# K-40af



## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

I finally took this thing off my van today and it felt so good.


I don't want to say I don't like it or that it's a bad machine, it just wasn't right for me. There are a number of things I don't like about it though.


-The 5/16" and 3/8" cables it came with are garbage and each kinked in many places on the first try. The 3/8" was actually hollow.


The connection on the 3/8" used a sharp object to depress the locking pin which held the heads on. I am no butterfingers and found it very difficult not to stab my self in the palm when trying to unlock the heads.



-The foot pedal is glued on so it doesn't rotate and frequently comes unglued. Although it is just pvc so I can easily reglue it. The not rotating thing was really annoying because each time you lifted to reposition the tubing would pull the foot pedal out from under your knee. I never got around to attaching a general foot pedal instead.


-The guide hose kinks easily causing it to grab the cable inside.


-The cables flip over easily in the drum.


-Holding the drive paddles will give you arthritis after the first job. I just held them with channellocks.




That's about it. I was hesitant but since I got my general mini-jet about 9 months ago I haven't needed a small diameter snake. And even in the year preceding that I maybe used the k-40af once or twice begrudgingly. I would like to convince my boss to order me the general drain rooter ph. Seems like a much more well thought out design of the same general idea. Also, because it's drive unit is a standard corded drill I may be able to swap it for a cordless drill


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

asstyme also didn't like the K-40af and he was trying to sell it.


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

I own a K-40 , first thing I did was lose the guide hose. It has worked on every job I used it on and have been really happy with it.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Every drain cleaner is different. What works for me probably won’t work for someone else, both in equipment and procedure. 

Out of the two I’d choose the vee hybrid, but I wouldn’t like it. Just give me my hand held vee, that way I can adjust my distance from the machine to the drain as close or far as I want depending on how the line feels.

So you’re liking your general mini jetter? On a 100% clog once you push it as far as you can, how much Bach flow do you get on average?


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

OpenSights said:


> Every drain cleaner is different. What works for me probably won’t work for someone else, both in equipment and procedure.
> 
> Out of the two I’d choose the vee hybrid, but I wouldn’t like it. Just give me my hand held vee, that way I can adjust my distance from the machine to the drain as close or far as I want depending on how the line feels.
> 
> So you’re liking your general mini jetter? On a 100% clog once you push it as far as you can, how much Bach flow do you get on average?


It says it flows 1.6gpm and that seems correct. I usually put a bucket under trap adapter or if it's too low or too far back I have a short piece of pipe with a female adapter I screw on. Often times I can put the shop vac on the leg for the autovent so I will have the running then when it fills up the bucket catches and I can run another minute or two then dump everything. Ideally you would run it from downstream back up but I almost never do that.

I keep two buckets of 1-1/2" and 2" pvc fittings on the van so I can always make it easier.




.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

My question is why do they show going through the basket strainer? The bulb will not go through it. It doesn't show the bulb being cut off either. I don't believe you will unclog the line at 35' going through the strainer.

Second ; some guys say they go through the p-trap clean out. That too I have a hard time with that, I'm not saying it's impossible but you are going to use 50' of your cable bent down in the cabinet and your back aching. Then not knowing if you cleared it, put the cap back on test with water to find out it didn't work. Then you need to drain the sink again and go for a second and 3rd attempt!


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## skoronesa (Oct 27, 2015)

Tango said:


> My question is why do they show going through the basket strainer? The bulb will not go through it. It doesn't show the bulb being cut off either. I don't believe you will unclog the line at 35' going through the strainer.
> 
> Second ; some guys say they go through the p-trap clean out. That too I have a hard time with that, I'm not saying it's impossible but you are going to use 50' of your cable bent down in the cabinet and your back aching. Then not knowing if you cleared it, put the cap back on test with water to find out it didn't work. Then you need to drain the sink again and go for a second and 3rd attempt!





Often times I test with the shop vac. If I get back septic gas I know I am good  Often times I clear most with the shop vac.



But that's only if I am lucky and it isn't vented. I really think that kitchen drain lines longer than 10' work better if they aren't vented because then you get a good siphon by the end which helps pull the built up grease and schit out.






.


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

Tango said:


> My question is why do they show going through the basket strainer? The bulb will not go through it. It doesn't show the bulb being cut off either. I don't believe you will unclog the line at 35' going through the strainer.
> 
> Second ; some guys say they go through the p-trap clean out. That too I have a hard time with that, I'm not saying it's impossible but you are going to use 50' of your cable bent down in the cabinet and your back aching. Then not knowing if you cleared it, put the cap back on test with water to find out it didn't work. Then you need to drain the sink again and go for a second and 3rd attempt!


The bulb auger feeds itself through the cross in the basket, then pushes through the trap. I have done it many of times when I didn't have the clearance under the sink to catch the water when I remove the p-trap.


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

#1 as SewerRatz posted 1st get rid of the funky hose,
also as posted I have ran a 1/4" cable down basket strainer,
also I have drilled out the center cross with a 1/4" drill bit and then snaked
out the drain while running water :biggrin:


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

SewerRatz said:


> The bulb auger feeds itself through the cross in the basket, then pushes through the trap. I have done it many of times when I didn't have the clearance under the sink to catch the water when I remove the p-trap.


1/4" cable or 5/16" and how far do you go? It must surely scratch or damage the strainer?


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

Tango said:


> 1/4" cable or 5/16" and how far do you go? It must surely scratch or damage the strainer?


5/16 30 feet and no I never damaged a strainer. You get the hook of the auger started let it thread in as you run in it in on forward, and if you are worried about the trap, you can switch to reverse once you get the auger through the strainer.


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## AssTyme (May 15, 2010)

Tango said:


> asstyme also didn't like the K-40af and he was trying to sell it.







I never even used it. I just knew it wasn't for me.


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