ProStaff

So, as the story goes, a sales rep out west who had spent decades selling a competitor’s plumbing products is hired by General Pipe Cleaners. After initial training, he returned to his territory with a smattering of cables, cutters and drain cleaning machines to get him started.

The first time he demonstrated the Flexicore Cable, he called the company to complain that the pipe snake, “just didn’t feel right!” It felt “limp”, not “springy.”

As Dave Dunbar, National Sales Manager with General Pipe Cleaners explained, “the Flexicore engineering process has the effect of making the cable feel less springy than hollow cables.”

It took a few phone calls to get things straightened out with the rep, but then six months later, he was complaining that the cables lasted so much longer than his former brand’s that he was only selling a fraction of his previous replacement snakes. A small fraction.

It was this story that interested a few of our contractor friends. Why would it be springy? Is it really that stiff and is that a good thing? Would it really last longer?

Knowing General Pipe Cleaners would be at the WWETT Show this past spring, I introduced the General’s team to a few drain cleaning contractors that we are big fans of and have worked with in the past. It was my hope that we could create some valuable and interesting content based on the original story and the contractors having never used Flexicore.

It was soon after the show that we asked for them to send a few of their Flexicore cables to a few of our ProStaff team members to get their thoughts on the cable. They obliged and three drain cleaning pros were sent the cables to use on their existing cable machines, which for transparency, were all competitor drum machines.

As you may know, the Flexicore cable is the result of a process, where instead of coiling a hollow cable, they tightly wrap spring steel around a 49 strand aircraft quality wire rope. This provides the cable additional strength when it is under torque.

Each member of our team received a variety of Flexicore cables based on their typical daily drain cleaning challenges with the request to use them over a couple of months and provide feedback. The team of contractors included Felix Delgadillo, DrainGuys (Chicago), Terence Chan, Impetus Plumbing (Vancouver) and Jeff Keller, Bulldog Contractors (Texas), all are longtime drain cleaning professionals in their area of the country.

As expected, those daily challenges included providing both residential and commercial services, addressing clogged kitchen drains, clogged bathroom drains, clogged outdoor drains, and clogged sewer lines using today’s best technology to unclog lines to keep the water flowing.

While Keller, Chan and Delgadillo confirmed that this was the first time using the cable, Chan stated what all three mentioned, “I’ve never used the product but very excited to see what it can do.”

Chan went on to say, “Initially seeing the product, I was a bit leery how it may hold on to the heads, but it did, really well. In fact, I’ve had trouble with heads from a competitor and the Flexicore held.”

“The screws to hold on the head versus a snap lock is a nice addition,” said Keller.

One of the unique byproducts of the Flexicore process is that the cable stiffens and gets stronger under torque, which Delgadillo agreed, “the cable feels less springy and it does get quite stiff when the operator needs it the most.”

Keller continued, “it caught me off guard and took some getting used to. Most if not all drain cleaners/plumbers are used to listening to their machines and the feel of the strain on the cable to evaluate the blockage, so this was a bit different, but did a solid job.”

As discussed in the WWETT video, when a drain cleaning machine rotates a pipe snake down the drain and it hits a clog or stoppage, tension or torque builds up in the cable. Because of the direction the drum is turning, the reaction of the outer coil of spring steel is that it wants to contract due to the tension. However, because the wire rope is in the way, the only thing that it can do is tighten, which makes it stiffer and stronger and the cable much less likely to kink or break when in use.

Chan concluded, “I would recommend this to peers in the field as it got the job done. I’m curious to see the long-term difference versus some of the cables we typically use and recommend everyone make sure they have the cable sizes they need for their machines.”

We second that Terence! Be sure to size your cables correctly so it all works perfectly.

While the contractors are still using the cables in the field, it was a unanimous decision that more time in the field was needed to truly understand the value of Flexicore cables and how it holds up long term versus other options.

We will continue to check in with the team to provide updates later in the year.

Contractor Bios:

Felix Delgadillo – He has been in the plumbing trades for over 15 years. Most of his experience has been in remodels & new construction for both commercial and residential. He is passionate about new construction and wanted to expand professionally to the service side. In 2019 he started his second company, Drain Guys, LLC. Drain Guys specializes in commercial and residential sewer cleaning, camera inspections & locating.

IG: www.instagram.com/drainguyschicago

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Drainguyschicago

 

Terence Chan – He is a plumbing, heating and gas contractor out of Vancouver, BC, Canada. His company is Impetus Plumbing and Heating. Impetus stands for a force that makes something happen, which stands for everything their name defines them to be.  We make everything happen and will never say no to any job. This company wants to be seen as the next up and coming generation that will make a difference and disturb the status quo in the current trade.

IG: www.instagram.com/impetuspandh

Facebook: www.facebook.com/impetuspandh

 

Jeff Keller – Bulldog Contractors allows him to work alongside his father Carl and other Bulldog team members. For over 35 years, Bulldog Contractors have brought areas of Northeast Texas first class plumbing and septic service, experience, and quality work with exceptional results. They are committed to exceed the expectations of our customers with quality service and expertise on every project we do. With a lot of repeat business, they have built long-term & trusting relationships over the years.

IG: www.instagram.com/jkeller1.0

Facebook: www.facebook.com/builditlikebulldog

Summer vacations are winding down and the annual ritual for parents buying school supplies for the kids is underway, but maybe it’s high time to kick off the old work boots and find a new pair. Does that sound like a great first step?

Recently, Mechanical Hub ProStaff member Andy Mickelson, owner of Mickelson Plumbing and HVAC in Montana,  tested a pair of Ariat Rebar Flex 6″ Waterproof Composite Toe Work Boots on multiple job sites and in various indoor/outdoor conditions to provide us with the following observations.

For those not familiar with the Ariat Work Boot Brand (most recognize the brand for its western boots), they have unique and tasteful designs while at the same time delivering high-quality performance and comfort in a stylish and fashionable boot.

Ariat work boots are designed and engineered with the contractor and jobsite person in mind. Constructed from premium sturdy and durable leather with the most advanced footwear technologies they offer superior performance and on the job critical protection in any work field or the environment. Ariat boots offer a safety platform to match every environment, such as the Grip Strip Platform, the Work Ride Platform, the Expert Safety Clog Platform and the Safety Clog Platform.

Ariat also offers ATS and 4LR technology for comfort, stability, and traction as well as waterproof technology with the impermeable waterproof barrier. Insulated boots featuring Thinsulate Ultra insulation will help to give your feet the highest level of cold weather protection and while remaining a lightweight shoe. Ariat also offers a steel toe range for added safety. Ariat boots come with an oil, slip, heat, and abrasion resistant sole that will perform with the best grip and traction on any floor surface.

MICKELSON:  It’s the first safety toe boot that I have comfortably worn throughout an entire work day in many years. For the past few months, I’ve worn them almost daily, sunrise to sundown, and in many cases hours into the night, on various surfaces without issue.

The Ariat Rebar work boots come out of the box ready to wear, with relatively little break in needed. The boots have a stylish design with a combination leather and mesh upper. The insole of the boot is comfortable with decent arch support. The soles are listed as a slip & oil resisting, debris release design. I’d support that statement having worn the boots through the better part of winter. Snow and parking lot slop stomps off easily. The tread pattern seems to grip well on most surfaces even when the temperatures drop well below zero.

Many soles will begin to harden and become hazardous well before that, not the case with the Rebar. The debris release design comes in nice while constantly transitioning from snow covered ground onto finished concrete or similar smooth finishes. The uppers of the boot are leather and man-made materials, which lend to the boot breathing very well. Generally breathing well and waterproof aren’t generally both strong traits in a work boot, again, not the case with the Ariat Rebar.

As a Professional Plumber and Pipefitter, these boots have been nearly submerged numerous times and thoroughly soaked on the exterior with no leakage regularly. The leather is holding up fairly well with normal daily abuse, resulting in small cuts and scrapes. The hardware on the boots consist of a single plastic rivet and webbing attachments below, holding a quality paracord like lace. Double row stitching has the components locked together.

Overall I look forward to wearing these boots for as long as they’ll last and very much looking towards to fulfill my work boot needs with Ariat in the future.

Work Boot Specs:

• Waterproof leather in key protection and support areas combined with rugged mesh panels
• 100% non-metallic
• Anatomical last for true fit
• Injected lateral support cage
• Forefoot flex notch
• Mesh lining
• EVA cushioning midsole
• ESS midsole in heel for extra protection and support
• Oil-and slip-resistant Duratread™ outsole with debris-release tread design
• Defined heel
• Safety toe is ASTM F2413-11 M/I/75 C/75 EH rated
• 4LR™ footbed for support and cushioning

For more on Ariat work boots and other work gear, visit Ariat Work.

There are three things I want to highlight in this video, not all are totally flattering so please take a look:
1. The 2nd generation M12 Fuel Impact is even better than the first and that’s actually incredible because anyone who’s owned the 1st gen knows it’s a very nice tool.

2. The Smith HE2 copper fintube baseboard is fabulous. The performance is crazy awesome and makes it the best bb on the market for mod/con & electric boilers, without a doubt. Don’t argue with me on this, I’ve tried them all and I’ve installed miles of bb. This is a fact, it’s science.

3. The  Milwaukee Tool dipped gloves (I’m wearing the cut level 1 pair here) are nice but too stiff in the cold for my liking. Also, they’re supposed to have “SMARTSWIPE” index fingers but I can tell you first hand they don’t work on my iPhone 7+ at all. I’m told that this may be due to my screen protector or the angle of my finger. They did however protect my hands against the 750 million cuts I would’ve received from the razor sharp aluminum fins on the bb. They’re priced right in my opinion and I’d have no problem buying more pairs because they fit well and offer the protection I am looking for.

Hope this helps,

Eric Aune

Aune Plumbing, LLC

Mechanical Hub ProStaff

A post shared by Mechanical-Hub (@mechanicalhub) on Feb 4, 2018 at 12:47pm PST