Veteran drain cleaner Duane Goodpaster is a firm believer in advanced technology that differentiates his company from competitors. That philosophy explains why he invested in RIDGID FlexShaft K9-102 and K9-204 drain machines.

A key feature of the FlexShaft machines is the innovative design: The cleaning cable is enclosed within a 3/8-inch-diameter, flexible nylon sheath for the K9-102 and a 1/2-inch-diameter sheath on the K9-204. The sheath prevents the cable from spinning uncontrollably inside the pipe.

Because there’s no spinning cable, a technician can attach an inspection camera to the sheathed cable while the machine is cleaning, without jeopardizing the camera. That greatly streamlines the cleaning process and amps up productivity.

“You can actually see what you’re doing while you’re cleaning,” says Goodpaster, who owns All Drains Drain Cleaning and Plumbing Repair in Middletown, Ohio. “You don’t have to stop and pull out of the line, then push in the camera to take a look, then pull out the camera and push the cable back in to clean more, and so forth. It takes all of the guesswork out of a project.”

Goodpaster estimates that drain cleaning jobs go 40% to 50% faster with the FlexShaft machines. He and his son-in-law, Luke Brongersma, can each do seven or eight jobs a day.

“It’s just amazing how much time you save, and it does such a thorough job of cleaning,” Goodpaster says.

He also praises the units’ portability. The K9-102 weighs about 24 pounds and measures approximately 19 by 7 1/2 by 22 inches. The K9-204 weighs around 38 pounds and measures roughly 21 by 11 by 24 inches.

They’re both easy to carry just about anywhere and can be used in tight quarters. In addition, they’re powered by an 18-volt, battery-powered drill so there’s no need to deal with extension cords.

The K9-102 is designed for 1.5- to 2-inch-diameter pipes, while the larger K9-204 can handle 2- to 4-inch-diameter pipes. The K9-102 includes a 50-foot-long, 1/4-inch-diameter cable, and the K9-204 features 70 feet of 5/16-inch-diameter cable. Both machines come with two chain knockers that expand as they rotate to clean the entire circumference of a pipe.

Read more about All Drains Drain Cleaning and Plumbing Repair in the January 2020 issue of Cleaner magazine.