# Things that make you go hmmm.



## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

Yesterday, I was invited and popped in on a friend, a long time plumber, who was rodding a sewer at an office. He was using his trusty K 7500.

I was very surprised at his "down and dirty" posture of running the machine, down on both knees with the foot pedal under his right knee. I usually squat when running my machine, but if I do kneel, I do it on one knee with a pad under that knee. No need in putting stress on the old joints or to get poo water on the knee.

Strangest of all was when I noticed that he was wearing just one black rubber glove to hold the cable and I asked him how he kept his glove from binding on the cable when he pointed to a bottle of thread cutting oil that was on the ground and he said that he squirts oil on the glove to keep it from sticking.  As I watched him, I noticed his ritual of coating the palm with oil before he made each pass. Apparently this is his custom.

When he retrieved the cable he let the auto feed pull the cable back, but he delicately held a white hand towel under the end of the cable to wipe the cable as it rotated back into the drum. Never before had I seen such a peculiar way of rodding a sewer.


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## drs (Jun 17, 2011)

Another way to skin the cat.

I guess I am strange for pouring wd-40 into my cable machine drums and let it spin and coat the cable.


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

IMO if his way works and the drain is cleaned good in a reasonable time period, and he's safe with the technique he uses, then I don't see a problem, I agree the technique is a little weird, but if it works for him that's all that matters.


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## 1703 (Jul 21, 2009)

Depends on the situation, but I've run them that way. I'll sometimes put the button in the bent part of my knee. That can be dangerous as its harder to get off the button if needed. I've even ran it with my elbow when under a low counter.

As to the gloves- i guess I've moved past thinking it was a sign of hard work to have your hands look and smell like chit all the time.


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

I use a footstool most of the time, or the bucket turned upside down that I brought my basic tools to the task with.

Always rubber gloves, using the customer's nearby lotion, soap, detergent for lubrication on my gloves with using the smallest (spartan 81) cable only. 

On my 300, I'll always use my metal knitted gloves with the rubber gloves on underneath. 

Not all drain calls allow me to sit on a stool and watch my machine make me money. :laughing:


My call yesterday was a standing one, 3 passes down a gray water system that since I couldn't get it open and the sewage rolled back solid black, I'm rerouting through a drop ceiling 17' to another main stack in the home, bypassing the problem completely.


It's been a problematic drain, possibly not even connected to the city sewer system when it went through.


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## rrman (Oct 29, 2008)

*rrman*

All my drain cleaning stuff goes into my 5 gal. buckrt with the ugly gloves.Iput the lid on it and use it to sit on while i'm running through taps or cleanouts.Can't kneel anymore.


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## user2090 (Sep 26, 2009)

While his technique worked for him, the only complaint to be had would be his putting oil into the sanitary system. That can't be a good thing in the grand scheme of things, but I'm sure the amount is minimal in comparison. I prefer liquid soap if I need lube.


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

I doubt the oil is significant at all, no more than what we would spray on the cables to maintain them. I was just surprised at the use of rubber gloves and the use of oil at all. To me, it was unnecessary work and a waste of oil.


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

I use a 5 gal bucket with a "hunting" lid, a dded seat that swivels. It is camo so I blend in well in OK. For gloves I wear diamond grip latex and leathers for drains, all sizes. For jetter I use latex and jerseys.


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