Flexible drain cleaning shaft in various diameters

The flexible drain cleaning shaft is a tool for fast pipe cleaning over short to medium distances, driven by a cordless screwdriver. At its core it is a sturdy, flexible steel cable guided inside a plastic sleeve. The sleeve protects the cable against damage and corrosion.

Scope of delivery

• Flexible shaft
• Protective sleeve
• 2 friction rings
• Shaft lock
• Compression spring

Setting the lock together with the spring holds the shaft at a fixed distance from the sleeve, so that it does not slide back into the sleeve.

Please note: these shafts are supplied without tools and without connectors or couplings. If you need the shaft complete with tools and an adapter for a cordless screwdriver, choose one of our sets comprising shaft, tools and cordless screwdriver adapter. Flexible shafts with a ready-fitted connection for RIDGID and Milwaukee are also part of our range. Matching tools for flexible shafts are available separately – when choosing, make sure the tool suits both the shaft diameter and the stated pipe diameter.

Available diameters

• 6mm (1/4"): maximum flexibility, lowest torque – outer diameter with sleeve 10mm
• 8mm (5/16"): high flexibility, low torque – outer diameter with sleeve 12mm
• 10mm (3/8"): less flexible, higher torque – outer diameter with sleeve 15mm
• 12mm (1/2"): maximum torque, least flexible – outer diameter with sleeve 18mm

Available lengths

2m, 5m, 10m, 15m, 20m, 25m and 30m. Custom lengths on request.

Applications

• Removing pipe blockages
• Descaling pipes
• Cleaning sewer lines
• Removing root intrusion
• Removing liners and deposits (heavy-duty work with the larger shafts)

Choosing the right shaft diameter

The thickness of the shaft depends on how many bends you need to pass through. The more bends there are, the thinner the shaft should be. The thinner the shaft, however, the less torque it transmits.

• 6mm: best for pipes from 40mm to 50mm and for tight bends. The shaft passes several bends but has limited torque, which makes it more suitable for clearing blockages than for descaling. Descaling is possible but takes longer. For the usual 50mm lines in kitchens and bathrooms it is the first choice.
• 8mm: our second most flexible shaft. It passes several bends and transmits more torque than the 6mm shaft. Best suited to pipes from 75mm to 100mm and above all to soft blockages such as grease; it is less suitable for descaling.
• 10mm: less flexible than the 8mm shaft, yet more flexible than the 12mm. It navigates fewer bends than the 8mm shaft but offers torque similar to the 12mm. Suitable for medium pipe diameters with few bends, for hard blockages as well as for descaling – including the removal of root intrusion.
• 12mm: our most rigid shaft, with the highest torque. Popular for removing failed liners and for descaling and clearing stubborn blockages in lines from 100mm to 200mm. In 100mm pipes only a few bends should be attempted.

We recommend pairing the 6mm and 8mm shafts with lightweight chains, and the 10mm and 12mm shafts with heavy-duty chains.

Weight and torque increase with shaft diameter, so bear this in mind when choosing the cordless screwdriver as well: the heavier the shaft, the more power the screwdriver has to deliver to reach the higher torque.

Choosing the right length

The first instinct is usually to pick the longest shaft available. On average, though, most blockages in kitchens and bathrooms occur within 10 metres, because the soil stack is normally reached by then. In larger lines, too, most blockages lie within the first 20 metres, and suitable clean-outs are located roughly every 25 metres.

The longer the shaft, the less torque arrives at the far end, because friction costs energy. The shaft should therefore only be as long as necessary. There is no point in using 20m as a precaution if the shaft ends up in the soil stack after 10m – it only reduces performance.

Consider two shorter shafts with a shaft-to-shaft connector: you have less to carry on site and can add a further shaft when you need it. That also lets you join a thinner shaft to a thicker one – giving flexibility where it is needed while still delivering the torque to drive the thinner shaft.

Matching shafts for common machines

• Picote Super Midi: 12mm, maximum length 20m
• Picote Maxi Miller: 12mm, maximum length 30m
• Picote Midi Cleaner: 10mm, maximum length 23m
• Picote Mini Cleaner: 8mm, maximum length 16m
• Picote Mini Miller: 8mm, maximum length 16m
• RIDGID K9-102 FlexShaft®: 6mm, maximum length 15m
• RIDGID K9-204 FlexShaft®: 8mm, maximum length 21m
• Milwaukee M18 FUEL: 8mm, maximum length 25m

We do not claim to manufacture original parts for any of the brands named above. These details serve solely to indicate the matching shaft diameters and lengths.

Before first use

Please lubricate the flexible shaft before using it for the first time and check the lubrication every few weeks. This makes the shaft more efficient over longer distances. Because of transport regulations we cannot supply the shafts pre-lubricated – they are delivered dry. Instructions on lubricating the shaft with machine oil, paraffin oil or compressor oil are included with your purchase.

How the shaft is built

The performance and service life of a flexible shaft depend on its internal construction. Our shafts are made from spring-grade steel wire wound in several layers around a single mandrel, each layer applied at an opposing pitch angle. This construction lets the shaft transmit equal torque in both directions of rotation. Properties such as flexibility, torsional stiffness and power transmission follow from the choice and balance of wire type, number of wires, diameter and annealing temperature.

Shaft lengths are stated as minimum lengths. We supply them slightly longer so that you can attach tools of different sizes to the shaft.

Shaft shrinkage

During manufacture the shafts are wound straight, then rolled onto large-diameter spools and later cut into pieces. For that reason the ends may shrink slightly during first use, usually more noticeably on the side of the cordless screwdriver connection. This is normal: the shaft is being subjected to the stresses of multiple bends and torque for the first time. Once the inner strands have settled, the shrinkage stops. It usually affects around 75mm at each end.

If the ends fray slightly, cut off the affected section with an angle grinder and reconnect your tool and the drill adapter.

Do not weld the ends after cutting. This is occasionally recommended online, but it harms the shaft: spring-grade steel is tempered at a specific temperature and cooled at a specific rate so that it keeps its spring properties. Welding changes that state and with it the characteristics of the steel.

Product safety information

• Eye protection: always wear safety goggles when working. The rotating chains throw loosened material and waste water out of the pipe.
• Hand protection: wear close-fitting protective gloves to protect yourself from waste water. Do not use wide or loose gloves – they can be caught by the rotating shaft.
• Clothing and hair: keep loose clothing, jewellery and long hair away from the rotating drive.
• Torque limiter: set the torque limiter on your drill before starting work. If the tool jams inside the pipe, it prevents the shaft from coiling up or the machine being wrenched out of your hands.
• Unwinding: do not run the shaft tightly coiled or inside a transport container. In operation it must be unwound to a diameter of at least 1m.
• Hygiene: waste water can contain pathogens. Clean your hands and tools after work and avoid contact with eyes and mouth.
• Electrical safety: when working in damp conditions, make sure there is adequate protection against electrical hazards, for instance a residual current device.
• Qualification: these products are intended solely for use by trained professionals in the drain cleaning trade.