# What hand held see snake?



## lpayne1234 (Sep 20, 2008)

Wanting to get one of those small hand held see snakes for service work and repair? Which one would you all recommend?
thanks


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## leak1 (Mar 25, 2009)

ridgid-really like mine.


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## user823 (Feb 3, 2009)

lpayne1234 said:


> Wanting to get one of those small hand held see snakes for service work and repair? Which one would you all recommend?
> thanks


ooops, never mind, lost my mind, time to put the brain to bed! LOL


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## ROCKSTARPLUMBER (Dec 14, 2008)

ironranger said:


> Ridgid K39AF


I think he means the hand held cameras. 
I have tried the milwalkuee one at Fergy's, but the ridgid one has a memory card in it to record images. Both work just as well.


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## ToUtahNow (Jul 19, 2008)

lpayne1234 said:


> Wanting to get one of those small hand held see snakes for service work and repair? Which one would you all recommend?
> thanks


I am assuming you are talking about the Micro line of SeeSnake. I own the first and second generation of the Micro and a first (and only) generation of the MicroExplorer. My first choice would be the MicroExplorer my second would be the second generation Micro and I would not buy the first generation Micro.

Mark


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

DO NOT BUY THE RIDGID MICRO!!! I've had nothing but trouble with them. I tend to like ridgid tools but they really dropped the ball on this one. I've owned 3 of them and they all broke within a month. Complete junk.

I got the Milwaukee M-specter and I couldn’t be happier. Much higher quality. No cheap happy meal plastic parts. Li-ion batteries. Digital controls. There is no comparison between the ridgid and the Milwaukee.

DON'T BUY THE RIDGID! I'm telling you man, it won't last. If you really want one I’ve got a pile of broken ones in the shop for ya that you can get repaired.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Protech said:


> DO NOT BUY THE RIDGID MICRO!!! I've had nothing but trouble with them. I tend to like ridgid tools but they really dropped the ball on this one. I've owned 3 of them and they all broke within a month. Complete junk.
> 
> I got the Milwaukee M-specter and I couldn’t be happier. Much higher quality. No cheap happy meal plastic parts. Li-ion batteries. Digital controls. There is no comparison between the ridgid and the Milwaukee.
> 
> DON'T BUY THE RIDGID! I'm telling you man, it won't last. If you really want one I’ve got a pile of broken ones in the shop for ya that you can get repaired.


Wow...
What do you do with them?
Run them over?

I guess I got lucky!


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## ToUtahNow (Jul 19, 2008)

Protech said:


> DO NOT BUY THE RIDGID MICRO!!! I've had nothing but trouble with them. I tend to like ridgid tools but they really dropped the ball on this one. I've owned 3 of them and they all broke within a month. Complete junk.
> 
> I got the Milwaukee M-specter and I couldn’t be happier. Much higher quality. No cheap happy meal plastic parts. Li-ion batteries. Digital controls. There is no comparison between the ridgid and the Milwaukee.
> 
> DON'T BUY THE RIDGID! I'm telling you man, it won't last. If you really want one I’ve got a pile of broken ones in the shop for ya that you can get repaired.


The first generation Micro had a plastic head which would snap off if you bent the wand from the head. I have never heard of Ridgid not doing a warranty repair on one of those but I still would not go with a first generation. The second generation Micro is much nicer and has an aluminum head, a video out jack for recording stills and video and a nice plastic case. The MicroExplorer is the real deal for professionals and includes a built in SDHC camera for both video and stills plus a bunch of other features like auto up, pan, tilt, zoom and light adjustments. The other thing the Ridgid's have that Milwaukee do not have is the Micros can be used with a 17mm head or a 9.5mm head while the Milwaukee is limited to a 17mm head. I have taken some great pictures of erosion inside of 1/2" copper with mine.

Mark


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## lpayne1234 (Sep 20, 2008)

Thanks everyone, most of my tools are Milwaukee. I have looked at the Milwaukee one. Read good things on the Explorer (Ridgid) also. I need to go ahead and get one or the other.
Thanks again, I will let you all know what I decide on. :thumbsup:


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## user823 (Feb 3, 2009)

Just what do folks use these for? I have never had the need for one. Self exam, look for polups? I don't know. What?


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## ToUtahNow (Jul 19, 2008)

I've been using the Explorer for a little over a year and probably have over 100 inspections with it. On one project I was trying to identify what pipe was in the wall without cutting big holes. On some I was able to identify the pipe by going behind the flange of the laundry box on others I went behind the shower valve by removing the trim and others I had to do a 3/4" hole out in the garage under the water heater platform. I used the Explorer to take pictures of what I found so I could document my work. On another large project I was inspecting the plumbing of jetted tubs which did not have proper access.

Mark


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## lpayne1234 (Sep 20, 2008)

:thumbsup: Ran into 2 of same situations last week, that is why I got to get one.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Yep, first gen sucked. I haven't bought any of the new ones. I'm still to mad at ridgid about the ones I got already.



ToUtahNow said:


> The first generation Micro had a plastic head which would snap off if you bent the wand from the head. I have never heard of Ridgid not doing a warranty repair on one of those but I still would not go with a first generation. The second generation Micro is much nicer and has an aluminum head, a video out jack for recording stills and video and a nice plastic case. The MicroExplorer is the real deal for professionals and includes a built in SDHC camera for both video and stills plus a bunch of other features like auto up, pan, tilt, zoom and light adjustments. The other thing the Ridgid's have that Milwaukee do not have is the Micros can be used with a 17mm head or a 9.5mm head while the Milwaukee is limited to a 17mm head. I have taken some great pictures of erosion inside of 1/2" copper with mine.
> 
> Mark


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## ToUtahNow (Jul 19, 2008)

If you have not decided on which hand held to get yet you should watch this video.





 
Mark


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

looks impressive. I guess I’ll have to get one.


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## ToUtahNow (Jul 19, 2008)

I'm really looking forward to the new microDrain they are coming out with. To have a hand held with a 30' push cable will be very interesting.





 
Mark


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## lpayne1234 (Sep 20, 2008)

I'll tell you all, if my work don't pick up or I don't go back to work I won't be getting nothing right away. I was laid off last Nov. 08, I have been doing some service work on my own but nothing to stay afloat on. Man around West Alabama the plumbing co are not hiring and the people around the college town want you to work out of your own truck with no gas allowance and still not pay but 15.00 dollars/hr. Hell they think they are really pay something when they say 15.00/hr. Alot of the do it yourselfers are getting alot of work for nothing and cutting the ones of us with lic. out. I am trying to hold off and a friend of mine is trying to get me on at the college, a decent wage with with some benifits. Something has got to give. :yes:


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