# Any suggestions for retrieving a cable?



## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

I am working at a luxury town home in a unit that is in a building with surrounding units. See the attached photo of my crappy drawing. I am not a union guy and was never taught how to draw isometrically. 

I can't bring my 1065 inside but I can bring the 3/8" machine. The hard part will be making the sharp turn up towards the closet bend. The cable is currently pushed up to the 2" at the top of the santee. In was wanting to cut into the wall and cut out a section of vent pipe and grab it from above but with the blade holder it won't go into 2". 

I am not sure how much cable is in there. I couldn't get the camera past it and when I ran the camera up the line from the cleanout I never saw it. Anyways, I am grabbing parts to repair the vent after i cut it and any suggestions would be appreciated before I dive in. Its all 3" and 2" PVC.


----------



## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

Sorry, forgot to attach the drawing.


----------



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

So you didn't get cable stuck you are tasked with removing it? Is there any cable sticking out from where it was inserted? Is the vent straight up with roof access? I have removed quite a few cables on the past in similar situations.


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

...


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Can you push a rod or smaller pipe down the vent and retrieve the cable downstream?


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Is it solid core or open wind cable?


----------



## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

Shoot'N'Plumber said:


> So you didn't get cable stuck you are tasked with removing it?


And getting paid. The customer has lived there for a year and the toilet clogged the first time on Dec 3rd and was just augered by us. Clogged again yesterday and auger didn't work. I was sent out this morn to figure it out and found this. 

It looks like the cable has been there for some time. Its coated in rust and It had to come from downstream being the blade holder is up at the end. Being that's the case than most likely its a HOA problem but the customer just wants it fixed and is willing to pay. Should be fun. I'm picking up a 10' section of cable and a retriever now.


----------



## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

Solid core


----------



## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

I'd try to grab it with a cable retriever, the solid style that Duracable sells. Once you wrap around the cable, I think I good tug might do the trick. The only problem is your not going to get it with a 3/8" cable, at least I very much doubt it. Do you have a smaller sewer machine like a 300? If not, you'll have to find a way to get your 1065 in there. Or go from downstream up, like the guy that got his cable stuck did.


----------



## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

I just picked up an extension along with a retriever bit. Before I cut into the dead that is what I'm going to try. I'll let you all know what the outcome is it is a three-quarter inch extension cable.


----------



## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

Not sure how I wrote "dead" instead of the "wall". Anyhow, I got it out with the retriever bit. It was easier than expected. 









About 20" long leader. It had adaptors on either side. 

I have no idea how long that's been there but much of it had rusted away and I also have no idea how a leader could break off like that being it was about 20' from any edge of the building. Oh well, glad it worked out and the customer was happy.


----------



## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

:thumbup::thumbup:


----------



## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

Best Darn Sewer said:


> Not sure how I wrote "dead" instead of the "wall". Anyhow, I got it out with the retriever bit. It was easier than expected. About 20" long leader. It had adaptors on either side. I have no idea how long that's been there but much of it had rusted away and I also have no idea how a leader could break off like that being it was about 20' from any edge of the building. Oh well, glad it worked out and the customer was happy.



Good job


----------



## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Best Darn Sewer said:


> Not sure how I wrote "dead" instead of the "wall". Anyhow, I got it out with the retriever bit. It was easier than expected.
> 
> About 20" long leader. It had adaptors on either side.
> 
> I have no idea how long that's been there but much of it had rusted away and I also have no idea how a leader could break off like that being it was about 20' from any edge of the building. Oh well, glad it worked out and the customer was happy.


Good job.. now go grab a subway


----------



## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

rjbphd said:


> Good job.. now go grab a subway


Haha. On my way!!


----------



## JAraiza (May 7, 2012)

Nice job, if you get a minute could you post a pic of the retriever you used? Thanks!


----------



## Tommy plumber (Feb 19, 2010)

I hope you grunted and huffed and puffed so the HO sees how 'hard' you worked.....:laughing:

That is one of the highlights of service work, giving the customer a resolution to their problem.


----------



## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

Tommy plumber said:


> I hope you grunted and huffed and puffed so the HO sees how 'hard' you worked.....:laughing:
> 
> That is one of the highlights of service work, giving the customer a resolution to their problem.


Haha. Hey, using the ol' noggin to figure out a resolution can be very taxing. I needed a nap afterwards. 

The customer watched the whole time pretty much. I knocked a couple hundred off the initial price being I didnt have to cut into his wall and cut the vent. He tipped me and the coworker who gave me a hand. I know I know, if I get a tip I didn't charge enough but being my company had already done a few hundred dollars towards "fixing" the issue my boss said to work with him. I didn't mind.


----------



## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

JAraiza said:


> Nice job, if you get a minute could you post a pic of the retriever you used? Thanks!


I will tomorrow. It was one I had not seen before. Worked great.


----------



## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

How long did it take you?


----------



## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

Once we got the retirever in there it only took about ten minutes of jacking with it to hook it and yank it out. I didn't know how long it would be. I spent more time running the camera to try and find the end of the old cable and going to buy the extension and retriever.


----------



## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

JAraiza said:


> Nice job, if you get a minute could you post a pic of the retriever you used? Thanks!


Here's the retriever:


----------



## rjbphd (Feb 5, 2010)

Best Darn Sewer said:


> Here's the retriever:


oh.. thought ya talking about a golden retriever..


----------



## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

rjbphd said:


> oh.. thought ya talking about a golden retriever..


A million starving and broke comedians out there...


----------

