Milwaukee or Ridgid Drain Cleaning SmartSnake re-load part 1 

I admire your dedication to make something better oor more useful, that's how products are made . Keep up the good work!!!

Ted, you are the smartest guy you ever met 😂

The only thing I can think of is to either a try to shim the locks, so they’re forced together closer or see if you can pick up yourself from some strapping. That’s the same thickness and bend it the same way the locks are and drill a smaller hole in between them. That way it’ll grab onto the smaller cable better. Other than that I’m not an HVAC guy. I just enjoy watching your videos love seeing the cars when they pop up every now and then.

Hey Anti, retired industrial maintenance mechanic here - not necessarily in this specific trade. Just thinking out of the box here, maybe try an electrician's 50 foot fish tape and it may soften up the blockage in your condensate lines.

You could try and put a weld on the ends of where it clamps the cable, or you could try and get some rubber nubs to go on the ends of the clamps to help take up the space

Can't wait for next video with longer metal strips.... Millwaukee needs to ask the professional "What would you like to see our tool do"... Really enjoy watching your channel Ted !!!

I'm in apartment maintenance I can use that snake for sure. Be a great tool to my arsenal. Great video keep em rolling Ted.

I am not able to walk very Good now and I don't drive anymore and I don't blame You for wanting things easier.

Possibly form two pieces of heavier gauge sheet metal to fit exactly against the backs of the two existing steel jaws. Affix new pieces to the back of the jaws with epoxy or JB Weld. This will result in the jaws pressing further inwards when the lock is slid towards the drum. Might gain you enough additional travel to grip the thinner spring cable.

Those pieces look like spring steel. How about splitting a washer and tig welding one on each piece. But you may have to retemper them after.

You would definitely have to make the new clamp pieces out of a springy type of metal. I don’t think that our standard tin would hold shape. The metal needs to be annealed to hold its shape and have the proper tension. Idk. I would definitely try what you’re saying though. Just 24 gage metal. I’d love to see it work.

Ted you and your buddies fabricate race cars you have the knowledge and machine lay’s to make the custom parts and tubes i think you will modify and be successful 👍👍👍

Re: The milwaukee. The design is fine. As u said a new set of spring jaws for a smaller cable is ur best bet.

Funny, I was thinking "Steve Lav uses plug-in everything; you could send it to him;" then you mentioned maybe doing that. On those clips, would the new ones need to be spring-steel to work reliably, especially long term? You might just make the existing ones work by brazing (or even just pinching) on a couple of 1/4"-1/2" pieces of thick copper wire, perhaps 10GA, on the edges of each existing clip, to fill the gap.

Teddy I would try tightening the circumference of the disc that is squeezing on the hooks or locks seems a little to big which is allowing way too much slop in the securing or locking down the cable

On a whole other subject,I'm likeing that corvette Ted,I don't think I remember seeing that in any of your other videos over the years

I understand wanting Cordless.

Need to find a heat treating shop to make and temper appropriate spring steel brackets

Maybe throw some rubber grip type material over the existing clamps,it looks like it's almost there just needs a little more grip

Try the Milwaukee trap snake, it battery power and easily then the the Milwaukee that on the table. I have both. The trap snake has it usage. Just a thought.i have the Rigid I don't sUse it much other then floor drains. I enjoy the channel

ive been known to use my plastic fish tape in a bind to clear a drain when my drill auger is too big

I would’ve tried it welding a little bit on it, and then grinding it flat to make it longer where it grabs, and then you can make a U in the sides.

I've seen a number of vids when you're working hvac and like your solving approach. What camera/mic gear do you use when you recored your hvac vids? What town are you servicing? houses look nice. tnx

Variable Speed Mota would be Good too. You can tell that I watch Steve Lav too.

Ted my hand crank snake has a thumb screw on the end to lock it if it’s possible to cut some threads in the collar

Can you add a speed control to the Rigid Drain Snake

Have both tools. Both cables broke in me

weld and grinding probably;y a good try too

Maybe plug it in to a rheostat to make it slower.

Or wrap some electrical tape right before that 90 degree bend to give it some more pressure on the pull back

So does that mean you’ll go buy the fieldpiece probes that I suggested and give me the giveaway instead? Lol

Sorry it didn't work out for you ted, it was kind of difficult to find something to be improved on in your video. Let me know if you're still going through with the Sman. You already have my contact info, thanks.

It's obvious they don't have any blockages in China....😄😄

Curious to see if the sheet metal will have enough "spring" to bounce back after several uses. I'm 50/50 on it. Like someone else suggested, weld some more on the tips or maybe even rivet some extenders.

You just need to glue in shims above an below those paws so it pushes them down tighter or weld on the backs of the paws themselves so it acts as a better ramp when it slides forward

The Rigid snake is junk. We have that same model at my work and everyone hates it. It is a PITA to operate