Product Spotlight: The Shooter Trenchless Pipe Repair Machine

In the 1990’s Steve Waring and Emagineered Solutions Inc. patented the first continuous air-inversion machine and for two decades The Shooter has been a staple in the cured-in-place-pipe (CIPP) industry.

Originally a model for 6- to 12-in. pipe, the familiar orange machine sat on a simple wheelbarrow cart and revolutionized the industry with its fast air-inversion and steam cure, speeding up the process and making it more efficient, reducing crew size and using a smaller worksite footprint. By using the included steam cap at the A manhole, The Shooter 12 was available for a second liner shot while the first was being cured and an optional water cure flange allowed for the same machine to be used with other methods when required.

A few years late a larger model was offered, The Shooter 24, a trailer-mounted machine for 15- to 24-in. pipe. Steam curing was done directly through the larger inverter after the install.  An optional conversion kit allowed The Shooter 24 to also invert and cure liner for 6- to 12-in. pipe.

After decades in the business – and both models of The Shooter being used throughout North America with some machines in the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Australia and Brazil – Emagineered Solutions made some user-friendly design changes to The Shooter 12. These include, adding a knife gate for after the tail passes, a built-in lubrication system, and a ruggedly mobile hand truck perfect for tight easements and off-pavement access.

The new Shooter 12 has met with much praise from contractors already using the original model as well as many who are making the switch from various other inverters. One of the more common accolades is for the lubrication system and its overspray guard which effectively keeps the operator from wearing any excess lube as can sometimes happen with air-inversion. Another is for the knife gate which simplifies preventing air loss during the second half of the install.  The rugged mobility of the hand truck, which operates in both vertical over-the-hole and at a 45-degree angle next-to-the-hole positions performs very well in the tighter, off pavement easements, is easily moved about with one person and can fit through standard doorways. Steam curing can still be done through the supplied steam cap or as is becoming more common, curing directly through The Shooter immediately following the install without any deflation.

The patented and replaceable LIPs seals are structurally reinforced and provide a more robust seal around the liner than most other methods. Special LIPs are also available for work with glass reinforced liner such as Premier Pipe’s Techliner.

For more information about The Shooter and how it can benefit your CIPP work, visit theshootercipp.com, emagineered.com or call 541-504-0416.