New to the board

I'm still trying to figure out how I made it to this message board. I was looking for for Drain machine reviews(they just don't exsist on the internet), and I think I stumbled onto you guys here at Ridgid.

I'm a Plumbing & Heating contractor (part owner), who works in the family business, and the main percentage of our work is Plumbing. I've been doing Plumbing since I've been 12 years old (now 34), and probably have 10 years of limited drain cleaning experience.

Limited experience, cause over the years, we just didn't have time to get to the drain calls.

We have 2 K-50's (1 brand new..just bought it) and another K -something (it's a larger sectional).

We are currently looking to get a drum and that's part of the reason why I am here.

Talking with other Plumber's in the supply house, some swear by Electric eel..some General..the other's Ridgid. Those are the BIG 3 I hear in our area, and would like to hear some reviews from some of you guys. I'm not talking about specific models..more of an "over-all" consenus of which manufactor you guys think make the best drain equipment.

I also see you guys talking about the K-60..but not much love for the K-50. IN my entire Plumbing career, we only have 1 account (commercial building) in where we had to take an elevator and go to the roof to clear a drain.
I never had to hit a roof on a residential home yet to clear a drain/stack, and I'm curious as to "why" some of you get so many calls to do so? I understand leaves and maybe nests getting into the vent..but I'm at a loss for anything else.
Is this because some of you guys live in area's that have slabbed homes with no basement's?

In certain area's of Pa, you will see heavily coded area's, with lot's of Back venting, and sometimes difficulty navigating stacks.

Anyways, I've been lurking for the past 2 days, and I've already picked up a few tips and tricks!!
The 1 tip I really LOVED was the concertina wire gloves!!!! I told my father about that this morning, and I'm already looking to buy a few pairs.

Lastly..I love the Plumbing trade..and I'm all for and stand behind all the legitament Plumbers in the country! Sadly, I live in an area where we have a problem with unlicensed people doing Plumbing...mainly Handymen and a few other shoemaker's out there.

I hope to learn a few things while here, and pass on some information as well.

Welcome to the board, glad to have you. In my area there's often no cleanouts around the house or under. This area expanded so fast a lot of hacks installed plumbing around here. I can pull my ladder and setup on the roof faster than I can pull a toilet. I use the k60 so there's no mess inside to worry about. I've found jobs with bad grease problems that the grease will float to the top often in the vent and cling to the pipe, as the water resides the grease is left there. It just builds up and will block the vent. I've seen this more than once.

If you read some of my previous posts about Fergusons you'll see my opinion of them. They are rip offs. I buy tools online from blackbook of tools.com. Much cheaper.

More and More me and my father think Fergusons is more geared for the "new home" Plumber. We did new work many moons ago, when the money was excellent in new work.
Another problem we have with ferguson is..Oaks,Pa is the training facility for ferguson...so we get the College kids working the counter..and it drives us nuts.
Don;t get me wrong, I understand what they are doing but..you need to have experienced counter personel!!

Btw..I'm a Desert Storm Veteran...I was stationed in Norfolk! I miss the days of cruising Virginia beach! When I was getting out of the Navy (1993) they were starting a new driving law down there..you could only do so many passes down the strip, before you got a ticket.

I plan on coming back down, cause I was stationed on the U.S.S. Wisconsin during the war...and it's down there now..and I want to come back and see it.

Thanks for explaining why you guys are hitting the roof. I never thought to think of...No vents in the lawn.

Btw..if I can't find these concentina wire gloves..can I pay pal you or whichever you prefer..and you send me up 2 pairs?

If you have a RIDGID Catalog handy the adapters "cannisters" are on the page after the k-50s

yes you can buy them seperately

Cat# Description
59250 Adapter With 25' X 5/16 with Bulb
59255 Adapter With 35' X 3/8 with Bulb
59265 Adapter With 35' X 3/8 Male Adapter
92095 Adapter With 50' X 5/16 with Bulb
92100 Adapter With 50' X 5/16 with Drop Head

BTW... welcome to the board.

Josh

K-50 with cannisters huh?

The K-50 I ordered over a month ago..is still sitting in the box, cause Ferguson couldn't oder me that cannister! They told me you can't order it that way..and you can only order the parts for that cannister.:mad: The guy at Ferguson said.."I can order all the parts, and you can put the cannister together!" LOL

Funny thing is..when we bought our other K-50 a few years ago..we had no problems getting the cannister for the back of it.

Oh Yea..the guy at Ferguson says to me.." we have to e-mail Ridgid to order anything..there are no phone numbers for us to use!"

Umm..what? lol What did Ridgid do before computers...morse code?

So..I still have a brand new K-50..with No cannister. Another supply house finally ordered us one..but I won't get it till the end of August!!

I hope none of my customers need a drain line snaked. :mad:

Welcome to the board... I used electric eel sectionals for years...I loved it, allthough big and bulky, it was pretty easy to use and just destroyed tree. I converted to drum machines and only used Spartans...After using the drum i stopped using sectionals for about 6 yrs..I would use it off and on, but not everyday anymore...I recently got turned onto the Ridgid K-60 by PlumberRick on the boards here by looking at some of his job pics...Today i tried one out and i love it...It is smaller, compact and easy to take on roofs...I wasnt really a believer of the Ridgid sectional machines because of the cables, but after the hands on, im going to be purchasing one in the real near future...If i had to choose sectionals right now, i would go with what i know and that is electric eel, but who knows, after i use this K60 for awhile im sure i will be a firm believer at it....Good Luck

Greg

here ya go http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/Catalog-Request/EN/index.htm

Just make sure you are requesting the printed one if ya want a hard copy.

Josh
Josh - that is why we had to go else where to get this cannister.

Btw..I don't have a Ridgid catalog..can you mail me one?

I always order the K-50-8 because it comes with both rear canisters (5/16 & 3/8) and the A-30 cable kit.

Mark

Also nice to see a fellow Pennsylvanian :)

I went to Plumbing school down in Levittown...across from Bishop Eagan? Do I have that correctly?
Through the years, my father sent all of his employees to that school, and I personally think it's the best and toughest Plumbing school on this side of Pennsylvania.
Even though I have been doing Plumbing at an early age..that school really taught me a lot of theory.

I heard lot's of stories about your area..and the reasons why it's very strict(Plumbing wise) down there today.

We are located in the Collegeville area.

Yeah thats right, over at the Tech School....I use to do alot of work in Collegeville....The tech school is where i went to school...

WElcome , Ozone . Any of the ridgid machines are great . I use the k-50 , the 1500a and the k-39 auto-feed .THe best thing I've found with sectionals is that there is not a load on the motor from the start because your not pushing a drum load of cable .I've used the k-60 and many brands , e-eel , spartan , general , gorlitz . They all have thier good points . Comes down to personal preference .

Also nice to see a fellow Pennsylvanian :)

I went to Plumbing school down in Levittown...across from Bishop Eagan? Do I have that correctly?
Through the years, my father sent all of his employees to that school, and I personally think it's the best and toughest Plumbing school on this side of Pennsylvania.
Even though I have been doing Plumbing at an early age..that school really taught me a lot of theory.

I heard lot's of stories about your area..and the reasons why it's very strict(Plumbing wise) down there today.

We are located in the Collegeville area.

Welcome Ozone,
Boy did you come to the right place.Myself,I'm mostly puttin the pipes in,The guys here are have been helping me see the light on the sectional snakes.I have never owned a drain cleaning device,other than one of those hand crank sink and tub jobbers I would buy to help Friend or family and just leave it with them.

These guys love their snakes,All Clear,Drain Medic,Westcoast just to name a few all sleep with one hand on their snake.

Oh and if you here anything from a PLUMBER RICK,watch out.Don't believe a word that guy says:eek::D

Hope you enjoy the forum as much as so many here, but not as much as I,my lady has accussed my of being a philanderer;)

ADAM

Yeah thats right, over at the Tech School....I use to do alot of work in Collegeville....The tech school is where i went to school...

I hated driving 2 nights a week for 4 years to go to that school..it was a P.I.T.A.! However..I used to get out early cause I lived far away.

Anything goes in Collegeville..it's sad actually.

Ya know..I hear Plumbers complain about inspectors being tough or townships being tough. If you lived and worked in the Norristown area like I do..that toughness would be a welcomed sight!

For those who don't know..there was a Plumbing inspector out of Norristown,Pa who sold Master Plumbing licenses for over 15 years! It flooded are area with illegal Plumbers..and what a mess. Slowly but surely..most have been weeded out..but many still remain. Besides Philly and Pittsburgh the Norristown area phone book dwarfs any township in the state, when it comes to most listed Plumbers.

We also have area's that do not follow the code..nor do you have to be a Licensed Plumber!
Pa went to a state wide license..except Pittsburgh and Philly..and to be honest..it's a joke! The International plumbing code is too easy and is not a challenge at all.

IMO..the State of Pa needs to be sued..that's the only way they will listen.

My father was president of a Local Plumbers association, and he had a meeting with the head of the PHCC for our area. He tried to explain that to the PHCC..cause they are a National organization....and they did nothing to help the Plumbers in our state.

My thoughts on the PHCC..I will save for another time.

I'm done ranting for the day..lol

Welcome to the Board we are glad to add you to our family. I have posted here forever the K-50 is my favorite snake and if I could only have one snake on a service truck it would be a K-50 with canisters and 5/8 cable.

Many of the homes in Southern California are slab-on-grade construction because of our mild weather. Those which have crawl space or basements are sometimes easier on the roof as well.

Mark

Btw..if I can't find these concentina wire gloves..can I pay pal you or whichever you prefer..and you send me up 2 pairs?

There easy to find, check any well stocked surplus store or online store. Rick has been talking about how he uses "ugly gloves". I've been trying to find those in my area with no success. Ziltch online too. If I ever find out where he gets them (hint, hint) I'll try those for a spell.

The new law they just passed for speeding is an almost 3000$ fine for speeding. They'll find money one way or another to build roads. You wouldn't believe for much houses go for up here now.

here ya go http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/Catalog-Request/EN/index.htm

Just make sure you are requesting the printed one if ya want a hard copy.

Josh

Thanks Josh

#If you have any other info about this subject , Please add it free.#

March 22nd, 2010 | fanhou.com | edit

Navigate

Categories

Archives

Meta

Links

New to the board