# Drill n Eel



## tungsten plumb (Apr 15, 2010)

Took the plunge and ordered some 1.25" Cable a couple cutters and the adapter to run on my drill. Lets see how it goes :thumbup:


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

tungsten plumb said:


> Took the plunge and ordered some 1.25" Cable a couple cutters and the adapter to run on my drill. Lets see how it goes :thumbup:



Off a drill? Do you have a link so I can get a idea what you are talking about.


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## Gettinit (May 9, 2012)

DesertOkie said:


> Off a drill? Do you have a link so I can get a idea what you are talking about.


I seems to be very popular to do it this way.


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## affordabledrain (Nov 24, 2009)

It is what it is. Some swear by it. others say it is a junk set up. I do not have enough experience with it to really say yet


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Lets just say I've watched a friend of mine roll a tire full of cable down into a basement while carrying a drill and in a short time he was leaving and the line was open...

Seems to work..


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

I can testify it works. Use mine all the time. I love it on roofs.


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Does it flip you over when it binds? Sounds Dangerous to me, perhaps I need to expand my horizons, the 1.25" cable sounds good to me.


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

Cable doesn't flip, unless your being careless. It's almost impossible to flip over the 1.25", almost. It's alot safer imo than a drum machine.


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

I think you posted a pic with you on a roof. Is it the same cable as your ell uses?


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

Yes the drill uses the same Electric Eel cable as Model C uses.


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## tungsten plumb (Apr 15, 2010)

I'm gonna have to get a different drill my makita spade drill isn't variable speed like the ridgid or Milwaukee. That sucks because I like the San Jose sharks color scheme


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Will said:


> Yes the drill uses the same Electric Eel cable as Model C uses.



If it binds will it just stop the drill, as long as the cable is straight from the vent to the drill? I just picture it flipping my fat butt off the roof like a holehawg catching a nail.:laughing:


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

With a cable in front of the drill there is alot more area for the tension to be released too, unlike hitting a nail. When you hit a nail all that energy goes straight to you. The drill and eel is much easier to operate.


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

Would you want a drill with a clutch like the DeWalt?


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## UnclogNH (Mar 28, 2009)

18 years of running the drill and eel all I can say is. I left many plumbers saying Holy $hit!  I have been working that sewer all day you show up and bam! Drill and eel save the day:thumbsup:


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Is it the 1 1/4 cable that makes the difference? Or is it the speed? A main line machine that does not need a ramp and a wench would be nice. 

I have cut cable that is stuck and chucked it to a drill to get it unstuck. I have done the same for drywall mud in a shower line.


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## UnclogNH (Mar 28, 2009)

DesertOkie said:


> Is it the 1 1/4 cable that makes the difference? Or is it the speed? A main line machine that does not need a ramp and a wench would be nice.
> 
> I have cut cable that is stuck and chucked it to a drill to get it unstuck. I have done the same for drywall mud in a shower line.


Yes it's a lot of things going for this set up. 1 1/4 cable less chance of flipping in 4-8 inch sewer lines, direct drive more power!!! the cable self feeds and reverses. more speed for soft blockages with bellies in sewers run past the belly and run the drill and eel in reverse hold it in reverse and the cable will act like a auger and funnel the sludge towards the city sewer. The drill and eel has many benefits. I love drums but hot dam I love that drill and eel. EEL blades are the best forget the rest.

Running the drill and eel is all feel and sound you need to master it. you can feel the clog and hear how hard your drill is working. when ripping into a hard clog let go of the trigger and let the drill spin free back up a bit and hit the blockage again. More power than a drum. 
There are a lot that will say that is crazy or you will never see me do that! Guess what How come I'm the one getting the line clear and getting paid Its worth learning and using.


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Can you grab the cable(with leather gloves)? What kind of drill, and do you burn through them? How long does cable last? Do you use the electric eel like Will uses on ground cleanouts or do you do only a drill?


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## UnclogNH (Mar 28, 2009)

DesertOkie said:


> Can you grab the cable(with leather gloves)? What kind of drill, and do you burn through them? How long does cable last? Do you use the electric eel like Will uses on ground cleanouts or do you do only a drill?


Have cables that are 15 years old and have been threw hell and still work 100%. cable life all depends on the user. 
I use the drill don't own a model C don't need it. Dwalt will last about 2 years Milwaukee is 4 years old and still going strong worth the little extra for Milwaukee drills.
I never need to grab the cable other than to add or remove cable.
All I used was Dwalt not anymore Milwaukee all the way


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

So you "feel" through the drill? The "feel" thing is what throws me about the whole thing. Can you take a picture of the chuck system and how it goes into the drill? 

Is it hard to learn? Seems like a basket and a drill would be easy and a smaller foot print in the truck. 

Thanks for the info.


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

The more you use it the more natural it "feels". The drill sounds different under different loads, the rpms slow, cable tighen up etc.


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

How do you "feel" the model C (i think) the big boy? Is there a clutch mech that keeps it from over torquing?

Will, do you think a drill setup would work for everything. or is that an "expert" setup?

Does length of line or amount of sections affect the ability to cut roots ect?

Sorry for all the questions I have only ran Gorlitz and have not seen a drum I would switch it for but the sectional is growing on me.

Thanks


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

The Model C has a adjustable clutch. 100lbs is the recommended setting for the 1.25 electric eel cable. I prefer the Model C to the drill. I feel the Model C put s the cable in a better position to deliver more power, self feed better, and easier to operate. The Drill and Eel is more of a "ace in the hole" for me. The drill has got me out if some pretty crazy jobs. I like having both options.


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## AssTyme (May 15, 2010)

Will said:


> The Model C has a adjustable clutch. 100lbs is the recommended setting for the 1.25 electric eel cable. I prefer the Model C to the drill. I feel the Model C put s the cable in a better position to deliver more power, self feed better, and easier to operate. The Drill and Eel is more of a "ace in the hole" for me. The drill has got me out if some pretty crazy jobs. I like having both options.




I have more "feel" with the drill and use it more than my Model C.


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## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

where do I get a drill adapter?
How much drill do I need for it?


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

You can make one. You buy the end connector and then use a bolt and grind 3 flat sides or actually just get one made. I had mine made for me. Heres a pic. Its above the 2 c cutters.


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## Hillside (Jan 22, 2010)

Anyone have pics of a setup?


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

gear junkie said:


> You can make one. You buy the end connector and then use a bolt and grind 3 flat sides or actually just get one made. I had mine made for me. Heres a pic. Its above the 2 c cutters.



Where do you get the cable? Are the "cable" companies stuff worth a damn in relation to this style of cable.


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

You can order the drive shaft from electric eel. It's pretty cheap, 10-20 bucks.


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## DesertOkie (Jul 15, 2011)

Is the hole hog the best set up?


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Will said:


> You can order the drive shaft from electric eel. It's pretty cheap, 10-20 bucks.


I tried to do that and they told me they didn't sell the shaft, only the coupler they sold. Is yours basically the motor shaft or does it have 3 flats for the drill?


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

I'll look back in my receipt to get the part number.


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## tungsten plumb (Apr 15, 2010)

I ordered my shaft from Allan j Coleman I just called Marv and he knew what I wanted


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## RealLivePlumber (Jun 22, 2008)

How long are the sections of cable? I dont get it. 

Someone needs to post a video.


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## tungsten plumb (Apr 15, 2010)

Rod made a video but I think its time for a new improved updated version.


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## AssTyme (May 15, 2010)

tungsten plumb said:


> Rod made a video but I think its time for a new improved updated version.




You da man :yes:


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## Will (Jun 6, 2010)

Not the drill and eel, but show how the cable works. That is not the correct to operate the Model C, just did it too show how the cable feeds itself into and out of the pipe. Not sure why I said "witness the pulling power" but the upload took too dang long to redue it:laughing:. I'll do a drill and eel video one of these days.


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## deerslayer (Mar 29, 2012)

I will make one with the next bad cable I have!


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