Tried my best to get an old school licensed journyman Low Voltage Electrician to install our pre-wire outlet boxes at the same height as the existing power boxes but no, this guy was way smarter than everyone else on the planet and he had certifications to prove it so he would install our CATV/Telcom outlets at the precise height described in the code regulations which invariably resulted in his work being obviously misaligned even when view from accross the room Finally found it less stressful to just stay late at the end of the day and go back through to fix his "work"
I use fish rods in insulated walls all the time. I also use seismic wire often (T-Bar ceiling support wire.). Sometimes jack chain and a magnetic retrieval tool. I never use fish tape for anything other than fishing a conduit. It can get stuck in voids and it's almost always a loss when it binds up in the wall. It works for you in this situation because the wall is open at the top. Props for making the video though. (22 year TX master electrician)
Yeah, everyone definitely develops their own techniques based off the type of installs they do and types of construction. Marty has been doing it a long time 20+ yrs.. but that's the beauty of everyone sharing, more than one way to skin the cat...
Grimlock is absolutely correct on this. IMO, The method in the video demonstrates a wrong way of using a tool...the electricians are going to have a good laugh.
Had a couple apprentices do this with my fish tape with a spring leader. I guess it ended up getting snagged on a screw tip and could not be recovered. Had to cut it loose..... Ugh. Rigid fiber rods, strings, and weights work best in insulated walls.
A long time ago, when erecting stud walls, I got into the habit of drilling holes through the studs at a certain height and holes through all cross braces. All with the idea that if at some point any cable was to be run through the walls, I had it covered. Finding those holes is even easier with today's technology, using a camera system. They are so economical to buy and there are a lot of choices.
@@hcancapraz I have the top of the line Mastercraft system. It has a three foot fully adjustable probe. It lights up your path and comes with different snap on tools for doing different tasks. DeWalt and other tool manufacturers also have systems.
When I tape a wire onto fish tape I always start taping from the wire side, overlapping each pass, and continuing for one or two wraps past the end of the wire. This helps prevent things from snagging or lifting the exposed edge of the tape. Continuing to wrap past the end of the cable lets you create a gradual ramp where the cable starts, rather than a sharp angle that snags the lip of any surface you pull over.
*Perfect and I’ve used it for ballon arches as **enjoyable.fishing** recommend well as other decor with parties. It is strong and will hold up well. It works so good that another decorator stole my roll at an event!*
Lol the whole time I was confused because I though you were trying to find the stud to attach the box until the very end when I realized you were trying to avoid the stud because the box attaches to the wall. I guess boxes that attach to studs are for new construction before the wall is put up. Got it now! Thanks!
Good video. I've also used flexible drill rods to get through a cross brace. They come in 4 foot lengths and avoid the extra holes need to get patched later.
I was thinking the same but if there is insulation in the wall sometimes those drill rods can really wrap up a lot of the insulation making it difficult to get them out...besides that and avoiding existing electrical or pipes in the wall the drill rods work well !👍👍😎
Great video, I would like to suggest that when you connect a cable to a fish tape, strip the cable sheath back 2 - 3 inches, then pass one or more of the conductors through the fish tape, finish up by taping the conductors, cable and fish tape together. This method makes a slim, flexible, super strong connection that works well, saving a lot of frustration when trying to pull cables in difficult situations, such as conduits. Your method works well with not too difficult cable pulls.
I don’t like the fish tape with the hook on the end, I prefer putting the wire directly into a straight fish tape so the sheath goes over the tape and then use electric tape to secure. Also, some type of wire safe lubricant makes the job a lot easier. Of course the magnet systems they have now too can be a good option.
@@DPCTechnology You’re welcome, thanks for putting out videos to help people. You know the hook on fish tape was designed at a time wire was a thicker gauge. You could take old phone wire and loop it through, then twist it around itself and tape it. It was very secure and easy to pull through but the thinner gauge wire of today would just tear out and that method wouldn’t work well at all today…. And yes, I’m old!
When needing a secure attachment to the Fish tape. Strip about 3" of the outer jacket, pull strands back then strip off center core then wrap both through fish tape, fold over, twist and tape up. Has a smaller profile and will go through a smaller hole. If lots of room, and easy pulls, don't just tape around both tape and cable . Wrap electrical tape around Fish tape a couple times, then around both. Is quick and more secure. Cross Brases are also called Cats, or Fire Stops. Bullet? Levels are commonly called Torpedo Levels. If you push Fish tape directly from front, and not sideways, Fish will not fold over as fast. I have Electronic Stud finders, but more than 90 percent of the time I use a strong round magnet to find the screws to locate the studs. Is strong enough to follow EMT behind drywall on block. Also to find studs, I will pull receptical out of box, feel which side screws are on, and if a 1900 box which is 4", 2" over will be edge of stud. If it's a Plastic Box, loosen receptical push on left then right side of box. The side that won't push in, is where the Stud is. Stratmando
when running through conduit, only use the fish tape to get a pull string in there. Or a mouse and shop vac, don't kink up your tape using it to pull wires
Nice intro to fishing video. I always use the packing tape with woven fiberglass fibers in it to tape my "can't fail" cable pulls - glue is stickier, tape is stronger and the fiberglass adds extra strength. Costs more but worth every penny.
My cheap company would never spring for stud finders and it was commercial with all steel studs so I used a few strong gangable round magnets especially in elevator lobbies that had triple layer of 5/8" sheetrock. Every wall had what they called itchy woo! ( thick dense insulation ) .Usually won't roll over when you start from too and fish down. Gangable 4' lengths of fish sticks work great. Had several heavy pieces of fish taped doubled up from 8 to 16' long . Always got thru .
Difficult to put some of the more rigid 6ft drill bits(ones that will actually go through things) up that far into the wall when youre starting from 16” off the floor or so. I moved home a year ago and every damn house has cross bracing.
i always pull a wire out of the end of my romex and feed one of them through the loop in the fish tape and then wrap it around itself -- this makes a connection that cannot get undone. but your method is faster and would work for more people most of the time. i never learned anything about fish tape= i started using it by myself before the web came along, so that self-developed habit is an example of a technologic use of an object by a pre-contact human
Just a note. Your first attempt at fishing went behind the stud. If you taped on at the top and pulled down you'd be trying to pull your wire through that tiny gap between the stud and the drywall.
When the drywall has not been painted you can see the studs configuration by where the drywall has been screwed into to the studs and mud has been applied to those screws.
The other trick on an unfinished wall is to use the drywall screw/nail line. Where you see the drywall mud in a line you can assume there's a stud on center.
I am a low voltage technician. I fish walls by 1st finding the studs. You can usually see the seems above the drop ceilings & use the tricks he mentioned. Just look near the top of the wall. Then cut a hole that will fit your stick with the cables taped on. You then test the wall by pushing your sticks down. You will be able to see how far down they went. Know you know for sure the wall is open & you then cut you MP1/box in the wall. I do the start in the middle trick he mentioned & cut out but I start at the bottom of the cut. I use a pencil & trace it. Now I have a hole i can reach my arm i to & just grab the sticks. Esp when there is insulation. Not sure why he doesn't use sticks with insulation. There make many different types of sticks. I use different sticks when running cable then fishing walls. If there's no Insulation then just start at the top & push the cables down the wall! Lol
Sounds very similar to how @Martty does it. Everyone will have their slight variations based on preferences etc. Thanks for the tips and feedback man!!
@@DPCTechnology You're not kidding Everyone definitely has their own way of doing things And it's the best way in their eyes. Lol I cringe every time I think back to how thick headed I was when I started. I definitely banged my head against and against the wall unnecessarily unnecessarily if I would've listened more to the older guys trying to help me.
@@waderowcliffe4807 lessons learned in blood... Marty has been working with me since he was 16 (he now is my business partner).. in 20 years he definitely has developed his own methods.. He is not a big fan of gadgets. They tend to slow him down.. but he has been there, done that (like you) and knows the construction methods in our area really well. You don't just pick that up on ur first day on the job.
Our local broadband provider requires conduit pathway be installed from the outside to the internal location in the dwelling. Unfortunately, this was too difficult for my cable guy! I am sure it would not be unsurmountable for you! It would be great if you could do one for conduit through brick wall on 2 Storey dwelling.
Trying to get a wire up through a wall and in to an attic of a home (commercial work is much easier) can be a difficult task especially when you encounter a cross brace (blocking). Instead of wasting valuable time just get out your multi-tool and cut out a large enough portion of the drywall to fit your drill with bit installed. Drill your hole and run the wire. Cut to the chase. It’s only drywall repair.
This is really good advice. I'm going to pin this response. I should have done a little bit more comprehensive section of the video about this technique. In certain cases it's many times easier and often even after you fight the wall for a while, you end up having to resort to this method anyway.
First, check that there's no wires or pipes in back of the wall. One can use a small punch instead of a keyhole saw to indicate inside corners (or a small dot with pencil). If the wall is clear behind, one can punch trough or use a wall sensor/detector to chick for wires (deep scan, etc).
I've used Pool Cues on top of paper covered insulation on top of suspended ceilings. Tie a nylon cord to the end, lay the cue on the insulation and smack the end with a hammer and then you hear it hit the wall on the other end. I've also had metal Fish Tapes loop themselves when going down an open wall cavity. That was a pain.
Fantastic description, thanks for going into the detail that you do! At one point you said “This may seem obvious”, but that’s exactly the thing that’s good to cover. Good clear communication. I’m also wondering how one would go up or down two floors at a time? Obviously the process would be to do one room or wall section at a time, though I’m wondering what I’ll hit when I am behind the drywall and going between floors (Main floor through 2nd floor into the attic, or even Basement -> Main Floor -> Second Floor -> Attic)
That's a really difficult problem and it really depends on how the house was built. We would most likely cut an exploratory hole and patch it above and below.
@@DPCTechnology With access to the attic would it be possible to try to fish a snake down and see how far you get? I’m glad to hear that it’s not an obvious answer, because it doesn’t seem to be one that anyone specifically addresses. Probably because they can’t address is for everyone.
First thing i do when wall fishing is make a hole through the wall cap on the top usually wood or sheet metal, then i send fish rods down to make sure i can get to the location of the cut in ring. Often times with wood studs there will be a fire block somewhere in the middle, sometimes 2 of them that you need to penetrate. Usually exterior walls have them and interior do not, depends on the local fire code. Ive done buildings where even the interior walls have them, real pain in the ass but i got 4 foot long bits to handle it. Always fish from the top down, let gravity assist, i only use fish tape in conduit.
It sounds like you could use a better stud finder. It's definitely an essential tool for me. I've had good luck with the Precision Sensor brand Costco sells them. Simple and fast
you know why you have had great luck with that brand of stud finder? because it is a rebrand of the awesome franklin stud finder. they just paint it green and sell it at half the price. everything else is identical. its a Franklin
Quite a bit trickier in an old plaster wall. Especially when you need to go up a couple floors. I ended up needing those flex bits with an extension to get through the top and bottom plates. Of course true dimensional lumber as well.
No reason to not also use a $20 stud finder even though they are not always reliable but they would confirm your stud location most the time and prevent making any unnecessary holes. But one thing I learned here is use my stud finder and go all the way up the wall to check for any cross beams.
So much praying and hoping. Measure 0 times and hope to cut once I guess. When I wired my house with ethernet, I stuck an Airtag on the ceiling where I wanted to put the cable drop. Knocked up and down the wall to make sure there isnt a cross beam. Went to the attic, made sure I can access where the airtag is, if not, I go down and find a new place and move the airtag. Once I’m happy with the prospective location and found the airtag from the attic, then I drill the top plate, drop the cable down the hole. Finally I cut out a hole for the box, reach in and pull the cable out. Or stick my phone camera in there if I can’t immediately see the cable
I personally start at the front of a fish tape while taping and then work my way down to the tip of the cable to make a nice nose so it doesn't get stuck. Then like you said pull a flag going the length of the tape a little bit so the way I'm pulling it shouldn't get caught on anything
great video. I'm novice but feel like I can run a wire now. Any chance there is another more in depth video on dealing with cross braces? I like that you described what to do but if there are more tips I'd like to see them
I want to put CAT6 cable around our house, mainly for POE cameras I am considering buying but also for general routing back to switches and my wifi mesh. I hate routing internally inside conduit as I think it looks horrible. The issue in my house, and I am sure this is standard in all new builds around the year 2000, is that the plasterboard is mostly dabbed and on some walls there is literally about 15mm gap between the plasterboard and the breeze block. I struggle even putting some new plug sockets in due to the depth, but I have no idea how to tackle this as there really isn't that much space to be dropping wires inside. I also want to try to encase them in conduit inside which would obviously be even tighter. And I haven't even gone under the floorboards or in the attic yet to see if i can get at those edge locations! I have even been tempted to put battons up around the house and place new plasterboard but of course that would shrink all my rooms and in some places I couldn't do that anyway due to doors right on the edge of a wall for example. Maybe one day 🙂
You have no idea what you're doing. You say that having a stud finder is a nuisance but somehow you are ok with punching holes in clients finished walls and repairing them. There are so many things wrong with your method that i have been inspired to make a video of my own. To anyone watching this video please know that you need to use a stud finder that also identifies electrical cables. YOU NEVER PUNCH BLINDLY INTO A WALL!!!!!!
Why would you need a stud finder if you know how walls are framed and finished? In this particular video you can see where the drywall screws are fastened to studs. If the wall was finished and painted there are many other ways to find studs without a stud finder. 🤦🏾♂️ I’m embarrassed for you
When attaching my coax to fishing line, I always stripped the wire back a few inches and looped that thru the hook and the end of the fish line, before taping. 🤷🏻♂️
Being in a 125yr old house with wood lathe and plaster and fire stops its a total nightmare. My Fein tool is great for cutting holes. I usually drill a small test hole and put a L shaped coat hanger in and spin it to see where I am.
if you have no idea how to mount a cut in box, please leave now. there is a much easier and much faster way to do this. of course, if you are determined to do this the very hard way, continue watching.
Thant can be very difficult and the building code is different in every country/state/region. My advice would be to hire a local contractor. The last thing you want to do is have a fire and have to deal with the repercussions.
You fished the wire into the next wall cavity. Metal studs have openings I them and you unkownling fished the wire through that opening and into the next cavity. That is why u had so much drag....I should do videos
It's a hollow wall... Just dropped it from the top and boom you have your wire. If you are in a house you want to drop it on the other side of the electrical because of induction. Either way I have rarely seen anyone food from the bottom up because there is usually a header at the top blocking you. Some of these video's are full of it.
You don't, unless you want to practice your cursing skills and rage quitting abilities. There's techniques to location the proper drill down location from the attic void space. If you want some tips ask and I'll share. Fish the cable down unless you have to pull it up. Either way you still fish down, then connect and pull the cable up.
I'm cable from one point to other but it's on the left side So that means to fish my wire about a 2 feet to the right and down It's an external wall so there's a cavity between the brick and studs Should be doable but tricky Do you have any tips ?
Thanks for the video, did not know about the orange old work box for cable. Thinking about fishing 18/10 sprinkler wire down a sheet rocked wall to connect to a Rainbird sprinkler timer/controller. I will also have to run romex down the wall and install an electrical outlet to power the Rainbird. Would this orange work box do the trick for the sprinkler wire? Then maybe put a cover plate with a small round hole like you would use for coaxial cable? It's for my Mom's house so I want it to look tidy (no PVC conduit for the sprinkler wire, lol). Thanks.
I'm assuming you're talking about the orange box?. It's for when you are doing work on an existing building. It simply a ring that a faceplate can't affixed to. They're very common in the United States
I ran 6 Cat6 lines though a hole in my wall where I installed a panel, and in that panel I have a network switch. I'd like to have power to that network switch on the inside of that box, but there are zero outlets on that wall. I know I can run a wire down to it and install an outlet, then the wire through the attic down to an existing outlet, but all of those outlets are in boxes by code. How do I fish the wire through a box from the box up to a hole I drill in a stud at the top into my attic OR how do I go from that hole down into that box? All the angles are wrong and the box has sideways nails which hold it to the stud. I cant remove the box to fish from the top down, and I can't fish from the box to the hole up top. What about jacking into the existing line? I'd found said line, but it's stapled to the studs inside the wall and in the attic there is less than a few inches of slack as it's all 1980s Florida code. I don't want to run a whole new line from across the attic. What do I do? Is my only option drywall repair?
@@DPCTechnology Couldn't you confirm its accuracy by testing out other studs on the wall and measure 16" from those points to see if the stud finder is marking locations correctly? Just thinking logically about the problem of a potential issue with a stud finder.
That tape tag you made when attached cable to fish tape is no good!! It’ll get snagged when pulling through the studs. You should show the correct way to attach the cable to the fish tape.
Today I had to reject a job wiring for tv outlets. To my surprise the client inside walls were from stucco!? My magnet couldn't find studs like I usually do.
bro you are a great teacher but your camera man has issues pointing at what you are working on. he needs to take the camera man master class lol. Video is still much appreciated.
Don’t use a Sharpie on the walls or any other surfaces Where it may bleed through a paint job, get a pencil. Even if you will cut it out, get used to using a pencil.
Some excellent info in this video with great explanations. Saved this to my wiring tips playlist!
@@amaly76 glad u liked it!!
Tried my best to get an old school licensed journyman Low Voltage Electrician to install our pre-wire outlet boxes at the same height as the existing power boxes but no, this guy was way smarter than everyone else on the planet and he had certifications to prove it so he would install our CATV/Telcom outlets at the precise height described in the code regulations which invariably resulted in his work being obviously misaligned even when view from accross the room
Finally found it less stressful to just stay late at the end of the day and go back through to fix his "work"
There is NOTHING worse than boxes at different heights.. LOL
@@DPCTechnology
👍😂😂
43 years old and the "pull tab" idea just hit me now. Doh!
@@userr3953 😂😂
I use fish rods in insulated walls all the time. I also use seismic wire often (T-Bar ceiling support wire.). Sometimes jack chain and a magnetic retrieval tool. I never use fish tape for anything other than fishing a conduit. It can get stuck in voids and it's almost always a loss when it binds up in the wall. It works for you in this situation because the wall is open at the top. Props for making the video though. (22 year TX master electrician)
Yeah, everyone definitely develops their own techniques based off the type of installs they do and types of construction. Marty has been doing it a long time 20+ yrs.. but that's the beauty of everyone sharing, more than one way to skin the cat...
Grimlock is absolutely correct on this. IMO, The method in the video demonstrates a wrong way of using a tool...the electricians are going to have a good laugh.
Same. In insulation or with fireblocks it rolls back on itself so I use rods.
Curious what u mean by tbar support wire, r u referring to pencil rod?
Had a couple apprentices do this with my fish tape with a spring leader. I guess it ended up getting snagged on a screw tip and could not be recovered. Had to cut it loose..... Ugh. Rigid fiber rods, strings, and weights work best in insulated walls.
A long time ago, when erecting stud walls, I got into the habit of drilling holes through the studs at a certain height and holes through all cross braces. All with the idea that if at some point any cable was to be run through the walls, I had it covered. Finding those holes is even easier with today's technology, using a camera system. They are so economical to buy and there are a lot of choices.
That's pretty cool
Can you share what kind of camera system you are using?
@@hcancapraz I have the top of the line Mastercraft system. It has a three foot fully adjustable probe. It lights up your path and comes with different snap on tools for doing different tasks.
DeWalt and other tool manufacturers also have systems.
When I tape a wire onto fish tape I always start taping from the wire side, overlapping each pass, and continuing for one or two wraps past the end of the wire. This helps prevent things from snagging or lifting the exposed edge of the tape. Continuing to wrap past the end of the cable lets you create a gradual ramp where the cable starts, rather than a sharp angle that snags the lip of any surface you pull over.
Thanks for the tips!
Same here
*Perfect and I’ve used it for ballon arches as **enjoyable.fishing** recommend well as other decor with parties. It is strong and will hold up well. It works so good that another decorator stole my roll at an event!*
Lol the whole time I was confused because I though you were trying to find the stud to attach the box until the very end when I realized you were trying to avoid the stud because the box attaches to the wall. I guess boxes that attach to studs are for new construction before the wall is put up. Got it now! Thanks!
Holy cow the sudden South Park clip was so unexpected and hilarious.
Good video. I've also used flexible drill rods to get through a cross brace. They come in 4 foot lengths and avoid the extra holes need to get patched later.
I was thinking the same but if there is insulation in the wall sometimes those drill rods can really wrap up a lot of the insulation making it difficult to get them out...besides that and avoiding existing electrical or pipes in the wall the drill rods work well !👍👍😎
I can tell that this dude is a runner.
100%
Game recognize game.
That was so well taught, loved that you showed the other end of the wall for when the string falls on itself haha.
Thanks for the kind feedback!
Great video, I would like to suggest that when you connect a cable to a fish tape, strip the cable sheath back 2 - 3 inches, then pass one or more of the conductors through the fish tape, finish up by taping the conductors, cable and fish tape together. This method makes a slim, flexible, super strong connection that works well, saving a lot of frustration when trying to pull cables in difficult situations, such as conduits. Your method works well with not too difficult cable pulls.
Agreed, great point!!
I don’t like the fish tape with the hook on the end, I prefer putting the wire directly into a straight fish tape so the sheath goes over the tape and then use electric tape to secure. Also, some type of wire safe lubricant makes the job a lot easier. Of course the magnet systems they have now too can be a good option.
@@GhostSal thanks for the good suggestions
@@DPCTechnology You’re welcome, thanks for putting out videos to help people. You know the hook on fish tape was designed at a time wire was a thicker gauge. You could take old phone wire and loop it through, then twist it around itself and tape it. It was very secure and easy to pull through but the thinner gauge wire of today would just tear out and that method wouldn’t work well at all today…. And yes, I’m old!
You also have the added benefit in this video on where the studs are at because of the mudding on the wall covering the nails/screws in the wall.
Yeah we usually don't have that help. But a lot of the times you can cheat with them..
When needing a secure attachment to the Fish tape. Strip about 3" of the outer jacket, pull strands back then strip off center core then wrap both through fish tape, fold over, twist and tape up. Has a smaller profile and will go through a smaller hole.
If lots of room, and easy pulls, don't just tape around both tape and cable . Wrap electrical tape around Fish tape a couple times, then around both. Is quick and more secure.
Cross Brases are also called Cats, or Fire Stops.
Bullet? Levels are commonly called Torpedo Levels. If you push Fish tape directly from front, and not sideways, Fish will not fold over as fast. I have Electronic Stud finders, but more than 90 percent of the time I use a strong round magnet to find the screws to locate the studs. Is strong enough to follow EMT behind drywall on block.
Also to find studs, I will pull receptical out of box, feel which side screws are on, and if a 1900 box which is 4", 2" over will be edge of stud. If it's a Plastic Box, loosen receptical push on left then right side of box. The side that won't push in, is where the Stud is.
Stratmando
Why the heck have I never thought of using my strong magnet to find the stud screws 🤦🏽♂️ genius idea.
when running through conduit, only use the fish tape to get a pull string in there. Or a mouse and shop vac, don't kink up your tape using it to pull wires
Nice intro to fishing video. I always use the packing tape with woven fiberglass fibers in it to tape my "can't fail" cable pulls - glue is stickier, tape is stronger and the fiberglass adds extra strength. Costs more but worth every penny.
That's a great tip.. gonna try it out.. Thanks for the kind feedback
My cheap company would never spring for stud finders and it was commercial with all steel studs so I used a few strong gangable round magnets especially in elevator lobbies that had triple layer of 5/8" sheetrock. Every wall had what they called itchy woo! ( thick dense insulation ) .Usually won't roll over when you start from too and fish down. Gangable 4' lengths of fish sticks work great. Had several heavy pieces of fish taped doubled up from 8 to 16' long . Always got thru .
Six foot drill bit helps with the cross brasses and avoids patching
100% long (6ft) flexible bits help with headers and footers too! Thanks for the feedback!
Difficult to put some of the more rigid 6ft drill bits(ones that will actually go through things) up that far into the wall when youre starting from 16” off the floor or so. I moved home a year ago and every damn house has cross bracing.
@@codeninja1 right tool for the right job. Haven't had to patch a wall in 30 years of pulling wire... There's always a way no matter what anyone says
dude you use the komelon tape measures....instant like. I too use them, the 12' self lock is my favorite tape measure. I have like 5 of them all over.
This was great! I would have liked to see a demo of you getting through a cross brace, but otherwise perfect 👍
Thanks for the kind feedback
i always pull a wire out of the end of my romex and feed one of them through the loop in the fish tape and then wrap it around itself -- this makes a connection that cannot get undone. but your method is faster and would work for more people most of the time. i never learned anything about fish tape= i started using it by myself before the web came along, so that self-developed habit is an example of a technologic use of an object by a pre-contact human
Experience is the best teacher!!
"You can cut a foot but can't stretch an inch" so true if you've ever built anything.
Lovely addition to the channel. Definitely in the right direction!
Thanks for the kind feedback!
Great video Marty! You definitely sent me "back to the future.." ;) Great Scott!
Lol!
Just a note. Your first attempt at fishing went behind the stud. If you taped on at the top and pulled down you'd be trying to pull your wire through that tiny gap between the stud and the drywall.
Yeah we saw that.. LOL
@@DPCTechnology I usually leave a ball of electrical tape on the end of my fish tape to prevent it sneaking in places like that
@@donalddluckerii3147 great tip!
When the drywall has not been painted you can see the studs configuration by where the drywall has been screwed into to the studs and mud has been applied to those screws.
Very thorough and detail. I found the way you explain things very useful! Thank you!
Thanks for the kind feedback
Nice work Marty! This reminds me of "this old house" :)
Thanks for the feedback! He is no Norm or Tommy... LOL!!!
Excellent. Thanks mate, you're a master of your trade.
Appreciate the kind feedback
The other trick on an unfinished wall is to use the drywall screw/nail line. Where you see the drywall mud in a line you can assume there's a stud on center.
Good call!
Also for first time doing it after having the box it does help to scoar the lines with a razor to ensure no paint chipping
100% thanks for the tip..
I am a low voltage technician. I fish walls by 1st finding the studs. You can usually see the seems above the drop ceilings & use the tricks he mentioned. Just look near the top of the wall. Then cut a hole that will fit your stick with the cables taped on. You then test the wall by pushing your sticks down. You will be able to see how far down they went. Know you know for sure the wall is open & you then cut you MP1/box in the wall. I do the start in the middle trick he mentioned & cut out but I start at the bottom of the cut. I use a pencil & trace it. Now I have a hole i can reach my arm i to & just grab the sticks. Esp when there is insulation. Not sure why he doesn't use sticks with insulation. There make many different types of sticks. I use different sticks when running cable then fishing walls. If there's no Insulation then just start at the top & push the cables down the wall! Lol
Sounds very similar to how @Martty does it. Everyone will have their slight variations based on preferences etc. Thanks for the tips and feedback man!!
@@DPCTechnology You're not kidding Everyone definitely has their own way of doing things And it's the best way in their eyes. Lol I cringe every time I think back to how thick headed I was when I started. I definitely banged my head against and against the wall unnecessarily unnecessarily if I would've listened more to the older guys trying to help me.
@@waderowcliffe4807 lessons learned in blood... Marty has been working with me since he was 16 (he now is my business partner).. in 20 years he definitely has developed his own methods.. He is not a big fan of gadgets. They tend to slow him down.. but he has been there, done that (like you) and knows the construction methods in our area really well. You don't just pick that up on ur first day on the job.
Lol how hard is it to buy batteries and keep a stud finder in your toolbox? Weird
When taping cat5e or cat 6 to a rod, couple times around the rod with electrical tape 1st then the cable secures it better.
Thanks for the feedback and tip!
Our local broadband provider requires conduit pathway be installed from the outside to the internal location in the dwelling. Unfortunately, this was too difficult for my cable guy!
I am sure it would not be unsurmountable for you! It would be great if you could do one for conduit through brick wall on 2 Storey dwelling.
You could run conduit on the outside of the building and then come in the building where you need the penetration.
Thank you so much for this through breakdown! God bless
Thanks for the kind feedback!
Trying to get a wire up through a wall and in to an attic of a home (commercial work is much easier) can be a difficult task especially when you encounter a cross brace (blocking). Instead of wasting valuable time just get out your multi-tool and cut out a large enough portion of the drywall to fit your drill with bit installed. Drill your hole and run the wire. Cut to the chase. It’s only drywall repair.
This is really good advice. I'm going to pin this response. I should have done a little bit more comprehensive section of the video about this technique. In certain cases it's many times easier and often even after you fight the wall for a while, you end up having to resort to this method anyway.
First, check that there's no wires or pipes in back of the wall. One can use a small punch instead of a keyhole saw to indicate inside corners (or a small dot with pencil). If the wall is clear behind, one can punch trough or use a wall sensor/detector to chick for wires (deep scan, etc).
Thanks for the feedback!
I've used Pool Cues on top of paper covered insulation on top of suspended ceilings. Tie a nylon cord to the end, lay the cue on the insulation and smack the end with a hammer and then you hear it hit the wall on the other end.
I've also had metal Fish Tapes loop themselves when going down an open wall cavity. That was a pain.
It's fun to hear everybody's tips and tricks!
Fantastic description, thanks for going into the detail that you do! At one point you said “This may seem obvious”, but that’s exactly the thing that’s good to cover. Good clear communication.
I’m also wondering how one would go up or down two floors at a time? Obviously the process would be to do one room or wall section at a time, though I’m wondering what I’ll hit when I am behind the drywall and going between floors (Main floor through 2nd floor into the attic, or even Basement -> Main Floor -> Second Floor -> Attic)
That's a really difficult problem and it really depends on how the house was built. We would most likely cut an exploratory hole and patch it above and below.
@@DPCTechnology With access to the attic would it be possible to try to fish a snake down and see how far you get?
I’m glad to hear that it’s not an obvious answer, because it doesn’t seem to be one that anyone specifically addresses. Probably because they can’t address is for everyone.
@@majorredbeard you can drill down through the top brace of the wall and see how far you get. Maybe try a couple of voids.
I have followed furnace exhaust chimney and there was more then enough room to run wires.
First thing i do when wall fishing is make a hole through the wall cap on the top usually wood or sheet metal, then i send fish rods down to make sure i can get to the location of the cut in ring. Often times with wood studs there will be a fire block somewhere in the middle, sometimes 2 of them that you need to penetrate. Usually exterior walls have them and interior do not, depends on the local fire code. Ive done buildings where even the interior walls have them, real pain in the ass but i got 4 foot long bits to handle it. Always fish from the top down, let gravity assist, i only use fish tape in conduit.
Thanks for the tips!
@@DPCTechnology been in low voltage for 10 years happy to share knowledge!
Excellent video with some great tips/suggestions. Thank you for providing this. I learned quite a bit!
Thanks for the kind feedback
Who is ever going to fish cable up into an unfinished wall? How do you go around corners? How do run cable horizontally?
It sounds like you could use a better stud finder. It's definitely an essential tool for me. I've had good luck with the Precision Sensor brand Costco sells them. Simple and fast
you know why you have had great luck with that brand of stud finder? because it is a rebrand of the awesome franklin stud finder. they just paint it green and sell it at half the price. everything else is identical. its a Franklin
Absolutely thorough. Liked and subscribed. Thank you very much for sharing.
Thanks for the kind words!
Quite a bit trickier in an old plaster wall. Especially when you need to go up a couple floors. I ended up needing those flex bits with an extension to get through the top and bottom plates. Of course true dimensional lumber as well.
All true!
No reason to not also use a $20 stud finder even though they are not always reliable but they would confirm your stud location most the time and prevent making any unnecessary holes. But one thing I learned here is use my stud finder and go all the way up the wall to check for any cross beams.
If u got it, it's always good to check..
I’d suggest just marking the box and using a skinny drill bit. No need to make a huge gash in the wall with that drywall saw.
Thanks for the tip!
Thank you for your knowledge
Thanks for the kind feedback
Feeling the urge to just buy a house so I can just go drill and fish
Interesting I wonder how my hired cabler would go about installing a cat6 cable through the wall and ceiling spaces?
So much praying and hoping. Measure 0 times and hope to cut once I guess.
When I wired my house with ethernet, I stuck an Airtag on the ceiling where I wanted to put the cable drop. Knocked up and down the wall to make sure there isnt a cross beam. Went to the attic, made sure I can access where the airtag is, if not, I go down and find a new place and move the airtag.
Once I’m happy with the prospective location and found the airtag from the attic, then I drill the top plate, drop the cable down the hole. Finally I cut out a hole for the box, reach in and pull the cable out. Or stick my phone camera in there if I can’t immediately see the cable
That's pretty cool
I personally start at the front of a fish tape while taping and then work my way down to the tip of the cable to make a nice nose so it doesn't get stuck. Then like you said pull a flag going the length of the tape a little bit so the way I'm pulling it shouldn't get caught on anything
Hehe he said fish sticks.
You like fish sticks?? 😂
lol
I know that you could condense this to make it watchable.
Thanks for the feedback
great video. I'm novice but feel like I can run a wire now. Any chance there is another more in depth video on dealing with cross braces? I like that you described what to do but if there are more tips I'd like to see them
We are going to do an updated video!
I want to put CAT6 cable around our house, mainly for POE cameras I am considering buying but also for general routing back to switches and my wifi mesh. I hate routing internally inside conduit as I think it looks horrible.
The issue in my house, and I am sure this is standard in all new builds around the year 2000, is that the plasterboard is mostly dabbed and on some walls there is literally about 15mm gap between the plasterboard and the breeze block. I struggle even putting some new plug sockets in due to the depth, but I have no idea how to tackle this as there really isn't that much space to be dropping wires inside. I also want to try to encase them in conduit inside which would obviously be even tighter.
And I haven't even gone under the floorboards or in the attic yet to see if i can get at those edge locations!
I have even been tempted to put battons up around the house and place new plasterboard but of course that would shrink all my rooms and in some places I couldn't do that anyway due to doors right on the edge of a wall for example.
Maybe one day 🙂
sometime you just have to cut some holes in the wall and patch them later... Good luck!!
You have no idea what you're doing. You say that having a stud finder is a nuisance but somehow you are ok with punching holes in clients finished walls and repairing them. There are so many things wrong with your method that i have been inspired to make a video of my own. To anyone watching this video please know that you need to use a stud finder that also identifies electrical cables. YOU NEVER PUNCH BLINDLY INTO A WALL!!!!!!
Where is that video you were inspired to make? You haven’t uploaded it.
Why would you need a stud finder if you know how walls are framed and finished? In this particular video you can see where the drywall screws are fastened to studs. If the wall was finished and painted there are many other ways to find studs without a stud finder. 🤦🏾♂️ I’m embarrassed for you
@@KingHarry1the overall issue is blindly drilling into a wall not knowing what’s behind what you’re drilling such as electrical wires
When attaching my coax to fishing line, I always stripped the wire back a few inches and looped that thru the hook and the end of the fish line, before taping. 🤷🏻♂️
Good tip!
Great video. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thanks for the kind feedback
Being in a 125yr old house with wood lathe and plaster and fire stops its a total nightmare. My Fein tool is great for cutting holes. I usually drill a small test hole and put a L shaped coat hanger in and spin it to see where I am.
Yeah we deal with a lot of old construction too.. it can be very challenging to say the least!!
Your telling me that it’s not a wood stud but a metal stud with a crap ton of holes to run cables. That shit is easy af
This was so helpful! Thank you 🥰
Thanks for the kind feedback!
Let's see it with Lathe and Plaster applications.
if you have no idea how to mount a cut in box, please leave now. there is a much easier and much faster way to do this. of course, if you are determined to do this the very hard way, continue watching.
Thanks for the tip!
With new construction the SOP would be to run the wiring before drywall is hung.
Ideally (SOP) yes! At a minimum when it is still one side..
Do you have a video of pulling a wire through the top of a wall that has joists to get through to the next floor?
We don't, but that would be a great video topic
Help me> Does it compromised a wall is I drill through the stud? Wont it make the stud weak?
It shouldn't, but every case is different. If it's just a regular house and then regular vertical stud in the wall. You should be fine.
So what would you use in a wall with insulation?
It's the same method. Just a bigger fight
You can see where the studs are because they have mud over all the vertical screw holes,just avoid those.
LOL
This was super helpful!
Thanks for the kind feedback!
How to go around or through a fire wall block when fishing a cable???
Thant can be very difficult and the building code is different in every country/state/region. My advice would be to hire a local contractor. The last thing you want to do is have a fire and have to deal with the repercussions.
You fished the wire into the next wall cavity. Metal studs have openings I them and you unkownling fished the wire through that opening and into the next cavity. That is why u had so much drag....I should do videos
That definitely happened! LOL 😂
Third week at Comcast tech class.
Good point
great video, detailed and informative, great explanation as well ! 👍👍😎
Thanks for the kind words
It's a hollow wall... Just dropped it from the top and boom you have your wire. If you are in a house you want to drop it on the other side of the electrical because of induction. Either way I have rarely seen anyone food from the bottom up because there is usually a header at the top blocking you. Some of these video's are full of it.
Yeah Marty was using as an example, as u probably know, every one is unique!
How can you fish tape up through a small hole in doubled top studs?
We would use a long "fish bit" to drill thru the double studs or go from the top down with either fish tape or fish sticks.
You don't, unless you want to practice your cursing skills and rage quitting abilities. There's techniques to location the proper drill down location from the attic void space. If you want some tips ask and I'll share. Fish the cable down unless you have to pull it up. Either way you still fish down, then connect and pull the cable up.
@@grimlockarts8386 thanks for the tips and feedback!
Marty, and I'm only saying this because I care, there are a lot of decaffeinated brands on the market that are just as tasty as the real thing....
If he would only.. 😂😂😂😂
Thank you!
Thank you for the kind words
What is the infatuation with no just using a stud finder... What do they cost about 8-10 bucks at hw store??
For the walls we are in (commercial) they are often wrong....
I'm cable from one point to other but it's on the left side
So that means to fish my wire about a 2 feet to the right and down
It's an external wall so there's a cavity between the brick and studs
Should be doable but tricky
Do you have any tips ?
External walls are very difficult. It's had to say..
Do you have a video running cables horizontally behind commercial walls?
No but it's a great idea!
Thanks for the video, did not know about the orange old work box for cable. Thinking about fishing 18/10 sprinkler wire down a sheet rocked wall to connect to a Rainbird sprinkler timer/controller. I will also have to run romex down the wall and install an electrical outlet to power the Rainbird. Would this orange work box do the trick for the sprinkler wire? Then maybe put a cover plate with a small round hole like you would use for coaxial cable? It's for my Mom's house so I want it to look tidy (no PVC conduit for the sprinkler wire, lol). Thanks.
That sounds like a great plan
@@DPCTechnology Thanks for the quick reply and input!
Great information thanks
Thanks for the kind feedback!
glow rods, chain and magnet, or magnapull.
Cross brace is not what you state its for they are called fire blocked and once drilled you need to fill the hole. Bad info pal
Thanks for the feedback
Interesting, but what about using a moosie and getting passed dwangs.
When do you use that type of box? Is that a box extension?
I'm assuming you're talking about the orange box?. It's for when you are doing work on an existing building. It simply a ring that a faceplate can't affixed to. They're very common in the United States
@@DPCTechnology thanks! So you use those instead of the blue boxes?
@@lohengrinknight correct
Every time he says fish you gotta take a shot
I ran 6 Cat6 lines though a hole in my wall where I installed a panel, and in that panel I have a network switch. I'd like to have power to that network switch on the inside of that box, but there are zero outlets on that wall. I know I can run a wire down to it and install an outlet, then the wire through the attic down to an existing outlet, but all of those outlets are in boxes by code. How do I fish the wire through a box from the box up to a hole I drill in a stud at the top into my attic OR how do I go from that hole down into that box? All the angles are wrong and the box has sideways nails which hold it to the stud. I cant remove the box to fish from the top down, and I can't fish from the box to the hole up top. What about jacking into the existing line? I'd found said line, but it's stapled to the studs inside the wall and in the attic there is less than a few inches of slack as it's all 1980s Florida code. I don't want to run a whole new line from across the attic. What do I do? Is my only option drywall repair?
Honestly, I would call an electrician. Low voltage is something that is easy to DIY, electrical is best left to the pros.
nice video
Thanks for the kind words
facial expressions made me laugh throughout
Why couldn't you just use a stud finder and eliminate all the guesswork in the beginning?
Because they aren't always accurate
@@DPCTechnology Couldn't you confirm its accuracy by testing out other studs on the wall and measure 16" from those points to see if the stud finder is marking locations correctly? Just thinking logically about the problem of a potential issue with a stud finder.
That tape tag you made when attached cable to fish tape is no good!! It’ll get snagged when pulling through the studs. You should show the correct way to attach the cable to the fish tape.
What about horizontally?
Today I had to reject a job wiring for tv outlets. To my surprise the client inside walls were from stucco!? My magnet couldn't find studs like I usually do.
It happens!
@@DPCTechnology I was afraid of not finding a cavity to drop my cables from the attic.
@@qasion you were smart to move on
bro you are a great teacher but your camera man has issues pointing at what you are working on. he needs to take the camera man master class lol. Video is still much appreciated.
LOL, I'll call @micheal out!
Don’t use a Sharpie on the walls or any other surfaces Where it may bleed through a paint job, get a pencil. Even if you will cut it out, get used to using a pencil.
Thanks for the tip!
@@DPCTechnology You did mention using a pencil, I think I commented before I heard you, 😁.
:)@@truthdefenders- :)
How do you pull or run wires in insulated walls?
We still use fish sticks or fish tape.