Home Maintence Via the Hobby Tools?

[rake60]

Here's a real off topic story.
The kitchen drain was in need of some serious attention.
Old fashioned cast iron drain pipes that are probably at least 80 years old.
Knowing from experience what it costs to have RotoRooter make a
visit I decided I had to tackle it myself. I tried the good old manual drain
snake, lots of mess but not much progress. Next came the Mr Plumber gel,
same results. Then the wife asked if the air line from the garage compressor
would reach that far. I thought it was worth a shot. I stretched the air
line into the kitchen, wrapped a damp rag around the blow gun and held
it tight into the cast iron pipe under the sink. One quick shot, and it
immediately blew the drain clear. I don't know if I'd try it on PVC pipes
but it sure worked on the cast iron with no ill effects.

I have to give credit for the idea to my wife.
AND, for her buying the air compressor for me as a Christmas
gift a few years back. :wink:

Rick

 

[DICKEYBIRD]

Yup, I've done the same several times with good results. I have a converted Freon can/airtank that I use. I air it up to only 50-60 psi so hopefully the drain pipe won't explode and also don't have to drag the air hose through the house.

I found a 4" soft rubber ball in the gutter on one of my walks. Brought it home & drilled a small hole in it and stuffed the long air nozzle tube through it. Works great in sink drains or the toilet.

 

[wareagle]

On holiday weekend, we had a drain back up on us (doesn't it always happen on a long weekend :? ) and couldn't get a hold of anyone to come out for less than our first born. I threw the money into a plumbers snake (200') at the local home improvement labyrinth, and took care of the issue myself. Plumber I am not, but it is handy to go run the drains every six months or so, and we haven't had another problem again (well, not true as my toddler flushed a diaper down the toilet :roll: ).

I don't think I would use compressed air on a drain myself as with my luck, it would blow nasty water out every drain in the house and the clog would remain intact. That's what happens when Mr. Murphy is your unwanted roommate!

 

[Tin Falcon]

one of my first home lathe project was bushings for a shower door. My parents bought a bank repo house that needed a lot of work to get a CO. there was a laundry list of repairs. I ended up putting up new railing on the decks. One of my favorite metal /surplus warehouses gave nearly curbside service to my mom to replace the Electric panel cover/door. She walked in on her cane and they stopped her by the door asked her what she needed she handed them a paper with the specs . they let her sit down and sent someone to fetch the door. 5 minutes later they were back with what she needed at a very reasonable price. The shower door also needed to be rehung.
So I put the 7x10 mini lathe ,my machinist tool box, an extension cord and a few odds and ends into the back of my station wagon and instant portable machine shop. Did an on site repair to the shower door.
isn't home machining fun.
Tin

 

[rake60]

Long before I had a home shop, to speak of, I had a few little toy tools.
One of them being a little Dremel wood lathe.

When my boys were just little my parents gave one of them a little
kick scooter as a gift. The parts package was missing a nylon bushing,
and my parents were not happy. I slipped off to the garage, hacked a
chunk off the handle of an old screwdriver and made a bushing on the
little Dremel lathe. 10 minutes later I finished putting the scooter together.

It's funny, anytime something breaks I catch myself looking for stock to
make parts before shopping around for replacement parts.

Rick

 

[georgeseal]

Our house is about 43 years old & we have lived there 37 years.
I have a double sink in the kitchen and acouple years ago one sink would back up into the other( water seaks its own level ) both sides would drine slowly. I pored a ton of different products down the drain with no good results. I had bought a drain cleaning nozzel from Enco for a pressure washer. It finaly dawned on me that the vent stack on the roof above the sink would make a good entry point. Posted SWMBO at sink in case of back up. Ran hose all the way to septic tank and now every thing drains quick.

point of the story is this will clean out your drains

George