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S3-150: Dohner Landscaping, Hudson Ohio, and some Salt Spreader Talk!
583 Plays4 days ago
Merry Christmas to all! In this episode the guys sit down with Scott Dohner of Dohner Landscaping to hear about how they handle lake effect snow in Ohio, and to also start talking Salt Spreaders with him.
Recommended
Transcript
Celebrating Milestones
00:00:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
Here we go, Snow Jobs Nation, back again for the 150th Monday in a row. We are actually doing this semi-live because we're going to drop this as soon as we got it done.
00:00:51
The SnowJobs Podcast
And we are back again, bringing you episode 150, as we said, of the Snow Jobs podcast, main show powered by TopCon Backblades, the best show in snow. You know who I am.
00:01:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
You know who he is. Oh, there we go. We'll give you the full one this time.
00:01:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
Steve and Jeremy for the 150th Monday in a row. What is up, brother?
00:01:17
RICK JAMES
Hey Steve, will just another.
00:01:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
How we doing?
00:01:20
RICK JAMES
Doing good.
00:01:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, he's high energy. High energy Monday.
00:01:21
RICK JAMES
done Yeah, doing real good. Yep.
00:01:25
The SnowJobs Podcast
You guys are busy.
00:01:26
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:01:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
You got another push in since last week?
00:01:29
RICK JAMES
off Well, we were home. I wouldn't say it was a push. It was a push.
00:01:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
It was a glacier push.
00:01:36
RICK JAMES
it was
00:01:37
The SnowJobs Podcast
There's four flakes.
00:01:37
RICK JAMES
the glacier plus
00:01:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
Let's hit it with 75 loaders.
00:01:41
RICK JAMES
We did more than yeah send to Send the fleet. It was that pretty much sucked.
00:01:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah but ah
00:01:48
RICK JAMES
60 fucking mile hour winds. So we pushed the stuff on the edges of the curb. so It was a good time. you know Two hour run.
00:01:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
if glacier snow was its own country that's one fucking aggressive military send the whole fleet we we have four intruders coming over the border send out the fleet
00:02:02
RICK JAMES
Hey. Hey. i use We used to do that where we fucking we're just going to send a few guys on. That never works. I just said send everybody all the time and call our good.
00:02:14
RICK JAMES
And you don't want have to mess anything.
00:02:15
The SnowJobs Podcast
You're 100% right, dude. That never works. If you listen like, oh, you know what?
00:02:18
RICK JAMES
No.
00:02:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
We think you're only going to get a dusting to an inch. And you say, ah you know what, boys? We're we're not going to go full full crew call in. We're going to go like half crew calling. It never ceases to start snowing at two inches an hour.
00:02:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
And you get three to four times what they're calling for. So, yeah, you're absolutely right there, bud.
00:02:35
RICK JAMES
No. Not here. i' Never happened here.
00:02:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
No.
00:02:38
RICK JAMES
I'll get two inches of two inches an hour.
00:02:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
Well, yeah, that's true. You don't got the moisture to work with there.
00:02:41
RICK JAMES
That's nothing. Fuck. I get nothing.
00:02:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah man. So 150 episodes, dude. Crazy, right?
00:02:48
RICK JAMES
Crazy for sure, yeah.
00:02:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
This is a year of milestones here. we had the We had the wrapped by Spotify drop. We got three awards out of that we announced last week. We got episode 150 of the main show today.
00:03:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
And then we got our third birthday coming up. What a month from right now.
00:03:05
RICK JAMES
Pretty much, yeah.
00:03:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
So two years, 11 months till our third birthday. We're learning to walk now.
00:03:12
RICK JAMES
Yeah. I don't know about that.
00:03:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
wow
00:03:16
RICK JAMES
We do our best. We do our best.
00:03:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's it, buddy.
00:03:18
RICK JAMES
How have you been?
00:03:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's it. So.
00:03:20
RICK JAMES
you guys got anything going on there?
00:03:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, we got snow coming tonight.
Snow Operations Challenges
00:03:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
So cue everything to start going wrong, even though you're completely ready, completely prepared. And as soon as they announce snow, it seems like, ah okay, stuff start not working. My my truck with my Razorback just decided today that the both key fobs are not going to operate at all.
00:03:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
One key fob is dead in the water.
00:03:44
RICK JAMES
Nice.
00:03:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
The other key fob would lock and unlock the truck until I started the truck once, and now it will not do anything. It will not lock and unlock. So I had to get somebody on the phone who generously basically told me how to steal any GM vehicle out there with a broken key fob.
00:04:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
So thank thank you for that. Now you just take any truck with a plow on it during a storm.
00:04:05
RICK JAMES
It's not the batteries.
00:04:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. But it did work.
00:04:11
RICK JAMES
Nice, nice.
00:04:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
I can't believe how ah they put these little fail safes in, I guess. But they can be, I don't know. Even if the even if the key fob is stone dead, it will work in ah in a GM vehicle.
00:04:25
The SnowJobs Podcast
So there you go.
00:04:25
RICK JAMES
That's awesome.
00:04:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
If you put it in the right spot.
00:04:29
RICK JAMES
Yeah, you always got it in the right spot.
00:04:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
So. Yeah, that's it. that You know, placement is key.
00:04:36
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, man. plus Yeah, so we got that going for us, which hopefully we can get it through the storm because we got snow coming tonight. Maybe depends who you the defense who you ask. Weather Pros, this will actually be good because this will be current. So we have snow coming in tonight, Monday into Tuesday.
00:04:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
Weather Pros and True Weather are both calling for one and a half. in that range weather works i was just called by one of the local guys that said that's panicking right now because weather works apparently elevated us to five to eight so for tonight into tomorrow so we'll see i mean it is i'm not saying it's not possible and weather works is crazy because every storm so far has outproduced what they've said so i mean the other day was supposed to be coding to two we got six
00:05:02
RICK JAMES
Oh,
00:05:10
RICK JAMES
for today?
00:05:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
So, I mean, it it has happened.
00:05:27
RICK JAMES
OK.
00:05:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
There is a history there. So maybe they're erring on the side of caution and going on the the the extreme high side. but I don't know whether Ed looked at it, and he does not see a ton of moisture associated with this.
00:05:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
So i think I think two to two and a half maybe on the high side is what we can expect. But we'll see. And then they just changed from all rain and 50 degrees on Friday to possibly eight inches of snow.
00:05:46
RICK JAMES
How about
00:05:51
The SnowJobs Podcast
So that's, ah yeah, that's, you know, they were they were on that one.
00:05:54
RICK JAMES
the...
00:05:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
So we'll see.
00:05:56
RICK JAMES
They had nothing. They had nothing for us all week for last, don't how many days, like 10 days or so without any moisture. The other day I get a thing that says, ah, Christmas Day, like a tenth of an inch, and then the 26th, we're talking three quarters of an inch.
00:06:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, it's amazing how the stuff just pops out.
00:06:12
RICK JAMES
Like...
00:06:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
Like why even put out a long range if you're going to give green lights all the way till 48 hours out and then change everybody in the panic mode.
00:06:21
RICK JAMES
Yeah, because they can.
00:06:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
I kind of, i don't know. That kind of irks me, I guess. They got to put something else out, I guess. It's not their fault.
00:06:27
RICK JAMES
Still weather.
00:06:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
They're just reading models, right?
00:06:28
RICK JAMES
No, it's they're just reading models. It is what it is.
00:06:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
I can't wait till AI takes over weather.
00:06:30
RICK JAMES
We got to blame somebody, though, right? We can't.
00:06:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, I mean, I can't wait till Skynet AI takes over the weather and we don't have to worry about any of this stuff. You just ask the computer.
00:06:39
RICK JAMES
Oh, yeah. Yeah, that's the computer.
00:06:41
The SnowJobs Podcast
kid just kidding nick and rob don't get all mad but uh yeah this is our christmas episode too right we uh this is it christmas is in two days three days so uh wishing everybody out there in snow jobs nation a very merry christmas and uh happy hanukkah if you celebrate and uh a happy new year and hopefully everybody gets through the holidays and can spend time with their families and not have to be out chasing snowflakes here unless you want to
00:06:42
RICK JAMES
We'll still be mad at the computer.
00:06:49
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:06:53
RICK JAMES
Oh boy.
00:07:11
RICK JAMES
have an announcement.
00:07:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
Go ahead.
00:07:14
RICK JAMES
I just heard, i just hear what's going on outside. Brian is spinning. They just fired the Brian up.
00:07:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
Brian is being heated.
00:07:21
RICK JAMES
being heated and spun as we right now.
00:07:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
Brian Brian is being superheated.
00:07:25
RICK JAMES
Superheated and now they're spinning it again for the 100th day in
00:07:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
What is the correct temperature you guys superheat your Brian to it glaciers 43,000 was that correct.
00:07:31
RICK JAMES
a row. That's classified. That's classified. That's classified.
00:07:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
they're trying to They're trying to achieve nuclear fission with their brine.
00:07:43
RICK JAMES
If you made it right, you wouldn't have to spin it, right?
00:07:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
it's Well, I guess. I mean, i don't is there much fallout in brine? I'm not a brine expert, but I've listened to enough guys talking about it. I feel like I know what I'm talking about.
00:07:52
RICK JAMES
You don't make her, right? There is. Yeah.
00:07:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
you You can hear the heaters and this and the ah the agitators going.
00:07:56
RICK JAMES
Oh, yeah. She's gone.
00:08:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
Wow. Wow.
00:08:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
Well, I mean, you may have you may have a couple flakes coming in. You got to get that Brian angry, bud. But, yeah, so – That's where we're at, everybody. Jeremy's brine is heating and spinning as we speak. It's getting nice and angry for for the holiday for all the rest of you. We both want to wish everybody a very Merry Christmas to you and your families and hopefully a very safe and productive holiday season.
00:08:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
And yeah, hopefully all the kids get what they want and you don't spend too much money because I know my wife is. ah
00:08:34
RICK JAMES
We do accept gifts, right Steve?
00:08:36
The SnowJobs Podcast
We do accept presents if you're selling wine. ah We got a nice box from Storks.
00:08:44
RICK JAMES
Yep, Storks here is a nice box.
00:08:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
Thank you to Gene and the team. That was a very nice, very tasty treats in there, too.
00:08:48
RICK JAMES
I have a few here.
00:08:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
did you have ah the
00:08:50
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:08:50
The SnowJobs Podcast
Did you have the homemade devil dog?
00:08:53
RICK JAMES
No, I haven't yet.
00:08:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
You haven't?
00:08:55
RICK JAMES
I've been just having a few things.
00:08:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
that that one's That one's not worth it.
00:08:57
RICK JAMES
Okay.
00:08:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
Don't share that. That's not that's not a shareable. that that you You're going to want to eat that whole thing.
00:09:00
RICK JAMES
Okay. Okay. Is that the big Oreo cookie thing?
00:09:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
You're not a sweets guy, though, are you?
00:09:06
RICK JAMES
Is that a big Oreo cookie looking thing in there?
00:09:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, yeah, the big Oreo cookie.
00:09:09
RICK JAMES
Oh, yeah.
00:09:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
It's like a hostess devil dog. that That's kind of one of my weaknesses.
00:09:11
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:09:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
So, yeah.
00:09:14
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:09:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
But thank you to Gene and the team for that.
00:09:15
RICK JAMES
Like this thing?
00:09:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
That was awesome.
00:09:17
RICK JAMES
This thing?
00:09:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah Yeah, that thing. Yeah, you don't don't share that.
00:09:19
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:09:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
Don't give that away.
00:09:20
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:09:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
that' That's something you want to eat yourself. But, uh...
00:09:23
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:09:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
but All right, so what are we doing
Interview with Scott Doner
00:09:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
today, buddy? We are going to have a little discussion with Scott Doner. He is the owner of Doner Landscaping there in Hudson, Ohio.
00:09:34
The SnowJobs Podcast
He reached out. He wanted to talk about some salt spreaders and stuff and see what we feel about certain products, and I can't wait to hear. He's got some VBXs, so I want to hear all about those because ah you know or we don't have any experience with those.
00:09:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah Jeremy, you don't have any boss spreaders, right?
00:09:51
RICK JAMES
Yep. Yep.
00:09:52
The SnowJobs Podcast
You do?
00:09:52
RICK JAMES
Boss gave me one this year to try. So yeah.
00:09:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, good. All right.
00:09:55
RICK JAMES
Chase is using it.
00:09:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
So you can let me know then, because I don't have any experience with the boss spreaders.
00:09:56
RICK JAMES
So.
00:09:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
We don't really have a big boss contingent here. I don't. It's not a very big dealer.
00:10:03
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm.
00:10:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
So there's not a lot of boss out here. So everything we have, obviously, everybody knows is Western and. Yeah, I can't wait to hear. I love knowing as much as I can about everything that's out there. But we're going to hear about donor landscaping and what they do for snow, and then we're going to get into a little discussion on the salt spreaders. But, guys, before we do that, for the 150th time, we got to hear from Team Top Gun, and we're going to come back to a quick weekend review for you.
00:11:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right guys we're back so really quick week in review as we did last week we had a good discussion with Brandon Riley and Matty Muscles young of young landscapes Basically, what do we do? Just complain the whole time about everything in the winter like broken stuff and what went right what didn't go right Kind of it. It was a good discussion though We got a lot of, ah you know, 150th episode. Jeremy's still not unmuting when we come out of breaks here.
00:11:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
yes
00:11:28
RICK JAMES
There you go. I didn't say anything important anyway, so.
00:11:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, you're so funny, dude. You kill me. But, yeah, that was a good discussion. I got a lot of comments this week about the it seems like most people agree with the the whole salt discussion, the shortage.
00:11:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
So they they agree that it's kind of fabricated, manufactured, or in their case, not manufacturing.
00:11:43
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm.
00:11:48
RICK JAMES
Just like anything. Just like anything.
00:11:52
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, just like anything else. So guys enjoyed that one. Glad. We like to keep you entertained while you're out there plowing. We talked about the Spotify awards we took home. We took home those three Spotify awards. So thank you to Spotify. Thank you to all the listeners that that helped us achieve that. The staggering number of minutes listened, 1.1 million minutes last last year for our listeners on Spotify, which is only our third-ranked podcast.
00:12:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
can't talk today platform so uh i wish apple would put that together i'd love to see how many minutes on apple total but uh but yeah thank you to all the guys who listen on spotify we really appreciate that uh as we did announce last week we are now partnering with boss to bring you some more educational content and stuff that you guys were asking for uh boss was kind enough to jump on board and do that with us and we are recording that first episode in one week
00:12:23
RICK JAMES
Yeah, that'd be cool. Mm-hmm.
00:12:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
So we'll have that out to everybody very soon. You can start here in the, the boss segments on here, which will be six episodes over the next eight, eight months to a year.
00:12:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
and Thank you to all the OEMs. Thank you to all our sponsors, all our partners, the OEMs out there that have supported us, even that aren't partnered with the show. um All the OEMs have been great.
00:13:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
They've ah really been behind the show. They love what we're doing. thank On the 150th episode, we want to thank all the OEMs, all the manufacturers who are behind us, the show, and who are helping our our audience every day.
00:13:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
um I mean, shit, Muskox and Top Gun have been in since, what, the teens?
00:13:26
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:13:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
Gotta be. Like, we didn't do too many episodes before Muskox came right on, and then Top Gun was not too far after that. So, you those were the originals, the OGs.
00:13:34
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:13:37
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:13:37
RICK JAMES
Oh, geez.
00:13:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep so thank you to To all those guys you know Top Gun Musk Ox Plowrite God Arctic Oh We got so many you know so many companies To thank now Yeti comes on board The Weather Pros does their thing For us ah you know once a year was that Jay
00:13:53
RICK JAMES
Yep. Weather froze.
00:13:58
RICK JAMES
I said, yeah, the weather pros, they come on and then, you know, obviously Muscox, we said.
00:14:01
The SnowJobs Podcast
weather pros is nice enough to come on once a year and do the winter outlook let us beat the crap out of them for a while it's a lot of fun for everybody maybe not so much them no they have fun with it too but um yeah so that's that you got anything else for the week of review buddy because i just want to get into this who's that
00:14:12
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:14:16
RICK JAMES
Vue Robotics. Yeah, I just wanted to, I said Vue Robotics too. they they've They've been on with us, so they're good.
00:14:23
The SnowJobs Podcast
oh yeah views good boys love those guys glad they're doing well they're they're still killing it see more and more of their cameras out there every day
00:14:31
RICK JAMES
Everywhere, yeah. No, just wanted to give one shout out to Tom Kennedy.
00:14:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
Go ahead
00:14:37
RICK JAMES
was telling me about their de crew last Sunday, not just past Sunday, Sunday before they got snow at MetLife and it sounds like they just killed it at the met MetLife Stadium there.
00:14:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yes, we did.
00:14:45
RICK JAMES
So give Tom and his crew a little shout out there for their hard work good night getting the stadium cleared up for the football game.
00:14:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
Nice.
00:14:53
RICK JAMES
So that's pretty cool.
00:14:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
Was it Jets or Giants game? It doesn't matter.
00:14:56
RICK JAMES
I think they both suck, so...
00:14:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
They both lost. So, yeah, they had to get all that snow out of the stadium so everybody could watch them suck. oh god so bad the yeah way to go tom good job i wonder how many guys he threw at it because that was a time crunch right how many
00:15:05
RICK JAMES
Yeah, so I figured I'd give him a shout out. I've been talking to him a little bit lately, so.
00:15:12
RICK JAMES
Dominant team.
00:15:15
RICK JAMES
250. He said it was 250 people showed up and at 5 a.m. and they were out there at 1230. So that's hustling.
00:15:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
wow that's moving and they got snow down there they got more than we did wow good for them yeah they got seven six or seven down there i think
00:15:24
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
00:15:34
RICK JAMES
Yeah, we missed it where I was.
00:15:34
The SnowJobs Podcast
so cool all right all right well you got anything else before we go yep guys the the orders have definitely picked up in the last two weeks keep them coming jeremy loves going to ups store it's one of his great joys in life so keep it coming he's going to be stork's plows soon he's just gonna have his own ups trailer sitting outside the apartment building and that's what we're going for so definitely uh
00:15:36
RICK JAMES
That's
00:15:39
RICK JAMES
all I got, buddy. That's all I got. Just our store. Keep buying.
00:15:59
RICK JAMES
I wish...
00:16:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
Definitely check them out and check out the store. We got some new items in there. The Carhartt skull caps are cool. Everybody seems to like those. The tumblers are flying out the door. So get your stuff. And yeah, because we're going to get busy. So before the stuff's out of stock for a little bit, get your stuff while you can. But if that's it, we are going to hear from our partners and we'll get right back into this with Scott.
00:18:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right, gang, we are back. We are back. So we're going to welcome in Scott to the show. Scott Doner, Doner Landscaping, Hudson, Ohio. How are we, Scott?
00:18:50
Scott Dohner
Not bad. How are you guys doing?
00:18:52
The SnowJobs Podcast
Doing all right. Doing all right.
00:18:53
RICK JAMES
Real good, real good.
00:18:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
You ready for Christmas?
00:18:56
Scott Dohner
I am. I'm hoping it's not white. So...
00:19:01
The SnowJobs Podcast
Is that like the biggest nightmare for all of us every year? Like, just get us through Christmas?
00:19:07
Scott Dohner
Yeah, that's...
00:19:07
RICK JAMES
Pretty much.
00:19:07
Scott Dohner
I had two little kids and I don't want to miss that. So...
00:19:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
I hear you. I hear You don't get too many cracks at it either. Before you know it, they're bigging out the door.
00:19:16
Scott Dohner
Nope.
00:19:16
RICK JAMES
No.
00:19:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
So, yeah, that's ah that's good. So you guys looking clear?
00:19:22
Scott Dohner
Yeah, we are. So it's it's supposed to be 45 on a Thursday, so we should be good out of the ah the clear, at least till New Year's.
00:19:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
Very cool.
00:19:31
RICK JAMES
Scott
00:19:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
Very cool.
00:19:31
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:19:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right, Jay, you want to take them away?
00:19:35
RICK JAMES
Scott DeRue, Alright yeah he's got once you tell everybody about donor landscaping when you get started, which are all about.
00:19:40
Scott Dohner
Yeah, so we are a predominantly a landscape company. We do design build and a lot of residential maintenance during the summer months. And we got into snow removal. About 14 years ago, we started with residential snow plowing.
00:19:55
Scott Dohner
As our business grow, we got into condominiums and doing the HOA snow removals. And then within the last five years, we've really got into the commercial market here. So.
00:20:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
fun stuff
00:20:09
RICK JAMES
first
00:20:09
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:20:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah do you ever miss residential
00:20:14
Scott Dohner
To be honest with you, no.
00:20:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
okay
00:20:16
Scott Dohner
So. um as we get a lot of lake effect here and the timing isn't the best yeah so once you get people waking up at six seven o'clock in the morning wondering why their driveways aren't plowed when you got two inches of snow in an hour at started at six so a
00:20:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
gotcha yeah that could be tough to do residential lake effect areas i can see that
00:20:38
Scott Dohner
yeah yeah do not
00:20:39
RICK JAMES
what did you What did you have requirement with the residentials? Did you have like inverted bowlers back then or where were you using? them
00:20:46
Scott Dohner
No, so we we run Chevy trucks and we have DXTs and EXTs on them from Boss.
00:20:51
RICK JAMES
Okay.
00:20:52
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:20:53
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:20:54
Scott Dohner
Yep.
00:20:54
RICK JAMES
Gotcha.
00:20:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
Very cool. So you guys do mainly commercial now or or you do some industrial stuff or just commercial?
00:21:02
Scott Dohner
I would say it's a pretty good mix. We still do a lot of homeowners associations as far as like condominiums. And we're we're doing a a large amount. We do a couple of distribution centers and just a lot of commercial businesses.
00:21:15
The SnowJobs Podcast
very cool very cool so what what is your bread and butter then what like you said you're predominantly design build like what are you guys known for what do you love doing more than anything else there it is
00:21:26
Scott Dohner
I love making money. That's what it's all about at the end of the day. That's why we're all in business at the end of the day is to make money. um ah Probably
00:21:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
any types of projects that you guys are specifically known for in that area fools gotcha
00:21:40
Scott Dohner
pools, like construction, like high-end construction. Yeah. that We do do a lot of those every year.
00:21:44
RICK JAMES
Nice. Well, rules. Yep.
00:21:46
Scott Dohner
Other than that, just maintenance. So cutting grass.
00:21:50
The SnowJobs Podcast
Very cool.
00:21:51
Scott Dohner
The stuff that everybody loves.
00:21:51
The SnowJobs Podcast
How many guys do you guys run during snow during a storm?
00:21:52
RICK JAMES
rules
00:21:54
Scott Dohner
um I'd say we're around 25 to 30 guys in total.
00:21:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay
00:21:59
Scott Dohner
So then subcontractors on top of that.
00:22:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
Very cool, how many subs do you guys run?
00:22:06
Scott Dohner
Quite a bit. I think we have 10 15 right now.
00:22:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, okay. Cool. How do they do for you? Is that like, because some guys like love the sub model of the the vendor partner model and some guys, it's nothing but a nightmare for them. How does it go for you guys?
00:22:21
Scott Dohner
ah It's hit or miss. I mean, we have a pretty good group of subs that we've kind of weeded out over the years. So we're in a good position right now. We have ah one that we're struggling with a little bit, but just got to get them up to speed and get them to do stuff the way that we're looking to have it done as opposed to the way that they want to have it done.
00:22:36
The SnowJobs Podcast
that is always the challenge, right?
00:22:37
Scott Dohner
So, yeah.
00:22:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
Everybody sees something completely different.
00:22:38
RICK JAMES
this is
00:22:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
Getting them to see it how you see it, that's the tough part.
00:22:44
RICK JAMES
Your subs do their own do they Do they do their own properties you just send them out on?
00:22:45
Scott Dohner
Yep.
00:22:49
RICK JAMES
Do you have your guys with them too? Or how does that does that work for you guys?
00:22:52
Scott Dohner
ah So we just ah we give them a flat rate for the season application rate for salting and we let them do it at kind of their discretion.
00:23:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
Gotcha.
00:23:02
RICK JAMES
Oh, nice.
00:23:03
Scott Dohner
So, yeah, we'll communicate with them, but ultimately we let them make the decision as to whether or not they need to go out.
00:23:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's cool.
00:23:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
cool what are you guys uh what's your contract structures predominantly in that area are you guys all seasonals are you per push per hour what are you guys doing
00:23:11
RICK JAMES
okay
00:23:19
Scott Dohner
So on our our homeowner associations, it's all seasonal. um The salt applications, it tends to be like per application is what they're going with. And then a lot of our commercial stuff, it's a good mix. I mean, half of it is, a I'd say, seasonal contracts and the other half of it is per push, per application.
00:23:38
Scott Dohner
So we got a we got a good mix, which is nice.
00:23:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
very cool
00:23:41
Scott Dohner
And years like last year and so far this year.
00:23:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
Are the HOAs you do, are they HOAs with driveways?
00:23:45
RICK JAMES
Thanks.
00:23:49
Scott Dohner
yeah yeah
00:23:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
How are you handling the driveways? Everybody's got a different way to do it. I always love hearing how many different ways there are.
00:23:55
Scott Dohner
yeah so we're uh we do all machine so we're a machine focused company we use skid steers it's really the best way to do it we have a boss straight blade plows on almost all of our skid steers we have a muskox blower on uh one of them in one of the higher snow areas but that's what's worked for us it's basic gets the job done and a good time and gives the cleanest results.
00:24:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
Let me ask you a question because i've I've often wondered this, and I wanted to actually try it side by side, but I haven't gotten to that point yet. Which is faster, the muskox or the blade?
00:24:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
Backblading.
00:24:31
Scott Dohner
To be out be honest with you, I would say the blade.
00:24:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, I was thinking that. I was absolutely thinking like if I had nothing but room to stack the snow, like our one complex, we don't have a choice because we we don't have anywhere to put the snow that we pull out.
00:24:35
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:24:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
So being able to stack it, you know, three feet from the edge of the driveway with the with the blower, that's like our only option in in that complex. But if I had nothing but room, I've often wondered if the blade is a lot faster.
00:24:58
Scott Dohner
Yeah, I mean, it's a significant difference as far as time goes.
00:25:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep. Cool. Very cool. Do you have like a no scratch clause on on the driveways and stuff that you got to use it like a poly edge or are you good with with steel edge?
00:25:11
Scott Dohner
So we use all poly edges. We learned our lesson early on. We had a Homeowners Association complain and some legal issues in terms of rusting of driveways and stuff of that nature.
00:25:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, yeah. They hate the rust.
00:25:25
Scott Dohner
Yeah, so we
00:25:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
They...
00:25:27
Scott Dohner
We just made it easy on ourselves and we switched over to all poly edges on our HOAs.
00:25:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's smart. Yeah, that's it's definitely smart. And do you guys pre-treat the driveways at all or no?
00:25:35
Scott Dohner
Not the driveways, but the roadways and the HOAs we do retreat.
00:25:37
The SnowJobs Podcast
Gotcha.
00:25:38
Scott Dohner
There's a select few homeowner associations that are willing to pay for you to do the driveways and the roads.
00:25:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
cool yeah guys have always said that to me like oh you can't put a poly edge on a plow you know you're not go be able to scrape it you know clean i'm like dude if you it doesn't matter what the pavement temp is if you pre-treat it you can squeegee that thing clean with a poly edge the same way you would with anything else it works just fine but yeah guys i keep saying that because we have that we we have the same thing you have where uh we have a no scratch clause like we cannot scratch these driveways that's one of the reasons we got the contract in the first place
00:25:45
RICK JAMES
but you guys get for
00:26:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
and they do you can take giant gouges out of the driveway but you have one little spot of rust and that's what gets them it's not the scratches or the gouges it's that little rust spot that's left behind they go crazy
00:26:28
Scott Dohner
Yeah, absolutely. It doesn't make sense.
00:26:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
incredible it doesn't make sense right it's the weirdest thing ever oh man what's that jay
00:26:35
RICK JAMES
We don't have that.
00:26:37
RICK JAMES
We don't really have that issue around here. I've never even heard anybody talk about the rusts around here.
00:26:42
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, like the rust from the blade when it you like when you scrape.
00:26:44
RICK JAMES
Yeah. No, I know what you're saying. i know what you're saying.
00:26:46
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, that's oh that's a huge that's a huge thing.
00:26:46
RICK JAMES
I've never even heard that. Yeah.
00:26:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
You hear about that from guys all the time. Sometimes even on sidewalks, like the steel the steel cutting edge on the sidewalk machines will leave rust spots on the concrete and they hate it.
00:26:51
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:26:56
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm.
00:26:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
So I was like, all right, well, yeah.
00:27:00
RICK JAMES
Just giving us something complain about. What do you get through? What's your snow totals out there? Roughly, Scott.
00:27:06
Scott Dohner
ah That is a good question. I believe it's around 60 to 70 inches a year.
00:27:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:27:10
RICK JAMES
Okay.
00:27:10
Scott Dohner
i would have to double check that. we got a lot Last year was rough. we got ah It wasn't that we got a lot, but it was just continuous.
00:27:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, you guys got beat up But didn't you have a low year the year before that?
00:27:18
Scott Dohner
so yeah
00:27:20
RICK JAMES
you
00:27:23
Scott Dohner
We did. i think we went out one time the year before that.
00:27:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah
00:27:26
Scott Dohner
yeah so We made up for it last year.
00:27:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, so guys were out of shape like we I remember Zuber complaining like We're out every night for four weeks It's like, oh my god ah yeah just You're out of shape because you didn't get any snow the year before
00:27:40
Scott Dohner
yeah
00:27:41
The SnowJobs Podcast
but
00:27:42
RICK JAMES
Have you been busy with this last couple of weeks? Because it looks like Kyle Martin has been out quite a bit and stuff like that. Scraven, have you guys got that?
00:27:48
Scott Dohner
yeah yeah last week we were i think four four days straight is what we were out for so uh we do a couple of zero tolerance accounts and one of the issues that we have with those accounts they have larger larger roof systems so even when you get done you got snow blowing off the roof and just covering everything back up so it's constant
00:27:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
Wow.
00:28:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
and And you guys are and you're in a lake effect area?
00:28:09
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm.
00:28:12
Scott Dohner
We are, yeah, we're in the primary snow boat.
00:28:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
when does that When does that slow down? When can you expect the lake effect to die down?
00:28:19
Scott Dohner
If the lake's frozen, um that's about it. So yeah, it's I mean, it's brutal.
00:28:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:28:26
Scott Dohner
They'll call for one to two inches and yeah you'll get eight inches. And yeah, like what were talking about earlier, lets we just sent everybody out.
00:28:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
that's just normal that's that's normal weatherman shit you know yeah the lake effect's got to be that that's got to be deflating though like you get all cleaned up and and you're done with what was forecasted and then you you literally get back to your house and it starts snowing again and covers everything back over with another inch or so
00:28:34
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:28:44
RICK JAMES
Love it.
00:29:00
RICK JAMES
Just pops up out of the booth.
00:29:00
Scott Dohner
Yeah, I mean, it's a huge kick in the balls once you're done with everything and you get that.
00:29:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, I bet. I bet.
00:29:06
Scott Dohner
yeah
00:29:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
Man, that's got, I don't think I would do very well with that.
00:29:12
RICK JAMES
You would not do very well on that, Steve.
00:29:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
No, I wouldn't. I would not be happy with that. I like to, ah I like to just, I don't care what time you tell me it's going to be over, but when ah when you're telling me it's going to be over, don't let it go four or five hours beyond that.
00:29:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's what drives me nuts. Like, You tell me it's it's done by 9 a.m., okay, then let it be done by 10. But don't tell me it's going to be done by 9 a.m. m and it's still snowing like a motherfucker at 3 p.m.
00:29:40
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:29:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's a pain in the ass.
00:29:42
RICK JAMES
You wouldn't do good here either. so
00:29:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
No, we don't do Lake Effect, thank God. we're pretty We're pretty easy.
00:29:47
RICK JAMES
but We don't either, but it never shuts off. when It just blows and keeps missing.
00:29:52
The SnowJobs Podcast
Well, yeah, yeah i mean but you're dealing with you're literally plowing the same snow seven times.
00:29:52
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:29:56
RICK JAMES
Yeah, yeah.
00:29:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
yeah it's just blowing off roofs and like it's creating all sorts of little storms it's like you're not getting continuous snow though out there you're just you're plowing the same snow that went from the left back to the right again
00:29:58
RICK JAMES
trying to wear it out. I'm just trying to wear it out.
00:30:11
RICK JAMES
Correct.
00:30:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
correct uh is there ah is there a lot of competition out there in your area for snow scott
00:30:20
Scott Dohner
I mean, there's competition everywhere. have the guys in their trucks that are just doing the per push, and they show up. They do it once, and then you get into the thick of things, and they they disappear.
00:30:32
Scott Dohner
i mean, we have some pretty good pretty good companies out here, least in my opinion, though.
00:30:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
Very cool. Very cool. How far away are you from Kyle Martin there from UD?
00:30:46
Scott Dohner
I we're about an hour. I just bought a ton of snow stakes off of him actually a couple of weeks ago.
00:30:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay. Did you?
00:30:52
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:30:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
Cool. how ah How far are you from Corey Lamphere?
00:30:54
RICK JAMES
Where do get your salt?
00:30:56
Scott Dohner
We're about 30 minutes from Corey.
00:30:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right.
00:30:59
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:31:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
The Medina Triangle is close.
00:31:02
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:31:02
RICK JAMES
Do you buy salt from Kyle too or no? Okay.
00:31:05
Scott Dohner
No, no, just, just the snow plus stakes. So
00:31:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
Nobody's buying salt in Ohio. They got a tiny little pile left. That's all they got.
00:31:12
Scott Dohner
yeah, they're, uh,
00:31:12
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:31:15
Scott Dohner
They need to figure something out up there in the mines. That's ridiculous right now.
00:31:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
Dude, they're doing that shit on purpose. You'll never convince me otherwise. that's a
00:31:23
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:31:23
RICK JAMES
Corsair.
00:31:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
They're doing COVID rules.
00:31:24
RICK JAMES
Yep. Great.
00:31:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
you know where the like the auto manufacturers and the the equipment manufacturers they all figured out they can produce less machines pay less in labor play less overhead charge more for those existing machines that do produce so they could make less product and make more money so that's exactly i think what they're doing with the salt that's you can't tell me seven months of mining is already used up in three weeks of winter
00:31:51
Scott Dohner
Correct, I feel the same way. but but
00:31:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
oh makes no fucking sense i'd love to get somebody if any of the salt conglomerates are listening feel free to get a hold of us i'd love to have a discussion have you on that'd be great that'd be awesome oh you don't think anybody come on and attempt to tell their side of the story
00:32:05
RICK JAMES
Good luck.
00:32:08
RICK JAMES
Yeah. No. Of course not. No, because they're just going to spin it like everything else and make up all the BS.
00:32:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
well they could try and spin it but i'm gonna call them on it every time every chance
00:32:17
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Yeah.
00:32:21
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:32:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
Can't tell me that seven months of mining has produced that little tiny pile that they had in that picture in Ohio. That's an Ohio mine, right? That picture we got, Jeremy?
00:32:32
RICK JAMES
Yeah. that's right that's what i believe
00:32:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. Yeah, they said it's at like a quarter. The pile's a quarter of what it usually is for a you know a summer's worth of mining. So... you know Unless they shut down the mine for maintenance for you know four months, which is entirely possible to you know manufacture a shortage.
00:32:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
Ridiculous.
00:32:53
RICK JAMES
That's how they that's all the the make a shortage by saying they got to do shit.
00:32:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, 100%, 100%. And that's all it is. Because like I said, if it was really a shortage, is jacking the price $25, $30 a yard going to help the shortage? No. No, you just want to make more money with what you're putting out there.
00:33:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
Hence the COVID rules.
00:33:13
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:33:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
But anyway, we digress.
00:33:13
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:33:15
The SnowJobs Podcast
We digress. So, Jay, you want to hear about his equipment?
00:33:19
RICK JAMES
Yeah, I sure do. Scotty, don't you tell me about all your equipment you have there? That's what I'd like to hear about.
00:33:25
Scott Dohner
All right, we run Chevy trucks. We run Kubota skids. We got boss plows on everything with exception to our cat wheelers that we're just starting to cycle in.
00:33:36
Scott Dohner
We have metal pluses on those. and that's ah We have VBXs. We have truck craft tailgate spreaders. And then we have a hill tip six yard unit.
00:33:46
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay. So you got all different kinds of spreaders.
00:33:49
Scott Dohner
Yeah, yep. and that's ah the spreaders are really what we're struggling with right now.
00:33:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
Really?
00:33:54
RICK JAMES
favorite Let's get into it.
00:33:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
so well You know, we might as well get it.
00:33:55
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:33:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
i love Before we start on the salt spreaders, I'd actually like to ask him a question about the Kubotas because we don't hear too many guys running Kubotas skids. Like, how do you like them?
00:34:05
Scott Dohner
I think they're great. I mean, knock on wood, we haven't had any issues with them. I think our oldest one at this point is five years old.
00:34:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:34:11
Scott Dohner
So yeah, they're they're sitting on HOAs though, so they're getting minimal use.
00:34:13
RICK JAMES
Tracker wheel.
00:34:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
What was that,
00:34:16
RICK JAMES
Tracker wheel. Tracker wheel.
00:34:19
Scott Dohner
They're wheeled. Yeah, they're wheeled.
00:34:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
Jay?
00:34:20
Scott Dohner
We purchase them with a sole purpose that all we do with them is snow. They sit in the summer.
00:34:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay. Okay.
00:34:26
Scott Dohner
Yeah, that's I think our one of them has like 700 hours on it. And that's maybe the most out of all of them. So.
00:34:34
The SnowJobs Podcast
Have you used any other brand skids?
00:34:36
Scott Dohner
Yeah, we had ah at one point we had 11 cats kids.
00:34:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay, so, you you know, is the Kubota cab bigger than than the Cat Cab?
00:34:40
Scott Dohner
So early on.
00:34:44
Scott Dohner
The.
00:34:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
I've heard Kubota has a much roomier cab in their skids.
00:34:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
that true?
00:34:48
Scott Dohner
Yeah, Kubota's cab is a lot roomier and that's it's a lot more stripped down. That's what we liked about it.
00:34:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
Gotcha.
00:34:53
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Yeah, Kubota's more of a worker, like a work truck compared to like a cat.
00:34:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
Very cool.
00:34:59
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:35:00
RICK JAMES
know, cat's got a little more finish.
00:35:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, like a tradesman edition, which I'm fine with that.
00:35:03
RICK JAMES
Yeah. that
00:35:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
Does it have heat and AC? Does it have a radio? That's all I need, you know, a skid.
00:35:07
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:35:08
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:35:08
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:35:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
What else are you putting in there? What else can you possibly fit in a skid cap?
00:35:15
RICK JAMES
No, you're right. I'm just saying that's just the fit and finish is just not like a cat. So.
00:35:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
yeah uh the kubotas
00:35:22
RICK JAMES
But they push like a mother of a, know, those things will push. I heard they got, they got a lot of power. So.
00:35:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
what what wheel ones do you have are they the the 75s or 65s or 75s gotcha and there's no difference between that and the 65 just 10 horsepower right am i correct yeah okay cool cool cool
00:35:34
Scott Dohner
Yeah, we have the Yep.
00:35:41
Scott Dohner
I believe so. I believe that's the only difference.
00:35:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
uh what else what else you want to talk about the spread actually you know what jay let's let's finish let's just finish up our our company questions and then we'll get into the salt spreader thing with them if that's cool cool you want to hit uh you want to hit them five and five right cool
00:35:51
RICK JAMES
talking about list list.
00:35:59
RICK JAMES
That's fine. Yeah.
00:36:03
RICK JAMES
Yeah, you bet. All right, Scott, where do you want to see your company going in the next five years? what are you looking at?
00:36:09
Scott Dohner
I would like to double in size and get more into the commercial world. So I'm 34.
00:36:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
nice how old are you
00:36:15
Scott Dohner
Yup.
00:36:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay, double away. ah Do it now while you're young.
00:36:21
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:36:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah
00:36:22
Scott Dohner
Yup.
00:36:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's awesome. So what's been the most important decision you've made in the last five years to get you to the point you're at now?
00:36:30
Scott Dohner
Uh, investing in equipment, definitely. So it's, it's made a huge difference.
00:36:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
from Going from trucks to mostly from mostly trucks to equipment.
00:36:38
Scott Dohner
yeah Yeah, just switching our mentality as to how we're going approach everything and kind of standardizing our fleet.
00:36:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
100 definitely works um any what's that
00:36:48
RICK JAMES
He's a Chevy guy. He's a Chevy guy. I've seen like everybody out there is a Ford guy.
00:36:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
that is true well no i mean cory is isn't cory a gm guy too and he's got like a hundred trucks doesn't he he's got a ridiculous number of trucks
00:36:54
RICK JAMES
He's a Chevy guy.
00:36:57
RICK JAMES
Oh, Corey's Chevy. Yeah, he's a GM guy.
00:36:59
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:36:59
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, he's got ridiculous.
00:37:04
Scott Dohner
He's got a good amount.
00:37:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
he's crazy not but that many trucks uh he loves his trucks though we've we've tried to tell him you know go more machines but he loves his trucks he does uh what lessons have you learned in your early stages of of growing your company that you you learn the hard way maybe and want to pass on to guys
00:37:12
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:37:16
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:37:27
Scott Dohner
Just that, I mean, shit happens. There's nothing you can do about it. There's nothing you could do to prevent it. That shit's gonna happen. And you just gotta adapt and overcome that aspect of it. So, um ah I mean, make sure you have backup stuff, I guess.
00:37:41
The SnowJobs Podcast
yep
00:37:42
Scott Dohner
Hoses. Yeah,
00:37:46
The SnowJobs Podcast
yep always have plan b right and what what did tyson say everybody's got a plan till they get punched in the mouth you gotta of get back up that's 100 man good luck yeah absolutely absolutely
00:37:46
Scott Dohner
fittings, stuff of that nature. Yeah.
00:37:53
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:37:54
RICK JAMES
Yeah, you can always try our backups, but that's about the best you can use plan on it.
00:38:04
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:38:06
RICK JAMES
I never have a backup machine. i always say we' we're going to a backup machine, but we never do. we always put it to work.
00:38:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
no i'm trying to yeah who can afford a backup yeah like who can afford these days with equipment prices and truck prices what they are but you know plow prices who can afford to have something just sitting there unless it's ancient you know it wasn't it wasn't something you wouldn't drive on a daily basis and it just happens to be in the oh yeah that's the shop truck or whatever like who has a spare
00:38:12
Scott Dohner
works out.
00:38:16
RICK JAMES
It's hard to leave something said. Yeah.
00:38:36
RICK JAMES
i couldn't I couldn't leave something sitting. I'm like, it's not making any money sitting there. We got to get that thing out and make money.
00:38:41
The SnowJobs Podcast
100 i agree completely i it's nice to have the i think that spare thing is just yeah yeah it's it's a beautiful beautiful fantasy but
00:38:45
RICK JAMES
mean, it's a great plan. It's a great plan.
00:38:52
RICK JAMES
Some people do it, but to kudo kudos to them, I guess.
00:38:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
scott what do you think are the biggest issues facing the snow management industry today besides the ohio salt shortage yeah it's a problem out there too
00:38:56
RICK JAMES
But
00:39:03
Scott Dohner
Probably pricing, i would say. Yeah. Yeah, we're running into it more or less the last couple years. We got some contractors that need to focus more on that.
00:39:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
Gotcha.
00:39:16
RICK JAMES
They don't know their costs and they're just lowballing everything.
00:39:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:39:19
Scott Dohner
Yeah, yep, coming in because they want something, dropping the price on it way below what it's actually valued at. Yeah.
00:39:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
Do it for two or three years, figure out they lost money on it and then they get rid of it, but the throat is already cut on that contract now.
00:39:33
Scott Dohner
Yeah. Yeah.
00:39:34
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:39:34
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. Yeah. That's pretty much everywhere.
00:39:37
RICK JAMES
It's, well, it seems to be getting worse.
00:39:37
Scott Dohner
yeah
00:39:39
RICK JAMES
Like we talk every week, but it's, you know, I just don't understand.
00:39:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, definitely getting worse. Okay.
00:39:43
RICK JAMES
mean,
00:39:45
RICK JAMES
Why work for free? Everything costs way too much.
00:39:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, yeah, dude, don't even get me started on these. ah So I figured out I was talking to a property management guy that I know. He's he's not from New York State, but he's a smaller guy. And ah I was telling him, like, dude, there's like so many commercial properties like chains that don't have. We're in a snow area. We're 40 inches guaranteed a year.
00:40:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
Don't have a contractor yet and we've already had Two snowstorms three we've had Two and a half pushes so far And we're up to like i don't know Nine inches ten inches already And they don't have a contract. And I said, what the hell is going He goes, I'll tell you exactly what's going on. Because I told him what properties they were. He goes, those guys are, they're giving 20 or 30 locations to smaller management companies.
00:40:36
The SnowJobs Podcast
Those management companies are getting paid for, from November 1st on. So they're getting their monthly, but if they don't have a contractor, if they can wait it out and gamble and not have to pay anybody in November, they keep that money for November.
00:40:52
The SnowJobs Podcast
So that's what they're doing.
00:40:52
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm.
00:40:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
They're trying to wait as long as possible and trying to get – if they can get a lowball guy to take it, like say it's it's worth $10,000, it's a small lot, it's worth $10,000 on a seasonal. If they can find a guy to do it for $2,500, they'll give it to them in November.
00:41:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
But if they can't find anybody that will accept their price, they just gamble. They pay the emergency, and guys are doing the emergency too cheap that it doesn't hurt them enough to assign the contract.
00:41:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
And they're just taking, they're just keeping that money that they're getting from the chain every month. So I did figure that out. I thanked that guy. He wanted to remain nameless, but he said, that's a hundred percent what they're doing. These smaller man, these smaller property management companies, the mom and pop types, that's what they're doing.
00:41:32
RICK JAMES
can believe that.
00:41:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
They're getting chains in the area to give them three or four stores and they're, they're gambling with it to try and, you know, keep as much of the money as possible for themselves. so Everybody's trying to get paid for doing nothing.
00:41:43
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:41:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
It's it's incredible. Freaking incredible. But what else you got for him, Jay?
00:41:53
RICK JAMES
I mean, are you using any weather apps where you're out there?
00:41:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
yeah. You got any weather, guys, to help you with the lake effect?
00:42:00
Scott Dohner
No, we use the Weather Channel. We use their app when it's working.
00:42:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
There you go.
00:42:05
Scott Dohner
That's a lot of times they shut the radar down on it, so that's always fun.
00:42:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
they do that yeah yeah oh we know that the weather guys call them they say we fucked up this forecast shut kill the radar kill the radar ah kyle was telling us that last year right that they they shut down the radar for like 24 hours who does that
00:42:09
RICK JAMES
Oh, really?
00:42:10
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:42:20
RICK JAMES
Yeah, last year I remember said that. Yeah. Does
00:42:25
The SnowJobs Podcast
who does that
00:42:25
Scott Dohner
Yeah. That was brutal. Nobody knew, you didn't know where it was hitting, what it was doing. i mean, that was a rough storm.
00:42:33
RICK JAMES
that happen often?
00:42:35
Scott Dohner
Yeah, i mean, every now and then it does. So let's.
00:42:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
How big an area do you guys cover?
00:42:43
Scott Dohner
So we used to be pretty spread out and now we just cover basically northern summer county with five to 10 miles within our shop and that's it.
00:42:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:42:50
Scott Dohner
So yeah.
00:42:51
The SnowJobs Podcast
Smart. Especially in a lake effect zone.
00:42:54
Scott Dohner
Yeah, absolutely.
00:42:56
RICK JAMES
You keep stuff on site or do you travel from a shop?
00:43:01
Scott Dohner
So all like equipment is kept on site and then we travel out of the shop. So we have a central location from throughout our properties. And that's, we just travel, we load up salt here and let go from there.
00:43:16
RICK JAMES
Gotcha.
00:43:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
Very cool. Very cool. You want to hit some commercials and then we'll talk to them about salt spreaders?
00:43:23
RICK JAMES
You got it.
00:43:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right, guys, we're going to hit some commercials real quick. We'll be back in two minutes.
Equipment and Technology Issues
00:44:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
All gang, we are back. So Scott reached out to us and he said, you know, I'd really love to to hear more conversation on salt spreaders out there. So that's what we we said. You know what? You want to talk salt spreaders?
00:44:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
Come on the show and and talk salt with us. Talk salt spreaders. So, ah yeah, let's get into that.
00:44:51
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm.
00:44:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
Scott, what did you want to talk about with salt spreaders? What did you either need to know or what did you want to hear about?
00:44:58
Scott Dohner
So we've had boss spreaders for quite a while now. And that's, I mean, they've been reliable. There's not a whole lot to them. That's a the brain essentially is what goes out on them.
00:45:09
Scott Dohner
Other than that, you don't you don't have any issues. You don't see any issues with it, but it's just, it's your standard salt spreader.
00:45:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
Got I got
00:45:14
Scott Dohner
So it's a two yard unit or a three yard unit. And that's what you have to choose from. Well, we're at the size now getting into commercial where the two or the three yard unit isn't working anymore for us.
00:45:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
gotcha
00:45:27
Scott Dohner
I'm not going to send a guy out.
00:45:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah got you
00:45:29
Scott Dohner
to do a property that requires six, six yards of salt with a two or three yard unit, because then he's got an hour back and forth between the time that he leaves the job, comes back to the shop, gets loaded, goes back out to that job.
00:45:41
Scott Dohner
And yeah, so we're looking for something larger. Last year we got into hill tip, which I mean, the hill tips, it's a, it's a good machine. um But we're throwing on our larger properties. We're throwing overcurrent,
00:45:57
Scott Dohner
codes out on the display for the spinner.
00:45:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
huh so is that because the electric motor just can't handle the weight of that much salt demand or what what what do you think's causing that
00:46:09
Scott Dohner
Yeah, I mean, that's my interpretation of it, but at the same time, I don't feel like we're putting it down a lot to where it would, should cause that issue.
00:46:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
could that be a ground issue maybe like maybe there's a bad ground or a bad wire somewhere i don't i don't know that's weird
00:46:24
RICK JAMES
We've had issue with ours too.
00:46:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
You have.
00:46:26
RICK JAMES
It'll say that.
00:46:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, see, there you go. Jeremy's got a bunch of them. So go ahead, Jake. Take it away.
00:46:30
RICK JAMES
No, i mean, we've had issues and it usually seems to go away or whatever. and not that It doesn't really shut us down, but yeah, I know exactly what he's saying. We have that a warning will come on. And so honestly, Frank was messaging me this weekend. He's actually coming through here probably in January. So he's going to swing by and hopefully get a lot of the stuff worked out that we're having some issues with.
00:46:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
Is it a voltage issue is it or is it a motor power issue?
00:46:53
RICK JAMES
So.
00:46:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
What do you think?
00:46:58
RICK JAMES
I think it's a voltage issue myself, but I'm i a big electrical dude, obviously, but then I'm just going off of what we've experienced.
00:47:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. Hmm.
00:47:07
RICK JAMES
So I don't What you view, what have you experienced with Scott?
00:47:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
Gotcha.
00:47:11
RICK JAMES
Same thing or what do you think of it
00:47:14
Scott Dohner
Yeah, I mean, we've had the same issue and that's, ah we don't really have the dealer support here with it being a newer product to the United States.
00:47:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
Hmm.
00:47:23
Scott Dohner
Whereas was like with with Boss, I mean, we have great dealer support down at Terry's in North Canton. They have everything in stock whenever we have issues. I mean, they know the product and that's, ah yeah, that's our Hilltip dealer here doesn't really know the ins and outs of the product and pretty much on your own.
00:47:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's key.
00:47:39
Scott Dohner
And that's that's unfortunate, but that's why like Try to standardize everything moving forward and just get to a point where we have the same equipment. So we have the same parts in stock. We know what's going to go wrong with it.
00:47:51
Scott Dohner
So if it does go down, we know how to resolve the issue.
00:47:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
I got you. I got you.
00:47:56
RICK JAMES
What do you want to get?
00:47:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
So you're looking at what are you looking to put these spreaders on? What size vehicles?
00:48:02
Scott Dohner
Chevy 6500s.
00:48:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay. Okay, so you can handle pretty much anything outside of Jeremy or Jay. What do you what would you recommend to him in the bigger bigger range? Because that's your ballpark.
00:48:14
RICK JAMES
Yeah, i mean, I'd put myself, well, I'm kind of like our Schmitz. They're pretty good good units.
00:48:23
RICK JAMES
but if That's where there you they're going to spend a lot of money on them. But otherwise, ah somebody else reached out this weekend. They want to get like a four or six yard buyers. I can't remember who it was.
00:48:23
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's really bad, right?
00:48:34
RICK JAMES
Oh, Tommy Youngquist. He was looking for a four or six yard buyers or, you know, of those one of those spreaders. And I guess I honestly told him to reach out to zer because Zuber because seems to always be up on all of those, doesn't he?
00:48:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
He does. He definitely does. So I'm actually unfamiliar with the the bosses. So the bosses, you only have a your choices are a two or a three yard max. That's it.
00:49:01
Scott Dohner
Yeah, you either have the VBX 8000 or the 9000.
00:49:01
The SnowJobs Podcast
Hmm.
00:49:02
Scott Dohner
That's
00:49:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
Hmm. Because I know even the even like Western, the though the Douglas lines, they're marauders or whatever the other the Fisher and Snow X versions are called.
00:49:11
Scott Dohner
Thank you.
00:49:15
The SnowJobs Podcast
They have they I think they go up to five yards on those stainless steel ones.
00:49:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
Pretty sure they're, yeah, they are. Yeah, I'm looking at right now. Yeah, so the Marauder for, you know, Western brand, Marauder makes a five-yarder. um They have the auger or pintle chain.
00:49:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
um So, I mean, yeah, they have some they have some options in that range. But you're looking bigger, you like eight nine eight, nine yards, something like that, even bigger.
00:49:44
Scott Dohner
I'd say four to six is is what the truck could safely handle.
00:49:47
Scott Dohner
so around that range.
00:49:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay, so then, yeah, I mean, so that puts you...
00:49:48
RICK JAMES
Yeah. we wouldfer sorry Are you looking for like ah gas engine or hydraulic?
00:49:52
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sure. goodja
00:49:54
RICK JAMES
Or what are you what are you looking for?
00:49:56
Scott Dohner
Uh, I mean, right now we have everything's electrical and that's, it's just set up like that. Cause it's the most cost effective way. Uh, cause in the summer we don't use the, we don't have a need for the hydraulic on the bed.
00:50:10
Scott Dohner
cause the beds are only going up one or two times a day, but yeah, I mean,
00:50:16
Scott Dohner
I would be open to either one, to be honest with you. Just want it to work for the application that we're looking to use it for.
00:50:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
I mean, it seems like ah it seems like you have you have options on the Douglas brands, definitely, if you're in the five-yard range. um i I can't speak to them the Marauder line. I don't know. um the The Tornadoes have been great for us. I think the most we've done on them is we've replaced one one module in 11 years. Now, there's 11th winner on that one, so in 10 years, we went through one module. um Not much else.
00:50:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
I mean, as long as you keep those connections clean and dielectric grease, they've been fine. We've had more plow controllers go bad on our Western plows than we have the actual salt controllers.
00:51:09
Scott Dohner
Okay.
00:51:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
I think i think the actual salt controller, maybe one... in nine years of the one model so i mean they've been pretty ultra reliable you get your little you you get your voltage glitches here and there where it says you know low voltage or something but literally turn the power off turn the power back on and it's it's fine and operate and i i think that happens with any electric spreader honestly uh these days if the alternator output is dipping or or your battery output you know, if you're running a lot of lights or you're also using the plow at the same time, you know stuff happens, but they've, they've been ultra reliable. I don't know what your Douglas support is in the area, but um they've been good. But yeah, I mean, if you need over three, if you need over three yards and that's a shame that that boss doesn't make anything larger.
00:51:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
Cause you, you know, you said you have a great dealer in that area. Yeah. yeah I'm trying to think what else in the five yard, you got salt dog, right? Jay, you said that.
00:52:08
RICK JAMES
SaltDog,
00:52:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
uh buyers also has the they they have their pro series too right yeah we should have gotten zuber we should have grabbed zuber and had him come on real quick because he he could quote you every model number on the salt dogs on the buyer's lines yeah he does a lot of r&d on that how did i got a question for you you said you use tailgate spreaders
00:52:15
RICK JAMES
yeah.
00:52:22
RICK JAMES
He's pretty knowledgeable about their stuff because he gets a demo on their stuff, if I remember right.
00:52:32
Scott Dohner
Yeah, we have two. Yep.
00:52:34
The SnowJobs Podcast
how are those
00:52:36
Scott Dohner
ah Don't like them. ah
00:52:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
You don't like them. Why don't you like them?
00:52:39
Scott Dohner
No.
00:52:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
Because I have my own like questions about those. i don't use them, but I have questions about how they work and if they're you know if the bed has to be up in the air and stuff for for them to work.
00:52:54
Scott Dohner
Yeah, that's so you have to constantly put the bed up and down to to get salt back into the auger. um that's and We have the electrical system on our beds. Our hoist is all electric, so it doesn't really... and just added wear to the truck.
00:53:08
Scott Dohner
If you had a hydraulic system, I think it it would it would work.
00:53:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
I got you.
00:53:11
Scott Dohner
It's great for storage if you're minimalist in the summer months, but I just... They cake the whole back of the truck in salt. That's...
00:53:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, I would not want to. I mean, I'm just thinking about my guys after maybe, you know, 18 to 24 hours or you get three days of snow, four days of snow in a row and they're shot like what Brandon Riley was describing was going on in Minnesota where they were working every day since Thanksgiving.
00:53:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
I would worry about my guys getting, you know, just too tired to remember to bring the bed down. And then you get like a Fargo video where they're going over an underpass or under an overpass and and there goes the truck.
00:53:48
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:53:50
RICK JAMES
Bingo.
00:53:52
The SnowJobs Podcast
It doesn't even have to be an overpass.
00:53:52
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:53:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
It could be something as simple as a tree limb, right? Like, I mean, anything could screw that up.
00:53:56
RICK JAMES
Great. what
00:54:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
But Salt Dog, um the buyer's line, the buyer's pro series, I'm looking at at it right now for you. I mean, they have anywhere from six and a half to 14 yards models. um I would reach out. You talk to Zuber, I would reach out to Dan and ah and see what his experiences have been with those the pro series.
00:54:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
See how they've have they been for him.
00:54:21
RICK JAMES
think Kyle Martin put a bunch of those buyers, six yarders on those Peterbilt's, or those Kenworth, like T1, 270s or whatever.
00:54:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
He's pretty.
00:54:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, he did put something on there.
00:54:31
RICK JAMES
Yeah, he put, hey, I'm pretty sure they were buyers, but he said those things were phenomenal for him.
00:54:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
I can't, I don't remember what it was.
00:54:36
RICK JAMES
They look like they're going haul lot of salt. How about, since you're an equipment guy, you thought about um putting salt on site? Is that an option? And getting like a double down or something like that to put salt on with your equipment?
00:54:49
Scott Dohner
Yeah, I've considered it. So one of the distribution centers that we do this year was going to let us do it, but we got the contract back later and then it started snowing. So we just didn't have the opportunity to do it.
00:54:59
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm.
00:54:59
Scott Dohner
I mean, it's definitely something we're we're looking at in the future to kind of find a central location outside of our shop. Keeps out there.
00:55:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep. Hmm.
00:55:12
RICK JAMES
I mean, I've used those a couple times now. I love those. if you I mean, if you can put salt on site and use your equipment, you know, like use that double down or whatever. And that's so, so freaking nice.
00:55:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, that's a home run. Yeah, drop the plow, pick up the bucket.
00:55:25
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Oh, so quick.
00:55:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, that's...
00:55:27
RICK JAMES
You don't have to worry about another truck. Yeah.
00:55:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
that's a that's definitely a home run um but yeah i think uh i i think that's your options really in that or there's other models like the is swenson still around jeremy they're mostly what they're they're hydraulic or gas they don't do an electric i don't think cool i could be wrong but i don't think they they do an electric but
00:55:44
RICK JAMES
Yeah, Swenson's around, yeah. Epoch.
00:55:51
RICK JAMES
Not that aware of, I guess.
00:55:59
RICK JAMES
Yeah. I mean, I think your best bet be like a Bugus Dynamics or you know something like that, one of their products for that big.
00:56:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, i I think so. The only downside for me, and this might not affect you, Scott, the downside for me to go with the the Marauder series, the stainless steel ones, would be I run treated salt, and I don't want moisture in there, like diluting it. So I like to have the covers, um and I don't believe the Marauders have covers. They might now.
00:56:34
RICK JAMES
Like a tarp, maybe?
00:56:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
I'm to look. ah Yeah, like well, the tarp never works, dude.
00:56:37
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:56:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, they actually have a rolled tarp cover now.
00:56:42
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:56:42
The SnowJobs Podcast
Look at that. See that? That's cool. So they're, I mean, they're constantly solving problems every, every year they're coming up with better stuff because their tarp, honestly, their tarp for those used to suck. It used to rip at the corners.
00:56:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
You'd have to jump up there and down every, every time you wanted to recover it. it never stayed on. So now they have a rollable, it's a 70 inch wide tarp and it seals cleanly along the edge of the hopper.
00:57:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
that's pretty cool actually so i guess you you'd put it on just like a bed tarp over a load that's cool um yeah i don't know of much else in that class i mean you're you're you're kind of there or you're up in the jeremy world where you're dealing with shit from germany um with it's great shit but like i don't know if if he's buying a tractor trailer to be able to you know put it on there how many yards is that
00:57:15
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:57:28
RICK JAMES
It's good ship, though. That ship does not break.
00:57:37
RICK JAMES
It's a 65, huh? mean, we got you know four four six yard ones, too. failed So yeah, they make smaller ones.
00:57:41
The SnowJobs Podcast
Do you really?
00:57:41
Scott Dohner
Thank you.
00:57:41
The SnowJobs Podcast
I didn't realize you had anything that little.
00:57:43
RICK JAMES
Yeah. yeah the
00:57:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
What are the big ones?
00:57:45
RICK JAMES
those
00:57:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
What are the big the the ones on the tandems?
00:57:49
RICK JAMES
uh 12 uh our big ones uh probably about 18 yards and then we got then we got our smaller ones you know 12.
00:57:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, those are big, big ones.
00:57:57
RICK JAMES
you know then we got couple we got a couple on like uh one on t170 you know a little kenworth and then we got one on a t300 kenworth that are i think they're about five yards five or six yards and they're those are nice so
00:58:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
Gotcha. Gotcha.
00:58:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
scott do you have uh you said you got the vbx line do you have any of the vbx pluses how how have you used the telematics and stuff tracking how did it work if you did
00:58:21
Scott Dohner
Yeah, we have one.
00:58:27
Scott Dohner
ah I haven't used it personally. This is our first real season with it. So we're just getting into the swing of things.
00:58:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
okay keep us posted on it when you start seeing you know using the what was that jay
00:58:37
RICK JAMES
you have a vibrator in yours, Scott?
00:58:40
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:58:41
RICK JAMES
Because I got one this year and doesn't have a vibrator. and put it so I'm trying to get a vibrator for it now because we're having our summer assault we got in. It's kind of wet, so it's hanging up in summer assault. So I got to try to put a vibrator on it because Chase is not likeking digging that thing out. so
00:58:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
What'd you get, a two-yarder or a three-yarder, Jeremy?
00:58:58
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
00:59:00
RICK JAMES
Two-yarder, yeah.
00:59:01
The SnowJobs Podcast
Two-yarder?
00:59:01
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:59:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
And you got the plus?
00:59:04
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:59:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
See, I didn't even know that. All right, good. Are you using it for material tracking?
00:59:09
RICK JAMES
uh chase is using the guy yeah he's keeping track up on amazon and stuff so yep
00:59:15
The SnowJobs Podcast
how is it how How has it been? Has it been accurate? Okay,
00:59:18
RICK JAMES
yeah he said this right pretty much right on so that's it so he hasn't he hasn't really gone anywhere else like we really haven't gotten in the winter that hard yet but you know he'll he'll do some spot checks in the morning some other spots but really haven't done much of it this year yet so but yeah he'll be keeping tabs on it so
00:59:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
that's awesome. That's good to hear.
00:59:36
The SnowJobs Podcast
got it you know we'll have to do scott we'll have to do for you we'll actually put together an episode where we have like five guys that we know are different size companies that are maybe on the larger side commercially and uh they have a lot of different brands of spreaders in that range you're looking at and we'll just bring them on we'll have like a round table episode and we'll just talk salt spreaders of all different sizes and stuff
01:00:01
RICK JAMES
Yeah, definitely.
01:00:01
Scott Dohner
Sounds good.
01:00:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
sounds good what else you got for him j anything else because i don't i don't think i can i'm trying to find other stuff here in that range but that's that's really all yeah that's kind of all i can find and all i know about so i don't know what else i can really do on that one but oh dogs are barking you hear them
01:00:13
RICK JAMES
That's all the oldest stuff I seem to know off top of my head, I guess.
01:00:29
RICK JAMES
Yeah, no, I can't.
01:00:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
uh that means ups is here with another box with my wife's name on it i guarantee it guarantee it oh man all right so then we'll we'll do that then we'll after the holiday we'll we'll get a panel right after the new year then or maybe even before the new year we'll get a we'll get a salt panel on board guys that we know have different models different brands in that range and uh we'll get them all on here and you can fire away at them sound good
01:00:35
RICK JAMES
Yeah,
01:00:46
RICK JAMES
yeah let's do that.
01:00:57
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:00:58
Scott Dohner
Sounds good.
01:00:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
all right cool brother you got anything else for us before we let you go ah go ahead yeah we'll hit some sidewalk units real quick what else you got
01:01:04
Scott Dohner
don't say it unless you guys want talk about sidewalk units. That's another struggle. but
01:01:10
RICK JAMES
That's
01:01:11
Scott Dohner
We currently have two SR mags. um Great machines when they're working, but the issue that we're running into is they're not working. So...
01:01:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
what problems are you having with them specifically
01:01:22
RICK JAMES
what problems.
01:01:24
Scott Dohner
so The starters season up. So we had that issue and then we had engines replaced on them also. um But I mean, boss is taking care of care of us every step of the way with that.
01:01:37
The SnowJobs Podcast
well that's good
01:01:37
Scott Dohner
I mean, they've been great with it. It's just you need stuff that's going to.
01:01:42
The SnowJobs Podcast
annoying yeah annoying uh what your your dealer sounds phenomenal so give him another shout out because i know you mentioned them once but give him another shout out if he's that good there you go way to go terry's that's awesome that's all love to hear that good for you guys good good for terry's that's awesome
01:01:43
Scott Dohner
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
01:01:52
Scott Dohner
Terry struck and trailer in North Canton. So they're great. They're open 24 seven whenever it snows. And yeah they got tons of parts on hand. Yeah.
01:02:04
RICK JAMES
So is that all you're running, those two two SR mags for your sidewalk pieces?
01:02:08
Scott Dohner
Yeah. Yep. Two RSR mags. So
01:02:11
RICK JAMES
Are they just brooms or?
01:02:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
We've heard that before, haven't we, Jay?
01:02:15
RICK JAMES
Yeah, yeah, we have.
01:02:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
About the starter motor. Was it Davin?
01:02:18
RICK JAMES
Yep.
01:02:21
RICK JAMES
I'm not sure it was David or thought it was a gram.
01:02:23
The SnowJobs Podcast
Somebody told us the starter motor seizes because of the salt. Is it the the salt gets in there? Somebody was telling us that.
01:02:32
RICK JAMES
Oh, think you're right. It might be Davin. It might be Davin.
01:02:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
where there's a cavity where that starter motor is and the salt it's not sealed and the salt gets in there and seizes up the starter motor uh we've we've definitely heard that more than once that's they they do know about that so that's uh so what do you looking for other options in that class
01:02:53
Scott Dohner
Yeah, I mean, just ah again, something that's going to get the job done, something that people have had that is reliable and that you can salt with. I think the units are great if you're not salting, but we have two drop spreaders on each one of them.
01:03:04
Scott Dohner
And yeah, I just don't think for what we're doing with them, it's capable of handling it way too much.
01:03:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
How much sidewalk are you doing?
01:03:15
Scott Dohner
So between those two units, they're doing way too much.
01:03:15
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
01:03:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay. um
01:03:19
Scott Dohner
So they get done with their routes and they go do homeowners associations, community walks. So and they're probably, every time we go out, running them seven hours straight.
01:03:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay. So you don't want to go down in size. How wide are your sidewalks? do you have width restriction on them?
01:03:36
Scott Dohner
They're anywhere from 36 to 48, but typically 36 inch.
01:03:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay, so and you're putting and um you're putting mags on a 36-inch sidewalk?
01:03:44
Scott Dohner
Yep.
01:03:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
You're hanging over on both sides?
01:03:46
Scott Dohner
Just angling it if need be.
01:03:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
Isn't the buggy itself wider than 36 inches?
01:03:51
Scott Dohner
I don't believe so. I think it's... don't have to double check. I think it's 40... Yeah.
01:03:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
I got to look that up because then I need an SR Mac because I'm, I'm getting a little aggravated right now with Ventrac because I'm blowing belts.
01:03:56
Scott Dohner
the
01:04:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah Like I stole something. It's just ridiculous. We've blown a couple of belts this year. We're starting to have issues with them here and there. And I mean, it's normal wear and tear, but you know, that's the problem when you have a belt driven, you know, belt driven machine, that is one of the dangers, you know, you go through belts. Yeah.
01:04:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
um so in that class jeremy how um how wide are those fifteen eighty five s they are
01:04:29
RICK JAMES
they're they're way wider that so yeah we're yeah we're we're actually have we just took on a count here this week for taking it on and the cybox are at 36 and we don't have anything that'll fit on it so we're gonna be a lot hand shoveling or
01:04:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
so yeah walk behind blowers which you don't like
01:04:47
RICK JAMES
right well i think one of our one of our subs or vendor partners has a sr mag so think about maybe giving it to him so he can go up there and take care of it for us so but yeah it's uh
01:04:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
that would be smart um yeah if you're in the 36 if you have 36 inch sidewalks you you're you're pretty limited um on what's out there because you have let's see you have that i know of the ssv uh the original snow raider um
01:05:00
Scott Dohner
you
01:05:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
shoot i don't know of anything else i'm looking it up so the overall length of that machine without the attachment is 60 inches but i'm looking out i'm almost positive they were uh with if we have 40 inches they're 40 inches wide so not too much so i could actually i could actually use one of those and see how they do that's interesting
01:05:33
Scott Dohner
Okay.
01:05:38
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Yeah.
01:05:40
Scott Dohner
Yeah, that...
01:05:40
RICK JAMES
yeah
01:05:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
I'm glad we did this because that's an option because if I'm done, if I'm getting pissed off with belt driven attachments, then my options are, listen, if we put the V blade on, on the vent tracks, they work great.
01:05:43
Scott Dohner
mean, they're... a
01:05:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
But anytime we're putting the brooms or the blowers on now, we're, we're tearing up belts. So, uh, you know, and they're, they're saying, well, maybe something's not angle. I just think it's honestly, I think those pulleys just get so much shit. Um,
01:06:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
over that even if you clean them they just you know they seize here and there and they just stuff gets out around and it's not fun so if i can get hydraulic driven attachments that's probably the dream but uh the original snow raiders from boss we love those we had them they were great for us uh the only downside was when we got monster nor'easters you can only win row so high with a straight blade that was our that was our downside so we we decided we needed to be more versatile so we went we switched everything over to the ssvs but it wasn't because the machine was lacking you know that that machine had plenty of balls for the price tag and for the little machine it did the job if you were in two to four inch snow no problem whatsoever all day long um
01:06:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
We didn't have any issues, but we also, I think when we got rid of them, we only had 120 hours on them, 140 hours on them maybe. So we didn't really have them long-term to know wear and tear-wise what we had going on maybe.
01:07:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
but And they also had the Honda engines on them back then. I don't know how the Kohlers are.
01:07:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
um The only other thing I...
01:07:22
RICK JAMES
Yeah, I don't have much experience any either of those. i mean, I wouldn't mind to try one out here.
01:07:25
The SnowJobs Podcast
The garden tractors are wider than 36 too, right?
01:07:28
RICK JAMES
oh yeah, yeah, for sure.
01:07:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, so you're limited. um yeah yeah i mean, Boss has a couple of the options, the Scout, but you need to be able to salt. So your other option with Boss would be the the original Snow Raider um or the SSV, which...
01:07:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
you know if you're If you're putting a plow on it, like I said, if you're putting a plow on it, that's never failed us. that that their Their plows are great. That thing plows all day. It's got plenty of power, plenty of balls. um the The new belly spreader design on the SSV is great. The slide-out tray, it's easy to fill.
01:08:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
You don't get any salt on the machine when you miss... um trying to think what else there's not really anything out there in the 36 inch width market that's kind of it like the oryx snow rhino if they're even making it but that's a walk behind unit you know that little thing um
01:08:21
RICK JAMES
Oh yeah. Track thing, right? That's that little track thing.
01:08:25
The SnowJobs Podcast
yeah the little track machine with the blade um but yeah i think and i think the scout is pretty much going to kill that because they're basically in the same price market uh i think they're 1500 bucks difference or 1800 bucks difference in price and if i can stand on it versus walk behind it then that 1800 bucks is worth it um
01:08:26
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:08:31
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm.
01:08:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
so yeah i mean i i think you're limited uh in the 36 inches so yeah your ssv snow raider mag uh with four inches two inches overhang on each side or the ah the original snow raider that's really it's really it you you definitely jeremy the the 1585 is definitely wider or any of those those front mount john deers
01:09:03
RICK JAMES
Oh yeah, yeah. Yeah, because we put a 16th broom on it.
01:09:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
yeah that's true they're mowers first right
01:09:10
RICK JAMES
So, yeah. Yeah.
01:09:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, gotcha. Yeah, they're mowers that do snow. So, yeah, I mean, that' that's really your only options, brother.
01:09:16
RICK JAMES
ah probably Probably at least inches wide, i would say at least.
01:09:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, that makes sense. So, yeah, if you got to get 36 inches, you're doing you're doing a lot of walk-behind snowblowing or or one of those model machines. I don't know of any others.
01:09:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
I would say the Mammoth, but I wouldn't even tell you to look at those.
Consumer Product Design Discussion
01:09:36
The SnowJobs Podcast
Stay a hell away from those. It's just a...
01:09:41
Scott Dohner
That's the issue. That's everything anymore.
01:09:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
Well, it is.
01:09:44
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:09:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
i mean, yeah, it definitely is. Stuff is not. Honestly, I've said it before. I'll say it again. I think stuff is made to keep you buying parts, keep you coming in from service so they can they know what their projected financial outlook is.
01:09:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
Well, how many hours this is going to last? How many hours that's going to last? Yeah. you know it's it definitely is not built like the uh like the old days where stuff was bulletproof but you know you take the good with the bad there's a hell of a lot of technology out there now that we that make our lives easier that you wasn't available 20 years ago that's i think that's where you're i think that's where you're looking though dude But, yeah, we can we can cover that, too, because, like I said, we don't know we definitely don't know everything, but we got a lot of guys out there that have a lot of different stuff.
01:10:26
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
01:10:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
So we'll ah we'll get a panel together, and, we'll yeah, we'll tackle sidewalk machines and salt spreaders for you after the new year.
01:10:40
Scott Dohner
Sounds great. cause Yeah, I think that's a question that a lot of people have. I mean, as you're looking to grow and you're looking to take your business to the next step, unless you want to go based off of other people's recommendations, but also at the same time, stuff that's going to work for you.
01:10:53
Scott Dohner
i think that's a real struggle right now.
01:10:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
01:10:56
RICK JAMES
Mm-hmm.
01:10:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
The, the SSVs have been great for us. I'm just a little sour right now. Cause we tore up two belts and two storms on two rooms. Uh, but other than that, they've, they've really been good. We've, we've broken a couple of throttle cables.
01:11:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
Um, which they're they break you know i mean they break on mowers so it's like you know that it's not necessarily anything other than a a normal occurrence um but other than that they've been great for us they start every time they don't give us any problems mechanically uh it's just the belt driven sometimes the belt driven brooms and or blowers uh you do run into problems with those belts at times where we finally are we didn't the first three or four years we had them this year we're having problems
01:11:15
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
01:11:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
but you know 55 inches wide so that's out of the ballpark too all right all right well yeah we'll put some boys together and we'll get back with you after christmas and uh we'll do something else
01:11:41
RICK JAMES
1585 is 55 inches wide. so
01:11:46
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
Listener Engagement and Conclusion
01:11:54
RICK JAMES
yeah Great ideas for some shows.
01:11:54
Scott Dohner
Sounds good.
01:11:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
all right what's that bud
01:11:55
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:11:57
RICK JAMES
That's a great idea for a couple more shows. So that's good.
01:12:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
absolutely and that's listen guys out if you're listening out there to this scott reached out to us with hey i want i'd like to hear more about this i'd like to talk to you guys about this do that we'll listen we'll always do that because chances are if you're thinking it there's 150 other guys out there that are thinking the same thing and want to know it so the more the more conversations we have and record you know the more information is out there for guys to look up when they need it at three or four in the morning when they're you know they need to either fix something or make a decision on something it's there in the library so don't definitely don't hesitate to do what scott didn't reach out to us and get a hold of us because that's why we're here and that's why we're doing this thing but uh yeah i mean if that's uh good with you then we'll wrap it there and we'll get you back with us after the holiday
01:12:45
Scott Dohner
Sounds good. I appreciate you guys having me on.
01:12:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
No, no problem at all, brother.
01:12:48
RICK JAMES
Thank you, Scott.
01:12:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
We appreciate you listening. Have a Merry Christmas to you and the family, and hopefully you guys can stay home and you don't miss the kids on Christmas morning.
01:12:56
Scott Dohner
Thanks. Same to you. Hope your Christmas is merry and green.
01:13:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yes, hopefully. Hopefully we get it all out of the way tomorrow, so we'll be fine for Christmas Eve and Christmas. And then right back at it now, it looks like the 26th.
01:13:07
Scott Dohner
Yeah.
01:13:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
So I'll take that. Throw whatever you want at me on the 24th or 23rd and twenty sixth but all right jay you got anything else for him all right well merry christmas to you too brother and uh
01:13:20
RICK JAMES
No, I'm good.
01:13:23
Scott Dohner
Alright.
01:13:25
RICK JAMES
Merry Christmas.
01:13:25
Scott Dohner
Merry Christmas.
01:13:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's it. So guys out there, as we said, everybody have a very Merry Christmas. All right. With your families, hopefully you can all be home for it and not have to worry about any snow for at least a couple hours. Get those presents open, do your thing, have dinner with the family and then get back at it. But that's going to do it. We're going to wrap episode 150 of the snow jobs podcast main show.
01:13:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
We want to thank Scott again for coming on with us and for throwing out the question to us that got this episode going. And as always, thanks to everybody out there that's that's listened for 150 main show episodes, overall We really appreciate all the support, all the listens, and can't thank you enough.
01:14:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
We got one more episode to do in 2025, and then we are we are wrapped for the year. So everybody have a happy and safe holiday. Enjoy the rest of your week.
01:14:20
RICK JAMES
Thank
01:14:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
And what are we going to do? Keep pushing.