[Cityplumber]

I have used my Rigid 3800 with a 5/8 cable and chain knocker with pretty good results: just keep the chain moving, don't let it dwell at any one spot or it will punch a hole in any weak cast iron. Come behind with a camera and plenty of water to flush out the debris. If it's liberty pipe, don't try a knocker---- you will do nothing but put more cracks in the already crack ed up pipe. For those of you who don't know what liberty pipe is: It was cast iron manufactured during WW2 and was made to conserve metal, meaning it was thin and flimsy. Look for a star on the bell.

 

[Shadyear]

Sometimes orangeberg pipe can look like cast from the inside too

 

[brianpatrick]

I would be selling them a new sewer.

 

[skoronesa]

Sometimes orangeberg pipe can look like cast from the inside too

Cast iron doesn't get lumps from the rocks buried around it.

You ever seen new/unused orangeburg pipe? It actually looks as good as the old abs. Overtime the wood pulp absorbs water and that's why it becomes soft and you can cut it with a shovel. I tell customers it's like plywood layers rolled up with tar.

 

[TerryTotoSucks]

Typically orangeburg I find is oval, not round any longer.
My cutter will eat a hole a right through it…..😬

 

[rooterboy]

Plugged up going into the tank. I did use a carbide cutter with a 10' section of ridgid hd 5/8" cable and a drill to open the pipe to full size. than we ran water to clean it out and the water came back out of the sewer. The customer said he had the tank pumped 7 months ago so I think there is a problem with the leach field. I asked the customer to have his septic guy check out the system.

 

[rooterboy]

4" cast iron and 3" cast iron joining together before entering the septic tank The sections that we cut out were really restricted and catching solids and toilet paper seeds etc.

 

[rooterboy]

Restrictions in pipe

 

[rooterboy]

Cur all the connections the lines looked pretty clean.

 

[rooterboy]

Installed a 3" two way cleanout and a 4" two way cleanout. Stubbed the cleanouts near the top and used two brass co access covers. Customer did not like the saw marks so I caulked with self leveling concrete caulk.

 

[DDDave]

Installed a 3" two way cleanout and a 4" two way cleanout. Stubbed the cleanouts near the top and used two brass co access covers.

Done and done?

 

[rooterboy]

Done and done?

yep

 

[TerryTotoSucks]

Plugged up going into the tank. I did use a carbide cutter with a 10' section of ridgid hd 5/8" cable and a drill to open the pipe to full size. than we ran water to clean it out and the water came back out of the sewer. The customer said he had the tank pumped 7 months ago so I think there is a problem with the leach field. I asked the customer to have his septic guy check out the system.

That looks like it’s never been touched by a full size cutter.

 

[Shadyear]

Cast iron doesn't get lumps from the rocks buried around it.

You ever seen new/unused orangeburg pipe? It actually looks as good as the old abs. Overtime the wood pulp absorbs water and that's why it becomes soft and you can cut it with a shovel. I tell customers it's like plywood layers rolled up with tar.

Ive seen cast thats really scaled up to the point it looks just like that

 

[Tim Whistler]

My plan is to go on the roof to the 3" vent stack and push the 75' of homemade flex shaft down as far as I can. I think I can push it to the clog and that it is a soft blockage? After I have pushed it as far as it will go or to the septic tank. I will ask the customer to run water in the shower or tube and make sure it doesn't overflow Than I will run the flex shaft back slowly and try and remove most of the scale and open up the drain to full size. After I run the flex shaft I will check my work with the camera. If there if enough space in the line I will pull the flex shaft back and watch it with the camera. I will try the electric drill on the homemade flex shaft since it does not have a clutch. If I use the K9 204 I will use the battery drills because they have a clutch.

Tape the flex-shaft to the camera every couple of feet for the 1st 10-15 feet. Make sure it's about 2' -3' behind the cutters. You'll probably need the extra rigidity anyways, and you can watch the whole process.
Good luck!