# Hand snake's for drain's 2" and under?



## "DAPlumber" 101 (Sep 4, 2008)

I got into a debate on another fourm about using hand snake's for drain line's 2" and under. Needless to say there was a few angry blogger's who disagreed. When I refer to a hand snake for drain's I simply am talking lav's,bt's, ks's and Lt's. Most of the time the drain can be unclogged without even taking off the trap. This is a method I learned and for me work's well. I only pull out the machine when all else has failed. Is my method so wrong?


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

With a hand held auger you are limited to the the bulb auger that comes with the cable, so basically you are cutting a hole in the blockage the size of that bulb, not clearing the line. With a machine you can attach the right size cutter to actually clear the line.


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## "DAPlumber" 101 (Sep 4, 2008)

Not really, if you bend the tip to a 45 or so degree you can scrap the inside of the pipe thus clearing the obstruction and gunk in pipe.:thumbup:


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## service guy (Jun 26, 2008)

Hand snakes??? Are you kidding around or what? You are not serious are you? You're cracking me up here!:laughing:


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

"DAPlumber" 101 said:


> Not really, if you bend the tip to a 45 or so degree you can scrap the inside of the pipe thus clearing the obstruction and gunk in pipe.:thumbup:


If you want to believe that, more power to you. It has no basis in fact though.


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

"DAPlumber" 101 said:


> Not really, if you bend the tip to a 45 or so degree you can scrap the inside of the pipe thus clearing the obstruction and gunk in pipe.:thumbup:


:no::no::no: Not unless you want to spend hours running back and forth through the line.


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## "DAPlumber" 101 (Sep 4, 2008)

Before I countinue, let's keep mudslinging and name calling out of the discussion.

If you think my method is so wrong explain. For basic drain's it work's great. You can take the trap off and bring a machine everytime, but the customer is not paying for a fancy machine, there paying to have the drain unclogged.

You can use a battery operated snake with 5/16" cable's that also work's well also.

I'm not saying don't use a machine on smaller drain's but don't knock my method unless you have tried it.


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

I have a handheld snake and it's used for one thing, going into the w/o to catch hair. That's it. I bend the tip of my cable as well and so I'm with you on that but you have to look at rpm. A k39af goes at 450 rpm, your hand snake-20rpm? Which do you think is better? 

KTS-I snaked a 2" shower drain one time that was plugged to the top with hard soap scum that actually had blocked the entire line. The bent auger tip worked great and scraped all the way around the pipe. It did not just poke a hole in the stoppage.


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## Marlin (Aug 14, 2008)

I do most of my drain cleaning with a toilet auger, you people and your fancy machines.


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

"DAPlumber" 101 said:


> Before I countinue, let's keep mudslinging and name calling out of the discussion.
> 
> If you think my method is so wrong explain. For basic drain's it work's great. You can take the trap off and bring a machine everytime, but the customer is not paying for a fancy machine, there paying to have the drain unclogged.
> 
> ...



Ok your way is a good way, :yes: glad you found your best way, not the way I do it. I seen no mudslinging happening, there has never been any name calling either, this forum is not the place for it. You will find this site the most relaxed site to be on, It won't happen here like seen on other forums. :no:


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## gear junkie (Jun 20, 2008)

Marlin said:


> I do most of my drain cleaning with a toilet auger, you people and your fancy machines.


You may said this in jest but I cleaned a 2" gal kitchen line with one. A 39af and a k3800 was unable to budge the stoppage which was lemon peels. The wife dumped 4 lemon peels down the garbage disposal to make it smell better.


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

gear junkie said:


> You may said this in jest but I cleaned a 2" gal kitchen line with one. A 39af and a k3800 was unable to budge the stoppage which was lemon peels. The wife dumped 4 lemon peels down the garbage disposal to make it smell better.


Did you collect payment from her afterwards. :laughing:


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## jimqbaum (Sep 10, 2008)

*Ninja Bend on hand snake*

About the only problem that I have with Ninja Bend hand snakes for clearing (poking hole in,scraping,twirling,ect) drains is, how much can you possibly charge for doing it that way?

After all, it's all about the show baby. The more the show the more da money. Results are probably the same so why not make the ca ching?

D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F


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## ROTOR KING (Oct 7, 2008)

I ve been using the hand snake with a 3/8 cable on kithen sinks for 17 years.if I ve unblocked them ,never had a call back.If I wouldn t get it the first time,then i would pull out my rotor.


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## Plumberman (Jul 7, 2008)

jimqbaum said:


> About the only problem that I have with Ninja Bend hand snakes for clearing (poking hole in,scraping,twirling,ect) drains is, how much can you possibly charge for doing it that way?
> 
> After all, it's all about the show baby. The more the show the more da money. Results are probably the same so why not make the ca ching?
> 
> D.I.L.L.I.G.A.F


We would charge our hourly rate. I unstopped a line with a sewer tape before, it all cost the same to us.


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## ASUPERTECH (Jun 22, 2008)

Cleanest I ever got a line was when I snaked out grabbed a wod of steel wool and had to keep the machine running in reverse to pull it all back.
Kitchen & laundry lines always get the spade or small 4-way head unless I can't get it to drop and have to revert to drop head.-k-50 3/8 cable. 

Sewer lines usually start with the funnel spring then onto the big 4 way head. 

Last cable in the basket has a big kink in it to whip the hell out of the line. 

I sell the job like soprices are simulated so as not to cause any heart attacks)

Plung it= 75
hand auger= 125
snake from under sink=250
snake from roof= 325
you don't get charged for all of them, just the one that works.!!


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## Marlin (Aug 14, 2008)

gear junkie said:


> You may said this in jest but I cleaned a 2" gal kitchen line with one. A 39af and a k3800 was unable to budge the stoppage which was lemon peels. The wife dumped 4 lemon peels down the garbage disposal to make it smell better.


I'm not kidding. I do mostly rough in work so the only time I really clean drains is on remodels when we have a clogged line. That toilet auger is the only piece of drain cleaning equipment on the truck, no room for a snake. It's done quite a few lines.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Marlin said:


> I'm not kidding. I do mostly rough in work so the only time I really clean drains is on remodels when we have a clogged line. That toilet auger is the only piece of drain cleaning equipment on the truck, no room for a snake. It's done quite a few lines.


What do you do if it's more than 6 feet away?

As for using a 3/8 hand auger, I wouldn't do it unless it was a last resort.
Even a 5/8 or 7/8 cable with a spade will not completely clean a line. The proper way is to use a powered snake with the right size cutter head, then jet.

Want proof? This customer had the line snaked every few months. The pictures speak for themselves.


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