Pro tip: A customer in Phoenix taught me a neat trick for attic runs in tight spaces.

I was on a job in a 1950s ranch house, trying to fish a line through a wall with maybe 2 inches of clearance. The homeowner, an older guy who used to work for the phone company, watched me struggle for a bit. He finally said, 'Son, try taping your fish tape to a piece of 3/8-inch plastic tubing. It'll slide right past those old nails.' I was skeptical, but it worked perfectly on the first try. I've used that method a dozen times since. Has anyone else picked up a good trick from an unexpected source like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

miller.thomas28d ago

Ever get that feeling you're just reinventing the wheel? I swear, the best tricks are always the simplest ones you'd never think of. Like using a wire coat hanger to unclog a sink drain when the plunger fails, or putting a dab of dish soap on a screw thread so it goes in easier. It's all stuff that seems obvious once you hear it, but you'd bang your head against the wall for hours otherwise.

torres.blair28d ago

Remember when my buddy used toothpaste to fix a scratched DVD?

green.noah28d ago

Oh man, that's the best. The old guys always know the weird little fixes that save your whole day. It's like they've been waiting their whole retirement just to watch you struggle for a minute before dropping that golden nugget of knowledge. Makes you wonder how many other simple tricks are just locked away in the heads of retired tradesmen. We should probably just follow them around with a notepad.