a better place to call home 

[smwwoody]

rod

I have a sample box of the 4degree silver tips sitting at the mill now but I have been sawing hickory and maple the last few days so I haven't tried them yet.  I will try them when I get back to some white oak.  I use white oak as my standard.  It is had enough that it gives stuff a good work out and it saws real consistant.   this makes it easyer to judge changes when you have a standard to go buy.

Woody

PS

Ron

  sory If I sounded a little snippy.  I get that way sometimes from Hickory 

[farmerdoug]

Welcome Sunfield,  I think you will like it here.

I believe tie buyers are like any other company you sell too.  Their needs change with their orders.  I contacted Jeremy from Websters so I hope he will stop in to answer some questions.

Farmerdoug

[Jeff]

I will probably be wearing my FF hat along with a bunch of other people.  See you there.

Jeez Dewey, yer a heck of a generous guy, but I think I'd be telling that bunch of other people to get their own hats. 

[Furby]

 
I was gonna ask how big that hat was.

[Rod]

OK woody.I didn't have any white oak to test the new blade on but I cut up some hard maple and it cut that up real fast.But,thats the first 1 1/2 blade i have ever ran on my mill.So now I don't know if it was the blade or it being 1 1/2 that made it cut so much faster.

I'll wait and see what you say.