thank you spartan 100

[westcoastplumber]

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/3307/westcoastmakitatoolsandad6.jpg

costco floor drain, 3" pulled tape, latex and a screw driver wrapped in latex back with my 100. Excellent machine!!!

[gear junkie]

How far out was that screwdriver? Any idea how it got there(besides someone dropped it down the drain)? What kind of head did you use?

[Aaron91]

Any murders happen in that area recently? :confused:

Did you pull all 3 items back at once?

[westcoastplumber]

2 runs, cleared first time, but felt something weird, so ran it again, no head, I just have a sweet bend on my cable, does it every time, grabs everything, every time.

distance, like first 5', not that far, cleared the stoppage at 15' though. I think the screwdriver was in the trap:p but it's ok, cause it came out on the cable wrapped in latex, so the spartan still did it.:D:D

[Drain Medic]

It is a great machine :) What kind of head did you have on it?

[Aaron91]

no head, I just have a sweet bend on my cable, does it every time, grabs everything, every time.

No head.

[westcoastplumber]

It is a great machine :) What kind of head did you have on it?


Hey buddy, I don't use a head on my spartan, I just have it bent. works really well, and I don't have any problems getting down tight durham santee's or double fixture tee's, I hate drop heads by the way:D

[Drain Medic]

Dont run into durham traps around here, but i agree, i use a bend on the head of mine, but i like the cutter on the end of it. Its easier on the floor drains, but i do find myself cutting the heads off eventually. Good pull on junk there. You just might turn into a drain cleaner one day ;)

[westcoastplumber]

Dont run into durham traps around here, but i agree, i use a bend on the head of mine, but i like the cutter on the end of it. Its easier on the floor drains, but i do find myself cutting the heads off eventually. Good pull on junk there. You just might turn into a drain cleaner one day ;)

Yeah, heads get in the way on the 3/8" and 1/4" cables, rather just have a bend and work the cable.

one day I'll be just like you and rickets:D you and rickets, you and rickets:smile-square:

[PLUMBER RICK]

real drain cleaners use heads. bent cables just stir things up.:eek:

there is no way a screwdriver of that size made it past a 3'' n.h. trap. it was the latex that wrapped around the cable and caught on the screwdriver.

i hope they fed you there:D

i need to go there tomorrow for stuff. i'll make sure i drop a smaller screwdriver in for you to fish out;)

rick.

[mrs. westcoast]

real drain cleaners use heads. bent cables just stir things up.:eek:

there is no way a screwdriver of that size made it past a 3'' n.h. trap. it was the latex that wrapped around the cable and caught on the screwdriver.

i hope they fed you there:D

i need to go there tomorrow for stuff. i'll make sure i drop a smaller screwdriver in for you to fish out;)

rick.

it can't happen unless rick say's it can't

[westcoastplumber]

real drain cleaners use heads. bent cables just stir things up.:eek:

there is no way a screwdriver of that size made it past a 3'' n.h. trap. it was the latex that wrapped around the cable and caught on the screwdriver.

i hope they fed you there:D

i need to go there tomorrow for stuff. i'll make sure i drop a smaller screwdriver in for you to fish out;)

rick.


I will start a poll, I have no clue how to, but I would be interested in the results. to blade ot not to blade. I use a blade only on mainlines, not 3/8 and 1/4.

I will work on starting that poll.

[DUNBAR]

A buddy of mine I send drain cleaning calls to does the same; he cuts the ends off and does a 2 bend trick.

Works good and it makes a lot of racket since it's scouring the pipe heavily but I would say that it's effective.


I myself never had to do that, still running with the same cable I bought the machine with, 3/8" with attachments up to 2" and I've never been in a situation to bend or kink it while cabling.

Works awesome for top-down the vent on a laundry tub where they transitioned to cast above or underground. Guaranteed clog eventually.


I'm assuming you can't do this trick on 1/4"?


I tried that once in a bad situation (cable kinked bad, had to cut it and tried bending it enough to get through the piping) and busted a fitting. Not a big deal but I hated the fact it happened; open hook would of prevented that.

I figured I could heat that end of the cable and make my own open hook but scared that where I heat it...it will snap off. :eek:

[jrsaltz]

I too use a Spartan model 100 with the bulb cut off and a bend on the end. It works great and in my opinion it is more effective than running blades.

I agree with the assesment that the latex gloves aided in the retreival of the screwdriver but I most certainly DO NOT agree that real drain cleaners use heads.

No one can say that a method is ineffective if it the end results are the same. If you open a drain with blades and I open the same drain with a bent cable what does it matter? I know for a fact that more people are using no blades and achieving just as good, if not better results that way. Besides, who wants to have to worry about changing blades all of the time anyway?

[PLUMBER RICK]

I too use a Spartan model 100 with the bulb cut off and a bend on the end. It works great and in my opinion it is more effective than running blades.

I agree with the assesment that the latex gloves aided in the retreival of the screwdriver but I most certainly DO NOT agree that real drain cleaners use heads.

No one can say that a method is ineffective if it the end results are the same. If you open a drain with blades and I open the same drain with a bent cable what does it matter? I know for a fact that more people are using no blades and achieving just as good, if not better results that way. Besides, who wants to have to worry about changing blades all of the time anyway?


tell you what, you do it your way and i'll do it the right way. a cable with no cutter head is just punching a hole in the stoppage. a cutter is displacing the built up debris.

sure a bent cable is easier to operate, since your not cleaning/ scraping and therefore have very little resistance.

why not try without a blade and camera the line to see the results. then run the blades and re camera the line. i know for a fact the line will be much cleaner.

sure you might have cleared the stoppage, but i clean the line. a big difference between the 2.

right or wrong?

comments.

rick.

by the way welcome to the forum. don't let me scare you, but i like the debates. it's how we all learn better ways and tricks:D

[Tyman]

Rick, I would agree that a cutter would clean a pipe better if the cable went in straight and only the cutter was coming in contact with the pipe. In residential drains 2" and less, having a head makes no difference. The cable scourers the pipe. Having said that, I always use a drop head on the smaller snakes because of ease in getting through 90's and such.

Now if we are talking urinal drain lines, or restaurant, deli, drain lines I use a head. No job is ever the same and each requires discernment.

On 3" pipe or larger I use a head. Most of the time guys will under size the head anyway, for fear of getting hung up.

Good job on the retrieval W.C. and thanks for posting pics. It always makes it more interesting.

[jrsaltz]

Rick, Thanks for the welcome.

I tell you what, I am attending the Pumper/Cleaner show at the end of the month, but when I return I will put both methods to the test. I will do so while recording it with my inspection camera. I will place a link to the video here on the forum. Maybe this will help us all to better understand the differances between blades and no blades.

Don't get me wrong. I do like to debate as well, but it needs to be done in a way that moves us forward in discussion so we have a chance to learn. I plan to be as active as possible here and look forward to learning from some of the experiances everyone has faced.

I am a fairly new business owner of a sewer and drain cleaning company in the second fastest growing county in the US. I am glad to have found this site as I am always looking for new processes and technology to improve the level of service I provide for my customers.

Cheers!!!

Jake S.

[drtyhands]

Welcome to the forum Jake.
Lots of experience here with these guys.The most I've seen on any other plumbing forum.Nice people too.

Hang out for a while,they would love to give any answers you may have questions about regarding drain cleaning and the business.

Don't believe anything Drain Medic says:nanner::rotflmao1:

[Josh]

Jake, Welcome to the forum. Make sure you stop by the RIDGID booth and ask for Josh when you are at the pumper show. I am the 6'6" guy. Slim build.

Also.. I believe we all settled on thursday night for having dinner. There will be a handful of forum members there as well and we are planning to go out for dinner the first night. You are more than welcome to come along.

Josh

Rick, Thanks for the welcome.

I tell you what, I am attending the Pumper/Cleaner show at the end of the month, but when I return I will put both methods to the test. I will do so while recording it with my inspection camera. I will place a link to the video here on the forum. Maybe this will help us all to better understand the differances between blades and no blades.

Don't get me wrong. I do like to debate as well, but it needs to be done in a way that moves us forward in discussion so we have a chance to learn. I plan to be as active as possible here and look forward to learning from some of the experiances everyone has faced.

I am a fairly new business owner of a sewer and drain cleaning company in the second fastest growing county in the US. I am glad to have found this site as I am always looking for new processes and technology to improve the level of service I provide for my customers.

Cheers!!!

Jake S.

[PLUMBER RICK]

Jake, Welcome to the forum. Make sure you stop by the RIDGID booth and ask for Josh when you are at the pumper show. I am the 6'6" guy. Slim build.

Also.. I believe we all settled on thursday night for having dinner. There will be a handful of forum members there as well and we are planning to go out for dinner the first night. You are more than welcome to come along.

Josh


also make sure you tell them that you want the 50% off discount for all forum members:smilewinkgrin::happydance:

jake, looking forward to your participation and your video link. i think you will be surprised. also make sure to run some water to flush out the gunk so we get to see the real results.

now while your at the show, take advantage of the 50% discount and pick up a k-60 and plenty of cutters for your machine;)

josh, just put it on my employee charge card:rolleyes:

rick.

[drtyhands]

also make sure you tell them that you want the 50% off discount for all forum members:smilewinkgrin::happydance:

jake, looking forward to your participation and your video link. i think you will be surprised. also make sure to run some water to flush out the gunk so we get to see the real results.

now while your at the show, take advantage of the 50% discount and pick up a k-60 and plenty of cutters for your machine;)

josh, just put it on my employee charge card:rolleyes:

rick.Your just not happy unless there's

CHAOS

[PLUMBER RICK]

Your just not happy unless there's

CHAOS

get smart adam;)




no, just trying to fill the ridgid booth with guys looking for the deal on the
k-60. at that price, i'll just have to fly out there myself to take advantage of the discount.

oh i also forgot the dinner on thurday night is another reason.

don't forget to bring josh some golf stuff (balls, tees) and he'll knock off the tax too:D

rick.

[Josh]

Oh yeah.. the 50% of discount. Rick said he'll subsidize half the price of every k-60 someone buys at the show. What a great guy:p

[Drain Medic]

Welcome to the forum Jake.
Lots of experience here with these guys.The most I've seen on any other plumbing forum.Nice people too.

Hang out for a while,they would love to give any answers you may have questions about regarding drain cleaning and the business.

Don't believe anything Drain Medic says:nanner::rotflmao1:


:eek: Do you need a phone call again!!! :p;)

[westcoastplumber]

tell you what, you do it your way and i'll do it the right way. a cable with no cutter head is just punching a hole in the stoppage. a cutter is displacing the built up debris.

sure a bent cable is easier to operate, since your not cleaning/ scraping and therefore have very little resistance.

why not try without a blade and camera the line to see the results. then run the blades and re camera the line. i know for a fact the line will be much cleaner.

sure you might have cleared the stoppage, but i clean the line. a big difference between the 2.

right or wrong?

comments.

rick.

by the way welcome to the forum. don't let me scare you, but i like the debates. it's how we all learn better ways and tricks:D



HMM, now we don't know how to clean drains properly.:rolleyes: or correctly:confused:

[drtyhands]

HMM, now we don't know how to clean drains properly.:rolleyes: or correctly:confused:
You guys know how pissed I'd be if someone told me I did not know what I was doing.

[All Clear Sewer]

Not much :D;)

[Josh]

Hmmm flat rate vs hourly... orrr... cutter vs bent... or....

This is one of those things that very capable and skilled drain cleaners do differently. I am sure the cutter fans can tear it up with their cutters and the bent cable guys can clean the same.

Lets just make sure we are respecting each others proffered methods of doing their job. This is almost turning as dangerous as political discussion :eek:

Later,

Josh

[DuckButter]

Lets just make sure we are respecting each others proffered methods of doing their job. This is almost turning as dangerous as political discussion :eek:

Later,

Josh

Many, many times a mental image has come to me of you, gulping tylenol and trying to figure out how to keep the peace with us.
Tough crowd here...if I ever meet you, tylenols on me.
Maybe a drink even.

[DUNBAR]

Did an easy one today but cheated and shot down a floor drain. Recessed cleanout cap was embedded in a new tile floor.

Put a spade on and 48' out I nabbed it.

It was for the bank manager of one of two banks I have money in, do their plumbing for. Don't know if this is a good thing or not.

I only charged $100 but it was fast, close and got some business advice non-related to plumbing. My large machine never gets less than 3 figures, ever.

[Josh]

One thing I have come to realize is that there are issues that have 2 sides and generally I have a lot of respect for members on both sides. I feel that they are outstanding tradesmen from what I know of them. Some of this can start out as teasing then someone takes offense and so on and so on.

Just trying to encourage everyone to make sure that when they state their opinion they are not insulting other members unless someone is way out of line and deserves insult ;) (screwing over customers, lying, doing crappy quality work). In this case its just a matter of preference.

Josh