Drain Brains

By Dave Dunbar, Retired – National Sales Manager at General Pipe Cleaners

Recently, we have posted a series of blogs with the title ‘How Not to Break Your Stuff, where we shared best practices from contractors who excel at keeping their drain cleaning machines operational and profitable. After looking at some of the feedback that we got from that series, we decided to write this ‘tongue in cheek’ guide to breaking your equipment as fast as possible. This article is designed for plumbers and drain cleaners who want to destroy as many machines, cables, push rods and accessories as possible, and will be invaluable to contractors who need to show a huge annual loss for tax purposes, or who have more money than they know what to do with. All others are advised to do the exact opposite of these top five suggestions!

1. Simply toss your drain cleaning machines and snakes into the back of your truck as soon as the job is over with no cleaning or lubrication, and don’t give them a second thought until the next drain cleaning job. Ride them hard and put them away wet! And whatever else you do, never put Snake Oil or any other lubricant on the cables! I’m sure that cable will look as good as new the next time you go to use it!
2. Pretend that your drain cleaning cable is a battering ram and force it down the drain as hard as you can! Or, better yet, if you have a power feed on your machine, just shove the feed control lever into forward, step on the foot pedal, and then check your social media for a few minutes. No problems!
3. Never use a starting tool…just put your biggest, baddest cutter on the end of your cable, ram the snake down the drain and hope for the best. After all, size matters in this line of work, and it’s important to show the clog who’s boss!
4. Never use anti-freeze in your pump during the winter months. It takes way too much time, and after all, time is money! If you drive really-really fast to and from the job site and only do the bare minimum when cleaning the line, you can have that high pressure water jetter back in your heated garage before the pump head has a chance to freeze. Absolutely probably!
5. Why use a thirty-dollar cutting tool to clear an obstruction in a pipe when you could use a three-thousand-dollar camera head? After all, the camera head is right there in the pipe, and that hunk of concrete that you’re looking at probably only needs a little nudge to push it out of the way. Besides, it’s just a video camera that you’re shoving down a clogged sewer, what could possibly go wrong?

Based on nearly a century of experience, we’re pretty sure that all these suggestions will have the intended effect of destroying your stuff as quickly as possible. Try doing the exact opposite and see what happens! For more information, call the Drain Brains at 800-245-6200, or visit drainbrain.com.

General Pipe Cleaners’ hand-held Power-Vee^® drain cleaner with automatic feed makes clearing small drain lines fast and easy.

The simplified feeding system gives savvy plumbing, drain cleaning, maintenance, and rehab pros an “extra hand” in tight and awkward spaces. Just squeeze the lever – and cable feeds at up to 16 feet per minute.

Rugged, reliable Power-Vee easily unclogs sinks, tubs, and laundry drains from 1-1/4” to 3” in diameter, up to 50 feet long. General’s automatic feed quickly adjusts to Flexicore^® cable diameters from 1/4” to 3/8” without special tools or additional parts.

The compact Power-Vee features quick-change cable cartridges for fast cable changing or cleaning. And the Dyna-Thrust™ bearing system helps extend tool life by reducing bearing wear.

Flexicore cable from General offers superior kinking resistance and unequalled strength with the right amount of flexibility. It’s so tough that it carries the best warranty in the business – one-year protection against breakage.

General’s optional Handy-Stand™ turns Power-Vee into a practical countertop or floor machine. The ergonomically balanced Handy-Stand enhances the drain cleaner’s versatility, safety, and stability.

And the optional Uni-Stand™ securely supports the Power-Vee and reduces arm fatigue in tight, awkward work spaces – like those beneath sinks and kitchen cabinets.

For more information, contact the Drain Brains^® at General Pipe Cleaners at 800-245-6200 or 412-771-6300 – or visit www.drainbrain.com/pv to watch Power-Vee in action.

General Pipe Cleaners, a division of General Wire Spring Co., is a leading manufacturer of high quality, American-made drain cleaning equipment. In business since 1930, the fourth-generation, family-owned company is celebrating nearly a century of service to drain cleaning professionals and plumbing contractors, as well as to facilities managers, the rental industry, and the hardware/DIY market. The Toughest Tools Down The Line.

Prevent basement flooding with the Flood-Guard™ from General Pipe Cleaners. It operates like a check valve to seal off water back-up caused by overloaded sewers. The float rises to seal off the drain opening until the water recedes. Installs in minutes; all you need is a screwdriver. Once in place, it can prevent property damage and a very messy clean-up job. Available for 2″, 3″, and 4″ drain lines.

For details, contact the Drain Brains® at General Pipe Cleaners at 800-245-6200 or 412-771-6300, or visit drainbrain.com/en/products/flood-guard/

Slice Through Grease, Sludge, Sand, Ice & More

Popular, powerful Jet-Set^® electric, gas, and trailer water jets from General Pipe Cleaners slice through grease, sludge, sand, ice, and other “soft” stoppages that many cable drain cleaners can’t clear!

Water jets unleash high-pressure water streams that pulverize clogs – and flush them away. Nozzle thrust drives the hose down lines – and gives wall-to-wall pipe cleaning action.

General’s rugged, reliable water jets are excellent for blockages in restaurants, hotels, hospitals, factories, schools, sports arenas, care facilities, shopping centers, waste treatment plants, septic systems, and more.

Portable Electric Jets 

Compact and economical, they’re superb for clearing smaller and inside 1-1/2” to 4” lines – like sinks and laundry drains. Hand-carry 23-lb JM-1000 Mini-Jet™ right to problems in its rugged metal diamond plate case. Or wheel the trim JM-1450 right to troubles. Its telescoping handle and detachable hose reel make maneuvering easy. And both pack 1500 psi of cleaning power.

Maneuverable Gas Jets 

General’s muscular machines punch through stubborn stoppages in longer and outside 4” to 8” lines. All sport reliable engines, 3000 psi punch, puncture-proof tires, and robust, tubular chassis. On-demand Vibra-pulse^® technology helps propel hoses down long runs and around tight bends.

Models range from light, economical JM-2900 through precisely balanced JM-3000 with electric start and generous 300 ft. capacity hose reel. The JM-3080 tops the line with a 12 gal buffer tank and 8 gpm flow rate – the industry’s highest without requiring a trailer.

Powerful Trailer Jet 

General’s brawny JM-2512 Typhoon^® delivers 12 gpm at 2500 psi to blast clogs from 4” to 12” lines up to 400 ft. long. A 200 gal holding tank aids operations in remote areas with limited water. Two hose reels offer plenty of reach. And standard equipment includes rugged radial tires, leaf-spring suspension, electric brakes, fold-down stabilizer jacks, and more.

There’s a Jet-Set jetter for every application. For details of models and accessories, visit www.drainbrain.com/jets. Or contact General’s Drain Brains^® at 800-245-6200 or 412-771-6300.