# Bad day



## Kpwplumb (Dec 28, 2015)

I'll start by saying my drain cleaning skills are novice at best.
My aunt texted me and said her bathtub was slow and she was getting ankle deep when showering.
The only tools I have are the kinetic ram and k45af.

Well needless to say I think the ram made the block worse and I was unable to get the k45 to make a bend after the p-trap.. Got it in about 5-6 feet back towards the plumbing wall where I believe it hits a 90. 

The ram pushed The blockage downstream of the lavs so I decided to pull the trap and rod from there but could not for the life of me get the rod to drop down into the cross... ( back 2 back lavs.)

After 90 minutes I called it quits for the night. Thankfully she has a bathroom in the basement so I'm going to give it another whirl tomorrow. a guy from work is going to borrow me his k-50. 

In conclusion I'm upset I have to go back.
And also slightly embarrassed I couldn't get it done and wondered what if it wasn't family and couldn't just walk away for the night.

That's all just a rant/ vent 
Hopefully I'll have better luck tomorrow.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

BTB lavs can be a pain at times. Kink your cable and line it up in the drop. Apply pressure and pull the trigger. Once it pushes check with your flashlight and see if you made the drop.


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## KoleckeINC (Oct 22, 2011)

I always fill the tub a little and run the sink when blasting tub, anyway...tubs are notoriously a pita to rod even when everything goes right so don't beat yourself up about it. Stop using 5/16 and use reverse to get past 90's...sometimes it's all about making a different bend on the end of your cable-left-right-backwards S.


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## Kpwplumb (Dec 28, 2015)

Thanks for the tips.
I Could use all the help I can get


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## cable or root (Oct 7, 2015)

Try running the b2b lav sinks from the vent if possible, it makes life much easier. 

I've had a bad day too I won't go into too much detail but it involved hypodermic needles, a broken line, a baby, the police, and banana peels. 

You may want to consider a more robust machine for secondary lines. A dm 138 or the k50 will make all the difference in the world. I find 1/4" cable to be better suited for tubs too. Don't mess with ends, just kink the cable to suite your needs


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## Debo22 (Feb 15, 2015)

cable or root said:


> I've had a bad day too I won't go into too much detail but it involved hypodermic needles, a broken line, a baby, the police, and banana peels.


You can't post something like that and not go into detail


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## cable or root (Oct 7, 2015)

Debo22 said:


> You can't post something like that and not go into detail


Maybe tomarrow, it was a very emotionally taxing experience, not only that but I wasted half a day on that job, under bid the repair, and cleaned the line for free. My hearts bigger than my pocket book....


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## 89plumbum (May 14, 2011)

I'm just an amateur, but how about the string trick? It's worked for me before. Tie a 2' piece of string to head and pull down when you hit the bend.


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## Fatpat (Nov 1, 2015)

Ditch the 5/16" cable
Get a 1/4" x35'(it will fit in your 45)
Cut the spring head off with a cold chisel and hammer.

Bend a small 45angle in the end.
When you hit a turn that's tough
Lock the cable, put the machine in reverse and "pluse" the tigger
While pushing, you will work it in a few inches at a time.

Once your through, throw it back is forward.


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## Toli (Nov 7, 2015)

Good advice above. I certainly can't dismiss the importance of the equipment being used. But drain cleaning is mostly feel. Only experience can give you that. Try to visualize it in your head. You know what a san cross looks like. Look at the end of your cable. What do you think it will do when it finds the cross?

See the cable, feel the cable, become one with the cable. And saying a quick prayer to the drain cleaning gods never hurt either.


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## cable or root (Oct 7, 2015)

Just wait until you get side by side bathroom sinks, those are tons of fun.


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## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

OpenSights said:


> BTB lavs can be a pain at times. Kink your cable and line it up in the drop. Apply pressure and pull the trigger. Once it pushes check with your flashlight and see if you made the drop.



This. Do this and back to backs are easy peasey. Bend your cable like a "J" and make sure it's facing down at the drop. Apply steady pressure and you should get it. Try reverse if necessary. I have zero issues with back to backs using this method. 


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## Plumbducky (Jun 12, 2010)

If its a blind b2b sink, stick a camera in the other drain and watch what you are doing to make the cable drop.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Hey guys, you ever heard of a drop head? What is with all the bending of cables and trying to feel which way the cable is headed? 

Once I was cabling a man's kitchen drain line without a drop head on the end of my cable. When my cable hit the san tee, it went up the stack. I kept pushing. When I went outside and looked up on his roof, my cable was on his roof.

Get a drop head.


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## Flyout95 (Apr 13, 2012)

Tommy plumber said:


> Hey guys, you ever heard of a drop head? What is with all the bending of cables and trying to feel which way the cable is headed?
> 
> Once I was cabling a man's kitchen drain line without a drop head on the end of my cable. When my cable hit the san tee, it went up the stack. I kept pushing. When I went outside and looked up on his roof, my cable was on his roof.
> 
> Get a drop head.


Drop heads break.


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Flyout95 said:


> Drop heads break.












Anything breaks if it is abused. Not a good excuse.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

Kpwplumb said:


> I'll start by saying my drain cleaning skills are novice at best.
> My aunt texted me and said her bathtub was slow and she was getting ankle deep when showering.
> The only tools I have are the kinetic ram and k45af.
> 
> ...






that is what happens when you work for relations in the evenings.....

.It would be cheaper just to pay someone else to do the work than to get into it any deeper....

If you dont have the right equipment, I would call one of those 99 dollars or its free places ..:laughing::laughing:


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## cable or root (Oct 7, 2015)

Tommy plumber said:


> Anything breaks if it is abused. Not a good excuse.


I've broken like 4 drop heads with the k50 when I was in the air force. I've never broken a reverse auger or kinked 3/8 or 1/4 drum cable off in a line and had to open the line up to get it. In the Air Force it didn't matter when we had to cut a slab open to retrieve a broken auger bit. No money or insurance involved, just more work. At someone's home, or business it's a whole different story. The swivel is a weak link and the bit is long. So torque is applied directly to that weak link when making tight turns. Going up instead of down a stack is easily noticed and quickly correctable with out running equipment that has a good potential for more damage that you should be liable for.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Tommy plumber said:


> Hey guys, you ever heard of a drop head? What is with all the bending of cables and trying to feel which way the cable is headed?
> 
> Once I was cabling a man's kitchen drain line without a drop head on the end of my cable. When my cable hit the san tee, it went up the stack. I kept pushing. When I went outside and looked up on his roof, my cable was on his roof.
> 
> Get a drop head.


Are you the guy that spartan rep on the back of the cleaner magazines keep talking about? lol


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

Bent cable > drop head.
Never lost a bent cable.
( and it's not abuse, it's "conditioning")


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## MACK ATTAKK (Jan 11, 2015)

Plumbducky said:


> If its a blind b2b sink, stick a camera in the other drain and watch what you are doing to make the cable drop. Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


What model camera would you use on that size line?


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## Plumbducky (Jun 12, 2010)

I have used my Ridgid micro and mini 200, as well as my Milwaukee

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


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## Kpwplumb (Dec 28, 2015)

Update .....
Ended up calling my cousin who works For a service shop.
We went over there yesterday after work he brought a k-50 and had the line opened up in 5 minutes. 
Took longer to get set up.
I appreciate all the tips and will keep them In mind.


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## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

Drop heads are junk and honestly, for amateurs. No offense intended. 


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## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

gear junkie said:


> Are you the guy that spartan rep on the back of the cleaner magazines keep talking about? lol



With a model 81 doing a back to back toilet line. Lol. You can't make this stuff up. 


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## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

Tommy plumber said:


> Hey guys, you ever heard of a drop head? What is with all the bending of cables and trying to feel which way the cable is headed?
> 
> Once I was cabling a man's kitchen drain line without a drop head on the end of my cable. When my cable hit the san tee, it went up the stack. I kept pushing. When I went outside and looked up on his roof, my cable was on his roof.
> 
> Get a drop head.



You didn't feel the cable going up to the roof?


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## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

cable or root said:


> Just wait until you get side by side bathroom sinks, those are tons of fun.



Just back to back only side to side. How about side to side offsets or back to back offsets. Holy hell can those break balls. 


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Drain Pro said:


> You didn't feel the cable going up to the roof?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk














Can't remember. It was years ago, when I was young, dumb and full of energy. And brand new to service work.


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## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

Tommy plumber said:


> Can't remember. It was years ago, when I was young, dumb and full of energy. And brand new to service work.



I've done it too. 


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Tommy plumber said:


> Can't remember. It was years ago, when I was young, dumb and full of energy. And brand new to service work.


I once put 80'+ of 5/8 up a vent. After fighting it down the flange I stood up to wipe some sweat off and saw my cable dangling just outside the window. Scared, I ran out to see if there was any damage. Nope. It was coiled up nice and neat next to a 10x5' window leaning up against the house.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

OpenSights said:


> I once put 80'+ of 5/8 up a vent. After fighting it down the flange I stood up to wipe some sweat off and saw my cable dangling just outside the window. Scared, I ran out to see if there was any damage. Nope. It was coiled up nice and neat next to a 10x5' window leaning up against the house.



I have pulled the same stunt a few times too and never realized how dangerous that can actually be.. I had the k-50 cable out the vent roof and my brother-in-law came running into the house yelling that I was about to tangle them up with all the power lines coming into the side of the house......thats not good at all........ :blink:

It would have been a very freak accident and I dont know if I would have got lit up or not... I probably would have been looking at my k-50 when this bright white flash would have gone off and I would have been knocked on my ass or made dead......


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## Qplumb (Dec 19, 2015)

The shop guy at a company I used to work for would get sent on calls every now and then when it was really busy. He was sent to a drain call at a duplex, kitchen backing up. He pulled the trap ran the drain and pulled back Walmart bags. Put the trap back on ran water for about 10 minutes and left. Later the office gets a call from the duplex owner wondering if the plumber noticed anyone breaking in to the other unit while he was there, because someone vandalized the kitchen and flooded it. When the shop guy was telling us all about it the 3 actual plumbers knew exactly what he did & couldn't stop laughing. I can't remember if the company ever came clean with the owner of the duplex. That's what you get for sending an amateur on a call by himself.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

LOL! When I was still green I was sent to an old large house that was turned into six crap-hole apartments. The MGT Co. was the fly by night type. Well I went to cable the lav line. Shot my cable out a good 20' 'cause there was no telling where the drain actually went. Pulling it back it was stuck real bad. Well turns out it was BTB. So I figure out how to get to the next door unit and found some crack heads. They let me in and went back to shooting up. I don't know how much damage was from my cable and what was already there but it looked like some rabid critters had a field day. Got my cable out, replaced the trap, got the line open and was outta there.


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## mpm (Nov 16, 2010)

I had a rough one yesterday. This was the last call of a 12hr day. That cab is literally 10" wide, to the left is the refer. Sink full of yummy water. Had to pull disposal out to get to the stub. 
All the while the renter repeatedly telling me about the toilet on the opposite side gurgling. I just told her I'd take care of it when I was done with the kitchen. I wasn't going to try and explain the concept of wet venting to get.


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