# Cutting kinks out of cable.



## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

I'm just wondering if anyone on here has had to cut a kink out of a 3/8 cable? While I was in school one of the contractors we do work for, borrowed it to use at a house he was renoing. Next time I went to use it the cable is kinked about 4 feet back from the head the line has a big kink. I called the supplier to order a new one and the guy I talked to said lots of guys will cut the kink out and weld the head on at the cut.
This seems odd to me but I'm just kind of new to the drain cleaning aspect of the trade.


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## wharfrat (Nov 1, 2014)

I use gorlitz cables and machines. You can cut out the kink and splice cable back together or cut kink and thread in a new head. I dont use a head on my 3/8'' just a bent end.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

I've cut kinks out of 5/8" and 3/4" cable, spun in a coupling, welded it and ground it down.. but never a 3/8". 3/8" and 1/4" I just bend the kink out of it best I can.

I don't mind running my cable with a few kinks. The make good distance markers, slap around inside the line which always helps, plus helps build your instincts when feeling and understanding what the cable is doing, how to control it, and feel what is going to happen with it.

The downsides to running with a kink is extra splatter to clean up, a heavier wear spot, which shortens the life of the cable, and you can count on that super hard blockage being in the exact spot when the kink is between your machine and the line!


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

wharfrat said:


> * I dont use a head on my 3/8'' just a bent end.*



Same here.


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## Shoot'N'Plumber (Apr 27, 2013)

You can weld a new adapter on if you wish but a kink at 4' back I would say leave it ill clean yur pipe


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## Hillside (Jan 22, 2010)

Usually if a cable has a kink in that's when you'll hit a bad section right before it goes in the pipe and that's always fun to wrastle with, 4' isn't bad, if it bugs you that much chop it off and bend it or weld on a new end, my 3/8s is 90' so 4' isn't too bad of a loss


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## wharfrat (Nov 1, 2014)

The kink is always at the stoppage! How does it know?
Plumbing Gods I guess...


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## KoleckeINC (Oct 22, 2011)

First I would try to slip the cable through two half inch nipples and bend the kink back. drain cables direct has couplings for 3/8,
Screw together and take it to a muffler shop for a 10$ weld.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

wharfrat said:


> The kink is always at the stoppage! How does it know?
> Plumbing Gods I guess...


Most days they seem to have a sick sense of humor with what they do.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

KoleckeINC said:


> First I would try to slip the cable through two half inch nipples and bend the kink back. drain cables direct has couplings for 3/8,
> Screw together and take it to a muffler shop for a 10$ weld.


I find a pair of channel locks facing each other seems to work best for me.


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## fixitright (Jan 5, 2012)

Why not just replace it? 

A worn cable just leads to trouble.


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## Dpeckplb (Sep 20, 2013)

Ok I guess I'll leave it.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

fixitright said:


> Why not just replace it?
> 
> A worn cable just leads to trouble.


Yes, a overly worn cable can be trouble without a doubt, but sometimes a kink can happen the same day you first use it or at half life. As long as a cable is safe to use, I use it. Sure beats just throwing money away on a new one and scrap the kinked one.

I've had a few lines over the years where on the previous job, my old cable proved to just not have the rigidity I needed so I'd install my back-up cable. Next job I'd find switching the new cable out with my worn cable was a better choice, and got the job done faster and more effective. Kinks add value and sloppiness can sometimes get you around that weird, messed up joint so you can see it with the video and sell a repair.


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## fixitright (Jan 5, 2012)

I buy my small cables from Mytana and have male ends put on both ends.

If I kink the first few feet in my k-3800 I just pull the cable out of the drum
and reverse it. Just like a new cable. 

I've found that a kinked/over torqued cable has a greater chance of flipping.

Why take the chance? Cables are cheap compared to a day of frustration.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

On 1/4" & 3/8" cables I might live with a kink in a new cable for a while, if it was in an inconvenient spot that provided frequent annoyance on jobs I'd consider it as a possible trim point...

At 4' it would be a trim point for sure...
That would come in to play on a large number of dirty arms...

On an older cable that had gone soft I'd replace the cable in a heartbeat...
It is just too inefficient to try to work with a junk cable...

I too use just a bent end on the smaller diameter cables...
An end bent somewhat like this would be my typical starting point...










The actual dimensions and bending is determined by the diameter of the pipe and I'll bend it to sweep the full ID of the pipe. That particular bend will find its way nicely around elbows and through tees...


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## AssTyme (May 15, 2010)

KoleckeINC said:


> *First I would try to slip the cable through two half inch nipples and bend the kink back*. drain cables direct has couplings for 3/8,
> Screw together and take it to a muffler shop for a 10$ weld.




What he said^^^^^^^^^^

I use a vise and one pipe.


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## AssTyme (May 15, 2010)

fixitright said:


> I buy my small cables from Mytana and have male ends put on both ends.
> 
> If I kink the first few feet in my k-3800 I just pull the cable out of the drum
> and reverse it. Just like a new cable.
> ...




Is it wise to run a medium size/large cable in a direction that opens the windings upon torquing the cable ?

I think Marco did this ???


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## fixitright (Jan 5, 2012)

AssTyme said:


> Is it wise to run a medium size/large cable in a direction that opens the windings upon torquing the cable ?
> 
> I think Marco did this ???


That's a thought but the biggest I do this with is 3/8. Never a problem.


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## All Pro (Nov 15, 2013)

A kink in 3/8 is just gonna clean better. Straighten with your hand and leave it . 3/8 should only be going in to sludge, hair or grease . It will help clean the pipe walls. Put another bend a few inches from the end too (like an S).


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## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

Or get a sectional machine like a K-60; when and if you get a kink, just toss the 15 foot section and buy a new 15 foot section. Done. 





Oh, I forgot, some guys love a drum machine; once they work out all the kinks that is.........:laughing:


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## fixitright (Jan 5, 2012)

Anyone try to take a kink out of 1 1/4 Eel ?


Great thing about sectionals is you can just replace a section.


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

AssTyme said:


> Is it wise to run a medium size/large cable in a direction that opens the windings upon torquing the cable ?
> 
> I think Marco did this ???


Just because you turn the cable around does mean you are changing the windings so that they "open up".


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## AssTyme (May 15, 2010)

ChrisConnor said:


> Just because you turn the cable around does mean you are changing the windings so that they "open up".






Bad brain day... :bangin:


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

fixitright said:


> Anyone try to take a kink out of 1 1/4 Eel ?
> 
> 
> Great thing about sectionals is you can just replace a section.


Of course you realize what you pay for one 15' section is what I pay for a full 50' cable comparing 15' of 5/8" sectional cable to 50' of 3/8" drum cable which would be similar duty cable in use... 

I view my old kinked and soft cable as an expendable that is changed out when needed... I even carry an extra one on the truck in case I decide to change it out in the middle of a job...


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

AssTyme said:


> Is it wise to run a medium size/large cable in a direction that opens the windings upon torquing the cable ?
> 
> I think Marco did this ???


The difference AssTyme is Marco set out to make right hand wound cable so
you would have to buy all your replacement cables from them,

because Marco went out of business is why Trojan is now making right hand cables with the Marco snap fittings, 

kind of like Sears doe's with their electric elements 1 3/8" instead of the regular
1 1/2" that all other MFG'S use


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

Best way to deal with a kink is to cut it out and splice the cable. But if that is not an option you beat the kink into submission. Get out a hunk of metal like a manhole lid, anvil or the sort lay the kink across the metal platform with the bow of the kink pointing up. Take a 3 pound hammer and give it a few wakes while keeping the bow upward. After a few good whacks it will be straight enough to work with.


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

If my cable gets a kink, I just bend it back by hand the best I can.


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

I too use just a bent end on the smaller diameter cables...
An end bent somewhat like this would be my typical starting point...

The actual dimensions and bending is determined by the diameter of the pipe and I'll bend it to sweep the full ID of the pipe. That particular bend will find its way nicely around elbows and through tees...[/QUOTE]

this is what I almost always used on my small drain cables even to do back to back drains if you bend it right, :thumbup:
But since I have been selling cables it is amazing how many plumbers, drainman, and plain maintenance man go crazy if the end of the cable gets cut off or broken they believe that they cannot open a drain with out some type of cutter blade on the cable, 
A POLL
I don't know if this is just a South Texas thing or if a lot of you out there think
you can only clear a tub, shower, lav sink, kitchen sink or washer drain using
1/4", 5/16", 3/8', OR A 13/32" cables and have to have some type of blade or other attachment or the bent cable ? :thumbsup:

please give a response I would really like to get some ideal of which it is ?


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

JERRYMAC said:


> This is what I almost always used on my small drain cables *even to do back to back drains if you bend it right,* :thumbup:


Yep! It does those back to back to back bathtub drains quite easily...
If you know what you are doing...

I had a call at a high end hotel in New Haven where they had 3 separate back to back bathtub lines clogged and their maintenance guys had snotted up every drain machine they had, it was Friday Night and they already had guests in the rooms...

The job was a PITA as I had to wait for a little over an hour for the guests to leave the rooms so they sent me for the free dinner at their restaurant the Parmesan Crusted Alaskan Halibut with lemon thyme risotto, tomato confit, beure blanc, basil oil was superb...:thumbup:

Then I went in and made my guest appearances with their staff having the overflows off already, and hovering waiting to clean, as soon as I was done. I popped the 3 drains in about 20 minutes and was on my way billing them just under a G-Note tax not included...:laughing:

The maintenance guy asked what my secret was...
I told him, "I'm the drain whisperer, drains talk to me...":laughing:


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Redwood said:


> Yep! It does those back to back to back bathtub drains quite easily...
> If you know what you are doing...
> 
> I had a call at a high end hotel in New Haven where they had 3 separate back to back bathtub lines clogged and their maintenance guys had snotted up every drain machine they had, it was Friday Night and they already had guests in the rooms...
> ...


I don't know if I love or hate those calls... They spend all day Friday or Saturday trying to snake the darn thing then they call you just after hours so there's a nite time fee, ya walk in and walk out and collect the extra dough.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

OpenSights said:


> I don't know if I love or hate those calls... They spend all day Friday or Saturday trying to snake the darn thing then they call you just after hours so there's a nite time fee, ya walk in and walk out and collect the extra dough.


I was okay with it...
The call was just early enough that it wasn't an after hours call...

But I did treat their 5 Star Restaurant like it was an All You Can Eat Chinese Buffet....:laughing:


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Redwood said:


> I was okay with it...
> The call was just early enough that it wasn't an after hours call...
> 
> But I did treat their 5 Star Restaurant like it was an All You Can Eat Chinese Buffet....:laughing:


Good looking kitchen I hope!:laughing:


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

OpenSights said:


> Good looking kitchen I hope!:laughing:


Didn't look and don't want to know.... :laughing:


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## MACPLUMB777 (Jun 18, 2008)

*Small Cable Blades or a Bent End ?*

A poll ?
Started a new thread


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