Why We 3D-Print Custom Camera Skids for Every CCTV Drain Survey

When most drainage companies turn up to a CCTV drain survey, they push a camera into the pipe and hope for the best. At CleverWorks, we take a different approach. We design and 3D-print custom camera centering skids for every pipe diameter we encounter — from 100mm domestic soil pipes to 300mm main sewers. The result? Crystal-clear, distortion-free imagery that gives you an accurate picture of your drainage system, every single time.

What Is a Camera Skid and Why Does It Matter?

A camera skid (sometimes called a centraliser or spacer) is a device that attaches to the front of a CCTV drain inspection camera. Its purpose is simple but critical: keep the camera perfectly centred inside the pipe.

Without a skid, the camera sits on the bottom of the pipe. This creates several problems that directly affect the quality of your CCTV drain survey in Farnham or anywhere else:

• Distorted perspective — the bottom of the pipe appears much larger than the top, making it difficult to accurately assess defects
• Uneven lighting — the camera's LEDs blast the pipe floor while leaving the crown in shadow, hiding cracks and root ingress
• Inaccurate measurements — diameter readings, deformation percentages, and defect sizing become unreliable
• Missed defects — displaced joints, hairline fractures, and early-stage infiltration at the pipe crown go undetected

In short, a survey without proper centering is a survey you can't fully trust. That's why we refuse to cut corners.

Why Off-the-Shelf Skids Don't Cut It

You can buy generic plastic skids from drainage equipment suppliers. They come in a handful of standard sizes and they're designed to be “good enough” for most situations. The problem is that drains in the real world — especially in Farnham and the surrounding Surrey towns with their mix of Victorian clay, pitch fibre, and modern PVC — don't come in neat, standardised diameters.

A 150mm clay pipe from the 1920s often has a slightly different internal bore to a modern 150mm PVC pipe. A generic skid might rattle around in one and jam tight in the other. Neither scenario gives you a properly centred camera.

Our Solution: CAD-Designed, 3D-Printed Skids

At CleverWorks, we design every skid from scratch using professional CAD software. Each design is tailored to a specific pipe diameter and material combination. We then print them in-house on our Ender 3D printer using durable, impact-resistant filament that stands up to the harsh conditions inside drainage systems.

Our skid designs feature several key engineering choices:

• Star-pattern fins — multiple radial fins that self-centre the camera regardless of pipe orientation, while allowing water and debris to flow freely around the camera
• Low-friction contact points — smooth, rounded edges that glide over pipe joints without snagging, protecting both the camera and the pipe
• Modular sizing — we maintain a library of designs from 100mm to 300mm+ and can print a bespoke size on-site if we encounter an unusual bore
• Quick-change mounting — every skid clips directly onto our Minicam camera heads, allowing us to swap sizes in seconds as we move between different pipe runs on the same property

The Difference It Makes on a Farnham Drain Survey

Farnham properties present a particular challenge for CCTV drainage surveys. The town's mix of Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian homes means we regularly encounter clay pipes in 4”, 6”, and 9” diameters — often transitioning between sizes within the same drainage run. Many properties in areas like Castle Street, The Borough, and Upper Hale have drainage systems that have been extended and modified over decades.

By carrying a full set of custom-printed skids to every job, we can:

• Switch skids at each change in pipe diameter for consistent image quality throughout the survey
• Accurately grade defects to WRc (Water Research Centre) standards because our measurements are taken from a centred perspective
• Spot early-stage problems — like hairline cracks at the crown or slight joint displacement — that a floor-sitting camera would miss entirely
• Deliver survey reports that mortgage lenders, insurers, and building control actually trust

From Design to Drain in Hours

One of the biggest advantages of 3D printing is speed. If we arrive at a property in Farnham and discover an unusual pipe diameter — say a rare 125mm pitch fibre connection — we don't have to order a skid and come back next week. We can design a new skid in CAD that evening and have it printed and ready for use the next morning. That's the kind of flexibility that simply isn't possible with off-the-shelf equipment.

It's the Details That Matter

3D-printing our own camera skids might seem like a small thing. But drainage surveying is a profession where small details have enormous consequences. A missed crack today becomes a collapsed pipe and a £10,000 excavation bill next year. A distorted image leads to an incorrect defect grade, which leads to the wrong repair recommendation.

At CleverWorks, we believe that if you're going to survey a drain, you should do it properly. That means centred cameras, accurate imagery, and reports you can stake your property purchase on. It's why homebuyers, estate agents, and property developers across Farnham, Guildford, Aldershot, and the wider Surrey area trust us with their drainage surveys.