ben698•4d ago

Update: My take on using fish tape in tight spaces after a rough pull

I had this job yesterday where the cable had to go through a crawl space full of insulation. I mean, I see guys just shoving the fish tape in blind and hoping for the best, but idk, maybe it's just me but that's asking for trouble. This time, I tied a bright zip tie to the end of the tape so I could see it poking through. It took an extra minute, but when I was guiding it past a pipe, I didn't get stuck at all. My buddy laughed and said it was overkill, but he spent half an hour untangling his later. Now I think skipping a simple marker like that is just lazy. It saves so much headache and keeps the job moving. If you're not marking your tape, you're wasting your own time and probably cursing more than you need to.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_diana3d ago

Isn't it a relief when tricks like beth147's hook work?

elliotl484d ago

Ever try making that zip tie do double duty by bending it into a little hook? I started doing that (just snip the tail short and bend the head into a catch) so when the tape pokes through, you can sometimes snag the cable end with it instead of just using it as a marker. Saves a separate grab step if you get lucky.

beth1474d ago

Honestly, I always just taped the cable and fished it through... figured the tie was just for marking the spot. But bending the head into a tiny hook is kind of genius. I tried it last week and actually caught the cable on the first try, which never happens for me. Totally changed how I run wires now.