Subject: [Shop-talk] Drain snakes?

From: Mark J Bradakis <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 03 Mar 2013 16:33:41 -0700

I was just at Home Depot and saw they had Ridgid Kwik-Spin drain snakes.
Looks like it would be a fair bit easier to use than my current loose, 
floppy
15 foot snake that I often use for this one troublesome section of kitchen
drain.  Anyone have any experience with such tools?

mjb.
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From: "Randall" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 5 Mar 2013 20:03:08 -0800

> 15 foot snake that I often use for this one troublesome section of 
> kitchen drain.  Anyone have any experience with such tools?
>

I have a snake somewhat similar to the Kwik-Spin, but without the fancy
trigger.  Works pretty good for me.  The trick is to have only a few inches
of cable exposed between the holder and the drain, so you can get some
torque on the cable without it flopping around.  Helps the end screw it's
way around corners and into obstructions.

FWIW though, about 10 years ago I got disgusted with our troublesome section
of kitchen drain (still running slow after using the full length of the
hand-held unit) and rented a big 100' power rooter from Home Depot.  Ran the
entire length in (although the end must've surely been sticking out into the
main line), had a terrible time pulling it back out.  (Fortunately, my
daughter's boyfriend at the time is built like a linebacker and was able to
pull it back.)  The remarkable part is that we have never had a problem with
that drain since!  Not sure what happened, must've been a partial clog
farther out that was helping it clog closer in or something.  Whatever it
was, I'm sure pleased with the result.

I had tried having the pros out before, but they would only go in about 30'
and call it good enough.  The drain would run clear, but start running slow
again within a year.  They blamed roots and the garbage disposal; but were
never able to pull any roots or garbage out of the drain.

Randall

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