Hot Seat Spill the beans Conway! (Interveiw with the original Devastator Wand creator)

Mikey P

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Lets get to know "the next Studebaker" a bit better..

(feel free to not answer any touchy subjects)

  • You got into carpet cleaning when and why?
  • What other hobbies or education help juice your creative designs?
  • Was your lint filter born out of necessity or just too much time on your hands?
  • Is the filter still selling well and are you done tweaking it?
  • Was your first wand attempt with Tony Dang or a solo project?
  • What was your main goal, a better than Mytee swivel or better than average airflow/suction?
  • How many different versions of your wand were made with Tony before you called it quits?
  • Why did you call it quits?
  • breath..
  • Who is more responsible for the current pain in your neck, Rob, Tony, Bristor or Tim?
  • With out spilling the beans and knowing what I know, I will predict that your wand ('s) will be fully ready for prime time retailer sales within 2 months. Some of the cool geek features of the current version will be gone but it will be a better and for the masses yet still have all the punch and power of your one offs right now. How nice will it be to have your wand ('s) at the same place your filter is at now and you know longer need to stress over design changes or sales?
  • and you can move on to your next project, which will be?
  • and after that will be?
  • How much of a surprise was the performance of your wand? Seeing how you designed it around a 45 blower, I get the feeling that you had no idea what it was going to do with larger 48s and up machines.
  • I believe that by this time next year , your wand will play a big part in helping sell smaller truckmounts. Your internal porting is the main key. I believe your integrity is the second factor. Eventually the knock offs will be here, but the knock offs will come from companies that don't play well with the truckmount manufactures. So the question is, do you realize what an important part you will be playing in the future of truckmount design and sales?
  • pretty damn cool dude, congrats!

20160926_092640.jpg
 
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TConway

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Thomas Conway
  • You got into carpet cleaning when and why? I had a drywall company, we had @ 10-15 guys working and when the economy took a dump I was left with with a choice be a broke drywall contractor, or a broke carpet cleaner....but with a positive future that my family could own and operate (keeping it in the family) We literally lost everything and I wasnt sure what to do. I had a carpet cleaning company when I was in my early 20's for a short time and I knew I could that so my oldest son he was 14 and I took the last credit card we had that was usable and put the used Prochem that Im still using on it traded in a drywall work truck for one that would better suit pulling the trailer I had to put the Ledgend in and came home and we told the rest of the family the plan. We all sat down at the kitchen table to decide on the business name that night. It was a nightmere survival situation that has turned into something good.
  • What other hobbies or education help juice your creative designs? I have 4 best friends, and even though we are miles apart we would still drop everything to help one another out, that being said we competed at everything from BMX, Dirt Bikes ( Ricky Johnson/Jeff Ward days) We then go into jet skis, and followed buy our flat bottom Colorado River boats...we all were pushing close to 600Hp out of them. Out of my friends I must have been the one that just had a little bit more of a gift to tinker.....as we were always at my house pulling motors and doing work on them. Just writing this brings back so many awesome memories of us working on stuff and just having fun.
  • Was your lint filter born out of necessity or just too much time on your hands? Maybe a little of both, I met JB shortly after starting the cleaning biz, and was drawn into the performance side of carpet cleaning...my TM was now my new hot rod so to say. I was into 4 2 the door and 2.5 hose. I didn't like having to go into the waste tank to get the basket, so I bought the inline filter there was only one at that time, the problem is it was just to small, but the idea or concept was awesome, catch the crap before it went into the waste tank. JB gave me the push to design something better, he said "you know what the problem is fix it" So after about two weeks the concept was created mostly in our living room as it was raining and carpets were slow . I was molding all of my own parts, but the chems were not safe for me, so I approached a fabricator that could make it out of stainless steal, this opened up more ideas that could be brought over from things I had learned about engines for better flow and they were applied to what we have today.
  • Is the filter still selling well and are you done tweaking it? Yes we still sell filters, nothing crazy to jump about, it is just another form of income. I just talked with Tim today, only about making a better ring for the bag, and this is only to help with assembly. I am glad to say that I am happy with everything else and I am glad to be past the development stages with it.
  • Was your first wand attempt with Tony Dang or a solo project? I had drawn up a wand design well before Tony. I wanted to tackle it with Tim the guy that helps me with the filter. After YOU posted a picture of a wand from a show and I made a comment on the photo I was contacted by Tony, he asked me if I would be interested in helping him, Missy and I went down and had a meeting with Tony, I put my wand design aside and agreed to help Tony ( should have listened to you )
  • What was your main goal, a better than Mytee swivel or better than average airflow/suction? 100% performance, the swivel just came about because guys asked for it. I never bought or looked at a Mytee swivel, Why? I didn't want to get stuck with that design in my head. Mytee spent time and money making it, The honorable thing to do is at least come up with my own design. I don't care what guys have to say about Mytee, that is not the point. They did their style, so out of respect for them I sat down and made my drawings of what I thought would work, took those and had them drawn up so they could be machined. I did 3 prototypes then came back and made 3 more after a few months of in field testing with my two buddies here in town to make the final swivels for production. They have not changed after that. I had never used a swivel wand before either, I didn't see any reason to and didn't really see the point or think it would make a difference. I am glad I made one because after using a swivel I would never go back.
  • How many different versions of your wand were made with Tony before you called it quits? ONE and only ONE
  • Why did you call it quits? Dishonesty-money laundering not going into any more than that.
  • breath..
  • Who is more responsible for the current pain in your neck, Rob, Tony, Bristor or Tim? Funny, in all honesty I am hoping it is just them, but that would mean I was giving a second thought to them and what they say and do. I have learned the hard way and very publically how dishonest so many in this industry are. I have also learned just like always that in the long run the truth comes out and I don't need to worry about it. what pains me most in regards to the industy is how much could be coming into it for the cleaners that could really help them and make cleaning a little easier as we are all getting older if it werent for the things like what I have publically gone through over the years. I am just a guy a cleaner with an understanding of things and the ability to turn that into something that works, however it has been made pretty clear over the years that there is always someone and another and then another there to take the credit and call it theirs, slander those of us that put in the time, research, development and investment and try to make money off of whatever it is. These are the things that are holding so much back from this industry, these are the things that are sucking the life out of all the great ideas and vision for this industry and really adding to the negative attitudes people have about our industry. I have come to a place where I know that I can let my tools speak for themselves. Those that have claimed otherwise should be able to back whatever their claim is up with their own inginuity and forward progression of their tools. Their lack of being able to do so simply shows that it wasnt them in the first place and the credit was not due them as they claimed and that my ideas and what I make are my own. Watching and seeing the sharks and vultures take advantage of the new cleaners and those bringing in new ideas is what pains me as far as whats coming from the cleaning area of my life. I am far more concerned that my actual current pain in my neck would be from a very bad choice I made at a young age in my life to "chew" which has been something I have battled with continuously through my life. When you are young you can make some really bad choices that can really come back and kick you in the nuts. I don't think that is the problem but it always is in the back of my mind when something isnt right with me that I have some cancer or tumor or God knows what from it.
  • With out spilling the beans and knowing what I know, I will predict that your wand ('s) will be fully ready for prime time retailer sales within 2 months. Some of the cool geek features of the current version will be gone but it will be a better and for the masses yet still have all the punch and power of your one offs right now. How nice will it be to have your wand ('s) at the same place your filter is at now and you know longer need to stress over design changes or sales? I just can't say to much, I can say I believe we are in the best hands as we move forward without a doubt, and yes there will more than likely be a plain jane wand that will be for the masses, The performance will still be there but maybe set up more for newer cleaners that are still learning when and why and how to adjust for a better ability to clean. I do believe that there will always be the guys that understand what true craftmanship is, and want the ability to adjust it just the way they want it. I know this because we are selling wands right now to guys that know WHAT THEY WANT. The wands that have been sold I would say are going to more of the VET crowd that know and understand the difference of our wand and I am very honored to be able to provide them with a tool that they like, understand, and will put to good use.
  • and you can move on to your next project, which will be? ? Not done with wand yet....need it to be done and finalized so I can be 100% focused on it, to hard to be going in all different directions.
  • and after that will be? Its hard to tell, I have many ideas but bringing them to lifae is a lot of dedicted hard work.
  • How much of a surprise was the performance of your wand? Seeing how you designed it around a 45 blower, I get the feeling that you had no idea what it was going to do with larger 48s and up machines. Um...scared really...Did I make it TOO much...ask Missy about that night in the room after Markys Butler. Hole glide was not a option anymore! It had to be done. Your face was priceless when you got your hands on it, it clearly had a punch you were not expecting as well.
  • I believe that by this time next year , your wand will play a big part in helping sell smaller truckmounts. Your internal porting is the main key. I believe your integrity is the second factor. Eventually the knock offs will be here, but the knock offs will come from companies that don't play well with the truckmount manufactures. So the question is, do you realize what an important part you will be playing in the future of truckmount design and sales?
  • Mike, I really don't, I am just me doing what I love to do, I guess I have a little nack at understanding some things, I don't have some big education. My Mom always told me I reminded her of her brother, and he was always tinkering, and just had a natural understanding of the things he loved to do, I guess I am kinda the same way. As far as making any impact? Again I am just me, My first priority is to my wife and kids, and my goal is that hopefully they will have a little something if something were to happen to me. The best thing for me is to hope... My wife truly loves me and knows I truly love her, and that my kids know that I LOVE THEM, Im PROUD of them, and hopefully they will feel the SAME for ME, if this is accomplished what more really could I ask for. I guess my goals and life are really about my family and I have not thought about my impact on truck mounts or anything along those lines. I know that I always try to make the best or do the best at whatever it is I am involved with and maybe thats why they are as good as they are because I am only focused on that one thing and the performance of that one thing that I am working on, not so much for a secondary purpose. I know that the difference the wand makes for the smaller truckmounts is a big deal for the smaller truckmount owners who want more from what they have without having to pay for a bigger one but I had not considered that I could play a part in future designs and sales. My goals in the tools when I make them is for the user to have the best possible tool with the best possible performance. I would be honored if any of that were to happen but I am happy pushing myself to bring the next level of high performance.
  • pretty damn cool dude, congrats! Thank you Mike, and thank you for NOT being what some others have said you were. I have really enjoyed being here and getting to know you better. Actually being at the shows and meeting guys face to face has been a really awesome experience. I know so many guys have said after meeting me that I am nothing like what they had thought or been told and to be honest that goes both ways, I have met and been happily surprised by so many of you here.
  • Thank you MBers for having us here.
 
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TConway

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I would also like to point out, there are some saying there is only so much a wand can do. What they are failing to understand is nothing really has been done. A head welded to a tube a wand is a wand.
Guys need to understand something we are dealing with a 1/4" x 12,-13,-14, -15," opening....a 10, or 20% gain in that small of a area is BIG deal, and this is why there comments are just plain mute, they are talking, but have no REAL idea of what they are looking at or saying.
Put it another way..
If one Nascar had a 10-20 % improvement over all the other cars, drivers being equal what one would win? 10 -20 % could be laps ahead at the end of the race, but when you say 10-20% it really doesn't sound all that much of a big deal.
 

Mikey P

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that's not true.

Initially to sell a pricey product to the internet crowd you need "shills" or spokesmen. A spokesman with a history of being a choosie and distinguished peanut butter eater..

and not just some newb who after using a pre spray on one job declares it the best ever and highly recommends it.. :oldrolleyes:




Ask Erik what Mark has done for sales..
Jim for 570's
or how about you readers tell me what rock star's opinion on a product got you to open your wallets..
 
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Bob Pruitt

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My first priority is to my wife and kids, and my goal is that hopefully they will have a little something if something were to happen to me. The best thing for me is to hope... My wife truly loves me and knows I truly love her, and that my kids know that I LOVE THEM, Im PROUD of them, and hopefully they will feel the SAME for ME, if this is accomplished what more really could I ask for.
That's really it. You are a success! Congratulations Tom!
 
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Jim Martin

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Tom

your response was one of the best post I have seen one here in a very long time…just by looking at the quality of this wand and after using it for over a month..I could only imagine the amount of time and thought that went into this to bring it to the level that it is now…

You should be more then proud of what you have achieved and dont ever worry about what the underdogs of the industry has to say about it…with a quality tool like this…in time..there is going to be a lot out there being used…there are a very very small hand full of tools in this industry that can speak for themselves…and this is one tool that even if you did not understand what to look for..or the quality and the performance..once you pick it up and put it to use..your not going to want anything else….













P.S….now get busy and make me a stair tool….
 

KevinL

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Tom

your response was one of the best post I have seen one here in a very long time…just by looking at the quality of this wand and after using it for over a month..I could only imagine the amount of time and thought that went into this to bring it to the level that it is now…

You should be more then proud of what you have achieved and dont ever worry about what the underdogs of the industry has to say about it…with a quality tool like this…in time..there is going to be a lot out there being used…there are a very very small hand full of tools in this industry that can speak for themselves…and this is one tool that even if you did not understand what to look for..or the quality and the performance..once you pick it up and put it to use..your not going to want anything else….













P.S….now get busy and make me a stair tool….
Yes Please! Someone make a decent 2" , wide head (10") stair tool.
 

Erik

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Ask Erik what Mark has done for sales..

Mark has done for me things that no one else in my life has. As you know, I'm not very good at putting things onto type. His friendship and willingness to help others has made me a better person. Most don't know that I battle with depression and having a guy like "Mr. Happy" in my life is a huge inspiration.
 

TConway

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Tom one last question..

Who has made a better spokesman for your wand, Saiger, Jim Martin or Mr Piggy Bank?

I can't answer that, because in all honesty they all are Awesome.

Look at it this way a King would have a killer group/powerful group, of men sitting at the table with him if each of these men had the qualities Mark, Jim, Marty have.

For the wand to be tried, kept, used, and spoken for by these guys is just a awesome thing and there is NO WAY I could single one out of this killer group of guys.
Thank you is all I can say to these guys, and what honor it is that they like the wand
 

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