Rigid Kwik-Spin reach assessment

[Doug Lassiter]

I have a Rigid Kwik-Spin drain cleaner, and it works pretty well. I'm impressed that it can extend 25 feet or so into the drain. What I find a little troublesome is that I don't have any indicator of how far I've gone. That is, have I pushed out 5 feet of cable, or 20 feet of cable? I just don't know where I am. Is there some strategy to figure that out? I've considered painting marks on the cable to assess the reach, but maybe there is some more clever way to do it.

 

[breplum]

Painted marks

 

[Geofd]

That's the only thing you can do but if you use it a lot the paint will wear away but breplumb is correct!!!!!

 

[TomFOhio]

We painted the line every 12" with a white paint stripe. If you get into a nasty drain the stripes won't last very
long. Plus going through the machine wears it off also

 

[Doug Lassiter]

Thanks to all. Yes, painted marks are probably the way to go, but you'd think that Rigid could have made them with some durable paint.

 

[Geofd]

I have wrapped Teflon tape around the cable but that only lasts for a single time

 

[Twowaxhack]

I can usually tell how far my snake is in the drain.

 

[Geofd]

Yep, if you'll put a foot at a time, you may be able to gauge it.

 

[Geofd]

Most of the time when I'm clearing drains it doesn't matter we're the clog is as long as you clear it,sometimes if there's a tough section I'll rap a little Teflon tape on the cable not for a measurement but to see if I pass by that spot ,I have used paint but
that wears off and you have to wait till it dries,

 

[TomFOhio]

I read on another site that a guy took his welder and just touched the cable with the welder and it sparked a black burn
mark on the cable that will not wear off. He did it on both sides. He said even with sewer on it you could see the burn marks.
You wouldn't want to do it where you get any weld on the cable as it won't go through the machine. He did it every 10Ft. You
could try it real close to the begining of the cable that doesn't go in the machine to see how it works.