I'm sure this has been brought up before but after reading a very long thread on another board about the k60 I would like to get some input from you guys. I don't own one and have never used a sectional. From what I have been reading it could be a good alternative to my spartan 300, lighter etc.? Questions: Is it a pita attaching and taking apart the cables all the time? Don't they get a little sloppy? How about storage? On the other forum there was talk of a LOT of cable breaks using the K60. I'm still using the same magnum cable on my 300 for years, no breaks. Why are folks breaking cables so often with the K60? I sure would like to hear the good and the bad about the machine, I was thinking about buying one. What kind of cable? How long are the sections etc. Thanks!
K60 vs Spartan 300
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Sectional machines take a little longer than a drum machine but not by much. I believe a sectional machine does a better job of cleaning than a drum machine due to the higher RPMs, open cable and flexibility of the cable. Storage is easy as it is very compact and one of the reasons I have a K-60 on my truck. In 35-years of drain cleaning I have never broken a sectional cable but I have broken drum cables. A drain machine should not be an either or as I believe you should have both drum and sectional machines.
Mark
The main reason I'm considering the K60 is because we mostly only do 3 and 4" sewers with cleanouts located in basements. Getting tired of packing that 300 up and down the steps. Though I do have my oldest son with me now, that does help! ;-)
If I had a truck full of machines on the truck and needed to snake a 3" or 4" line from a basement I would without question grab the K-60. Another advantage to the K-60 is you can also run 5/8" cable so you have a range of 1 1/2" through 6" with one machine.
Mark
Mark
What kind of cable set up would you suggest for doing strictly 3 or 4" sewers? Sorry for asking dumb questions but I have never used a section machine before. I see they sell the K60sp? with 75' of 7/8" cable. I would need an additional 75' for a lot of my jobs. So I guess that would mean two spools? Do you leave the 75' all attached in the spool or you remove them section by section?
I carry 200' of 7/8" and 200' of 5/8" which takes 4-cages and I rarely need over 100' but it is easier to carry it than go back to the shop for it. I leave all of the cables connected and hand feed in as much as I can before I start breaking them down. After I am done cleaning the drain I will often pull the cable out without disconnecting the cables and feed it right back into the cage. To give you an idea of storage here is my K-60 in a side bin with 2-cages of cable totaling about 200' of 5/8"
Mark
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Hey 3 Kings, you know WeilHammer Plumbing up there?
The Root-66 runs at 400 RPM while the K-60 runs at 600 RPM. The Root-66 is more comprable to a K-50 except that it will turn 7/8" cable too. I think you will have good luck with the Root-66.
Mark
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I know the guy that runs it from another site. He's a character, he's on a vandetta to squash Whirlpool flamejunk water heaters.
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We have 2 K60's and an older K50 plus a 380 and another old spartan drummer. Most of the guys really like the sectional's. Since I have not played in the poo for quite a few years now I really have no opinion except I like the serviceablilty of the sectionals a little better. They don't seem to have as many mechanical problems.
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I just bought a K-60SP last week and have used it 4 times already. Awsome tool. I needed it to crawl under a house last Friday and I was able to run out 155' and clear a stoppage. Easy to use, easy to carry, just takes a little gettin used to. Each of the cables are 7/8" x 15', although I plan on getting 105' of 5/8" x 7.5'.
I thought I made a mistake when I bought a drum machine a few weeks ago, but it has it's place to when it comes tho clearing sewers.
I thought I made a mistake when I bought a drum machine a few weeks ago, but it has it's place to when it comes tho clearing sewers.
I don't have any problem hand feeding any drum cable, but sometimes having to retrieve a slippery, greasy, cable a power feed can really make the job easier. Snaking under a building though I could see the advantage of a sectional. Food for thought.
I carry 150' of 7/8" cable. I leave the cables together in the drums, take them apart one section at a time. I might occasionally put a couple of cables together and hand-feed them into the line until I hit something, depending on what the cable has to go around.
I always use the guide hose with the machine, and since the 5/8" cables are shorter, I leave two of them hooked together at a time to put into the hose.
Kinda funny how the cables love to leap right out of the drum if you aren't careful.
I always use the guide hose with the machine, and since the 5/8" cables are shorter, I leave two of them hooked together at a time to put into the hose.
Kinda funny how the cables love to leap right out of the drum if you aren't careful.
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