Rothenberger Innercore Sectional Cable

[gear junkie]

Got a steal on ebay and got 1 brand new section of Rothenberger IC Cable with the red core for 30. Cable looks real good but haven't had a chance to try it out. Will post results for a comparision between the general innercore and the rothenberger IC next time I use the cable.

[jhplumbing]

I would like to here your thoughts on each brand cable.

[PLUMBER RICK]

ben, is it similar to the 7/8'' with the same ridgid 7/8'' snap connectors?

is it a plastic core or a wire core?

can you post a photo

rick.

[JCsPlumbing]

Could be like this.

http://www.toolsdirect.com/index.cfm...LAID=203639205

http://www.mytoolstore.com/roth/pipe05.html

J.C.

[PLUMBER RICK]

looks like a very similar ridgid c-10inner core cable. the difference is the triangular wire they make the cable from. this is what gives the cleaning/ scraping action.

the price is higher than the ridgid or the general innercore.

rick.

[gear junkie]

Pic 1 is the end connections for the rothenberger. The female end only has one side side that's slotted.

Pic 2 is the rothenberger cable. This is just plastic.

Pic 3 is the general IC male end.

More to follow.....

[gear junkie]

Went to a repeat customer's house where the general cable is needed. It's about 4' from the cleanout with roots at 15', 60, 74,and ties into the main at 105. I used a piece of pipe to cover the distance the first time I did this line. I got the job done but this was very akward. The next time, I used the general IC and the cable was plenty stiff where I didn't need the pipe. Today I used the rothenberger and it wanted to kink up when I went through the roots at 60'. I immediatly tripped out and changed cable to the general cable. The general cable didn't bend at all and transferred all the torque to the cutter head.

I have a theory that the rothenberger cable depends on it's stiffness by the cable torquing down on the plastic inner core. I believe the general is stiff because of the inner cable. To test this theory I bent the cable and then bent it again under twisting tension. The following pics are the result. When I twisted the rothenberger cable, the steel cable visibly twisted down on the plastic core. When I did the same with the general, the outer cable came nowhere near the inner cable.

I believe that the plastic innercore is non essential because of the price. The need for IC cable is because you have to go through some tough stuff. The general is heavier duty and alot cheaper but much heavier. I'll stick with the general innercore if I had to choose one IC cable but do see applications for the plastic IC cable.

[TomSV650]

That's some great, useful info thanks.

[Gene Bickford]

I like the General IC for it's ability to sustain a huge amount of pull.
I have used a come along to remove a stuck cable with no damage to the cable.

I even attached 2 old cables to a tree and my truck to see just how much the cable can withstand. I filmed it to post here but decided against it due to my Mainer hick accent.

Anyway I was able to pull it,I'm guessing 6'. At that distance the cable was starting to stretch and slightly deform when returned to slack position. Actually the cable returned itself back to slack position. When I let off the gas, the cable pulled me back like I was in reverse.

I then wentt slowly to about 10', and in 4X4 my plow truck just spun because of the snow. I then got running start and same thing. I finally had to get a good running start and come on to it pretty good before the cable finally snapped.

Result: 1 male end and 1 female end pulled/snapped out and one cable broke 1' from the end.

It was an amazing amount of pull that any cable would never see in the field, but it was a testament of how strong this cable is.

I wonder how much pull the plastic core can withstand?

[gear junkie]

I was talking about the 7/8 cable for the k60 but you gotta show that video. I'd love to see it. BTW, if you have so much extra cable you can just destroy for gp, I'd love to take some of it off your hands.