Magic Tips/Tricks

[snowjoker]

I am now an official Magic Salt user and would like for every other user to post tips and/or tricks on using this product. I bought 55 gallons of magic to treat my bulk salt at 8 galls/ton.

[BWhite]

I am still experimenting with magic salt . I am not convinced yet . I would appreciate any tips to make it more effective ! It doesnt seem to be any more effective on north facing or sun shaded drives .

[CPSS]

We have used it this winter. The first thing you have to learn is to use less salt per application. If you over apply, it will work fine, but you are wasting the salt. We started out setting the hopper gate about half more closed that for straight salt. We then adjusted it up a little more from there.

The real benefit I observed was the low temperature effectiveness. I don't know if I agree with the claim that it works down to -30, but it definately worked well at 5 degrees.

The only downside I can see is that with this crazy winter, we went through salt faster than we could pick up the Magic, and apply it to our salt pile. We don't have a local Magic distributor, and had to drive an hour each way to get the liquid. Brought back 4, 55 gal drums.

[snowjoker]

Ok since the responce is not enuff to satisfy me here are a couple questions. How far should a gallon of Magic go to treat sidewalks? How about salting roads with treated salt, how much would be needed per lane mile?

[CPSS]

I haven't used the Magic liquid as a direct application. I don't think that is it's real design. It's really used to treat salt. 8 gallond per ton, mixed well with a loader. I don't know the application rate per lane mile, but our experience is that you need almost half the Magic salt per job as regular salt. A little more than half, but close.

[snowjoker]

Thanks CPSS for the responce. I was hoping other members with expirience with magic would repond with their expiriences/comments picks etc.............

[sonjaab]

GUYS.......I have used Magic the last 3 years since I discovered
it at John Parkers annual BBQ. I was using either plain salt
or cal. chloride.

The reg. salt wouldn't work near 0 temps. The cal. chloride
worked great but didn't last long once the melt water got to it!

I have to buy it bagged tho. But its only a few bucks more than
the other choices I have. I lay it down once a day and it lasts
and lasts ALL day and nite !

READ my post about "The lady who cried too much salt"
Have a GOOD laugh!.................geo:D

[Pelican]

John Parker hasn't found his way here yet, but he'd be the one to talk to.

I know he's got a truck set up with a tank for direct application that he pre treats with. I don't know the rates.

snowjoker, I've never used Magic, but I've been to a number of John's seminars. I remember him stressing that pre-treatment is the key to taking advantage of Magic's qualities. It isn't as effective after the fact.

I can report a bit on its effectiveness, however. Last month we had a period of single digit weather along with snow. There's only one Town around me that uses Magic, and their roads had slush, all others, even the State roads, had frozen hardpack. I was pretty impressed!

[sonjaab]

PELICAN..............I spoke with John recently to find out where
to buy Magic in the Syracuse area. A place called Onsite sells
it near me bagged/bulk/liquid.............

I told him about this site also. But I assume hes pretty busy
with his plowing and Magic business this time of year to post.
...............geo

[John DiMartino]

Ive been using Magic salt this is my 4th yr now.I started this season with magic,switched the clearlane,now we using magic again.(salt shortage) For me the biggest benefits are the fact that i can leave it in my hopper,it wont clump or turn into a solid block,and my loaders buckets is in good condition after 4yrs of using it. I think it does help with preventing the ice/blacktop bonding as well. I like the fact that i can use my bulk product on concrete , I dont need to carry another ice melter for walks,that is a big plus. As for using less product ,it all depends on the temps,IMO if the temps are from 26 and up i think salt works almost as well,also in a freezing rain/rain mix magic is of no benefit as it washes off the instant it hits the ground.For colder temps,and pretreating it really does help quite a bit though.Also this past storm i had a lot of frequests to salt residentials which i usually do not do.I heavily salted one driveway of a friends,the ice was 3" thick easily,all north side of the house,so no sun,the magic melted the majority of the ice,and what it didnt melt did not refreeze even after 3 days with temps in the teens and twentys at night,it stayed mushy and loose,the spot she had done next to with her salt before she ran out refroze that night.

[Matthew Bowman]

This is also my first season with magic and I'm very happy. At first I too was not entirely convinced, however when I ran out of magic and had to go back to strait salt I saw the light. With magic-salt I can start to see blacktop before I even finish spreading a lot. With strait salt it seems to take forever. Refreeze is also an issue. I always return to my 24hr. lots to check for refreeze when the temps start to drop at night. When magic was used I see very little refreeze. Temps in single digits at night and I have puddles. Same conditions with salt and all the puddles are frozen solid. I am now convinced and will continue to use magic.

[HerkFE]

Hi all, just got back from a trip to Portugal and the Virgin Islands.....No snow there!

After doing some catch up reading I thought I'd chime in on this. We are a Magic user and Distributor. Most of the highlights have been covered in this thread and some others with comments on Magic and/or Caliber. Just a couple of tidbits to throw in.

Magic can be used in a direct application and that is it's recommended form for doing a pre-treatment. Sure, you can use treated salt, but you only get treatment where the salt actually lands and then it has to start to dissolve as precip hits, etc. When applied in a liquid form, the liquid will obviously give better coverage, as it treats what it hits. Applied with a fan type spray bay set up you get a nice 12-14 foot wide swath.

As for pre-treatment coverage, we shoot for about 1200-1500 sqft per gallon. That seems to be the amount that works for us. We've tried it heavier and the results didn't seem to vary. Stretched to 2000 sqft per gallon worked but we did see a difference with some areas not performing as we wanted. So, for sidewalks I would shoot for the 1200 number. It sure makes life easier to shovel (or so I'm told - I like the trucks) when stuff doesn't stick!

And as for treating salt, the 8 gallons per ton number has proven pretty accurate. So far this year we have sold/used about 12,000 gallons or so and we plan on that 8 gallons per ton when quoting.

Like I said, their are more of these discussions in the De-Ice threads along with some pics. I still haven't mastered the link thing yet so I can't link a search.

Good luck!

[snowjoker]

Thanks Pete!! That is the numbers I was looking for.:)

[snowjoker]

I have a couple more questions. How does the leftover magic salt store during the summer months? Does it crust up rock hard? or stay workable when kept dry of course. And does it lose it's effictiveness as it sits?

[HerkFE]

Stores fine, standard salt storage rules apply of course. And the effectiveness should be the same as long as it doesn't get wet.

Unless we get a nice March storm we are going to end up storing a bunch.... Was hoping for one more decent storm.... :(

Oh well, as Cubs and Red Sox fans say, "There's always next year!"

[Mick]

I used some this winter that I'd had stored for two years. Worked fine. I've got some left over in barrels. I intend to seal the barrels, keep them in a dry storage area and use next winter.

No, it doesn't crust up over the summer. I had some crusting this winter when it got to -30F, but I think that was from the moisture the salt had absorbed from being rained on last summer.

[snowjoker]

Ok another question. I stored my treated salt in plastic containers and when i got to the bottom there was some magic liquid in the bottom. Does this mean i used a little too much to treat my salt? Or is this a normall thing for the magic to leach through the salt some?

[Mick]

Walt, I did the same - stored it in 30 and 55 gallon drums. I had that happen to all mine. I just figured it was what you termed "leaching". I'd just throw in a little more salt to soak it up.

[John DiMartino]

its normal for it to leach out.With my snow ex its normal to have a puddle of liquid magic under the spreader chute,when the truck sits for a few hrs with treated salt in it.

[snowjoker]

Here I go again with another question. What about treating a mix? Salt /sand,cinders.............. should the traction materal be treatred along with the salt, or just treat the salt and mix the untreated material in. If everything is treated should i mix it first then treat?

[snowjoker]

Anybody see my last post??:(

[HerkFE]

We did a salt sand mix last year just to try it. Treat salt sperately and then mix it with sand, etc. That is what we found to be best. That being said.... you should get all the traction you need when the magic salt melts the ice/snow and you get to the pavement. One of the biggest benefits of magic treatments is that they allow salt to be more effective to lower temps thereby almost eliminating the need for any traction material. By not having to put down sand, you eliminate clean-up of the sand come spring time. Just my two cents........

[gordyo]

This is my first year using Magic Salt exclusively (No Salt/Sand). Last year I used Salt/Sand and tried a few loads of Magic to get used to it and to see what it will do.

I came out of a meeting this week and was given a huge "atta boy" by the Director and the two Assistant Directors of Physical Plant and the Grounds Supervisor. I sold them on the fact that I would spend more $ upfront for the additional cost of treated salt but they would see a large savings when we got to spring and they didn't have to hire 2 street sweepers for 3 days, a Vac truck to clean all the drains and rent a walk behind sweeper for the edges of the lawns and then send guys around to pick up piles with the backhoe. My Snow Budget saw less overtime because I was not getting called in every morning to treat black ice thanks to the residual effect of Magic. There is another thing too that probably not to many people think about as a sales tool, but the Custodial Services Manager at the college said that he spent way less man hours having his staff vacuum up sand on the carpets and he went through half as many vacuum bags.

my .02 cents

[snowjoker]

Thanks guy's !!

[cat320]

I have to say I was very impressed at Gordyo's roads and lots when I went up to see him .Not one bit of sand to sweep up.:D

[HerkFE]

We received a call from one of our biggest customers a few days ago. We treated over 1000 tons of salt for him this past season and he couldn't have been more pleased. The account is a large truck depot that handles close to 500 tractor trailers a day 24/7 in and out of their docks.

He finished up his winter accounting and was pleased to report that he saw a dramatic decrease in snow removal costs, and just as importantly, not one incident of a truck getting stuck to to ice build-up, etc. He has already asked to be first on the list for when he starts getting their next season salt supply.

We can't ask for more than that......