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00:00:01
S3-128: Sidewalk Machines, which one works best for you?
452 Plays2 days ago
The guys welcome Davin Blazek of Elements Lawn and Snow, Ian Towell of TPS Madison, and Mr. Sidewalks himself...Josh "Putz" Abrahamson of Valley Green. The group collectively has used or owned virutually every machine there is, and are going to share their insights as they talk all things sidewalk machines, from stand-ons, to compact tractors and everything in between.
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction & Main Guest
00:00:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
Here we go, Snow Jobs Nation, back again, bringing you episode 128 of the Snow Jobs Podcast, powered by Top Gun Backblades. As always, Steve, you know who's with me, main man, most interesting man in snow.
00:01:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
Jeremy Lindstrom's in the house. What's up, Jay?
00:01:07
RICK JAMES
Hey, Steve, not a lot. How about you, buddy?
00:01:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, nothing, man. Getting ready to travel. Getting ready to travel. Hopefully make it over and back across the border.
00:01:16
RICK JAMES
Nice. I got a full week of baseball here. I just ran in from a baseball game. I missed the last couple of innings, but I watched the end of it on YouTube, so no.
00:01:25
The SnowJobs Podcast
Did they win?
00:01:26
RICK JAMES
7-2,
00:01:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
No, not even close.
00:01:29
RICK JAMES
seven or two I think it was.
00:01:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oof. Oof. Yeah, I'm leaving early. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
00:01:33
RICK JAMES
Yeah. but Don't worry. I got... Four more nights of it this week, so we're good.
00:01:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
Is it a tournament or what's going on?
00:01:41
RICK JAMES
No, this weekend's a tournament, but
Teasing the Main Topic: Sidewalk Machines
00:01:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
This is.
00:01:44
RICK JAMES
yeah, this is just whatever, normal.
00:01:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
These just warm up throwaway games that they can lose seven to with no consequences.
00:01:49
RICK JAMES
i make They come for the season, so yeah, they're just whatever. whatever They're probably 500 on the year, so we're all with that.
00:01:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oof. Okay.
00:01:59
RICK JAMES
So whatever.
00:02:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
Nice. How's he doing?
00:02:02
RICK JAMES
Fine.
00:02:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, good.
00:02:03
RICK JAMES
I'm doing all right. Average, I guess. I don't know.
00:02:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right.
00:02:06
RICK JAMES
is Baseball, not a big baseball fan, so.
00:02:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
No, it's boring to me.
00:02:11
RICK JAMES
Nah.
00:02:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
I mean, I can go to, I can go to like major league games. That's fun. But like, I can't watch like normal everyday baseball. Like just to not enough going on.
00:02:21
RICK JAMES
Yeah, it's, don't know, it is what it is, but not not like anything else to do at night, so.
00:02:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yes, sir. There you go. Well, yeah we got a podcast.
00:02:31
RICK JAMES
Well, tonight we do, yeah, but any other night.
00:02:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
We got to give the people what they asked for this week, which we said we were going to do it. We we said it last week. The guys get requests in for topics that they want us to kick around with some guys. And the the snow world responded. And we had quite a few actually this week requesting.
00:02:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
We talk about sidewalk machines.
00:02:52
RICK JAMES
Yeah, let's go. Let's talk more.
00:02:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
So that's ah that's what we're going to do, as we said we would do. So we're giving you what you guys asked for.
Roundtable on Sidewalk Machines
00:03:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
We're going to try and share our experiences and the the pros and cons that we've experienced with certain models.
00:03:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
And that's obviously as we see them. It's our opinions and it's our experiences. So it's not going to be the same experience for everybody. So don't everybody panic if we say something that's never happened. Oh, that's bullshit.
00:03:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
That never happened to me. know, hey, listen, not every machine was made on a Tuesday. There are machines made Friday afternoon after lunch.
00:03:25
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:03:25
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right, we've all had them, I'm sure.
00:03:25
RICK JAMES
yep
00:03:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
So that's what we're going to do today. We are... ah We're going to talk almost all things sidewalk machines that we can you know that we can get into. And to help us do that today, we got some sidewalk celebrities here.
00:03:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
We have Mr. Sidewalk Machines himself. He's got a monster fleet of sidewalk stuff, and that's Josh Putz Abrahamson of Valley Green in Fargo. We have Dave and Blazik of Elements Lawn and Snow and Ian Towel of TPS Madison. They are all in the house.
00:03:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah They've all had different models, so it's perfect. ah therere we're We're going to kick it all around and see ah who had what and how they did and how they were for them. ah We're going to take you through all the different models that these guys have used.
00:04:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
They're going to give their opinions and their experiences, and hopefully this is going to help a lot of guys out there um maybe looking to get into a sidewalk machine for the first time or even guys that are acquiring new sites that may require a different sidewalk machine than they currently have in their fleet.
00:04:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
You know, so but either way should be some great info and it should be a great time with these guys. They're all characters. So looking forward to it. Right. All right.
00:04:31
RICK JAMES
You got it.
00:04:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
Well,
Review of Previous Episode & Audience Feedback
00:04:34
The SnowJobs Podcast
before we kick it off, as always, you know what we got to do. We got to hear from Team Top Gun. Come back and do a quick week in review.
Upcoming Events & Audience Engagement
00:05:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right, gang, we're back. We're going to real quick. So quick week of review. Last week, we had Simon's show 2025 review episode number two. ah We had Brent Farber from Curbside. We had Jeremy Kirkham from Clintar, Alberta, and Patty Salmon of Northeast De-Icing.
00:05:28
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah They took us through their experiences. Brent and Jeremy talked about the the seminars and the stuff they did as far as class sessions. um That was great. Great to hear from those guys. It was great to get their their perspectives on it.
00:05:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
I think they brought up a lot of good points that Simon can take away from that. Like the audio was, you know, a good session might have been hampered by bad audio. Something as simple as that. Yeah.
00:05:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
pretty good. I thought it was great information.
00:05:54
RICK JAMES
Yep. yep
00:05:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
It's ah good to get it out there. Thanks to the boys for the time. We really appreciate it. And it was a good listen. We're getting a lot of good feedback on that one. So thank you to the boys for coming on with us.
00:06:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah Storm Day 2025 is quickly coming up. It's August 13th and 14th. So if you have not yet booked your spot, you are in danger of missing out. All right. Once they, ah they have told us this year, they're definitely capping it at 200. There will, they will not go over. Right. Jay.
00:06:23
RICK JAMES
Yeah, I'm sure Jordan's going to shut it down. Yeah.
00:06:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
He is now he's gonna have bouncers and he two Oh one is going to get the crap beat out of them right at the door.
00:06:26
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:06:31
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:06:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
You're not getting in two Oh one.
00:06:32
RICK JAMES
I'm not getting in. Nope. I'm in, Cable.
00:06:37
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh man. But yeah, it should be a good time, guys. There are a couple tickets left, I think. So get your tickets now before it is too late to join us at Storm Day 2025 August.
00:06:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
What else? As we said last week, we are going to do some panel discussion type episodes and keep the topics and the questions you want to hear about, hear different guys from different areas kick around.
00:07:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
We're going to keep doing it. We're going to do a bunch of them for guys, and the the responses this week have been great. ah So we got a bunch of stuff to ah to go over, and it's like ah the most you know the most votes wins, basically. We we had a couple...
00:07:15
The SnowJobs Podcast
A bunch of guys asked for sidewalk machines, so that's what we're going to kick off with because they all seemingly had the same need. So keep those questions and ideas coming into us of what you want to hear about and maybe even come join us for a show.
00:07:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right? so What else, buddy? Like and subscribe. Keep doing the reviews. That is awesome of you guys to keep taking the time to write a couple sentences on the website or on Apple or Spotify.
00:07:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah Those are the biggest platforms for us by far. So ah keep them coming, guys, because it definitely helps. Anything else, Jay? Did miss anything?
00:07:47
RICK JAMES
Just our store, I bet that we got that sale, of July sale, running through the end of the month. So 25% off all clothing, apparel.
00:07:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
The 4th of July sale. That is all of July. i love it.
00:07:59
RICK JAMES
Yep.
00:08:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
I love it.
00:08:00
RICK JAMES
Yep. Let's do it. Let's get it out.
00:08:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
I love it. It's great. So get all your winter clothing in the height of summer.
00:08:07
RICK JAMES
Yes.
00:08:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's what that are.
00:08:09
RICK JAMES
It's coming.
00:08:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
Are you bringing any storm day? You bringing any of the buckets again?
00:08:13
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Darcy just texted me today and asked me about if we wanted a spot there to sell. And again, I'm like, sure. So.
00:08:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, we we did pretty well there last year,
In-depth Discussion on Sidewalk Machines
00:08:23
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:08:23
The SnowJobs Podcast
thanks to the cold-ass temperatures in August.
00:08:27
RICK JAMES
so
00:08:28
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah Order up 50-degree temperatures in August in Minnesota, and boy, we sold out quick.
00:08:33
RICK JAMES
Oh, yeah. sure the weatherman will hit us right, especially when we come prepared. You
00:08:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah ah You don't think they'll get it right?
00:08:44
RICK JAMES
you know I love them. They're all good. so
00:08:46
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah Oh, shit. Yeah. Well, so by the March, you got the sale going on there. There won't be a sale though. In August that storm day, there'll be full price again. Right?
00:08:56
RICK JAMES
far Yeah, double.
00:09:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
Supply and demand.
00:09:01
RICK JAMES
I got your transportation fee, shipping fee in my pickup there.
00:09:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
Dude. I agree. Listen, if it's under 60 degrees, it's supply and demand, man. man it hits it is
00:09:10
RICK JAMES
Hey, we got to get rid of the old stuff so we can get some new stuff, right?
00:09:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
Amen. Love it. All right. Are we good? Anything else that we missed?
00:09:18
RICK JAMES
i don't think so. We get this one rolling with you boys.
00:09:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
cool. All right, guys, let's hear from our partners and we'll be right back to get into it with the boys.
00:10:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right, gang, we are but back. So let's let the boys come on in Everybody can unmute and join us as we kick the kick the ball off here. And I got to say, Putsy, I got a package from you today, bro.
00:10:46
Putz
yeah that's good
00:10:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
You are rolling nice. And that du that is awesome, man. Nice North face.
00:10:52
Putz
yeah sean must have got his today too so yeah probably the day after saima who knows
00:10:52
The SnowJobs Podcast
I love that.
00:10:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
I'm
00:10:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep, the Pony Express made it to the Northeast finally. When did you send it? Like a month ago?
00:11:06
Putz
nothing
00:11:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
Thank you very much, man.
00:11:07
RICK JAMES
I think it was
00:11:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
That was awesome.
00:11:09
Putz
Yeah. ah hot
00:11:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
That is cool as hell. I've never seen those before. That looks great.
00:11:14
RICK JAMES
a nice fourth face. Yeah.
00:11:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
Those are cool. Yeah. David and Ian, welcome. Welcome, boys. How are we?
00:11:25
Ian
Doing well.
00:11:25
The SnowJobs Podcast
You can, it's an audio show, David.
00:11:26
Ian
Thanks for the invite.
00:11:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
And so it helps if you say like, hi guys.
00:11:30
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:11:32
Davin
i I worked with Ian enough. Normally he likes to really talk, so I was going to let him have at it there.
00:11:37
The SnowJobs Podcast
He was being courteous. See that. What's up, Ian?
00:11:40
Ian
What's up? What's up? How we doing, gentlemen?
00:11:42
The SnowJobs Podcast
How are you, buddy?
00:11:43
Ian
Doing all right?
00:11:44
Ian
Doing all right?
00:11:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
Long time.
00:11:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
No see.
00:11:46
Ian
Yeah, it's been a minute.
00:11:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
Are we going to see you in Minnesota in August? Any chance of that or no? No.
00:11:53
Ian
Well, there's a chance it's very slim. um
00:11:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
You sound like a weatherman right now.
00:12:01
Ian
Yeah, i got I got some stuff I'm going to be – I got some stuff I'm going to get cooking here in the next couple of weeks. And if if things pan out the way that I hope, um yeah, a Minnesota trip might be in the works late season.
00:12:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
Cool.
00:12:17
Ian
I don't know if August, but maybe fall.
00:12:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right, cool. Well, the the storm day is in August. That's why I asked. So cool.
00:12:25
Ian
Yeah, I hear you. No, I'm, I'm not gonna bullshit you.
00:12:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
Cool.
00:12:28
Ian
I probably won't be there.
00:12:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right.
00:12:31
RICK JAMES
You're on the ball late.
00:12:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah Love the honesty.
00:12:33
RICK JAMES
You're on the ball late. Now I'm not coming, boys.
00:12:36
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah Dude, Ian is 100%. If you don't know him, he is 100%. He will tell you exactly where to go, what to do with it. like No filter. It's awesome. So that's what.
00:12:46
Ian
I got one speed and it's go.
00:12:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
I hear you, brother. I hear you. I love it. I love it. It's awesome. Well, I mean, that's what we're here to do tonight. the The people out there requesting, talking about sidewalk machines and our experiences.
00:12:59
Putz
but
00:12:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
And I think between the five of us, I think we've all had just about everything at one time or another that we can pretty much cover everybody's, ah everybody's models out there.
00:13:00
Putz
um
00:13:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
Right. I think
00:13:10
RICK JAMES
I think so.
00:13:11
Ian
Yeah, I mean, this this group's pretty stacked. So, um you know, we've we've if we don't own it, we've used it, you know.
00:13:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
we got,
00:13:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep. So, I mean, let's let's start with stand-ons, the stand-on models. um We could talk about, what do you want to start with? the ah Let's start with the SR-Mag, David.
00:13:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
You got a couple of those, right? And you also got SSVs, so you can you can compare the both and tell which worked out better or which is ah is a good fit for you. So I want you to take us through the SR-Mag. How's it been?
00:13:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
Any problems? What's great about it? What's not great about it? Hit us.
00:13:49
Davin
Yeah, so I started off, my first side work machine was the SSV, so I'll kind of compare it to that just because that's what I came from.
00:13:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:14:00
Davin
So we had two SSVs to start, and then the first year the MAG came out, I picked up one of those early season and then second one late season.
00:14:13
Davin
And, i mean, from my experience running, the mag, um when they're fully functioning, there's not another stand on that compares to it.
00:14:29
Davin
Um, I think it has mainly to do with the attachments being hydraulically driven versus the belt.
00:14:35
Putz
you
00:14:36
Davin
Uh, just the broom has way more power. Um, this the snowblower has way more power.
00:14:47
Davin
And then obviously you've got the the heat vents on the mag, um which do make a big difference. they know They have them by your feet and by your hands.
00:14:59
Davin
And then the the stuff that Jordan and VSI came out with, the but the tanks for liquid, 40 gallons on the mag, that's pretty pretty big.
00:15:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep. Yeah.
00:15:11
Davin
Yeah.
00:15:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
yeah
00:15:13
Davin
um those We've had minor minor issues with him. It just kind of seems like the first year it was just anything that could be loose on it was loose, so was just constant like quality control on him.
00:15:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
Gotcha.
00:15:29
Davin
um
00:15:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
So not necessarily design flaws, more of a quality control, like they didn't catch it on Friday afternoon before it went out.
00:15:30
Davin
But that has...
00:15:38
Davin
Yeah, correct.
00:15:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:15:39
Davin
Yeah, I don't think from a design aspect, I mean, I think they just... absolutely killed the mag. I mean, the controls on it in a good way.
00:15:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
Killed it in a good way. Gotcha.
00:15:49
Davin
It's, it's, it's super smooth.
00:15:50
The SnowJobs Podcast
Gotcha.
00:15:52
Davin
I mean, like I said, the power of it's insane. We had that one winter Ian when we we had, we like 15 inches that day, I think.
00:16:04
Davin
and we were using the mag with the snowblowers to do full condo driveways because the skid loaders could not, most of them had inclines, but the skid loaders just couldn't, we couldn't get traction to plow the condos.
00:16:04
Ian
Yeah.
00:16:18
Ian
There was like a, there was like a glaze underneath. So like we couldn't get up the hill.
00:16:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sure.
00:16:23
RICK JAMES
We're
00:16:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
Gotcha.
00:16:25
Davin
Yeah, and we did... mean, that was a long day. Don't get me wrong. I'm not going to say it was efficient, but it was literally the only thing we had to get it done. But we did probably 40 driveways that day with with the mag.
00:16:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
You do what you got to do. Plan B.
00:16:41
Davin
That's right.
00:16:43
Ian
Yeah, just saying that.
00:16:44
Davin
Yeah.
00:16:46
The SnowJobs Podcast
What?
00:16:46
Davin
So, yeah.
00:16:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
Um,
00:16:47
Davin
Yeah.
00:16:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
So the only drawback between that and your SSVs would be what? That the mag attachments are wide, right? Like the SSV attachments are 36. They're built to fit on a 36-inch sidewalk, which in the Northeast you know can be the norm in a lot of the older infrastructure.
00:17:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
What are the the mags, are if I'm not mistaken, like 48 or 52?
00:17:09
Davin
Yeah, 48 on the broom, 48 on the blower. um And then you can get the V plow, which I think that goes down to like 42 when you're fully back.
00:17:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:17:21
Davin
But um yeah, the yeah SSV, like to your point, all the attachments are 36 inches. So that is the main reason. We just bought another SSV last year.
00:17:36
Davin
The main reason we went with an SSV is back to that 36 inches. All of our sidewalks are 60 inches. We don't have anything under that. However, I'm sure everyone can relate to this.
00:17:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
Lucky.
00:17:48
Davin
At apartments, cars love to just pull as far as they can onto the curb.
00:17:54
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, yeah.
00:17:54
Davin
Like if they're not at least two feet over the curb, like they didn't park right.
00:17:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:17:58
Davin
So the issue we were having is the the the mags were too wide to get through the space that the cars were leaving us. and it was recording a ton of handwork. So with that SSV, we were able to just go through there and, you know, do what we gotta do.
00:18:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's a great point. That's a great point. Because we've all done it. We've all been there. That that is 100% accurate. Like, they're not stopping the car until the tires hit the curb.
00:18:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
he thought it's It's so true. It's definitely true.
00:18:28
Davin
Yeah.
00:18:28
The SnowJobs Podcast
So that's a great point, man. I didn't even think of that, but that's even more reason. Yeah. you Like, you know, I think James Doyle actually said at one time that you can always do something bigger with something smaller, but you can't do something, you know, smaller with something bigger.
00:18:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
So, I mean, that's ah that's that's pretty accurate. and you guys So you guys are all basically newer infrastructure.
00:18:49
RICK JAMES
Absolutely.
00:18:50
The SnowJobs Podcast
If you're dealing with 60 inch sidewalks, that's awesome.
00:18:53
Davin
Yeah, yeah. in our In our area, it's a lot of new stuff, and especially our our customers are pretty much all five-year-old buildings would be like the oldest, you know, for the apartments we're doing.
00:19:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
Awesome. Well, that's a good problem to have. That's great. So any, uh, so you love the mag, any, so you said no, no defects that you saw design wise. You think they knocked it out of the park.
00:19:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
What issues did you come across quality control issues?
00:19:25
Davin
Like I said, it was just a lot of stuff coming loose from vibrating. So we had to go through and add, um you know, some tape on some things and make sure it was torqued down.
00:19:39
Davin
And we had a couple hydraulic leaks, which is obviously just the, that's the other side of having hydraulics, right?
00:19:42
RICK JAMES
I remember those.
00:19:47
Davin
You're going to have that versus having a belt.
00:19:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
yep Yeah,
00:19:51
Davin
I also will say for changing attachments on a mag, it is by far way easier than an SSV.
00:20:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah yeah it is a pain in the ass.
00:20:00
Davin
I mean, it is.
00:20:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
I'll give you that.
00:20:03
Davin
Yeah. so that's, and that's honestly a big deal because in our trailers, we always start with brooms. We always, always start with brooms until it gets to a point where we can't use them. So in the enclosed trailer, we'll have a snowblower, a plow.
00:20:19
Davin
And when you're trying to change an attachment at 2 in the cold.
00:20:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:20:25
Davin
I mean, that's where SSB just really struggled, you know, to to win me over. But like I said, with the width of it, that's kind of why we have both.
00:20:37
Davin
And I think we're going to have have both for a while. You asked me why I didn't go to one ah brand. And honestly, I think they're both phenomenal and they have their places.
00:20:48
Davin
So that's kind of what we're doing.
00:20:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
Smart. No, it's good. If it works for you, that's great. Um, so that's kind of the SR mag from boss is like their Cadillac. Uh, then you got their Chevy truck, which is the original snow Raider. Did anybody have one of those besides me?
00:21:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
No, the original Snow Raider that was a redesigned LT Rich. ah That is a great entry-level machine. I think it runs you like 13, 14K right now.
00:21:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
um Well thought out, though. on It has, for that price, it has a liquid system built in with the pump. The nozzles don't put out enough product.
00:21:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
You'll have to change the nozzles. um But... It is great to have a 10-gallon liquid system built into a machine, whether you need it or not. um The only thing I noticed from ours was the ah plow when you'd angle it.
00:21:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
After the first couple storms, there was a problem with... um with the weld on the bottom of the plow where the welds are, when you'd angle it, it was actually scraping and actually shaving the two cylinders, the two angling cylinders on the top there.
00:22:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah So if I kept them any longer, that was going to have to get like warrantied. But we went to the SSVs before, but we had no complaints. That thing was a little beast. That had no problem pushing. The only downside to it was it was a straight blade.
00:22:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
And if you had big storms, like I've said on the show before, in the year we had them, we had big, big storms. You can only windrow so high before the stuff starts coming back down and your 36-inch sidewalk becomes 24 inches really quick because you just can't windrow it anymore.
00:22:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
um But that that thing was, we had bucket holders on the back. That thing never lost traction. It pushed way more snow than we than we ever thought it would. ah So we had no complaints. And for the price, we thought it was great.
00:22:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
um the the The drop spreader on it, the exact path, phenomenal design. having no salt hit the frame, that's pretty good considering you're dropping it through the entire machine without it actually touching.
00:23:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah They have those little poly trays that direct it around the frame. So I love that thing. i will The caveat I will say is I believe they've changed the engine now. We had a Honda.
00:23:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
I think they're like Kohler or something now. So I don't know.
00:23:17
RICK JAMES
Yeah. and You didn't like those?
00:23:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, i i don't I don't like them in snow. I mean, I definitely like them more than Briggs and Stratton, that's for sure. The Briggs, I don't like in snow.
00:23:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
but But, I mean, Kohler and the mowers, we we have Kohlers and the mowers. They've always been good. But in the snow, they can be a little temperamental. But the Hondas were great. um But, yeah, the Snow Raider was a great – I thought it was a great value for that money. So as an entry-level sidewalk machine, it fits on 36-inch sidewalks. That's another big deal for the Northeast.
00:23:52
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah So that worked. um Anybody seen their scout, their entry, entry, entry level, their Ford Pinto? Basically, it gets the job done, but no frills.
00:24:02
RICK JAMES
Just sets of shows. haven't seen in action.
00:24:04
Ian
I mean, it looks better than that light blue tracked thing where you got to like hand angle the plot.
00:24:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
The Oric, the Oric Snow Rhino.
00:24:12
Ian
Yeah, that thing.
00:24:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
I believe the scout is going to put that completely out of business because I think that's like 7,500 or 8,000 for that snow Rhino thing.
00:24:21
Ian
Yeah.
00:24:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
And this is what sub 10. I think it's 9,000 and change.
00:24:26
Ian
Yeah, totally.
00:24:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
And it's got everything you need. It's got a blade. It's, you know, you're standing on a platform, you know, you know, I think the scout will eliminate that as long as it holds up, but nobody, nobody's dealt with that.
00:24:34
RICK JAMES
Oh, oh, dude.
00:24:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
So if you've If you've dealt with it out there, if you had a scout last winter, if you got it, let us know how it went.
Focus on Toro Multiforce
00:24:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah What else for stand-ons? Toro Multiforce. Ian.
00:24:53
RICK JAMES
or dear
00:24:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, Davin, go ahead. Sorry, Davin's hitting the but I have something to say button. Shut the fuck up. Go ahead, Davin.
00:24:58
RICK JAMES
like
00:25:00
Davin
I just wanted to go back to that because you brought up a good point about the drop salter on the mags. I will say that was one of the issues we were having because the battery on the mag is under the drop salter. Yeah.
00:25:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:25:14
Davin
And it's not necessarily when you're dropping salt that's causing the issue. It's when we're filling the p salters um with bagged salt. That's when it's like going into a bunch of areas where salt has no business going.
00:25:28
Davin
So we're having a lot of like starter issues, the starters down there and then corrosion on the battery.
00:25:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
Ah.
00:25:35
Davin
So i will.
00:25:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
The starter is directly under the spreader.
00:25:39
Davin
Yeah.
00:25:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
You said there were no design flaws. That sounds like a pretty big flaw.
00:25:43
Davin
I forgot about that one. That's why raised my hand. I had something say.
00:25:48
RICK JAMES
All right.
00:25:49
Ian
if i may if i may tapping off of that is totally a design flaw and not to mention they got all these weird like cutouts and whatnot like down by where you would like switch out your attachments just like little voids and stuff that like you
00:25:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
No, that's a great, great point. Go ahead, bud.
00:26:08
Ian
like why they they they literally have no purpose being there. And unless you're, you know, relentless at keeping your machines clean, like Dave and even things gonna be totaled, you know what i mean?
00:26:23
Ian
Only a matter of time.
00:26:25
RICK JAMES
Yeah, well, that's why you're not an engineer, Ian.
00:26:28
Ian
Yeah, right.
00:26:30
RICK JAMES
i yeah They know better anybody.
00:26:34
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. David, do you have the broadcast spreader that goes like off your hip or whatever? you have that?
00:26:40
Davin
No, I don't have that.
00:26:41
The SnowJobs Podcast
You don't have it. and Okay. The only thing I noticed about that is even at the show when it was there, i I hit the wire. I ripped the wire right out of the little connection port there because I hit it with my leg, you know, getting like climbing off of it or onto it.
00:26:53
Ian
Bye.
00:26:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
I'm like, well, this seems like a pretty bad idea. Having just a loose wire as you go by a tree branch or a bush and it just grabs the wire and rips it out of the thing. But i I don't know if they've...
00:27:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
remedied that since but that was uh that was the problem with the broadcast spreader but it's not the machine itself it's an attachment but i do think that's pretty cool though that you can have two salters on it one to do the sidewalk and if you ran into a small parking lot that you wanted to salt as well you can do that with that attachment so that's a pretty cool little thing for the sr mag to make it a little more versatile um you
00:27:36
Davin
Oh yeah. Even like underground um parking ramps like that salter, you know, the ones that are just straight down, like that broadcast salter on the back of the mag for those would be pretty nice just to get salt on those without backing your truck through the garage door.
00:27:40
RICK JAMES
Okay.
00:27:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep
00:27:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
Good point Good point Alright Multiforce, Toro, Ian Your time to shine, brother What were your experiences? How was it for snow?
00:28:05
Ian
I was so this is a classic case of don't buy something the first year it was released.
00:28:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
No
00:28:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:28:14
Ian
Similar to the SR mag um in certain ways. ah For me, i was really excited about the concept. um The concept behind it, you know, an all year machine ah just made sense.
00:28:30
Ian
um
00:28:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's the dream, right?
00:28:33
Ian
Yeah, I mean,
00:28:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
To have a machine you could use snow and lawn. Yeah, absolutely.
00:28:35
Ian
Yeah, I mean you use it for three years, you flush it, you buy another one, right? Like it just, it just made sense.
00:28:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:28:42
Ian
And so anyways, I bought mine in November. So it was pre snow with the main purpose to be snow. um And Right off the bat, pulling it with an open trailer, realized that I had to, you know, do some jerry rigging and like modify like the front end so that I wasn't getting all that slush and stuff from the truck tires up hitting it.
00:29:12
Ian
and ah basically ran into ah starter issues, the parking brake, little lever tab thing, the the safety toggle would freeze up, so you had to hotwire that. Once you figured that out and it was hotwired, you were fine.
00:29:30
Ian
But you know starter was the really the biggest thing because
00:29:39
Ian
originally i would fire, i would kill it in between sites, right? Like save a little bit of fuel things. Actually thing was actually pretty fuel efficient if I say so myself, but regardless you'd kill it.
00:29:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
sure
00:29:49
Ian
Then you go to fire back up again, it wouldn't fire up. So then you'd have to take it apart and you'd have to use a wrench or something to cross the positive and the negative on the starter to like jumpstart it without, without actually using like the ignition switch.
00:30:01
The SnowJobs Podcast
Really?
00:30:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:30:06
Ian
which again is no bueno when it's three am m
00:30:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:30:10
Ian
um And yeah, ah you know, basically had a plethora of issues. It was in the shop like six times the first winter I owned it ah to the point where my local power center, i was like, dude, you guys got to take this thing back. but This thing's a piece of shit.
00:30:27
Ian
Um, it was just frustrating because I needed that machine. Like that was my only sidewalk machine. Like when that thing was down, like I had miles of sidewalks. So like when that thing was down, like I was screwed and, um, you know, whatever dealer support was able to, you know, use something else when it was down or what have you.
00:30:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep. yep
00:30:48
Ian
Um, but overall when it worked, thing was awesome. It rips dude, it rips. I mean, out of all, out of all the sidewalk machines that I've used.
00:31:01
Ian
Um, I mean, it's, I think it's the fastest. The only downside is you're, you're not able to spread, right. not able to spread salt. Um, everyone gets all hyped up on the traction. oh it's only two wheel drive, but blah, blah, blah.
00:31:16
Ian
I had snow tires on mine. My local dealer filled those with antifreeze. And then on top of that, I made a YouTube video. Like when I was first started having issues and was bitching about the Kohler engine leave Kohler.
00:31:34
The SnowJobs Podcast
hey
00:31:35
Ian
And ah some Toro like rapper, somebody like called me up and was like, because originally i didn't want to buy the wheel weights because they were like 800 bucks. I'm like, I'm not spending 800 bucks on some wheel weights.
00:31:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:31:46
Ian
Like this is bullshit. So when I was having those issues, um I made a video and I got like a phone call one day from this guy and he's like, Hey, I'm just sending you the wheel weights for free. And I'm like, okay, like, thanks.
00:31:59
Ian
Like, I'm still gonna, still gonna voice my opinion, but like, I'll take them.
00:31:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
Nice.
00:32:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
00:32:04
Ian
Um, so yeah, I never really got hung up the most I plowed with it personally was probably like around the eight inch mark. Um, and like, yeah, you're going spin tires here and there, but like, you're still able to punch through.
00:32:16
Ian
Um, and yeah, I mean, it it was just for me prior to that, I had a tool cat. And the reason I downsized from the tool cat to this was a lost some accounts and B it was just like that all season like model.
00:32:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
yep
00:32:35
Ian
Right. Um, so yeah, I mean, all in all, it it worked really, ri really well. I, the the biggest thing for me though, like the biggest selling point aside from the walks was, so I had the five foot blade, had the poly or the rubber edge on it, which you would wear through like may you would maybe get two storms out of it.
00:32:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
Really?
00:32:56
Ian
And then you'd have to flip it over and then you maybe get another two.
00:32:56
RICK JAMES
right.
00:32:59
Ian
Right. But the biggest thing for me was, is I had about 10 to 12 stamp concrete driveways.
00:33:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
Wow.
00:33:06
Ian
So the sidewalk boys would get done with their sidewalk route. And then instead of the old days where they'd roll up, you know, four snowblowers deep and take hours to get these driveways done, it'd be done in like that.
00:33:21
Ian
um
00:33:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
nice
00:33:22
Ian
And so I kind of had like a dual purpose for mine. it was It was mainly sidewalks, but then also like kind of dealt with some of those higher end driveways just because I didn't want to have to deal with scratching, right?
00:33:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sure.
00:33:33
Ian
Yeah.
00:33:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
Absolutely.
00:33:33
RICK JAMES
Right.
00:33:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
So all in all, would you say, would you recommend it for like multi-season use? Cause that's, I think what a lot of, especially smaller guys starting out that they do that.
00:33:43
Ian
Yeah, yeah, I i i definitely would for for the one man guys like that was kind of like myself or or even someone that's, you know, more medium sized, you know, like if you're a Toro guy, mean, this but basically boils down to like what the brands you like, right? Like, for me, they burn the bridge with me when you burn the bridge with me.
00:34:04
Ian
I'm very unlikely to come back. um So to this day, i I say if it's red, it belongs behind the shed. um But...
00:34:17
Ian
but But no, I i think for, you know, small to medium-sized group, I think it's a no-brainer, really.
00:34:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
love it
00:34:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:34:27
Ian
um i mean, i know this is a snow show, but you like, you go into the growing months and, um you know, just having that lift arm, like I had a, you know, a Thatcher, right?
00:34:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right, cool.
00:34:37
Ian
Everyone knows how annoying it is to jump off the mower to raise a Thatcher just to jump a sidewalk or something, just a flip of a button, you know?
00:34:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:34:45
Ian
And this was, and now they have the carts and stuff, which like they didn't have those when I had it. It was literally the blade and the broom. They didn't even have the snowblower yet. Um, so I was definitely an early adapter. So yes, to summarize, to answer your question, to shut up, definitely would recommend it I've heard through the grapevine talking to multiple people that, you know, a lot of these starter issues and electrical issues and all that bullshit has been handled.
00:35:12
Ian
Um, which would make sense, because I think it was launched in what, like 2017 2018 was the first year. So
00:35:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, it's been around a couple years now.
00:35:20
Ian
nice having seven eight years
00:35:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
Cool. I mean, that's ah in today's day and age, we're all trying to get more efficient, right? And make our dollar go further. So, you know, that that's, i I mean, is that the only multi-season machine out there that can do sidewalks and actually mow for you?
00:35:31
Ian
yeah
00:35:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
I think it is.
00:35:41
Ian
I think from from the factory, I think so.
00:35:41
The SnowJobs Podcast
kind of Yeah So ah Dustin Van Hale says that They have two multi-forces They use them as backup snow machines ah They said with wheel weights And snow tires They actually push a very decent amount of snow So he says good Cool
00:35:43
RICK JAMES
Your one wheel.
00:35:56
Ian
Yeah. And they're fun to rip, they're fun to whip around in too, especially with, you know, not having the four wheel drive that you can get drifting around corners and stuff pretty, pretty nicely.
00:36:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
here's a good question for you in from my point of view.
00:36:07
RICK JAMES
yeah you're one whale
00:36:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
Um, how is it on corrosion from the winter? Does it affect anything going into the summer as far as the deck?
00:36:15
Ian
Terrible.
00:36:19
Ian
Terrible. Yeah. I mean, the deck's off of it, so you don't have to worry about the deck.
00:36:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, okay.
00:36:23
Ian
That's good.
00:36:23
The SnowJobs Podcast
No, I mean, putting it back together, like pulley, you know, you still have the the hardware that the deck has to go, you know, hook into, right.
00:36:30
Ian
Yeah, I would say the biggest ah the biggest thing is going to be like your front casters.
00:36:36
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:36:37
Ian
Those front caster wheels are just going to get butchered. um And I guess that would be my only other complaint. In the three and a half years that I own the Multiforce, I can't tell you how many times I had caster wheels like fall out from the bearing.
00:36:55
Ian
like the wheel, but like the, the bearing, not actually like the bolt.
00:36:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
oh
00:36:58
Ian
Like I lost so many of them and i don't know if it was cause we're jumping curbs or like what, but like for a commercial more, it was kind of like embarrassing, honestly.
00:36:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
yeah
00:37:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
Interesting.
00:37:07
Ian
Like, oh, here's another one.
00:37:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
But yeah, you'd still recommend it.
00:37:09
Ian
and Yeah. I totally still recommend it. Um, I know it doesn't sound like I'm a big fan, but like, I'm just sharing like my issues, you know?
00:37:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's all. No, that's awesome. Hey. But that's why it's important.
00:37:19
Ian
And yeah.
00:37:19
RICK JAMES
yeah you
00:37:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
You've, you've literally named all your ah issues and experiences and yet you still would recommend it.
00:37:21
RICK JAMES
yeah
00:37:21
Ian
And,
00:37:25
The SnowJobs Podcast
So that's, that's important.
00:37:25
Ian
Yeah, and and i and I was pretty pretty ritual. I've always been pretty good about keeping my stuff clean as well, and i even took upon myself back then to you know fluid filament and whatnot and still dealt with corrosion. i mean, the things – And I was also pulling it with an open trailer, even though I kind of built my little wall on the front, like still mist and shit getting in there.
00:37:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. Oh, yeah.
00:37:51
Ian
so like, I mean, you're going to get corrosion. And that's why, like I say, you know, once that, I mean, at the time it was what, like a three-year warranty. Once your warranty is up, like, you know, time to flush it, get a new one, let
00:38:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah,
Insights on Cab Machines: John Deere & Ventrac
00:38:03
Ian
someone else.
00:38:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
it's like a luxury car.
00:38:03
Ian
Yeah.
00:38:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
but
00:38:05
RICK JAMES
Well.
00:38:05
Ian
Right.
00:38:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
You better trade that fucker in or sell it the day before the warranty expires.
00:38:09
Ian
Right.
00:38:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
Otherwise, here's $1,800 headlight.
00:38:13
Ian
Yeah, but no, I mean, the power, i would say, and i granted, I'd never use a snowblower, but I would say that the wintertime power is more than adequate.
00:38:26
Ian
I would argue that it's underpowered for the mowing season.
00:38:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:38:31
RICK JAMES
ro
00:38:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
Very cool. So Multiforce gets a thumbs up from Ian, even with all the negative experiences. So cool.
00:38:39
Ian
Yeah.
00:38:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
I love that. ah Moving on. Do we need to talk about the Mammoth? Is the Mammoth still alive and around? don't think, you know.
00:38:49
RICK JAMES
I think they're extinct.
00:38:50
Ian
Any sightings lately?
00:38:50
RICK JAMES
I think they're extinct.
00:38:52
The SnowJobs Podcast
I don't know. i don't know a single guy. Actually, that's a lie. I know one guy in my area that that runs one.
00:38:57
RICK JAMES
Oh, yeah. I'll play you. Yeah, but he runs a couple. I'll see. What's his
00:39:01
The SnowJobs Podcast
I think he might have one. He's definitely got one. i don't know if I've seen two. One of them might have been a snow Raider.
00:39:07
RICK JAMES
his... Yeah, I honestly haven't seen anything about...
00:39:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
I don't know.
00:39:12
RICK JAMES
But I don't see any that stuff around us. Nobody runs that stuff around us.
00:39:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
No. And that's why Putsy's been so quiet. Jeremy's been so quiet because they are all cab all the time. You can't do it. Too cold in Fargo for stand on machines.
00:39:24
Ian
like the military.
00:39:25
Putz
yeah hold up here Cold and windy.
00:39:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. Wait a minute.
00:39:29
Putz
yeah
00:39:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
Doesn't didn't what's his name? ah ah Didn't Adam Nelson say that he runs SSVs?
00:39:36
RICK JAMES
No.
00:39:37
The SnowJobs Podcast
I'm almost positive.
00:39:39
RICK JAMES
No, he's got, think he's just got a couple 700 John Deers, doesn't he?
00:39:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
I'm going to go back and listen to I could have sworn he said he's got SSVs a couple or snow Raiders.
00:39:48
Putz
There's like two SSVs in town and that's about it or maybe Snow Raiders but it's You gotta find somebody to run
00:39:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
Those are men. those Those are what the men use.
00:39:59
Putz
Right?
00:40:00
RICK JAMES
Not that cool. not that
00:40:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
Maybe that's the problem. You guys spoil your guys. You put them in cabs and they they destroy the machines.
00:40:05
Putz
is it possible complete
00:40:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
Jeremy says shit's falling off them every time they come back.
00:40:11
Putz
a
00:40:11
RICK JAMES
They just destroy everything they touch inside. I just destroy it. The first thing you should do is rip all the lights, antennas, everything off because it's going to happen anyway.
00:40:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
oh
00:40:23
RICK JAMES
It's it's ridiculous.
00:40:23
Putz
I tried to order them without any of the extra lights or any of that BS, just with the factory lights in the hood or the roof or whatever, because they all come ripped off anyways. So.
00:40:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
that's That's what
00:40:33
RICK JAMES
They rip fenders off. don't know how you rip a fender off that's tucked against the pad.
00:40:36
Putz
No.
00:40:38
RICK JAMES
I mean, the wheels stay so far than the fenders.
00:40:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
I love the Fender story I love the Jeremy sends them out with a brand new machine And they come back saying this
00:40:41
RICK JAMES
The wheels stick out farther than the fenders they crack every fucking fender. i don't know what the fuck they do. It's ridiculous.
00:40:47
Putz
know
00:40:51
RICK JAMES
Yellow racing stripes. Yellow racing stripes. So you you know they involve bullards out there. It's like, what the hell?
00:41:01
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right.
00:41:01
RICK JAMES
I'm getting fired up.
00:41:01
The SnowJobs Podcast
So it's all good.
00:41:01
RICK JAMES
I'm getting fired up now.
00:41:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
So since we, ah I think I've been pretty clear on the SSV over, over the years. I don't think we need to really talk too much about that. The upside is it's very reliable.
00:41:15
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah Downside is it's like David said, it's very tough to change attachments. Although I would put their broom And their blower up against anybody's broom and blower as far as the build quality and what those things can do and what they can take. That broom, the Ventrac broom, they got that nailed.
00:41:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
I mean, you know I know you like the SR mag, but that Ventrac broom is awesome. 100%.
00:41:41
RICK JAMES
Yeah, Ventrac makes a good product.
00:41:43
Davin
No, I agree.
00:41:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
hundred percent
00:41:44
Davin
Especially from from a build quality, i would say that the SSV attachments are built better.
00:41:51
The SnowJobs Podcast
They're a tank. it's Yeah, it's a tank.
00:41:52
Davin
Yeah.
00:41:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
Everything's a tank. i mean, don't get me wrong. My guys still find a way to dent the shit up. Like, I don't know how they dent the flange on the broom. How, like, they didn't hit anything.
00:42:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
But yet, at bowl every broom has the flanges on the outer corners bent down.
00:42:05
RICK JAMES
They never had any.
00:42:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
Like, what? what How?
00:42:11
Putz
Thank you.
00:42:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
How did you guys do it? I still i still can't figure it out. But... um The one thing I will say about Ventrac, the new SSV, the 2120s, I have 2100s, but the 2120, when we demoed that, when they were R&Ding it, they made more room.
00:42:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
I could actually get my hand in to get the um get the belt on the drive pulley in the machine, whereas on the 2100s that we currently have, I have to have one of my guys do it. I can't get my hand in there and get it done.
00:42:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
It's just too small an area.
00:42:44
Ian
Yeah, they're knuckle busters for sure.
00:42:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
So... They are. They are. That is the only drawback. um But like David said, we we go with brooms all the time.
00:42:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
And if we're taking the broom off, we're not putting anything else on that requires a belt. It's going V plow. Yeah.
00:43:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
we're only sweet. We're only going with the snowblower. If we're going with the snowblower for the entire storm, like if the weather guys all, all agree that we're getting two feet, we're going to go, we'll go with the snowblower for the entire storm.
00:43:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
Um, but that's it. Otherwise it's broom. And if, if it's coming down and we're getting too much that the broom can't keep up anymore, uh, we're switching to the V blade, which again, the V blade itself, the one thing I will say is it's too small, too narrow rather.
00:43:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
Um, it's, I don't know the measurements, but it looks like a kid's toy. Like when the wings are swept back, it'll still cover the wheel, the the wheel with the wheel base, but it's, it's not doing anything else.
00:43:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
And when you scoop, you can get like four handfuls of snow between you know, that V. Um, but when we put the two six inch extensions on, we still fit on a 36 inch sidewalk with it.
00:43:54
RICK JAMES
Thank you.
00:44:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
And it literally triples the volume of snow the thing moves. So the I think the six-inch extension kit for the V-plow runs like four... It's either 485 or 675.
00:44:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
I can't remember which one was which, but, uh, either way it's money well spent.
00:44:18
Ian
Not bad.
00:44:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
No, it's money well spent and it's heavy duty as shit. And they, that kit comes with a whole new edge kit. It's not, they're not just sending you the wings because they don't want you to have the V blade edge worn down. Uh, and then you put the wings on with full, with full edges.
00:44:34
The SnowJobs Podcast
So they send you the edges for the whole new V plow with that kit. Go ahead, Ian. What do got?
00:44:39
Ian
Yeah, Dave, and this is actually a question back to you because I can't remember. Was it the 4520 or was it the SSV that we had um with the V-Blade that was leaving that strip down the middle?
00:44:53
Ian
It was like a two-inch strip of snow.
00:44:55
Ian
Unacceptable.
00:44:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
Really?
00:44:57
Ian
What was that?
00:44:57
Davin
Yeah, that was a 45-20.
00:44:58
Ian
Was that the 4520 or...
00:44:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
Nope.
00:44:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
Have not had that happen.
00:45:03
Davin
Yeah, it's 45-20, but I think they ah they had it had it fixed for this year, I believe is what I heard.
00:45:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, yeah, i don't have them.
00:45:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
Well, it is the the one thing I will say about their V-Blades, whether it's the SSV or the 4520, is it's a weird design. like It just looks odd. It's not like any other V you've seen, but it's also a lot more heavy. like that That SSV V is built like it was going on a highway truck.
00:45:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
like It's super heavy-duty, box steel. it's really i mean It's heavy, literally heavy. um i Yeah, but I would still go with the SSV. We've had no problems. We have not snapped belts.
00:45:42
The SnowJobs Podcast
um The only problem we've had... This year we had a problem. I want to say it was a seized pulley.
00:45:52
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
00:45:52
The SnowJobs Podcast
I want to say we had a pulley seize up on one.
00:45:55
RICK JAMES
think said the...
00:45:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
And then we have we have the choke cables.
00:45:57
RICK JAMES
Oh, yeah.
00:45:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
The choke cables blow regularly now, but there's nothing you can do to keep the corrosion off those cables ah because it just goes down the hole where the throttle is for the choke, and it gets you know you you can try and fluid film it, do whatever, but it's just you know the nature of the beast, and that's really not there's nothing you can really do about it.
00:46:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:46:20
Ian
Tough business.
00:46:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, it is what it is. You know, it's okay. A couple bucks, couple minutes, and you're back in business. ah It is well laid out when you need to work on something. ah Every wire harness, every wire loom is labeled and has a chart on, you know, your fuse panel has a chart.
00:46:40
Davin
Thank you.
00:46:41
The SnowJobs Podcast
Everything is on the inner covers when you pop open those engine hatches on either side. It is super well laid out as far as directing you to where you need to go.
00:46:51
The SnowJobs Podcast
Super hard to fucking get your hands in there and work on it. I will say that it is, but we have not had to work on anything in the four or five years. Now we've had them. Um,
00:47:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
So that's the pulley. that That is what it is. you're you know You can fluid film all day. They're still going to get salt in there and it's going to seize it from here and there. the yeah But yeah, other than that, we've had no major issues.
00:47:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
We had more issues with the prototype that we were R&D than we have with the twenty one hundred um The one thing I will say about that 2100, have you seen the pullout tray spreader?
00:47:28
Davin
I have it on mine.
00:47:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
You do. Okay. So like, tell me there's a better fucking drop spreader designed to fill that thing, to load it than that.
00:47:31
Davin
Yeah.
00:47:39
Davin
Then the pullout one that they came out with.
00:47:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. The drawer.
00:47:42
Davin
Yeah. um I mean, it's better than the, yeah.
00:47:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
That thing is bad ass.
00:47:47
Davin
I mean, I thought it was going to get corroded or like jam up or not slide in and out nicely, but we had no issues with it.
00:47:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
Nope. we had We had them add some... What the hell? What's the heavy-duty plastic? HDLP or whatever the hell it's called. i don't know. I don't remember the name, but um when we had the prototype...
00:48:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
We made them, we well, we didn't make them. We advised them to switch the locking mechanism to a heavier-duty locking. So I believe now it's like a cargo handle type deal, whereas the original version we R&D'd a couple years back was a literally you put your finger through an eyelet and you pulled the thing up.
00:48:21
Davin
Yeah.
00:48:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
It was like what you'd lock a gate with.
00:48:31
RICK JAMES
you
00:48:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
And i'm like, this is not good. Like, we've had it in one storm, and we bent the thing already. Like, it's not going to hold up. Like, you need something more heavy-duty. And they did it. um Then we also told them that the rollers that they had, how that thing was sliding, needed to be beefed up in a couple more spots, and they actually added that that HVLP or whatever that heavy-duty plastic is, and it it really made it super smooth. So hats off to them because – my only complaint about the 21 hundreds is it's virtually fucking impossible to fill that fucking thing with bulk salt.
00:49:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
Like we, we do it with scoopers.
00:49:06
Davin
Yeah.
00:49:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
Like we have scoopers in all the bins and that's it. The guys tried to retrofit and make a funnel system on a five gallon pail. Uh, that lasted about a half a storm and the, the cold cracked it and it was done. But so that 21 20, that, that tray spreader there that slides out, that's a fucking genius move.
00:49:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
That thing was great. All right, we done with the stand-ons.
00:49:31
Ian
you
00:49:33
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right, cab machines. but's so We haven't had Putz. Putz, tell us all about your fleet. what What do you like? What don't you like? What sucks? What's shit?
00:49:42
Putz
yeah Yeah, so we we run about 30 John Deere's and four Ventrax.
00:49:42
The SnowJobs Podcast
What's great?
00:49:50
Putz
um
00:49:50
The SnowJobs Podcast
I think that qualifies you. I think 30 qualifies you as an expert, subject matter expert.
00:49:52
Putz
yeah
00:49:55
Putz
Yeah. So the Ventrax, we had three of the 4500s and one 3400. And we're actually selling them all this summer and going to all John Deere's.
00:50:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
okay
00:50:08
Putz
We don't have a dealer anymore in town. um And the cost of the Ventrax, I don't know, it's, I mean, like everything, it costs a lot of money. um
00:50:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
00:50:18
Putz
But with no dealer, it's hard to have them because the closest one's four hours away if you need any work done.
00:50:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
and Impossible to have without a dealer.
00:50:24
Putz
The Ventrax, yeah, the Ventrax, hands down, i mean, they, like, the broom works super good.
00:50:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
Why'd the dealer leave?
00:50:29
Putz
The blower is amazing. um But it just doesn't fit us anymore. But, yeah, so then we go to the John Deere's And we got either the X739, the 1585s, we run the utility tractor.
00:50:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
Mm-hmm.
00:50:48
Putz
they run the only difference is non- turbo thirty forty six is turval and we've blown up some turbos and like blizzards because it'll ah plug out The snow dust will plug up something, it takes a turbo.
00:51:04
Putz
And I just got rid of the turbo issue.
00:51:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
but
00:51:08
Putz
At the end of the day, you're running the same attachment that you run on a 23 horsepower X739. So why do you need 46 horsepower to do it, you know? So, no, no, it looks like we were on the racetrack.
00:51:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
Are your fenders all intact, Josh?
00:51:22
Putz
So, yeah, there's like, our st
00:51:25
The SnowJobs Podcast
So wait, this is a common problem then in Fargo.
00:51:25
Putz
either yeah so there was like
00:51:28
The SnowJobs Podcast
You guys can't keep fenders on your deers.
00:51:30
Putz
No, there's like a stair, you know, to get in and that's all mangled and the roof is mangled and you like wonder what the guys hit. And we even got our tires flipped now. So they're on kind of like the little wider stance. So think Jeremy might have his on that too, but...
00:51:45
Putz
I don't understand how you how you wreck the fender and don't wreck the tire. I mean, it takes some skill.
00:51:49
RICK JAMES
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:51:51
Putz
ah
00:51:51
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sure.
00:51:51
RICK JAMES
When I have started
00:51:52
Putz
But, yeah, I mean, it it gets cold up here. That's why, i mean, you guys have been talking about stand-ons. But that's why we don't stand-ons. I mean, lot of our snows are below zero with 20 to 40-mile-an-hour winds.
00:52:06
Putz
um And you got to have a cab of some nature to keep the employees out of there. You know, if you're going run a large scale operation of sidewalks, I mean, I'm not going to be able find 60 guys to go run sidewalks on a stand machine at 20 below during blizzard, you know.
00:52:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
chair
00:52:24
Putz
ah
00:52:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
Got you. gotcha
00:52:26
Putz
So, yeah, we run the 739s, 1585s, and the thirty thirty three s Almost all the attachments are interchangeable. um The snowblowers are not quite as interchangeable. um They're kind of specified for the each style tractor. But the brooms, all the parts are the same. um We run some blades for backups if the broom goes down because we always start out brooming.
00:52:52
Putz
ah And then we got blowers for everything too. Um, and yeah, I mean, we got some of our X seven 39, we got some of zero hours on them and then we've got two of them with over 5,000 hours on them and, uh, we've had no issues with them, you know?
00:53:08
Putz
So, um,
00:53:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
okay
00:53:11
Putz
No like factory like defects on the power unit itself, like the tractor. um The blades, no defects on those. The blowers, we run some Pronovost blowers, some John Deere.
00:53:25
Putz
um and But then you get to the brooms and i mean, I'm sure you guys know, but the the brooms, the John Deere brooms are not ideal. They're PTO shafts.
00:53:34
RICK JAMES
What?
00:53:35
Putz
ah
00:53:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
what
00:53:36
RICK JAMES
What? These are great.
00:53:37
Putz
Yeah, PTO shaft, going to a gearbox and a chain and a like a little like high fax tensioner that you'd see on a snowmobile kind of almost for for the tensioner.
00:53:50
Putz
You know, it's a two inch piece of high fax that they'll charge you 185 for. i mean, you can go out to any used snowmobile store and find one for free. ah So we had a lot of troubles with the broom.
00:54:03
Putz
They don't make a commercial.
00:54:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
This is, it's with the heavy duty green paint.
00:54:04
Putz
They don't Yeah. Yeah. The, they classify the heavy duty is the green one and, uh, it's the same broom as the yellow one.
00:54:09
RICK JAMES
Even at this room.
00:54:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah
00:54:15
Putz
so oh
00:54:16
RICK JAMES
No way. No way.
00:54:18
Putz
so in the gearboxes, I mean, 1500 um You can't get an aftermarket one because they've got all the like patent patents and serial numbers locked up.
00:54:29
Putz
um So we've researched the heck out of that. Can't get an aftermarket, can't rebuild them. used to be able to do all this and they got smart. They're like, oh, people are buying parts and buying aftermarket parts. So let's somehow like lock it down so you can't do that anymore.
00:54:43
Putz
and uh so instead we used to rebuild all of our gearboxes and you could get parts for them there's 135 bucks to rebuild the gearbox and now it's 1500 bucks to put in a gearbox in right um and uh and we're not the only ones with trouble i mean there's jeremy's had trouble there's everybody up here pretty much runs john deere kubota um and i'd say across the board it's uh that's the trouble is the broom so
00:54:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oof.
00:54:56
RICK JAMES
I blew like 30 dollars.
00:55:10
Putz
Ventrac's got a good broom. I mean, we've had three of those and my brother-in-law is kind of smart. So i he was making all of our parts for us. Like we're like, well, we can't be buying all this stuff. That's ridiculous price. So he'd help us make stuff or, you know, retrofit brooms to new ideas. and So he came out with a hydraulic broom because Ventrac one is a belt driven hydraulic broom.
00:55:36
Putz
um This hydraulic, you know, pump goes right on your PTO shaft.
00:55:39
RICK JAMES
Thank you.
00:55:41
Putz
so there's no belt running it. ah But so now now we're on the hydraulic brooms and he's not the only guy making hydraulic rooms. There's a few other there's one other company right now making hydraulic brooms for ah John Deere Kubota, like whatever you want to call it a cab tractor.
00:55:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
Well,
00:55:59
Putz
um And I mean, that's whether whether you go with the b room room that he makes or the I think it's Conteiro or Conteiro that is made in Canada.
00:56:10
Putz
ah If you want to what's that?
00:56:12
The SnowJobs Podcast
you ain't getting them. Well, you ain't getting them now with the tariffs.
00:56:16
Putz
well they're also like they're yeah they're priced before the terios was almost three times the price of his broom um and you can't get parts i mean it's the same with the pronovals like the pronovals is a good product but getting parts is like pulling teeth you know um but you got get to hydraulic bromance long story short like on a on a 739 a 1585 a 3033 fifteen eighty five thirty thirty three Kubota, like whatever you want to do, Kubota makes a broom and it's a PTO style and from what I've been hearing from guys that run them in town and in Minneapolis, like
00:56:49
Putz
there they're They're tanking. They're going down the shitter and people are having a lot of issues with them because it's a PTO style broom. ah The drive shafts, they don't build them like they used to. So they grenade and they get 500 bucks for one of those and the gearbox, this, that, and the other.
00:57:05
Putz
ah So yeah, anyways, we run hydraulic brooms on the front of these cab tractors um and they're One of the upsides, I guess, is like our 1585. They're like a cab over style John Deere.
00:57:19
Putz
And our thirty thirty three s the thirty forty six is that germany's got we trail or drive those around town. we don't trailer them so like all these stand-on machines you guys got a trailer them around town or have site specific uh we are able to drive they go 18 to 22 miles an hour um and so we're able to drive those they they stay in our heated shop and once it snows we drive them out to the facilities or the route and uh and do the work and then they come back to our heated shop so we can wash them grease them you know maintain them uh and get them back on the road for the next storm
00:57:54
Putz
um, cuts down on our truck and trailers and, you know, kind of all that stuff. So, um, that's, that's, I guess, kind of our operation in a nutshell. Like I say, the,
00:58:06
Putz
<unk>re We're definitely brand specific on John Deere, but it's because everything's interchangeable. um I mean, we've got three different oil filters. All the brooms run the same parts.
00:58:20
Putz
You know, the Vroom Broms and the John Deere brooms are all basically the same bristles, bearings. everything. So we still some John Deere brooms that we're phasing out, but we don't have to stock a plethora of parts.
00:58:32
Putz
I mean, we we have to stock a lot because got a lot of brooms, but we don't have to stock a lot of part numbers. You know, if if a broom goes down at two in the morning, our mechanics can get it back up and running within, you know, an hour or so because we've got everything on hand or all the brooms are interchangeable.
00:58:37
The SnowJobs Podcast
yeah
00:58:47
Putz
So we can just quick swap it out with another one that's on the shelf and and go back on the road, you know, so.
00:58:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
What are those 739s running price-wise?
00:58:56
Putz
Well, $739,000 with a cab and a quick hitch, no attachment, but it would have the quick hitch. I want to say they're going to be like $26,000 to $28,000. um
00:59:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay.
00:59:07
Putz
and And then you guys were talking about mowing with them earlier. week We don't like... commercial cut with the 739s. We used to kind of cut some wide open stuff with them back in the day, but we were looking at getting Altos stand-on machine and using it like the brush cutter that that stand-on machine has, similar like an SSV, um and then running some sort of a snow operation on that.
00:59:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
huh
00:59:35
Putz
But we ended up getting a flail mower for the back of our 739, and so we run that on like our rough cut mowing, you know? So we've got a...
00:59:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
Got you.
00:59:44
Putz
I want to say it's like a 45 or 46 inch flail mower so we can get in any 48 inch gate or, you know, roughly 48 inch. And so we can mow with it rough cut style and then we can use it for snow.
00:59:58
Putz
We use one out of our 2739. So we don't like I said, we don't mow with them like you would with like the Toro. um But it's an option, you know, you can get different attachments for the, for the front or the back of those machines to at least utilize them in the summertime a little bit, you know, um, so.
01:00:15
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's a plus. That's a big plus.
01:00:16
Ian
but what are the What are the warranties on the machine?
01:00:19
Putz
Um,
01:00:22
Ian
Like from deer? Is it like deer?
01:00:24
Putz
yeah So the, yeah, so we honestly had no issues with the tractor on those. um And so we don't buy any extra warranty. I've never had any issue with the factory warranty or anything. i don't know what the warranty is on that.
01:00:38
Putz
The, like the thirty thirty three s or the 1585s, you can, I think the standard warranty might be maybe two years or something like that.
01:00:48
Putz
But we buy the factory, you can you can buy an extra warranty from John Deere.
01:00:48
RICK JAMES
I think so.
01:00:49
Ian
at all.
01:00:53
Putz
So we buy a a five year, I want to say it's 5,000 or 4,000 hour warranty. And we only run like the thirty thirty three s we only run them for between four and five years. Once they 2200 hours, they're going down the road.
01:01:06
Putz
and so um when we sell them they still have a factory warranty that we purchase so at least if we're selling to a homeowner uh and they're gonna run it for another you know they'll run it for a while but at least the first six to six to nine months that they have it they still have a warranty so if they get it and they have an issue they can bring it back to the dealership and get serviced you know um it's not that much extra i mean it it for sure pays for itself the x739
01:01:27
Ian
Peace.
01:01:28
The SnowJobs Podcast
Mm-hmm.
01:01:35
Putz
like literally no issues on the, on the tractor itself. 1585 is virtually no issues, but the 3033 and 3046 is the bigger utility tractors.
01:01:47
Putz
Once you get up over 1500 hours, there's, I mean, You just get, it's not so much like issues that like stop you from running like a snowstorm, but you get like a lot of like oil leaks on your front differentials and rear differentials and just like stuff like that.
01:02:03
RICK JAMES
Cool.
01:02:03
Putz
We start tearing into it and it's two, three, four or 5,000 bucks, you know, to fix it.
01:02:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
01:02:09
Putz
So that's how we started putting these extra warranties on because they'll cover that. And that warranty, I think it might cost us 5,000 bucks or something for the um extended warranty to 5,000 hours.
01:02:20
Putz
So it pays for itself. you know, and then and in the resale is a lot easier for us, you know? So, one yeah.
01:02:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
100% with a
01:02:28
Ian
Thank you.
01:02:30
Putz
So we, like I say, the 739s, we haven't sold one of them yet. We've blown one up out of 21 or 22 that we've owned. We've blown one up.
01:02:41
Putz
Everything else we've never had any issues with. And we've still, i've the first two I first started with are X749s diesels. They're north of 5,000 hours and we still have them and they'll run all this winter again unless they blow up. So no issues. I mean, we've done nothing to them.
01:02:57
Putz
Just change the oil. You know, we change the hydrofluid, service the hell out of them and and away they go. So, yeah.
01:03:04
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, I mean, John Deere's not known for their attachments. They're known for their their vehicles.
01:03:08
Putz
Yeah, I mean...
01:03:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
I mean, they may make a pretty good vehicle.
01:03:11
Putz
Yeah, the vehicle good. attachment stuff. That's why we're we've we've got promovo attachments. We've got groom, groom attachments. We've got some different blades, some V blades. I think like ah yeah what's that orange one, Jeremy? Do you even know? ah
01:03:27
RICK JAMES
I don't remember the name of it
01:03:27
Putz
Mitchell's got one, too.
01:03:29
RICK JAMES
Yeah. Deep Out.
01:03:30
Putz
I don't know.
01:03:30
RICK JAMES
That's, yeah. It's a, yeah, it's a, yeah.
01:03:32
Putz
It's some like German deal or something, but we've got some, just some different weird attachments because the John Deere attachments, like you all know, just aren't quite for a commercial cutter.
01:03:35
RICK JAMES
yeah
01:03:42
Putz
They're a commercial snow guy.
01:03:42
The SnowJobs Podcast
yeah
01:03:44
Putz
there' They're, they're a more residential style, even though they might be like labeled commercial, but they're, they're not.
01:03:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, or heavy duty with the green paint.
01:03:50
Putz
So yeah, say I don't know what's heavy duty about on the paint, but ah so yeah, that's,
01:03:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
01:03:57
Ian
You look for it.
01:04:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
yeah
01:04:00
Putz
That's what we got going on. I mean, it's been a pretty successful, that's how I got started was with sidewalks working for glacier through a sub. Now we're with glacier direct and have some of our own stuff.
01:04:11
Putz
Um, and, uh, yeah, i mean, so we specialize in sidewalks and then, uh, and then we also push lots, but John Deere has been good to us for that reason. So.
01:04:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
Good man. Love it. Love it. Jay, you agree with all that?
01:04:25
RICK JAMES
I agree with all of that. yeah It's pretty much everything.
01:04:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. Jeremy approved.
01:04:29
RICK JAMES
But Putz does it.
01:04:30
Putz
I'm
01:04:30
RICK JAMES
It's true story. Putz is our sidewalk guy. Putz knows it all. So i whatever he says goes on that sidewalk.
01:04:36
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's it.
01:04:36
RICK JAMES
He's the man.
01:04:37
The SnowJobs Podcast
I said he's Mr. Sidewalks. ah The one question I got to ask both of you, you guys say your roofs come back crunched and dented and stuff on these tractors.
01:04:43
Putz
not going
01:04:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
You don't have any trees. What are they hitting?
01:04:50
Putz
So we, I mean, that's what i ask my guys too.
01:04:50
RICK JAMES
That's a good question. We have both of our teams.
01:04:54
Putz
So like, there is some like these ornamental trees or whatever the hell. So they hit some of them, but it's, we've hit stop signs before. They'll like turn to close.
01:05:06
Putz
I know Jeremy's guys are hitting those concrete like bollards at like a, let's just call it like a Walmart or Target, wherever, you know, like those concrete bollards.
01:05:06
RICK JAMES
It's not far.
01:05:12
Ian
Walmart.
01:05:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
you know
01:05:15
Putz
i like the guys will turn too tight. mean, we both have watched them before. And no, it's incredible what, I mean, the seven thirty nines never come back damaged because they're more like your, they're a little bit bigger than an SSV.
01:05:21
RICK JAMES
it's not for
01:05:30
Putz
But if you've run a Ventrac like 4,500, it's the same size as that.
01:05:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
ye
01:05:34
Putz
So those are at least, um you know like maintainable but those uh 30 they're they're they're taller and they're clumsy so i mean you gotta have our sidewalks here 48 inches is the narrowest one and then we've got you know five six eight foot sidewalks um so you've got to kind of have a lot wider sidewalk ain't using 30 33 36 side
01:05:52
The SnowJobs Podcast
Gotcha.
01:05:59
Putz
oh
01:06:00
RICK JAMES
no
01:06:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sounds good. Ian, I forgot to ask you when we were talking about them, ah you also experienced both the SSV and the SR mag. What was your preference?
01:06:10
Ian
ah The mag.
01:06:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, you like the mag. Okay, good.
01:06:13
Ian
Yeah, it was less ah as long as well. Yeah, I it was it just it just felt right. The stance, the footprint. um Like, yeah, you're not going to be able to get in some of those tighter areas, but i just preferred it. I like I like the Venturek product.
01:06:32
Ian
Like you were saying, like the quality better.
01:06:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
sure
01:06:35
Ian
Um, but the mag was way more comfortable. Even the simple things of like moving it around the shop. Like, I feel like the SSV, you just, it'll just buck you, ya you know, and the mag, it gets pretty smooth.
01:06:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, it does if you're not on one.
01:06:50
Ian
Um,
01:06:50
The SnowJobs Podcast
Okay. the um The mag, do you know what the the width of that was? Is it 48? Gotcha.
01:06:56
Ian
I, I don't know off the top of my head.
01:06:58
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right. Yeah, I'm sorry. We should know that. We should know that.
01:07:01
Ian
um Yeah, David might know, but I guess I have another.
01:07:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's all good. David, do you know what the width of the mag is? 48.
01:07:10
Davin
forty eight
01:07:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
forty eight Okay. That's what I thought. I just wanted to be sure. i want to put it. And do you, but let me ask you, here's the million dollar question we forgot to ask. Cause we got into the prices with putsy there on the deers.
01:07:23
The SnowJobs Podcast
What was, what's an SR mag running with ah how you set it up? Cause I know there's extras and stuff. However you set it up. What, what is it? What is it running you?
01:07:35
Davin
When it's all said and done with like two attachments, like $33,000.
01:07:39
The SnowJobs Podcast
and Okay, so it's ah it's in the ballpark. It's with in the ballpark with an SSV. I think we were, think the last one we bought two years ago was 20, 28, maybe.
01:07:50
Putz
Thank you.
01:07:52
The SnowJobs Podcast
But that was with three attachments. And basically every bell and whistle except for the horn. I didn't think we needed a horn. That was it.
01:08:02
Ian
I need a horn.
01:08:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
But yeah we didn't do that.
01:08:03
Davin
deaf You definitely need the horn.
01:08:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
We didn't do the horn, but we do do. We do the front and rear work lights, which are frigging awesome. The SSV work lights. I will challenge anybody. Those things are super bright.
01:08:15
Ian
and a I said they're necessary.
01:08:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
Huh? all necessary. And they're just like high quality lights. We do the warning lights and.
01:08:25
RICK JAMES
Apparently, lights aren't necessary here. We just rip them off.
01:08:28
The SnowJobs Podcast
You just rip them off? Well, they're within the width of the machine. There's nothing no way to rip them off.
01:08:34
Ian
The Fargo Cowboys.
01:08:35
RICK JAMES
these lights are...
01:08:35
Putz
yeah ah ahead
01:08:36
RICK JAMES
Okay.
01:08:36
The SnowJobs Podcast
didn't
01:08:37
RICK JAMES
The antenna for the machine, ah goes that's got it goes against the front windshield.
01:08:39
Putz
That's gone.
01:08:43
RICK JAMES
You point it down against the windshield, not even anywhere near, and it comes back ripped off every fucking day.
01:08:44
Putz
yeah
01:08:48
The SnowJobs Podcast
do it.
01:08:50
RICK JAMES
How do you fucking do that?
01:08:52
Putz
Yeah, know my my my thought on those um those like thirty thirty three s or 3046s, I tried to order them with no accessory lights, just the lights that are like molded into the cab.
01:08:52
RICK JAMES
I don't know how to do that.
01:09:02
The SnowJobs Podcast
right
01:09:03
Putz
Because I wanted to put like an LED like light bar right below that roof that would have been hidden so you couldn't rip it off, Jeremy.
01:09:06
The SnowJobs Podcast
yeah
01:09:10
Putz
That was my whole... Because those like little halogen things that they got, I mean, A, they're not bright, but they rip them off first thing.
01:09:11
RICK JAMES
Yeah, I remember you.
01:09:15
RICK JAMES
But putts.
01:09:18
Putz
Yeah.
01:09:18
RICK JAMES
But the antennas. How do you rip the antenna? It's like um but on the frame, stuff in the window.
01:09:20
Putz
Well, it takes skill. no
Year-round Utility of Sidewalk Machines
01:09:26
RICK JAMES
Everyone.
01:09:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
If you know Jeremy, Jeremy has certain pressure points that will send him through the roof and the sidewalk machine damage is definitely one of them.
01:09:29
Putz
Well,
01:09:34
Putz
one thing, too, about sidewalks.
01:09:34
RICK JAMES
They're dumb.
01:09:36
Putz
I mean, so we we talked about, you know, whatever brands we talked about tonight. But there's there's also – so we have an ASV RT40 with a broom and a snowblower we use for sidewalks.
01:09:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
Love it. Love it.
01:09:47
Putz
on Same thing as, like – The X739 or that Toro, we bought it because we can use it 12 months out of the year. So we have, you know, a bucket, a land plane, Harley rake, snowblower, broom.
01:10:01
Putz
It's 48 inches wide. and um We have a sub that works for us that has one as well. um Can't say it have a fleet of them just due to the cost and, you know,
01:10:11
Putz
you know, some of that stuff. I mean, you got to have a little bit bigger trailer to run it on, but at least you can use it for 12 months out of the year and and it it makes it, you know, easier to look at.
01:10:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, and if it's a one-off purchase for some guy and he all he has are 48 inches and bigger sidewalks, that's a 12-month machine.
01:10:22
Putz
And then.
01:10:22
RICK JAMES
with you. fund
01:10:29
Putz
Yeah.
01:10:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
That might be worth the nut.
01:10:32
Putz
Yeah, and it's a comfortable unit. um The ASV, same thing. I mean, it's a not a lot of issues.
01:10:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
Super.
01:10:39
Putz
The broom's hydraulic. I think it's an Erskine broom or an Erskine blower. blower um So not a lot of issues there.
01:10:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
01:10:46
Putz
And then there's guys up here in town that are running some Bobcat stuff, so like the L28, like mini loader.
01:10:53
RICK JAMES
yeah
01:10:54
Putz
ah It kind of seems...
01:10:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, we're going do that.
01:10:57
Putz
kind of seems like, the guys that are running that stuff, they always circle back and end up owning John Deere for up in our neck of the woods. Um, You know, because they're looking for a cab deal that they can drive around town, I guess.
01:11:11
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
01:11:11
Putz
And so that's why look at that L28 and they end up going back to that John Deere 3033. I think the L28, if you have a summer use for it, it's all right. But for a dedicated snow machine, um i don't think it's a cut out for that.
01:11:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
We're going to do an episode on those those those comp subcompact loaders, and we're going to a whole sidewalk episode to see if we'll find guys that use those, hear about them.
01:11:35
Putz
Yeah, I just you got to find a niche for a lot of that stuff.
01:11:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, absolutely.
01:11:38
Putz
But just for guys listening, there's there's other units out there.
01:11:40
RICK JAMES
or is
01:11:42
Putz
I mean, and other than that stuff, see there's there's other units you got to find out works for you.
01:11:45
RICK JAMES
for
01:11:47
Putz
But but we always look at if we can try to use it for. so Most of our units get, you know, we we polish them up, fluid fill them, and they get stored for the summer. And it sucks having all this equipment that you don't use.
01:12:01
Putz
So if you can try to use it, it's it's like that Toro. Get rid of it after every three years religiously, like that's great because at least you always have new stuff that's under warranty. But on but sometimes you got to, if the tool is only snow dedicated, that might be what i have to use, you know.
01:12:10
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sure
01:12:19
Putz
So
01:12:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
Here's a question How come Douglas does not have a sidewalk machine in the game?
01:12:25
RICK JAMES
i was thinking that earlier too. was thinking that earlier.
01:12:28
The SnowJobs Podcast
Like, you you would think. I mean, there how many brands are under that umbrella? You got Western. You got Fisher.
01:12:33
Putz
And
01:12:34
The SnowJobs Podcast
You got Snow X. Is there another one?
01:12:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
Like, you would think that they would have something in that arena to offer.
01:12:41
Putz
they're up in this area where they, I mean, it gets a lot of aren't they in Mankato down South?
01:12:50
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah Where are they?
01:12:51
Ian
I mean, at
01:12:51
The SnowJobs Podcast
Wisconsin? Yeah, I think they're Milwaukee.
01:12:54
Putz
Milwaukee, yeah, but they're they're up in this region where they get, they get snowed.
01:12:55
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
01:12:55
Ian
this point, to what you know.
01:12:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. Oh, yeah. They're all in snow areas. I mean, they're a huge plow manufacturer, spreader manufacturer. They have their own walk-behind brooms and stuff like that, but they don't um they they never ventured into the sidewalk game, even when it hit big, which is odd to me.
01:13:06
Putz
Yeah.
01:13:13
Ian
I mean, it this at this point stick to what you know i mean
01:13:17
Putz
Yeah.
01:13:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
01:13:17
Ian
You would hate to see him rush out a product and just have it be like another mammoth, you know?
01:13:20
Putz
Yeah.
01:13:22
Putz
yeah
01:13:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
But like that's my point.
01:13:23
RICK JAMES
Thank
01:13:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
you don't You're already coming into the game late.
01:13:26
Ian
Right, right, true.
01:13:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
Take your time and knock it out of the park. like Develop something that solves every problem that everybody has. like All the brands have something that is not working as well as it could have ah by design.
01:13:41
Ian
We can take apart anything.
01:13:43
The SnowJobs Podcast
Exactly. like well and And everybody has different like different ways of looking at stuff, too. like Something that might bother you, Ian, might not really bother me. you know It might set Jeremy off, and I'm like, i don't fucking, that doesn't bother me at all.
01:13:56
The SnowJobs Podcast
But yet, for Jay, that's something that he just can't look at that machine because it drives him nuts. But like you're, I don't know, like you think Douglas, like everybody's already got one, so there's no rush.
01:14:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
But
Importance of Local Dealers
01:14:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
I'm shocked they haven't entered the arena with something yet, though.
01:14:12
RICK JAMES
Yeah, true.
01:14:14
Ian
yeah i don't know.
01:14:14
Davin
getting their ambassadors too much money.
01:14:17
The SnowJobs Podcast
but What's that?
01:14:18
RICK JAMES
The ones that don't
01:14:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
They want ah
01:14:21
Putz
one
01:14:23
Ian
yeah
01:14:23
The SnowJobs Podcast
Jesus.
01:14:24
RICK JAMES
know anything? I don't know.
01:14:25
The SnowJobs Podcast
Love it.
01:14:28
The SnowJobs Podcast
The sniper.
01:14:29
Putz
Bye.
01:14:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
Oh, oh shit. ah How was the how was boss with the stuff that was quality control issues? The dealer? How how they deal with it?
01:14:42
The SnowJobs Podcast
Good. Not so good.
01:14:43
Davin
Oh yeah, they're great.
01:14:45
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right, good.
01:14:45
Davin
Yeah, they ah fix it all.
01:14:46
The SnowJobs Podcast
Like, that's the most important thing, right? Like, we all have machines. Nobody, you know, we're not telling anybody to buy one over another. But the most important thing is definitely you've got to have a dealer. Like Putz said, you've got to get a dealer in that area. And if that dealer doesn't exist, you you can't own it as much as you love it.
01:15:03
The SnowJobs Podcast
You just can't, especially with fucking snow.
01:15:05
Putz
Yeah, you can't be waiting for a week on a part. Like, I mean, try to stock everything that ever breaks in-house.
01:15:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
No.
01:15:12
Putz
And if it doesn't, we hope we can get at the dealer. Because you can't, I mean, you know Christmas Day, it's going to snow and something's going to break.
01:15:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
01:15:18
Putz
You got to be able to get that stuff.
01:15:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
01:15:20
Putz
So,
01:15:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. if you don't have a local dealer, I mean, you can't literally have enough parts to literally build a second machine from scratch.
01:15:26
Putz
no, not a, it's not possible.
01:15:26
The SnowJobs Podcast
You know, that defeats the purpose. well That defeats the whole purpose.
01:15:32
Davin
Thanks. it's
01:15:34
The SnowJobs Podcast
Let's hit some commercials and we'll come back and we'll wrap this up with the guys.
01:16:29
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right, we're back.
Vroom Broom Technology
01:16:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
So let's ah anybody got anything else or we can wrap it for this one because we're probably going to to do another one. We need. to Yes, absolutely. that That's got to happen.
01:16:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's got to happen. Maybe if there's ever a vroom vroom commercial, we'll have Rick James do that one.
01:16:45
Putz
yeah
01:16:45
RICK JAMES
Yeah,
01:16:46
Ian
Yeah, how do you like that vroom vroom?
01:16:48
Putz
Yeah.
01:16:49
RICK JAMES
yeah, you're bunch of everybody.
01:16:49
Putz
Uh, I mean, it's, it's good. I obviously I'm maybe a little bit biased, but I also, if, if, if it sucked, I would go right to the guy that's making them and tell the problems.
01:16:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
if it works it If it works, it works.
01:17:00
Putz
Hold on.
01:17:00
Ian
Right.
01:17:02
Putz
So like, just to give you an example, like our John Deere brooms, we were getting like 75 to 150 hours on bristle wear. And bristles, where we're getting cost us like just about 400 bucks.
01:17:15
Putz
ah On the broom broom, it's the same exact bristles. We're getting from the same manufacturer. And we're getting this last set on our X739s, we got anywhere from like 325 to 400 hours.
01:17:26
Putz
So over double the life of bristle wear.
01:17:27
Ian
wow
01:17:30
Putz
And then we when we used to do our maintenance, we'd switch out the chain, all the bearings, keyway, et cetera, on that broom. And when we swap these out at like call it like 350, we didn't do the bearings, we didn't do the chain.
01:17:45
Putz
There's no tensioner, they have to swap out, there's no keyway. So our maintenance cost and we and we see it like... When we are looking at our numbers, like we see our maintenance cost has significantly gone down because of the Vum Brum.
01:18:01
Putz
And now we're on our third year of running the first 10 that we had and and we haven't had one issue with them yet. the The biggest issue we have, and I think he's solving that, is our caster wheels.
01:18:11
Putz
um they would like kind of freeze up and skid sideways and kind of tweak a little bit, you know, so then they they weren't, you know, rolling like they should. so we'd be swapping those out. um And I think we've got the solution kind of figured out on that.
01:18:26
Putz
um But the the broom itself, everything's well balanced.
01:18:28
RICK JAMES
Yeah. yeah
01:18:29
Putz
If you unhook a Ventrac broom, you can move that thing around in the shot by yourself. Like if you did a John Deere broom back in the day, you it takes at least, I mean, two guys to run it across the shot because it's it's just not balanced.
01:18:41
Putz
And like Tom's got the vroom vroom the same way, like you unhook it and one guy can, you know, move it around the shop. It's just perfectly balanced. And that's key for, you know, maintenance and wear life and all that stuff, you know. So ah he's got a lot of research and then he's...
01:18:59
Putz
He's a machinist and a perfectionist. And so, I mean, he, it's the right, I'm glad like I'm related to him now, but, um, so he is it's a good guy to have in our, in our, in our, uh, you know, line of work, I guess.
01:19:15
Putz
So yeah, it's a good broom.
01:19:16
The SnowJobs Podcast
good
01:19:17
Putz
Um, Right now it's all on John Deere's. I think he's working on getting them Kubota tractors. And then from there, so some of these other manufacturers, like I think Boss, they think their bro might be hydraulic, which is good.
01:19:30
Putz
um Kind of see. But up up in our area, I mean, Kubota and John Deere are really the only two big brands, I guess, that are getting ran for sidewalks.
01:19:33
RICK JAMES
Thank you.
01:19:40
Putz
So... um is if he can get those to, you know, work on those that I don't see any issue that people won't buy them, you know, so.
01:19:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah. What do you got, Jake?
01:19:51
RICK JAMES
No, I was going to say, Putz, you didn't really say and the Vroom Vroom. I know you said it's got its own hydraulic motor, and it's got its own hydraulic reservoir and everything and on it. And the reservoir is what?
01:20:03
RICK JAMES
Is it two gallons?
01:20:04
Putz
Yeah, i don't even know if it's that.
01:20:04
RICK JAMES
even know it's two gallons.
01:20:05
Putz
Yeah.
01:20:06
RICK JAMES
But it's got its own reservoir, hydraulic reservoir. Everything runs off that, so you don't to worry about anything coming from your tractor.
01:20:11
Putz
And like you want to switch attachments the same was like the vent track, the, the, any of these other brands, if you want to switch attachments, it's,
01:20:11
RICK JAMES
So...
01:20:21
Putz
um each style tractor has got a different you know length of swapping attachments whether you run factory attachments or aftermarket but to swap attachments from a broom to a blower a broom to a blade we're talking at most it's going to take you two and a half minutes so um if you're depending on the tap i mean like the the 30 thirty thirty three s and 3046s, naturally those are going to take you two minutes to three minutes regardless if you run a John Deere attachment or aftermarket.
01:20:51
Putz
It's going the exact same with the Vroom Vroom. um The 700s, I mean, we can swap those things out. and if If you've got one guy or two guys i know what they're doing, you can swap them out in under a minute. I mean, it's it's all quick couplers.
01:21:02
Putz
Everything's quick coupled and the way you go. you know so um You've got to have it easy to use. I mean, I've got... if we're swapping from broom to a blower because they think it's going to snow, we've got 30 machines that we're going down the line and doing. We can't.
01:21:17
Putz
we can't have a day or two days is doing this.
01:21:18
Ian
I couldn't be there space hour.
01:21:20
Putz
We gotta get in and get out and get down the road.
01:21:21
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
01:21:22
Putz
So um everything is super easy to use and and interchangeable. I mean, like I say, if if we get back and a guy has a blower on and needs to put a broom on, we try to find the right broom for that tractor.
01:21:34
Putz
They're all numbered. But if it's buried in the shop, he can hook up to any broom and away he goes. I mean, everything is interchangeable um down the line.
01:21:42
The SnowJobs Podcast
Got to be efficient. Got to be efficient.
01:21:44
Putz
So.
01:21:44
The SnowJobs Podcast
That's what it's all about. Otherwise, you're losing money.
01:21:46
Putz
Yeah, exactly.
01:21:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
Simple as that.
01:21:47
Putz
I mean, it's, it's, you gotta have everything be the same.
01:21:50
Ian
Thank you.
01:21:51
Putz
So, yeah.
01:21:51
The SnowJobs Podcast
Absolutely. All
Selecting Machine Attachments & Equipment Usage
01:21:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
right. Anybody got anything else before we wrap it?
01:21:53
Davin
ah steve Yeah, real quick, we didn't really get into attachments that much, but I would just say, dude, account for your properties as far as like the type of properties they are when you're choosing.
01:22:08
Davin
If you're a guy that's just going to start with one machine and just get one attachment to start, like a lot of us do just because the cost of all this, just account for like um like apartments, for instance,
01:22:22
Davin
Tenants leave stuff all over the place. Probably not – don't go with a snowboard right away because you're going to run things through that snowboard that you never imagined you going run through it.
01:22:29
Putz
Right.
01:22:31
Davin
So I would stick to, you know, a blade, keep it simple, or broom. They're a little more forgiving. You can definitely get stuff wrapped up in brooms. But just um I know, Jeremy, you guys do a lot of commercial stuff.
01:22:45
Davin
So same with you, Putts. There's not usually a lot of stuff laying around on the front of commercial property. So just take that into consideration ah based on what type of properties you have.
01:22:51
RICK JAMES
Yeah.
01:22:57
Putz
And yeah one thing we've found too, like you can get by blatant and brining or blatant and salting.
01:22:57
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep. Yep.
01:23:02
Putz
Like you don't need to have a $8,000 broom or eight or $10,000 snowblower. Go buy that, you know, $1,500 plow and invest in a brine spray or a salt salter on the back.
01:23:15
Putz
If you blade it all off and it's nice and clean, you go hit some brine. You're going to have, i mean, at the end of the day at 10 the morning, you're going to have the same result, you know? So, and you're going to have a lot less cost if you're just getting into it, you know?
01:23:23
The SnowJobs Podcast
yeah
01:23:26
Putz
So, um, and you have a nice looking sidewalk, you know?
01:23:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah.
01:23:30
Putz
So, um,
01:23:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yep.
01:23:31
Ian
Yeah, and and even if your windrows do get piled up to a certain point where you can't push it up and over, well, you know, sleep it off, come back the next day and, you know, just cut into it a little bit more to prep for the next time.
01:23:41
Putz
Yep. Yep.
01:23:41
The SnowJobs Podcast
Sure.
01:23:43
Ian
Like, it's yeah yeah, it's more work, but it's, like, not the end of the world.
01:23:47
Putz
Yeah, you don't need to have a $60,000 rig to get going if you're just getting into it.
01:23:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
and
01:23:51
Putz
I mean, you can find something, you know, nicely used or a brand new machine and you don't have to have all that fancy stuff.
01:23:51
The SnowJobs Podcast
Nope.
01:23:52
Ian
Right.
01:23:57
Putz
But, yeah. but Yeah.
01:23:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
yeah
01:23:59
Putz
so
01:23:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
And I'll make it real simple for the smaller guys like myself and maybe the newer guys. If you're getting into sidewalk machines, know what your level of services.
01:24:05
RICK JAMES
probably by two.
01:24:08
The SnowJobs Podcast
is If you're only going to hit these sidewalks every five to eight inches or after the storm is over, don't buy a broom. Don't even get a broom. You save yourself the five.
01:24:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
The broom is usually the second cheat second most expensive attachment. The snowblower is usually always the most expensive, but the broom is right there. Like I know Ventrac for the SSV, the broom and the blower are pretty much interchangeable at like 5,500 bucks, maybe, you know, somewhere in that name.
01:24:36
Putz
Yeah.
01:24:38
The SnowJobs Podcast
Save if you are not dedicating a guy to this machine. to keep like race tracking on sidewalks because you have a level of service requirement at that site. That means you have, you can only have it, you know, under three inches at any time.
01:24:53
The SnowJobs Podcast
If you're able to wait till the end of the storm or you're only going to get to it every six, seven inches, don't waste your money on a broom. Just buy a blade. Start cheap, like like the boys were saying. But everybody, like the brooms are great.
01:25:05
The SnowJobs Podcast
They do clear right down to nothing. But don't ask a broom to do more than it's supposed to. That's how you start blowing belts. You know, that's how you start going through bristles real quick. um You know, I had the yellow...
01:25:15
Ian
Or you're going slower down the walk.
01:25:18
The SnowJobs Podcast
Yeah, and you're going a lot slower ah because it's going to take anything over.
01:25:20
Ian
Right.
01:25:22
The SnowJobs Podcast
Like the Ventrac broom is awesome. And we have we done four inches, five inches with it when it was doing two, three inches an hour? Yeah, we have. And it it it didn't like it, but it did it. you know We had to slow way down.
01:25:35
The SnowJobs Podcast
um But don't, you like i said, if you're just starting out and you need a sidewalk machine, ah yeah These things are all big money. So make smart decisions, make decisions that are best for you. And like Josh said, you don't need a $60,000 machine, you know, to be in the game, just get the simplest thing. The one you're going to get most use out of hopefully possibly year round.
01:25:59
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah Don't try and use the SSV for anything in the summer, or you will just be doing and turf repair all the time. You know,
01:26:08
Ian
Yeah, what's up with guys using that material bucket on the SSV? I've seen a few of those for sale on Marketplace.
01:26:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
I've seen it.
01:26:13
Ian
Is that a thing?
01:26:14
The SnowJobs Podcast
I've seen it done.
01:26:14
Ian
People actually do it.
01:26:15
The SnowJobs Podcast
I, I honestly, I think that was a video.
01:26:15
Putz
Yes.
01:26:19
The SnowJobs Podcast
I think vent track put out a video trying to get people to think it was okay to use it in the summer. Unless you got skid steer ground pads down, I would not try and turn that thing on any lawn.
01:26:32
The SnowJobs Podcast
Otherwise you're going to be back there, man. Because let's face it, the same thing that makes those things so weird, so fricking cornering on rails in the winter with traction is the same thing. That's going to tear up that lawn any other time of year.
01:26:46
The SnowJobs Podcast
So just don't do it. to Get another machine or get something that works better for you. Don't try and use the SSV on lawns or, the mag for that reason, you know, for that matter or anything that that's using skid steer turning.
01:27:00
The SnowJobs Podcast
But all right, boys, anything got any, anybody got any else? It's getting late and I, I don't want to keep you guys cause you guys are all great coming on this late for us.
01:27:09
The SnowJobs Podcast
We can do another one of these.
01:27:12
Ian
Yeah, thanks for the invite.
01:27:12
RICK JAMES
It
01:27:13
The SnowJobs Podcast
No problem. I'm sure, I'm sure we're going to have a whole bunch of questions now that we did this one about this one.
01:27:15
Davin
Yeah, it's
01:27:17
Putz
Perfect.
01:27:20
The SnowJobs Podcast
And if we can elaborate on certain things, so we'll maybe do a part two somewhere.
01:27:25
RICK JAMES
was good.
01:27:26
Ian
Yeah, definitely.
01:27:26
Putz
perfect
01:27:27
The SnowJobs Podcast
Got anything, Jay?
01:27:29
RICK JAMES
No, was a good one.
01:27:30
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right, then we'll wrap it. Thank you guys so much. Appreciate it. You guys are the best and we love talking to you. So ah just a wealth of knowledge coming on and everybody has their niche.
01:27:40
The SnowJobs Podcast
It's great. You know, it's like one-stop shopping. You make a couple of phone calls, you get, you can get subject matter experts and everything. It's it's awesome. So thank you, boys.
01:27:48
Putz
All right.
01:27:49
The SnowJobs Podcast
Appreciate the time. We're going to wrap it there. That is going to do it for episode 128 of the snow jobs podcast main show. Again, we thank the boys for coming on, giving all all their great information, all their the the experience that they have with these machines and doing this the stuff that we do.
01:28:07
The SnowJobs Podcast
ah You can't put a price on that, and we're you know putting it all out to you, and they're giving you their time. So we ah we really appreciate that. Uh, just want to say good luck to my son in his, uh, tournament in Toronto this weekend, kind of a big deal. Uh, so, uh, I hope he does really well.
01:28:24
The SnowJobs Podcast
Um, other than that, go USA ah beat Canada.
01:28:25
Ian
Oh, yeah. Yeah.
01:28:28
RICK JAMES
USA. Canada Hoops.
01:28:28
Putz
Thank you.
01:28:31
The SnowJobs Podcast
But ah for the rest of you, we'll see you next week.
01:28:31
RICK JAMES
the
01:28:34
The SnowJobs Podcast
Everybody, please be safe out there. you are you know get through the ah Get through the next week. Get your bids done. Get them out. If you haven't started yet, get on the ball.
01:28:47
The SnowJobs Podcast
All right. Don't be last second. Larry's here, boys. And ah we'll talk to you soon. All right. Keep pushing.