This is a 1/4 inch coil snake 25 feet long in a hand rotator device. There is a knob ( 1/2 inch ) on the front and is an expanded part of the coil. Son-in law sent this down the bathroom sink drain with the trap removed. There was resistance for about 15 feet and then it started going freely. Now it will not come out. It is in about 20 feet. Any sugestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Don in Colorado
Don, you have a few choices. You can rig some kind of device to pull back really hard. Like a winch. it will probably damage the snake cable, or break it. Or you could find out where the drain runs to, cut the wall, cut the pipe, and pull the cable from there. This is probably what is going to happen. Drywall, plaster, patches and paints.
Can you still rotate it continuously?
If you can't, follow runningwater's suggestions.
If you can, I'd suggest trying one more thing before employing more drastic measures.
Cut the snake off a couple of inches from where it enters the drain. You'll probably have to use an abrasive wheel, like an "angle grinder" to do that, but even a little abrasive cutoff wheel in a Dremel Moto-Tool will do the job if you're patient.
Clamp the end of the snake in the chuck of a variable speed drill and use the drill to rotate it counterclockwise while pulling back on it. The whipping around of the business end of that snake might let it find a way to move away from whatever is trapping it, and from that point you should be able to pull it out the rest of the way by hand.
HTH,
Jeff
Damn! thats a wonderful idea! I never thought of that! I like to use a small hand snake myself to "feel" the clogs. next time i get jammed up, im gonna try this. thanks!
plunger first always. I carry 3 plungers, one normal toilet size 2 smaller ones. the middle size one covers other drain in double basin. smallest plunger covers tub overflow/sink overflow. When you plunger a drain you really want to remember it is the sucking part that really gets the job done. The pushing helps but you really need to get both going.
Ann Landers want's to know if *YOU wash the snake before you use in her sink !
It upset her when her Plummer said, ' Of course NOT. '
Pull gently. Crank snake in the other direction from what you have been doing.
Try cranking left, then right, then left.
when i first started plumbing the guy i was with (total redneck) needed to empty a toilet and the tank and we did not have a pump or sponge, so he took the cup from the sink the people used to brush their teeth with and scooped out the toilet with it. When he was done he just put it back in the cup holder. This was in a rich persons big house.
That's what she said.
I remember reading this in Dear Abby 20 years ago. It was about plungers. Her plumber told her he didn't have a separate one for toilet and sink, and he didn't even bother rinsing them off between the two. All women were properly horrified.
Thank you Jeff! I looked all over the net for a solution. This is the one that worked. You saved me hundreds if not thousands!
Marty
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Ask the community — no account required