# A few Basic Jetter Questions...



## Tounces (Aug 18, 2013)

Although I have operated a trailer jetter many times cutting roots - it was while working for large companies, so, I've never really been the one to maintain it, and I haven't worked much at all with smaller jetters. My experience with them is mostly limited to a 500 ft mounted hose reel and a single type of nozzle. 

However, wanting to be able to offer customers more, I decided to buy a pressure-washer and turn it into a jetter.

This is what I got - 

http://www.amazon.com/Champion-71321-4000-Pressure-Washer/dp/B00IMWW0H4

Although it doesn't really give the specifications on that page, I managed to find out it comes with a 5/16" 50 ft hose.

The question is - what sort of hose should I get with it additionally? I don't see any 5/16th sewer cleaning hoses, just 1/4 or 3/8th. 

My ideal set-up would be using the packaged 5/16th hose to lead into the house(because the unit will be outside when running), connected to a reel with 100 ft 3/8th(if there is no 5/16th) on it. Later I'd like to have another 100 ft hose, to connect to the end of that for extra long lines.

I'm not sure if this will require some sort of adapter though, or if I can even go from a 5/16th hose to a 3/8th hose without losing a lot of pressure.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

I think there is discussions on pressure washer jetters somewhere. Drain cleaning forum?


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## Tounces (Aug 18, 2013)

This is the Drain Cleaning Forum...

I did a Google Search through this, but couldn't find anything detailed. And this site lacks a search feature from what I can tell.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

Tounces said:


> This is the Drain Cleaning Forum...
> 
> I did a Google Search through this, but couldn't find anything detailed. And this site lacks a search feature from what I can tell.


Menu bar between "New posts" and "Quick links" I haven't searched it for build your own... Most threads deal with who's the best brand to buy, options, the correct head and for what.

I pay attention, but nowhere close enough to consider one financially. Camera first.


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## Tounces (Aug 18, 2013)

I WANT a Camera obviously, but we're taking comparing an $8000 investment to a $1000 investment....the jetter I can make now, the Camera it's gonna be awhile before I can afford one.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Jetter and camera are needed together. You can't do effective jetting without a camera.


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## Tounces (Aug 18, 2013)

Well, it's certainly easier with a Camera - but, not impossible without one, you just have to spend a lot more time at it. It's not going to be AS effective, but that doesn't mean it will do nothing.

Of course, Kitchen lines don't need a camera at all.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

How do you know how well the pipe is cleaned without a camera?


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## sierra2000 (Sep 19, 2011)

Tounces said:


> Well, it's certainly easier with a Camera - but, not impossible without one, you just have to spend a lot more time at it. It's not going to be AS effective, but that doesn't mean it will do nothing. Of course, Kitchen lines don't need a camera at all.


Even kitchen lines need a camera. Nothing wrong with building your jetter without a camera if that's what your hearts set on. Go for it. Get some practice and become familiar with it. Next on the list would be maybe a used camera.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Tounces said:


> This is the Drain Cleaning Forum...
> 
> I did a Google Search through this, but couldn't find anything detailed. And this site lacks a search feature from what I can tell.


http://draincleaningforum.com/


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## fixitright (Jan 5, 2012)

dhal22 said:


> http://draincleaningforum.com/


It at one time was the king of the forums with extensive topics and answers about Drain Cleaning.

Unfortunately with bickering and poor administration it went out of favor.

If you can weed through the forum there still is a treasure trove of past posts.

Lots of great craftsman from the past you just don't hear from anymore.


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## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

You can't jet roots without a camera. It's both or none.


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

Are we really gonna have this type of lengthy discussion/argument with Tounces? Again?


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## Tounces (Aug 18, 2013)

Let's just leave it at everyone does it their own way....

If I had 8 Grand for a Camera right now, I'd get one immediately.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Best Darn Sewer said:


> Are we really gonna have this type of lengthy discussion/argument with Tounces? Again?


No $hit.....guy comes asking for advice, when you try to tell him the right thing to do, he acts like he knows better.


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## Hillside (Jan 22, 2010)

I'd have a bad ass jetter and a camera setup if I wanted to with 8k, deals are out there, gotta kick em while their down


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

A camera pays for itself within a year so every job is potential lost revenue, call backs, unknowns and untrusting customers.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Best Darn Sewer said:


> Are we really gonna have this type of lengthy discussion/argument with Tounces? Again?


No that you mention it, it has been discussed a few times.


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## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

I usually will not stick my jetter in a unknown line without a camera first, I used to in the old days and got stuck or worse the person knew that they had a bad sewer and played me saying that my jetter destroyed their sewer and having no camera before I didn't know if I did or did not do it. I always countered that the pipe was bad anyway but you learn to just not even get into these things with people. If I had a jetter though and no camera I would rent one or get some camera only guy to scope it. I I usually cable a line to get it flowing then camera then jet in that order.


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## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

I dont know why but reading my post it reminded me of my dad telling me when I was young not to stick my thing in an unknown hole lol


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## bulldozer (Jan 11, 2009)

He was a wise man Cuda. I wish he would have sat me down and told me!


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## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

My two cents............ Gear Junkie said it all. Move along people, nothing to see here. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Tounces (Aug 18, 2013)

gear junkie said:


> No $hit.....guy comes asking for advice, when you try to tell him the right thing to do, he acts like he knows better.


There seems to be a bit of a disconnect here between what is advice, and what is simply judgement. 

I'm well aware that a Camera is very useful for jetting. I'm also aware that many large companies Jet without one. I'm not going to be selling my Jetter for $1000, or $1500, or even $500 like many companies do.

It's going to be like $50-100 with a drain cleaning. Just an added bonus that may get a little more crap out of there with just a cable will. Eventually, I'll get a Camera, then up the price accordingly. For now, I'll explain to customers that it's not going to make the line perfect, but it could improve it, especially for lines that have grease or build-up in them. 

I don't come here for Debate...I already have a forum I go to for that.


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

Tounces said:


> There seems to be a bit of a disconnect here between what is advice, and what is simply judgement.
> 
> I'm well aware that a Camera is very useful for jetting. I'm also aware that many large companies Jet without one. I'm not going to be selling my Jetter for $1000, or $1500, or even $500 like many companies do.
> 
> ...


You, sir, are a fool. Go ahead and be the loser who brags about how cheap they can perform plumbing with their cheap equipment. The real professionals will charge professional rates that show how much we value ourselves and our trade and provide a lot better service in the process.


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## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

Best Darn Sewer said:


> You, sir, are a fool. Go ahead and be the loser who brags about how cheap they can perform plumbing with their cheap equipment. The real professionals will charge professional rates that show how much we value ourselves and our trade and provide a lot better service in the process.


Without guys like him the customers have no one to compare the rest of us too. 

I agree though. Half assing things like it sounds like you are going to do just hurts us all. Do it right or don't do it at all


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## fixitright (Jan 5, 2012)

Seems to be getting a bit TESTY in here


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

fixitright said:


> Seems to be getting a bit TESTY in here



I think one of the problems here is that the same person continues to ask home made jetter questions over and over.


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## Roto-Rooter (Jan 31, 2015)

No way could I make a living at 50-100 for jetting. Nozzles, hose, and everything else cost me to much to charge that. I have a min. of 225 and I am not going under that.


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## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

Roto-Rooter said:


> No way could I make a living at 50-100 for jetting. Nozzles, hose, and everything else cost me to much to charge that. I have a min. of 225 and I am not going under that.


Once in a while I will agree to an hour of jetting for $500 but not often. $395 / hr, 2 hour minimum is most of my sales but weekends, commercial, nasty restaurant grease lines, etc I will go to $450 hr with a 2 hr minimum. My $48,000 jetter paid for itself in just under 10 months.

A full size jetter has opened up so many areas of additional revenue I can't imagine not owing one. I'm looking into a jet vac truck we get many calls for work way above my Mongoose trailer jetter capabilities.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

I think the guys who do crappy work are awesome to have around. I can come in (and I'm not even that good) but do a halfway decent job (according to my standards) and am heads and tails above the hacks doing the cheap work.

But here's the funny part....tounces offers jetting for 50-100......guess what....still gonna take him an hour. He has no camera, can't sell a dig, can't tell how good of a job he did. At least with a cable machine, you can roughly feel how good of a job you did. But anyway, he's hurting his own self. 

Kinda like telling that one friend that he shouldn't do that but he doesn't want to listen....at that point you just grab everyone else so you can watch the shenanigans ensue hahahahaha.


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## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

....


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Drain Pro said:


> I'm very competitively priced for my area, but a truck mounted jet allows me to do so. 50 grand and it payed for itself in 8 months. Wouldn't change a thing. Headed to a night job maintenance now in a hospital. That'll be another 2 grand. I'm not boasting, just trying to prove that it doesn't make sense to go cheap. Get the right equipment, be fair, and watch the money come in. Similar to you Dhal, this machine has opened so many doors that I've got to consider a bigger machine next time.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


dude keep this stuff to yourself....you too Dhal22....don't want other plumber to get wind of this stuff lol. At the WWETT show, I'll be parked in front of the jetter exhibits selling expanding cutters! lol


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## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

gear junkie said:


> dude keep this stuff to yourself....you too Dhal22....don't want other plumber to get wind of this stuff lol. At the WWETT show, I'll be parked in front of the jetter exhibits selling expanding cutters! lol



You're right. I removed the post. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Plumbducky (Jun 12, 2010)

gear junkie said:


> dude keep this stuff to yourself....you too Dhal22....don't want other plumber to get wind of this stuff lol. At the WWETT show, I'll be parked in front of the jetter exhibits selling expanding cutters! lol


LMAO!!!!??

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk


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## Tounces (Aug 18, 2013)

What is it with the Elitist Attitude in here?

Not everyone has the money to plunk down 8 grand for a Camera. The cheapest company around here does a Trailer Jet for $325....that's with cabling. $100 for a jet is AFTER a cabling, not by itself. Having to compete on Craigslist means you can't go in too high for prices. Sure it's great if you've been around for long enough you're getting nothing but repeat business, or if you're so well-connected in an area that you get tons of referrals based on your name alone. 

I remember having a discussion awhile ago about how to get more customers, and most people here said it was IMPOSSIBLE to start in this business without buying a franchise, or knowing a lot of people beforehand. Well, I did - and without a side income or needing my wife to work - and I'm still doing all right. It's been tough, but I haven't sunk yet, and now at least 50% of my customers are referred, and closer to 80% of my income is refer/repeat customers. Perhaps once I've been in business for a year I'll have enough R+R business that I can get a Camera, but for now, I'm taking one step at a time.

I can't believe how condescending some of ya'll are. Sure, $100 for a jet is cheap...but guess how much I make one ones I don't Jet? And Unlike a lot of guys, my customers don't go into stuff in the Dark...I fully explain things to them, and exactly what they're getting.


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## Best Darn Sewer (Dec 23, 2012)

Tounces said:


> What is it with the Elitist Attitude in here?
> 
> Not everyone has the money to plunk down 8 grand for a Camera. The cheapest company around here does a Trailer Jet for $325....that's with cabling. $100 for a jet is AFTER a cabling, not by itself. Having to compete on Craigslist means you can't go in too high for prices. Sure it's great if you've been around for long enough you're getting nothing but repeat business, or if you're so well-connected in an area that you get tons of referrals based on your name alone.
> 
> ...


No one said you couldn't run a business using your methods. We're saying you can't run a good business or even get there if you don't charge accordingly from the get-go and have the right equipment. If you can't afford a camera then you're not ready to do jetting, period. They go hand in hand. Do something else. 

All you want to do is justify your own opinions and blast ours. That's fine but its very tiresome and irritating. What makes it worse is you have decent writing skills but you choose to use them to debate and disagree with every suggestion you get since being here and posting. And you ask for the suggestions. No one forced them upon you. 

Do your thing and prove that it works. Nobody will slight you for it. But many people here have made the mistakes you are making and you seem like you ignore all that when they tell you so. Whatever. Have fun.


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## Tounces (Aug 18, 2013)

> No one said you couldn't run a business using your methods.


Well, actually yes they did.

"All you want to do is justify your own opinions and blast ours. "

Well, no kidding. The title of the thread was not "Should I Jet without a Camera?"

If I'd asked that, I could see why all the differing opinions. I wasn't looking for a debate though, just asking a few things about jetter hoses. 

Is it not possible to ask a question here without being judged by a bunch of different people?


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## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

Tounces said:


> Well, actually yes they did. "All you want to do is justify your own opinions and blast ours. " Well, no kidding. The title of the thread was not "Should I Jet without a Camera?" If I'd asked that, I could see why all the differing opinions. I wasn't looking for a debate though, just asking a few things about jetter hoses. Is it not possible to ask a question here without being judged by a bunch of different people?


It sounds like you just want your Jetter to pick up an extra Fifty or hundred bucks once every couple jobs. If that's all your looking for it can be done without spending any money at all. 

You will actually be making less money in the long run with those rates. You will have to sell at least 10 jobs to even justify the purchase of a basic nozzle set. How can you justify replacing a 4-600 dollar Jetter hose when it blows out?


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## Tounces (Aug 18, 2013)

Unclog1776 said:


> It sounds like you just want your Jetter to pick up an extra Fifty or hundred bucks once every couple jobs. If that's all your looking for it can be done without spending any money at all.
> 
> You will actually be making less money in the long run with those rates. You will have to sell at least 10 jobs to even justify the purchase of a basic nozzle set. How can you justify replacing a 4-600 dollar Jetter hose when it blows out?


From what I've seen, Jetter 4000 PSI Jetter hoses run about $200-300.

And how often do they really blow out? I've never seen one explode yet.

Also, I'm not stupid enough to leave it outside during freezing weather.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Tounces said:


> From what I've seen, Jetter 4000 PSI Jetter hoses run about $200-300.
> 
> And how often do they really blow out? I've never seen one explode yet.
> 
> Also, I'm not stupid enough to leave it outside during freezing weather.


Sounds like you got it all figured out.


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## Tounces (Aug 18, 2013)

This place is really a treasure trove of unasked for advice.


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## sierra2000 (Sep 19, 2011)

Is there a rental place near you that rents cameras? I had no clue my local H.D. rents them until a homeowner had one on a job I was called out to, he didn't know how to work it so he still had to call me...haha. But if so rent one for the minimum whenever you have a sewer line scheduled. Charge the customer twice as much as it cost you to rent it. Get some experience with the jetter and camera even if it's on your own sewer and provide a long enough warranty you're comfortable with and you can turn every other main line call if not most of them into a jetting call. Before you know it you'll have enough to buy one. Then maybe these guys will quit riding you.


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## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

Tounces said:


> From what I've seen, Jetter 4000 PSI Jetter hoses run about $200-300. And how often do they really blow out? I've never seen one explode yet. Also, I'm not stupid enough to leave it outside during freezing weather.


I have a hose on one machine that is going on two years old. I've had a hose blow when it was a week old as well. Don't buy the cheap crap


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## fixitright (Jan 5, 2012)

Driving by Home Depot yesterday and saw Ben Franklin jetting.

Would be nice to get those type of accounts but the big boys have the toys
and connections. Amazingly there's not much high end competition as you would think in Minneapolis.

Not that I want to get into that sort of thing at my age.
But it is interesting and I do enjoy hearing of others success and 
the ins and outs of jetting commercial work.


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## Tounces (Aug 18, 2013)

> Driving by Home Depot yesterday and saw Ben Franklin jetting.


Ben Franklin is actually the one that does it super cheap here.



> Is there a rental place near you that rents cameras?


The Closest Home Depot that rents them is 70 miles away....about an hour and a half drive.

And that's $195 just for a day. I'd be ripping off my customers if I charged them double that amount, but for 3 hours of driving, I'd have to charge at least double.

And that's not counting insurance, which would be a 100% necessity on any home depot camera.


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## Tounces (Aug 18, 2013)

Oh, and I'm not too worried about experience...I've Jetted dozens and dozens of times with a trailer jetter/Camera...I can't imagine a Portable Jetter will be that different. The one I got has electric start and remote control start, should be pretty easy.

I'm just trying to figure out the connector types because I want to order the hoses before it gets here.


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