Clarence “Butch” Koch can’t say how old his Super-Vee hand-held, powered drain cleaning machine really is. But he’s sure he’s had the tough, trusty tool over 45 years.
Probably 50 years.
And after a half century of rugged reliability, his Super-Vee drain cleaner from General Pipe Cleaners still works, and remains his go-to tool for small-line clogs.
Six decades of professional service
Butch’s dad started C.H. Koch Plumbing & Heating in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in the 1950s. Butch’s older brother then joined the company. And after graduating from high school in 1959, Butch, too, joined the team.
And a decade or so later, need for a handy drain cleaner for occasional small-line work led them to General’s popular tool for stoppages.
Easy-to-use, hand-held Super-Vee easily unclogs sink, shower, toilet and laundry lines up to 3 inches in diameter. It’s so rugged that many last for 10, 20 or even 30 years without replacement. And longer, Koch believes. It’s that reliable.
Fast-forward to today.
“I read General’s ad about tough old Super-Vee drain cleaners — ‘30 years old’ and all,” Koch says. “And I said to myself, ‘Mine is definitely older than that.’ Mine’s as rugged as could be.”
Curious, he shared the machine’s serial number with General. Yet company records didn’t go back far enough to confirm the machine’s exact age.
General staffers just knew it was old.
Still going strong
And that confirmed Koch’s Super-Vee has faithfully served C.H. Koch Plumbing & Heating for as long as 50 years.
First introduced in 1971, the Super-Vee was an upgrade to General’s popular Handylectric that used a Jacobs chuck. The newer small-line specialist sports General’s quick, convenient Slide-Action chuck, engaging and releasing Flexicore cable with a simple push or pull of Super-Vee’s Grip-Shield, even while cable rotates.
The chuck also automatically adjusts to 1/4- through 3/8-inch diameter cables. And General’s quick-change cartridges let users easily switch or clean cables without delay or mess.
Heavy-gauge wire is coiled tightly around a wire rope core, then heat-treated. General’s legendary Flexicore design gives cables outstanding strength without sacrificing flexibility.
And Flexicore is so tough it carries a one-year warranty against breakage.
Powered by a variable-speed motor, today’s Super-Vee carries up to 50 feet of 1/4- or 5/16-inch, or 35 feet of 3/8-inch Flexicore cable. A wide range of cables and cutters is available, too. And accessories include the novel Handy-Stand and Uni-Stand to facilitate working in cramped spots.
Never retired
Koch has now retired. But his tough old Super-Vee never did.
“If I need it to clear a small-line stoppage. he says, “it’s still right here, always dependable, and ready to work.”
For more information, visit DrainBrain.com, or call the Drain Brains at General at 800-245-6200.
