MyTana M888 Cable Machine Owner’s Manual

M888 Cable Machine
Owners Manual

M888 Cable Machine

– IMPORTANT –
THIS MACHINE IS NOT TO BE OPERATED BY ANYONE UNTIL HAVING CAREFULLY READ THIS INSTRUCTION BOOK ON ITS USE. IF ANYONE ELSE THAN THE ORIGINAL BUYER OF OUR EQUIPMENT IS TO USE THE MACHINE, THEN HE or SHE IS TO BE FURNISHED WITH AN INSTRUCTION BOOK.
Replacement manuals are available online at mytana.com/product- manuals
M88 base unit: no cable, reel or rev arm

Please inspect your machine carefully upon receipt.
Let us know immediately if you note any damage.

Manufacturers of Quality Sewer & Drain Cleaning
Equipment since 1957| www.MyTana.com
746 Selby Ave • St. Paul, MN 55104
fax: 651-222-1739| 800-328-8170
Factory Direct Customer Service
M –F 7am – 5pm CST
Competent • Polite • Clear
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Identifying Parts

Assembly

Mount reel onto machine
Grasp the reel firmly and lift it up so that the back center of the hub aligns with the main drive shaft. Slide reel all the way onto shaft.

Hook the diamond shaped piece at the center of the drive spring on the back of the reel to the cleat on the drive arm/ rod which extends from the main shaft.
Install the Revolving Feed Arm
Slide the automatic feed forward by pulling down on the spring loaded locking pin under the Autofeed slide bracket.

Carefully pull the end of cable out of the reel taking care to not let it spring out of the reel. Holding revolving arm in one hand and cable in the other hand, push the cable through curved end of the arm in a twisting motion until it just reaches the front opening (see below).

Feed the cable through the Autofeed.
Position the revolving arm into the back of the Autofeed. Pull down on the spring loaded locking pin and slide the Autofeed back towards the reel so the revolving arm fits into the reel unit.

Make sure the Autofeed locking pin snaps back into place.
See separate instructions for operation and maintenance of the Automatic Feed/Retriever.
The machine is now assembled except for attaching a blade to cable.

• Wait to attach blades to cable until you have the machine in place at your pipe-opening or clean-out.
  The blades are sharp and are potentially dangerous if left on during transportation. Always remove blades after you have completed the job.

Foot Pedal

Your machine is equipped with an air-actuated foot switch, which is installed at the factory.
Should you need to attach a new foot pedal in the future, connect the air-hose to the air-switch stem protruding from electrical box next to motor and lock it in place with the
pressure nut that is at the end of the hose.
ALL OPERATORS: Read the operating instructions on the these pages before operating equipment.

• BEFORE STARTING your first job – Read the paragraph on “Building up Torque” (page 6)
• SHUT OFF THE MOTOR WHEN NOT IN USE – Never walk away from the machine when it is running
• SAFETY Operators should wear protective eye wear and heavy-duty gloves when operating this machine. Tuck in any loose clothing and tie up long hair.

Operation

When operating the machine, place it about 3 feet from the opening in the pipe. An experienced operator may find it more comfortable to vary the distance, but only slightly (figure 1).
Once in place, swivel the stair glides down into the “wheel lock” position.
Attach Blade
Any of the single-unit blades may be used, but it is best to use a blade much smaller than the inside diameter of the pipe or sewer to begin the job.
Remove the clean-out plug and insert the cable, with blade attached, into the pipe by hand with a twisting motion. When you have passed the bend, continue to rotate and push the blade about 5 or 6 ft into the pipe, making sure it is not caught or bound so that it can rotate freely (figure 2).

• DO NOT start machine before inserting blade 5 to 6 ft into pipe.

Start Up

When starting the machine, the operator should have his foot ready to press on the air-switch foot pedal.
You can aid the startup by giving the reel a slight push in a counter- clockwise motion while pressing on the pedal (figure 3).
This allows for much easier starting and longer life for the motor.
The machine always rotates counter-clockwise (facing the reel from the front of the machine).

• The on-off toggle switch on the control panel should be in the “on” position for the foot pedal to work.
• The forward/reverse switch should be in the forward position, even when pulling (retrieving) the cable out of a line. See more on next page about this switch.

As you operate the machine, place one hand on the cable close to the switch or Autofeed (figure 4) to prevent any throwing of the cable.
Gently pull the cable out of the machine a little at a time.
You will find that it will move itself into the sewer.

• When using the Autofeed, refer to those instructions for feeding cable

Obstructions

When the blade hits an obstruction, it can be readily felt by the operator. Give the blade a few seconds to release.
When the operator has had sufficient experience, his “touch” will tell him the extent of torque allowed to build in the cable before pulling back from the obstruction. However, inexperienced operators should be cautious and allow the cable only about 5 seconds to cut through.

• If the blade doesn’t release, pull it away from the obstruction and try again.
• Freed blades spin rapidly when torque is released.  Use the combined force of the reel rotation and cable torque to let the blade “jump” forward into the obstruction and optimize your cutting power.

Difficulties

If at anytime the cutting blades become stuck and cannot be released, shut off machine immediately.
Hold cable close to the switch to prevent the cable from coming out of the machine. Continue holding cable with one hand and unhook the drive spring from the cleat with the other hand (figure 5). Let the reel spin backwards, removing the strain on the cable. After the reel stops, spin it backwards a few more turns. This may release obstructions that can be wrapped around the cutting blades.
If you need to rewind the cable, see instructions on next page orin the Autofeed instruction manual. Always remember to stack the cable snugly against the outer diameter of the reel while rewinding cable.
Clean off any obstruction accumulated on the blades or cable, and insert it into the sewer again, still using the smaller blades.

Reverse Switch

The reverse setting for reel rotation may be used in 2 situations:

• If the cable/blade gets through a broken pipe and digs in to earth, reverse rotation may help to back it out
• Using reverse reel rotation can temporarily loosen the torque slightly on the cable, allowing it to get around a bend

Continuing

After the first opening is made, turn on the nearest faucet so that water will flush the loosened debris. Allow the water to run continuously during the entire job. Continue until you have reached the end of the pipe.
Follow the first cleaning with slightly larger blades until you can use a blade that will actually scrape the sidewalls of the pipe or sewer.

• Shut off the motor when you change blades!

Rewinding the cable

• Refer to the Autofeed user manual for instructions on retrieving cable

When you need to retrieve the cable, either after releasing from an obstruction or you are finished with the job, withdraw the cable gently from the line and feed it into the
reel. Use the same counter-clockwise rotation to re-wind it while snugly stacking it into the reel.

• DO NOT use reverse rotation of the reel to rewind cable.

Always remember to stack the cable snugly against the outer diameter of the reel while rewinding cable.

Adding Reels

If the line is longer than the amount of cable you have on the reel, MyTana makes it easy to swap in a new reel so you can work at a greater distance.
When back end (anchor) cable fitting is about in this location, it is time to add another reel. Disconnect the back end cable from the main cable and push stub back into  mpty
reel. Remove the rev arm and swap in a new reel (see Assembly section, pg 3). Feed the new cable through the rev arm and Autofeed, and connect to the section in the line.

• Watch our reel change video at Youtube.com/videoMyTana

CAUTION – READ CAREFULLY!!
Building up Torque
As the reel revolves, it generates power and stores up energy in the cable if the blade at the front of the cable has been stopped by an obstruction.
When the rotating blade contacts an obstruction that it cannot cut through quickly, or at all, the cable naturally continues to wind up with the rotation of the reel. This wind up builds up torque, or tension, which acts as a powerful spring motor.
If too much tension is allowed in the cable, it will lash in the operator’s hands or can whip wildly and dangerously out of control, see below.
Torque build up is an extremely powerful force and the operator must always be warned of its potential danger.
NEVER LET THIS HAPPEN

Splicing Cable

See our how-to video on this process at
YouTube.com/videoMytana

NOTE: When ordering splicing cores or male ends, please specify the size cable they are for.
Maintenance for your M888 Upright Workhorse
Regular Maintenance
As with any mechanical device, keeping your cable machine clean and all moving parts properly lubricated is essential. Don’t damage the machine’s frame. Remove the cable reel when transporting to avoid dropping the machine: off vehicles, down stairs, off curbs, etc.
CABLE CARE

• Regularly inspect your cable. If it becomes kinked or wavy due to fatigue or over-stress, either repair the cable with splicing cores or replace the cable.
• Make sure that the cable stacks snugly to the outermost part of the reel when retrieving cable. This helps prevent kinking or twisting inside the reel.
• If you are not using your machine every day, treating your cable with a cleaner/rust inhibitor extends cable life dramatically. MyTana’s MT21 is a water based treatment that also deodorizes. You can also hose down the cable (remove reel from machine first) and spray it with WD40 or any light oil.

Things to check occasionally
Cable ends / fittings get worn with use, check periodically and replace as needed.
Test the ground fault interrupter by pushing the test button in the center of it. If the G.F.I. is working properly, the reset button will pop out, breaking the current when the test button is pushed. Push the reset button back in to restore power.
Autofeed Retriever
More information is in the User Manual that came with your Autofeed. Follow maintenance procedures as provided.
Extend the life of your pneumatic foot pedal

Maintenance specific to the M888

Check set-screws
Check set screws on pulleys and belt by removing the guard panel to access.
Check gearbox oil
To check or add oil, remove the bolt at the top of the gearbox.

Dip in a stick down to the bottom. The level on the stick should be about at the main shaft level, around 31/2″ from the bottom.
Add more if needed in the top opening.
MyTana uses a 140 wt. hypoid gear lube (AGMA ISO 460 EP Industrial gear oil)

800-328-8170
M–F | 7a to 5p CST
MyTana.com
EMAILmytana@mytana.com
youtube.com/videoMyTana
©2022 MYTANA LLC 746 SELBY AVE
ST. PAUL, MN 55104

Documents / Resources

| MyTana M888 Cable Machine [pdf] Owner's Manual
M888, Cable Machine, M888 Cable Machine
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References

• Sewer and drain cleaning equipment, parts and tools - MyTana LLC
• Sewer and drain cleaning equipment, parts and tools - MyTana LLC

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