# Should I gamble on this junk or not???



## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

My K50 sewer machine is getting rough as a cobb with one of the legs breaking off and now its a limper........ its probably 25 years old or more... I rarely use the machine maybe once a month.....

I dont feel like buying a new machine for 899 and saw this stuff on E-bay with a full outfit probably from China for 239.00....

I never use the unit very often and I am tempted into trying the thing out and even if it turns out to be total junk I would still have myself a 100 foot sectional cable 

has anyone got an opinion on this ????

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3-4-4-Dia-...m=391708070327&_trksid=p2060778.c100290.m3507


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## PathMaker (May 10, 2013)

I say no. If the machine doesnt work out, you STILL need to go buy a decent unit. AND you wont have a 100 sectional cable. Imagine what a PITA it would be if that cheap chinese steel breaks off in somebody's sewer! Save yourself. Buy something decent and let the handy hacks break off chinese junk in other people's sewers. As far as the money goes, if you buy decent it will still have value when you don't need it anymore. Then you can sell it and get some of that money back. Nobody's gonna buy 2nd hand chinese crap.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Another no here. I just bought a used machine off Craigslist. Not perfect, needs a bit of work, but has paid for itself without investing in it yet.

I wouldn’t trust that thing for the very first job.


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## The Dane (Feb 19, 2015)

I second pathmakers opinion. Also at 1/4 the price I can only think of the saying "if it seems too good to be true, it likely is".

Sent from my BLN-L24 using Tapatalk


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

I wouldn't worry about the machine if it breaks go and get your old one to finish the job. The cable is the risk if it breaks or gets stuck that's the problem. There aren't enough people who give out reviews so it's a shot in the dark. At that price for you guys its the cost of one job of 2 hours or less, it's like pocket change! If you worry, buy the machine and get good cables.

When I got my 3800 sink drum I played with it for a few hours in a pipe setup outside to test out the cables. You will see if the cable seem to be of good quality.

I felt the same way when buying the chinese cam but now I see them just renamed or color change under big company banners...


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## ShtRnsdownhill (Jan 13, 2016)

I buy lots of china tool knock offs but dont use them for making me money,I use them where if they break im in no bind to get done what I was doing..so now you buy the cheap machine get a money making call and it breaks..how much time do you loose to get a working machine and how pissed is the customer for having it take so long??? in the end you will pay the price along with a ton of aggravation!!! so spend more $$ and get a machine that will work for you for 20+ years without problems...


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Exactly! If you’re going to be a professional, why would you sho up with a back’n decker saw?


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## V.A Hydro-ooter (Oct 14, 2018)

I haven't tried this particular machine but I have the sdt version. They appear to be identical besides the color. 
When I worked at roto rooter they supplied us with k3800's. When I left I had to buy my own machine since my new employer didn't supply them. That's when I bought that yellow k50 knockoff. I figured it would be temporary until I saved up to buy a k3800. That was over 5 years ago and I still haven't upgraded, haha. 
I still use the original cables and haven't broken one in a line. I did recently kink one up in a collapsed areaway drain. I turned that into a reverse auger. 
If your use will be limited I'd say it's not a bad investment. Also, the one you linked to doesn't come with 100' of cable. It just says it has 100' capacity. I think it only comes with 66'


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

V.A Hydro-ooter said:


> I haven't tried this particular machine but I have the sdt version. They appear to be identical besides the color.
> When I worked at roto rooter they supplied us with k3800's. When I left I had to buy my own machine since my new employer didn't supply them. That's when I bought that yellow k50 knockoff. I figured it would be temporary until I saved up to buy a k3800. That was over 5 years ago and I still haven't upgraded, haha.
> I still use the original cables and haven't broken one in a line. I did recently kink one up in a collapsed areaway drain. I turned that into a reverse auger.
> *If your use will be limited I'd say it's not a bad investment. Also, the one you linked to doesn't come with 100' of cable. It just says it has 100' capacity. I think it only comes with 66'*



Thanks for your input..

I looked them over again and the Yellow one available for 389 with the 100 foot cable looks to be a better deal........ This is for light duty floor drains , lav drains and kitchen sink drains ONLY... 

I never used my K50 to run a main line.... I have tried to dis-lodge some junk out of a 3 inch pvc line inside the home before with mine but I wont tangle with getting out in the main with it... god help you if you get it stuck in some roots...which I have done on kitchen lines in the past...:vs_OMG:... 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/100Ft-3-4-...m=302902562104&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851
I think will get the pretty yellow one and see what happens... someone has got to be the "crash test dummy" and see what kind of quality they are.....:vs_laugh: 

Thanks to all


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

The yellow one and the close up pics doesn't look like it has cheaply made parts. It's probably the same manufacturer who did the ridgid one and the patent expired and they can freely replicate it.


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## canuck92 (Apr 1, 2016)

Im not a risk taker in general. I only use and do what i know works.( and i like name brand) I think the k-60 would be the most bang for your buck. Pretty much eel anything with it.


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## V.A Hydro-ooter (Oct 14, 2018)

I have used mine to unclog a main line before. This was on a single level house with 3 bathrooms. I was out in the middle of nowhere and it was a 2 hour drive in each direction if I were to pick up the office k60. I had my camera so I figured what the heck, if it opens I can check the line to make sure it's good. 
I took it on the roof and unclogged the 4" main at 60' out. The machine felt like it wasn't getting bogged down at all so I'm pretty sure it could run 100' 
I ran the camera and found a broken clean out plug stuck in the cast iron, about 2 feet from the septic tank. I tried breaking it loose with different attachments but there wasn't enough power for that. I offered to return the next day with the k60 or dig the pipe at that section. They declined and said they'd have the company who recently remodeled their bathrooms take care of it since they were likely the guys who caused the issue. 
I actually have an actual k50 now that my friend gave me. It was missing a leg and made a grinding noise when running. I replaced the leg, took it apart and greased everything. It runs well now. I'm just waiting for my sdt to break but it's still going strong. It appears most of the parts are interchangeable. The only difference I see is that the grease points on the sdt are not accessible unless you take the machine apart.


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## V.A Hydro-ooter (Oct 14, 2018)

Also, the second one you linked also comes with 66 feet, not 100. The way it's written is pretty confusing.


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

V.A Hydro-ooter said:


> I have used mine to unclog a main line before. This was on a single level house with 3 bathrooms. I was out in the middle of nowhere and it was a 2 hour drive in each direction if I were to pick up the office k60. I had my camera so I figured what the heck, if it opens I can check the line to make sure it's good.
> I took it on the roof and unclogged the 4" main at 60' out. The machine felt like it wasn't getting bogged down at all so I'm pretty sure it could run 100'
> I ran the camera and found a broken clean out plug stuck in the cast iron, about 2 feet from the septic tank. I tried breaking it loose with different attachments but there wasn't enough power for that. I offered to return the next day with the k60 or dig the pipe at that section. They declined and said they'd have the company who recently remodeled their bathrooms take care of it since they were likely the guys who caused the issue.
> I actually have an actual k50 now that my friend gave me. It was missing a leg and made a grinding noise when running. I replaced the leg, took it apart and greased everything. It runs well now. I'm just waiting for my sdt to break but it's still going strong. It appears most of the parts are interchangeable. The only difference I see is that the grease points on the sdt are not accessible unless you take the machine apart.



Those things are practically indestructible, as long as you take a grease gun to them once a year you are good to go......  My dad took one and welded a triangular base to it which seemed to be ok but it had a tendency to scar up a kitchen floor due to too much metal touching the tile or vinyl.. you had to be careful with it and lay down a pad or something on the floor... 

the one leg snapped off and broke off part of the threaded body so its my only option to rig up something akin to what we did before but i dont care to lug some rusty ass welded up thing into someones kitchen and plop it down even on some cardboard or pad...

All the new one has to do is last through 4 drain clean out jobs and I have broken even.... 

..


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## pipefighter (Sep 26, 2009)

I have a k-50 that's been used extensively over 30 years. One leg broke, I cut and threaded a piece of 1/2 inch galvanized and replaced it. Clutch went out, bought parts and rebuilt it. Motor died, bought new brushes and replaced them. So, for approx. $85.00 I have a virtually new machine that's reliable and portable enough to carry to the roof for vtr access when there's no c/o. Buying a machine with unknown reliability from a dubious asian source doesn't make good business sense.


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## GAN (Jul 10, 2012)

Man the look is so close it is spooky. Would be neat to break each one down to see if there is a real difference.

Even though I am not in the field anymore, I still have my k50 I got back in the mid 1980's used. I think the last time I fired it up the motor bearings were making a little noise, still chugging along.

Why don't Ya go ahead and buy one, break it down and give us a good review. Then if it is bad just get a refund?:biggrin:


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

To start I bought that $50 set of Chinese pex crimpers. The ones like Mil-3. They worked ok for about three whole house repipes. After that started getting back calls.

Ended up buying the good ones. They paid for themselves many times over, and a tax write off... but still 3/4 of a tank of gas for the cube.


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## Tango (Jan 13, 2018)

@Master Mark So how is the dragon? Did you use it enough to have an opinion about it?


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## Master Mark (Aug 14, 2009)

Tango said:


> @Master Mark So how is the dragon? Did you use it enough to have an opinion about it?




I have never gotten around to buying one yet

dont do enough drains to care or be concerned how bad my k50 looks


t


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## Greg755 (Sep 16, 2015)

Not much to go wrong with the K50...
your a plumber, thread a piece of pipe and screw it in... Unless you mean the body of the k50 broke?


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