# Spartan 300 - Which Cutter....?



## AssTyme (May 15, 2010)

Spartan seems to have a limited number a cutter options. When cleaning a 4" main which cutter is preferred, the 3 1/2" P-Trap or the 3" U-Blade ?


Any lower cost good generic alternatives/copies ?


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## ranman (Jan 24, 2010)

you dont want cheep cutters, you will have to remove them from the drain when the break off.

here is a link to some i have used 

http://www.mytana.com/products/cart.php?m=product_list&c=6


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## 3Peasdrain (Feb 5, 2010)

dont use any of the 3 or 31/2 blades use the 2 inch blade you will have an easier time after that is done then run the 3 inch saw blade through the line for a final cleanup:thumbup:


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## Kevan (Jul 5, 2010)

3Peasdrain said:


> dont use any of the 3 or 31/2 blades use the 2 inch blade you will have an easier time after that is done then run the 3 inch saw blade through the line for a final cleanup:thumbup:


I would advise against this approach.

Suppose the 2" blades go through a mass of roots and leave most if them intact (and that is easy to do). Then the blades go on to collect a big mass of roots down the line. Pulling back through that first stoppage can be very hard or impossible. You can't cut your way back because (1) the blades are pointing the wrong direction and (2) they are covered with the roots you picked up down the line.

Use large blades and clean the line as you go. If you have to drop down to a single blade in order to penetrate a tough stoppage, go back to a full set of blades before you get hung up.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

Kevan said:


> I would advise against this approach.
> 
> Suppose the 2" blades go through a mass of roots and leave most if them intact (and that is easy to do). Then the blades go on to collect a big mass of roots down the line. Pulling back through that first stoppage can be very hard or impossible. You can't cut your way back because (1) the blades are pointing the wrong direction and (2) they are covered with the roots you picked up down the line.
> 
> Use large blades and clean the line as you go. If you have to drop down to a single blade in order to penetrate a tough stoppage, go back to a full set of blades before you get hung up.


A lot of good advice there Kevan! :thumbup:

A lotta Noobies get hung up with those small blades through a hole in the rootball then run out and get a big ole ball wrapped up on the cutter...

On a 4" I'd go right to a 3-5 offset and try to get it in one pass...

If I can't get through a spot I'll down size and cut a hole in it then go back to the 3-5.

I usually run a leader as well...


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

I myself run a spartan 2" cutter then a 3" then finish off with a 4" If the home has 6" clay outside then I will run the 4x6 expanding cutter (only on a 1065 though).


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## Kevan (Jul 5, 2010)

SewerRatz said:


> I myself run a spartan 2" cutter then a 3" then finish off with a 4" If the home has 6" clay outside then I will run the 4x6 expanding cutter (only on a 1065 though).


I guess if you do that consistently, month after month, and you don't get hung up like I was describing, then the danger isn't nearly so great as I think. Experience trumps theory in drains like nowhere else.


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

Kevan said:


> I guess if you do that consistently, month after month, and you don't get hung up like I was describing, then the danger isn't nearly so great as I think. Experience trumps theory in drains like nowhere else.


Yep been drain cleaning for over 20+ years, and my father for 50 years and he done it the way I stated. We even give a two year guarantee on our power roddings.


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## AssTyme (May 15, 2010)

SewerRatz said:


> I myself run a spartan 2" cutter then a 3" then finish off with a 4" If the home has 6" clay outside then I will run the 4x6 expanding cutter (only on a 1065 though).




You run a 4" cutter on all 4" pipes ? On some of the crappy pipes around here I have trouble getting a 3 1/2" all the way through. On most of these the hardest part seems to be at the end just before it dumps into the city main.


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## Kevan (Jul 5, 2010)

AssTyme said:


> You run a 4" cutter on all 4" pipes ? On some of the crappy pipes around here I have trouble getting a 3 1/2" all the way through.


Me, too. I quit running 4" blades about fifteen years ago simply because, in most cases, I'd wind up having to drop down to 3" anyway; or, if not, I'd still have a devil of a time working past all of the irregularities in these old terra cotta pipes. It wouldn't be unusual to get the blades hung right away when trying to get started just where the cleanout tee connects to the downstream pipe -- an excellent way to break a cable.

The final judge of this question is callbacks, and they're rare for me now. I used to have my share, but now months go by without me having a callback on a drain.

However, plumbing's another story . . .


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## SewerRatz (Apr 25, 2009)

When you run multiple blades through the system the 4" normally goes through with out to much issue. If I do have issues with it, I will televise the line to see what I am against.


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