Uncommon Tricks to Fish Wire Through Walls and Ceilings Quickly | How To
In this video I show you how I fish wires through walls to get them to or from the attic, basement, or different floors, to a new box. It may seem like it would be a difficult job but it oftentimes really isn't.
Items Used or Recommended:
Pull Chain: amzn.to/3krtLcF
Klein Fish Tape: amzn.to/38wXbDz
Electrical Tape: amzn.to/3MGOjdj
Dewalt Multi Tool: amzn.to/3vtBOMk
Lenox Jab Saw: amzn.to/3KwXjQC
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Blessings,
Adam
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There are numerous ways to fish wires in walls, what are some of your favorite ways?
Along the same lines as your chain, I use mason string and a fishing weight. It works really well (as long as the walls are hollow)! For insulated walls, I've had luck with a short piece of fish tape (about 5').
@@jim.h line and a 1/4 inch nut .. Can you use a split shot more than once wo splicing the line
@@hopelesscase2869 I personally use the tie-on weights, not the split shot.
Do you have an similar system in the USA like we have in Europe? kzhead.info/sun/naecmbajpYqbYGg/bejne.html
And HERE are some of the very WORST .... Your "wall cavity isn't as he shows it (empty) - but rather it is compliant with MOST modern building practices .. Meaning.. INTERIOR WALLS (along with all exterior walls0 now have to have FULLY COMPLIANT insulating materials in them. Mostly - that's an R rating fiberglass matt (almost impossible to drill through as the fiberglass wraps around the turning "bit") Fiberglass makes pushing any "wire" through it either vertically or horizontally - about as impossible as pushing STRING through solid concrete.!!! Then there's expanded foam (polystyrene) which technically speaking - is as solid as concrete (also impossible to get any "wiring" through it). There's the wall itself, is it a STEEL FRAMED WALL - where your silly magnet based stud finder goes wonky from the get go and can't find any studs (as the wall is all metal), Or is it a concrete / red brick / or concrete block "construction" with poured concrete inside it? No way through there either. OR . as many older building renovators have found.. Is it a STONE building, such as a slate /shingle type house with TWO FOOT THICK stone walls? Impossible to drill through (the auger-bit's go at all angles through the stone slabs) whilst the walls themselves are usually of such a "crumbling" material as to make it impossible to screw in "flush-boxes" as the screws have NOTHING to screw into. So - does he also provide you with "useable" common answers such as ON-WALL "cap & casing" plastic fittings, to run cables along the interior side of your walls - an unsightly look - but about the only way to "run" any additional cable after the building has been constructed.
Never underestimate how useful having a strong magnet can be - I've used the chain dangle and then used a magnet to kind of blind pull the chain toward the opening I needed - has served me quite well.
Nice idea. I suppose using one of those telescoping sticks with a magnet on the end might make it even easier.
I’ve got a telescopic, flexible magnetic stick (flexible metal ‘snake’ kinda like the old microphone stands) which I use to grab the chain. Been doing this for 25+ years.
also great for locating studs
Was useful, but I'll be pulling Ethernet for an outlet. Are there boxes like that, that would accommodate an Ethernet faceplate? Also wouldn't mind seeing an actual wall fish happening through fiberglass insulation in the wall. This house is 50+ years old.
@@JWolff-md3ijEthernet doesn't need a box, just a low voltage mounting ring
Instead of immediately tracing the box and starting your cut on the line you traced around it, cut into the middle of where the rectangle will be, and toward the stud, to determine _precisely_ where the edge is. Then trace your rectangle and cut it out, knowing the box will abut the stud perfectly.
I also like the idea of matching up with the side of the stud, but you may need space for the wings of the retrofit box, so a half inch or so from the stud usually works better. Just don't add screws to one of the blue boxes, will not meet NEC code and make sure your box secures the incoming wires. I do a lot of smart switch installs and they get really close to the sides of the box. They do make retrofit boxes that can fasten to a stud from the outside of a wall. (Southwire Smart Box 2-Gang Adjustable Depth Device Box #MSB2G) They also make other shape and size boxes. A little hard to find at the "big" hardware stores, but readily available online.
Totally agree. I don't trust any stud finder to locate the exact edge of a stud. Doing it his way will result in patching at best, and worst case the cutout will be too big and unsuitable for a new work box.
That's what I always do. I always do my horizontal cut 1st
And, if you're going to butt right up to a stud, get one of the Madison old-work boxes with the integrated screws that sink diagonally into the stud. Those old-work boxes with the tabs are fine for switches, but they feel flimsy with outlets. I've seen them rip right through the drywall if you have a tight outlet and plug.
@@bnasty267 - Absolutely. I've never been a fan of tabs, nor of anchoring _anything_ to drywall.
I have a fair amount of experience wall fishing, but still found this video immensely helpful. Much appreciated!
I love your videos. Your voice never gets on my nerves, and your work area is always well-lit and your camera positioned so that your hands are never blocking it while you’re doing the work. You don’t rush the process, so it’s easy to follow along. Your videos are easily the best ones I’ve seen, so thank you for all of the time and care you put into them.
Thanks for taking the time to do this video. I have a channel of my own and I understand how long it takes to produce a video like this. You took the time to mockup a wall and then carefully explain how you like to do this. Sure, it may not work in every situation, but what does? The important thing is that you gave me some ideas that I had not thought of before and now I can apply that knowledge and tailor it to my own needs. Don't worry about the naysayers. We all get them. Well done my friend. Keep up the good work.
Hey Guy, really appreciate your kind words. Yes there are definitely always naysayers. But that is to be expected. Sometimes it is entertaining and sometimes there is something that can be learned or ideas that can come from them though. I appreciate all feedback. I am glad to hear that you were able to find some value in this video. Thanks a lot for the feedback and good luck with the channel! I will be checking it out as I do my own pest control and sometimes share what I do and use on this channel. Have a couple in the fairly near future planned. Thanks again!!
Your chain idea is EXACTLY what I needed to crack my problem. THANK YOU!!!
During my 3+ decades of electrical installations I used the chain for many of my new receptacle/switch installations. I also use flex bits which helped getting around fire blocking. I approached my jobs by first assessing exactly what I was facing. The area I worked had many very expense homes with custom paint jobs and unconventional construction. You did not want to poke holes into the walls and ceiling before making sure that the job could be completed without damaged to the existing paint jobs. I enjoyed these challenges. Thanks for reminding me of them.
You are very welcome! And thank you for sharing your experience!
Ed, so how do you deal with fire blocking?
@@KenShaw096 It all depending on what I find in the ceilings. For no attic access, flexible bits combined with using existing ceiling fixtures as access points was my most common method. Sometimes I was able to route the line to the inside of a closet where I'd use wiremold to surface run the line where it was not really noticeable. Of course, there were times when there there no other way to install electrical without cutting and patching walls and ceilings but it was not the common practice used by myself. My methods took more time but left very little to no damage to the walls and ceilings.
Imagine doing pilot holes doing every fish. Lol.
I recall back in my apprenticeship, the guy I worked for drilled into a wall to find the cavity, but there was no cavity. Single board partitions in a super old home. He poked a wire in to feel around for the stud and it was springing banck out at him - he'd drilled into a mattress on the other side of the wall 😂
My first electrical job as a green helper was in 1983. At Rick Baker Electric, damaging sheetrock to add boxes, lights, etc. was absolutely not allowed. I learned from a very skilled and very fast Journeyman. Eventually, fishing wires with no damage became my specialty. I like the chain idea. If you look at Home depot, you can find 1/4" diameter rare earth magnets with a hole in the center. It will grab that chain if you simply get close to it. A good way to get an idea what is in the wall is to take a 10" piece of 14 gauge solid, stripped bare, bend a wide 90 on one end ands a sharp 90 the opposite direction on the other end. It makes a hole small enough to fill (if you need to) sometimes by just pressing around it. This especially handy when you are adding recessed lighting in the ceiling. You can lay them out from the room, as opposed to an additional trip into the attic.
As a weekend DIY'er, I agree that the multi-tool is one of the most useful tools, ever! I use it all the time. BTW, the other tool I didn't know I needed, but use all the time is my 18 gauge brad nailer, battery powered of course.
That was so sensible, practical, and easy to do. Thanks. So many projects in my life were left undone because that just seemed too hard.
I like the chain with a magnet. Works very well and cuts down on my feeling and listening for the chain. Great video for beginners! 👍
I have some smaller 12" drill bits that I find handy to do the searching. One nice thing is if drilling down into basement I can easily unchuck drill bit and then look for it. Ceilings and walls are much more fun, especially in a house built in 1932 and remodeled a few times.
Great tips. Furnace chain also works great. You can put one of the actual wires through a link ,then tape it. Also fishing sinkers. bolt nuts and even small keychain flashlights can be used as weights and help locate the wire. You can also use a telescoping magnet from the auto parts store to find the metal nut or chain.
It's really hot in my attic. I think I'm gonna start taking my walls into the shop. Great tip!
Good luck with the project!
After watching this video it seems so obvious to use this chain to help fish. I've been an electrician for 10yrs now and nobody has ever mentioned this technique. Nice work!
I must say that I’ve watched a few of your videos. And used your advice. It did seem to make my job easier. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I never cut a hole in the wall until I run the wire down first. You don’t know if you have access to that exact spot in the attic until you go up there and look. While you’re up there looking, you may as well drill the hole and run the wire or chain down. Then cut the hole in the wall and pull it through.
And cut your wire to the exact length to reach the hole while cutting the box hole in the wall! 😂😂 Then you can go back up into the attic to push more wire down so you'll have enough to connect!
Especially in older buildings where modifications and renovations may have resulted in all sorts of random extra beams, steel plates and random junk you didn't expect. I've lived in the same house for almost 30 years and still find surprises when we need to go up into the roof cavity for anything. You can never predict what you'll find in someone else's roof.
I usually measure all my locations using existing doorways, heat registers , existing light fixtures, in order to find my location in the attic or basement. You can then locate the header you need to drill into, drop a chain down and snag from either in the box or the new box cutout. Also, I sometimes shine a light up through the existing box so you can see the opening from above, making it easier to drop the chain into the opening.
This is what I did when dropping network cable in my house. I also used a snake camera to check for electrical before drilling into the top plate and cutting out holes in the dry wall. I was unfamiliar with how electrical was run at the time and didn't want to cut/drill into something. Every measurement was good and it turns out I didn't need the snake camera, but it was worth it for the peace of mind at the time.
The trick of the wiring to the ceiling is perfect. Never thought about it. Thx.
HOLY COW, thanks! Your wire marking trick solved the remaining piece of my project!!!
I have of course always used fish tape and rods but this is really smart. In this situation I think the chain would work best. Thanks for the idea!
Yup and those definitely have their place in installs but this is the easiest method I have found for empty walls. Thanks a lot for the feedback John!
You can buy a kit with the ball chain and a flexible magnet which is called wet noodle. I know lowes sells it in their electrical tools department or telephone tools department
I would (and do) use window sash chain. It’s a lot stronger and being flat and full of holes has other nice benefits, e.g. you can poke your ground wire through a hole and bend it over before taping it and pulling.
Nice video. I used these methods when breaking down overloaded circuit. I had 4 bedrooms all connected to one 15 amp breaker. I broke the daisy chain in strategic spots and used these fishing methods to run new Romex to each room. Now each room has their own dedicated 15 amp breaker.
My home was built in 1959 and it's so, so not up to code. Half the house (granted it's only 1001 sq ft, but still) lights and switches are on the same run--14 ga, 15 A, with ZERO ground wires. What were they thinking?
Add a small flexible shaft magnet to your toolbox to pick up the chain when working in off-set conditions. I always used a steel window sash chain for pulling wires into hollow walls, it's many times stronger and almost as convenient, and I would walk around inside the wall many times to find the hole for you.
I always watch these videos regardless of how many years I’ve been doing electrical, I can always use the education By the way the oscillating tool is a blessing. You see, I didn’t think of the spinning, I definitely will use this the next time
Slick little trick! A must see for all electric DIYer’s!
They have definitely helped me on numerous occasions. Thanks a lot for the feedback Lenny!
Love DIY'rs, you keep me in business lol
I was a hospital maintenance electrician for 42 years. Some walls can seem impossible due to the construction of the wall, type of insulation etc. In tough cases I would tie a heavy washer or large heavy nut to some nylon wire pull string and work it up and down till it drops to the box cutout. Sometimes this can take awhile due to tight insulation or obstructions in the wall.
It's a hospital... 😂 Have you ever seen the inside of those walls before drywall ... Fishing in a hospital is damn near impossible ever inch of most of those walls are engineered to the square inch! oxygen lines, nurse call system, emergency circuits, battery back ups, normal circuits, plumbing , mep risers, the list is almost never ending and the electrician is always the one who has to move when the change orders start. 😂
Old school just like me
It took some bit of time but I trained a mouse to carry a 50 lb test fishing line from one hole to the next for a piece of cheese. He stayed behind the supply shelves in the mechanical room and I feed him daily. He was always ready for work whenever he smelled that the wife had packed my request for a cheese sandwich in my lunch pail. He could swim through a half inch hole like a surfer catching a wave at Laguna. Drop ceilings were his specialty. But sometimes he'd get side tracked and either come out the wrong hole or a 20' blind corner run would take 40' of wire! Lol. I had many of them over the 59 years I worked there. Good memories to say the least! Later!
@@patrickbjordahl3239 exactly
@@jpol3808 I agree totally with this method. I used a mouse also. Just tied it to his tail and off he went right down my 3/4 inch hole 🕳
Great video! I appreciate that you also showed the worst case possibilities as well as the easy situations.
Well done. Very helpful with a challenging bathroom situation I have with a new GFCI over an existing built in vanity cabinet. Thank you
Wow that tip at 3:00 is amazing!!!! Thank you so much for this! I have a blown in attic and I have to run a few low-voltage lines this is going to save so much time
You are very welcome. Really glad to hear you found it helpful. Thanks a lot for the feedback!
Great info! The beaded pull chain is a great fish line to use. You can also use a telescoping magnet to run into the hole to find the beaded chain if you can’t grab it with a hook.
Make sure you get steel chain. I've pick some up that I thought was steel, but it was nickel plated brass.
Great video. I like that you covered several scenario, and different situations that might apply to different people
Thank you! Your video provided me the information I needed to install my new wiring. Works like a charm!
Thanks for the "chain" tip. I was installing direct-wire under-counter lights where I had to match a vertical hole with a horizontal hole. I struggled with a coat hangar for about an hour. Decided to search KZhead for an answer.. Thanks Adam.
Awesome! Really hope it was able to help you get your project done more efficiently! Thanks a lot for the feedback Tom!
I second this. I'm an 11 year journeyman who installs an awful lot of convenience electrical, especially in the smart home age. I own 4 different tapes, steel, fiberglass and poly, and I can't even count the number of times a simple chain would have saved me a couple trips up and down the attic. Great idea, it is added to my arsenal. Thank you!
I like those long flexible drill bits with the eyelet on the end. I believe they are called Flexible Installer Drill Bit, and I have one that’s 96” in length. Great for going horizontally through multiple studs, going up or down in a will through plates and such. Very nice indeed and worth it in my opinion. Drawback is you would need to remove and old work box or make a temp hole near the box and patch it up later.
It’s an old work that’s right , why would you not remove it . Unless of course it was installed properly and sealed to the wall so it would make a mess taking it out . These days when I install a box it get sealed and caulked or muddled . Absolutely no air leaks . And all electricians need to do this , because that is how houses are being built today . And yes interior walls also . And also all those vertical holes need to be caulked with fire stop
Many years ago, I worked for an electrician. To fish s wall, we used small steel "jack" chain and found it with a small diameter long handled flex magnet. Once we had chain in hand, we stripped a bit of the outer jacket away, cut the white and black wires leaving the bare ground wire. We would loop over the ground wire and put it into the end loop of the chain and securly tape the junction. This always worked for us.
Useful video....but there is another common challenge that should be addressed....most walls, at least in older homes, have a firebreak cross piece 2X4 between the studs at about mid wall height. This may need to be drilled through as well. I've used drill bit with several drill bit extensions to achieve a long drill bit and then through the firebreak.
Most walls, at least in the northeast, will have fire blocks if the room has 9'+ ceilings.
@@shawnkerr that's everywhere where the wall is higher than 8 ft. they call it a fire break but is actually stud stabalizing.
I like your videos. There's a lot of arm chair electricians making comments, with that said, I always run my wire through the hole for the box before installing the box. Also, remove the red rope or at least the handle on your garage door track release so someone can't Fish a wire over your garage door and release your door from the track.
Just ziptie the latch closed they can fish all they want
Excellent. Thank you so much for the awesome tips!!! This is really going to help me to find the wall cavity and pull some cat6 cables from my attic for my cameras.
That chain and hook technique is genius, thanks for the tip.
One strategy I use for fishing wires from a attic wether it’s 120V, 240V, or data lines is I use existing light switches as a point of reference and measure from them over to the cavity I want to drop a wire in, I then go up in the attic and find the top plate with the wire(s) and measure from that spot, overall so I don’t have to drill a small hole in the ceiling
I recently moved into a new house built in 2022. I needed to run CAT 6 data cable all over the house. I had the typical tools like flexible fish rods, pull string and mesh wire puller. But the best tool i found for pulling wire on insulated walls was Magnepull XP1000-LC. Drill a one inch hole in the top plate. Tie the magnet to a pull string and drop it down the hole. Take magnetic roller and search near the ceiling on the sheet rock. When you find the magnetic bullet the roller will lock on to it through the sheetrock. Pull the roller with the string attached out the outlet hole. Works great for wall when you have insulation and a lot of cable to run.
A string and piece of chain do the same thing for free.
And this is all depending on if there is fire locking in the wall or 2x4 horizontal between the studs. No way a magnet will do that.
Great idea using the chain. Much better than my former method of using a piece of wire.
Of course. That's how you find the place to run your wire down from the attic. Genius. Thank you man.
Never toss that cutout into the wall. You may find that you can't put your switch in that exact location and you may need it to patch the hole up.
Learned that lesson the hard way a few times
I've also seen a suggestion on YT to cut the box hole at a 45 degree angle inward. Then it does not fall into the wall and it is even easier to put solidly back into the wall after,
I have just put a blank switch plate over the hole. No box, muddying painting etc required.
I save the cutout as a paint sample for matching. An 8 oz sample jar is enough for touch-ups.
Why did he not run the wire into the box, before installing the box?
2:35 - don't use a drill bit. Use a 16 inch or 24 inch insulation support wire. It leaves a smaller hole and you can find it easily in the attic. Before using cut the end of the support at 45 degrees to give a drill type tip. If it gets dull, just recut the end slightly and continue drilling. You can get a Simpson Strong-Tie IS 23-1/2 in. Insulation Support (100-Pack) for less than 20 dollars. That equates to 100 drill bits.
I have been cutting and using wire coat hangers in that way for many years . You can almost always find one , although not so much nowadays
I call them tigers teeth, I have been using them for 27 years to spot holes for hvac and electrical, this guy needs to stop telling people to do things this way and also things that are beyond what they should be doing.
I’ve been using ceiling support wire you find in commercial buildings. Usually just beat it through with my linesman’s. I like the coat hanger trick too.
you should check out labor saving devices reference drill bits. they're .047" as opposed to the .08" of your support wires. suuuuper slim and they're all 36" long. i bought a 10 pack ages ago for all my low voltage work. great guide in the attic, and you can cut some of them into smaller sections at an angle (sharp) to use as a great stud finder when you're getting iffy reads from a stud/joist finder.
That is fking genius. Your comment is why I read the comments.
So simple and brilliant with the wire ... I was having a fit trying to get my bearings up in the attic once I was there.
It can be a pain sometimes! Glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback!
I have fish tape which is essentially when running wire horizontally or at any angle, but for essentially straight vertical, that's a great idea to use long dangly beaded wire. Problem with the blue boxes is that the "shutters" that secure wire going in/out of the box are super tight unless you essentially break them (then wire not secure). In such cases the when there's an existing blue box with stripped wire already, an idea I got from another DIY experienced "electrician" is to use a metal gang box, secure the collars on the wire itself before putting the box into place with additional new wiring such as for an expanded switch or new added on single pole light...secure the metal box ideally to a stud throuh the side holes, and then pull the wire with the clamps already attached close to be able to secure with the ring nuts. Thanks for the new fishing wire tip!
Always make your horizontal cut for the box first. That way if you were to hit a stud you can still slide your box to whichever side of the stud you need without having to repair drywall. Always use a pencil. Can also use a flexbit to save time climbing in and out of the attic.
While it didn't matter for this electrical box - I went right in the center of a stud and didn't notice until completely cut out recently. It was for behind a mirror luckily so it didn't matter. Using the oscillating tool carefully made my not even realize it until the very end of cutting it out. Stud finder missed it for a couple reasons - thick glue, thick drywall, bad, old stud finder. I'm going to add that to my shopping list now. The good news is I just cut to the side of it, cut it down and put it back onto the stud with 2 drywall screws. No need to even patch it fortunately.
All of this. Made this mistake once and learned!! Make the cut the width of the box, BEFORE even drawing the cutout on the wall. that way you know you have a clear few inches. Then draw your rectangle and cut it out.
One thing that wasn't mentioned, that I'm sure you're aware of (but your viewers may not be aware of), is that on top of the top plate, there is typically a capping plate too. You'll need a bit that can reach through both. Some attics can be particularly difficult like mine, in which I had to get an auger bit to drill through 3 layers of plates (special framing circumstance, and not super common). Just something to think about though.
You are correct. Thanks for the added tip!
my latest foray was from upstairs to downstairs. had to drill through linoleum, through floor board, pass therafters, through MORE floor board, through cap, through top plate, and finally down. Ended up needing to use an 18 inch bit! Before that I was drilling down and forgot an offset. I drilled in and didn't find anything. I mean like, dark. Ran a wire, confirmed it went the full 8 feet down before stopping. went downstairs... could NOT find it. NOWHERE. turns out I had drilled into the little bit of wall beside a door to a closet, and i was still in the wall, just not the wall I thought I was in! life's so much easier when you have a helper, doing this solo is a pain!
Drilles through mine yesterday and i thought i was drilling through the top of a stud
I believe this only applies to exterior walls interior walls generally have one top plate.
Also, when you're drilling up from the crawl all you can see is plywood, not the actual bottom plate.
Great video with excellent ideas , I do a lot of electrical work around my house , not licensed bud I did buy a code book to insure I stay within electrical codes , love doing electrical work .keep up the great work
Great video! Very helpful, as I am almost always working on one honey-do project or another. My next project is an electric heater in the master bath.
Good, clear, concise descriptions of the steps taken. Practical tips, given everybody claims to be an "expert." Thank you! 👍👍
You are very welcome! Glad to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback!
instead of feeding the wiring through the box while its mounted in the wall, why not pull the wiring through the cutout in the wallboard, and push the wiring through the box, then push the remodel box back in the wall with the romex wiring allready stabbed through the wire opening ?, there should be plenty of space to slide the box with the wiring in it through the cutout in the wallboard., you can angle it upwards or downwards depending on whether your wiring is going up or down. Just a thought.
Yeah you are correct. I only put the old work box in to simulate folks with new work boxes where they are nailed to the stud already. Otherwise, yeah that is absolutely the way to go!
Yes and good point sometimes the box needs to be increased by adding an extension which is best just to remove the old one and put a double or triple. Then you have plenty of room to fasten the box to the stud with screws. Best to use the type with a hex head then you can use a socket wrench to tighten the box to the stud. I done this with old work . I don't like using drywall to hold a box in place. In the old days dry wall was over an inch thick and the box was secure but drywall today don't have the strength to hold plugging in and out of the outlet switch boxes is not so much a problem if the outlet is behind furniture that would not be so much a problem like TV or lamp outlets the plug usually stays in. It's just a matter of option code wise I guess it's ok to install outlets that way most people don't have an inspector come and check additions to electrical. I'm sure my house has added electric to the house that's not original. 73
Ive for ever use sash chain. Works great!!! the holes in the link are easy to hook with a coat hanger and can easily attach the wire for pulling.
You sure made that look easy. Thanks
I read multiple good ideas for fishing that I’ve used for 40 years, one I didn’t see was saving your old broken tape measure. Welding a loop of copper to the broken end and, using it as a semi-rigid fish steel. It can always be on your belt, no running to the truck. Doesn’t always solve everything but, still pretty handy.
If I don’t have a broken tape measure, should I break a perfectly functional tape measure for this purpose?
Cut a coat hanger at an angle. It will drill through hardwood floor. It's easier to guide a straight hole at the wall's edge than a short drill bit & measure to the center. It also stays in place due to friction, and leaves a smaller hole. If drilling through a floor, and you can pry and drill behind shoe molding or mop board you'll never see the hole.
That's exactly what I've been doing for many years. I keep the bare metal hangers from the dry cleaners just for this purpose.
This hanger method is great for carpeted floors as it will not show a hole at all. For bare hardwood floors, I would make a hole at the top of the baseboard.
This is a great pro tip, been using it for years. I've drilled all the way through a solid 2x8 floor joist with one.
metal hangers are really hard to come by these days. : ( They have so many uses, unlike plastic ones.
Super helpful! Gives me perfect guidance for my current project! Thank you!
Those metal coat hangers are a life saver. I managed to wire many recess lights safely by using those as a guide. I plan on wiring some lights in my parents' house without access to an attic it will be difficult but doable.
Try from outside sofit
I use auger bits over spade for drilling down into top plates, less force is needed and it's much more forgiving in case you end up drilling next to or into an existing wire or something else you can't see inside the wall cavity. Spade bits will grab whatever's near by or in it's path and violently wrap it so quickly you're screwed by the time you notice but w/an auger you'll usually feel whatever you hit before it drills into it or grabs it and is easy to back out if you get snagged on insulation.
For me the most efficient method so far has been the Fiber Glass Rods. I have both the Klein Tools flex, white and glow in the dark, and also the Home Depot Orange, more stiff rods depending on the job. You learn how to use these and you will never go back to anything unless you are fishing through conduit.
I believe this video was meant more for home owners that won't really have the rods. I mean, I would hope this guy would have the 6 ft long drill bit with flexi shaft, instead of going through all of these extra steps of drilling/poking a hole in the ceiling or baseboard. Then you just put the wire through the hole in the end of the bit and pull the bit back out of the hole.
@@jmackinjersey1 As they say.."More than one way to skin a cat". I commented about the rods because I saw no mention of them anywhere. They have been a godsend for me and everybody I recommend them to say "Where have these things been all my life" ❤❤
Intelligent and clear demonstration. Thank you for sharing!
A very useful video...I have run into this situation several times. Easy solutions. Thanks
Good video. Instead of a chain, you can use a string with a large steel nut (3/8 or 1/2”) on the end. Thanks….Jim
Yup that will work well too! Thanks for the feedback Jim.
Magna-pull is my best friend. I use the AC vents as a guide as to where I need to be. I cut the hole for the box very VERY last in case I cannot actually fish down one particular section of the wall for whatever reason.
I love the Magna-pull. Sometimes I cut the hole last, but sometimes, when the box must be there (particular customer, you know?) I just cut it, then find a way to get the wire there. Funny story: When I was still a helper, we finished our house and went to help another crew finish their trim. When we got there, the journeyman was in the bedroom adding an additional switch box for a ceiling fan or something. He had a hammer and a screwdriver using it for a chisel. He had drawn out his box hole on the wall. When he got ready to cut the hole though, I have no idea why, but he decided to make the 2 vertical cuts first. As soon as he started to make the top cut, he hit a stud, right between the 2 sides he had already cut. He had to either chisel in a shallow box or tell Rick (the boss) what he did. Rick would have said "If you can't make it work, tell Mike (my lead man) and he can." Mike just laughed.
Nicely done. I never would have thought of these methods.
You are very good at explaining things! You made it very easy to follow, and have a great speaking style. Keep up the great work. Thank you!
Wow really glad to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback!
Nice work. Great video. Thank you.
You are welcome. Glad you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback Scott!
My experience with stud finders, they will get you close but off a little. If you want to be exact in knowing the edge of a stud, after the stud finder, use a 1/16 inch drill bit to find the stud. You will know when the bit hits the stud. Keep drilling in one direction until the bit easily goes through the drywall. With this you will know the exact edge of the stud, for sure. I have always run the wire through the box hole before mounting the electrical box. Then with the box out of the hole easily put the wire in the back of the box, then mount the box.
just put in a drywall saw horizontally and cut towards the stud.
@@goaliedude32 A person can also kill a fly with a sledgehammer too, but some call that over kill. Using a 1/16 inch drill bit at the top of the baseboard, where it's caulked, finds your stud. Then simply put painters' putty or caulk in the drilled holes.
Awesome idea with the indicator hole for marking where to drill ! Also your right about those multitools. My second most used tool besides an impact driver .. good video!
Thank you so much for this tip. It worked like a charm and saved me so much time.
Funny, I did some of this DIY a while back and came up with the same chain method you use. I didn’t know it was a thing!
I like using a drop ceiling hanger wire with a piece of reflective tape to find the hole in the attic.
Hey that is a good idea Mike. I have not hear that one before. And the drop ceiling wire is relatively inexpensive. Thanks a lot for the feedback!
@@HowToHomeDIY Pretty easy to find around and strong and sharp enough to get through fiberglass insulation. If there is a finished floor the attic and a spare person around you can bump the floor sound to locate it.
I use that kind of wire as the drillbit to probe ceilings. Cut point at an angle, then you can flex the thing a bit to drill flush to the wall, or sneak it behind a piece of molding at floor or ceiling.
@@commandoconstruction2720 Yeah same hear, cut to length then cover up the tiny hole with finger tip of Dap lightweight spackling compound. No one will ever know.
Hey mate, this video is meant to be for newbies.... us pros we don't drill holes into the ceiling or floors in a million + dollar homes. Been in the resi trade for about 11 years doing mostly working with designers to do their specialty add-ons here and there (new lightfixtures, sconces, pendants, outlets, 3-ways, service calls, etc. During these years I built out my own tricks (do's and don't) to fish wires, but for 10 ft ceiling there's always going to be horizontal blocking aka (buckling restraint or fire blocking) also in kitchens for cabinets mounting. I have alot to tell.
Do tell. What is the best way to deal with horizontal blocking?
some good stuff, especially for a guy like me who aspires to be a full fledged electrician!!
Good video, dude! I’ve pulled a few miles of low voltage wiring in the commercial realm, and one thing I would suggest is stretch the e tape tight. The heat and friction generated helps hold the wiring securely to the fishing method. Also, be aware of horizontal nailers!!
Also remember the chance of hitting a firestop block in the middle of walls between the studs.
My challenge has always been getting through the wall top-plate into a first floor ceiling without cutting two holes (ceiling and wall) then getting from one floor joist to others to get from switch location to center of room to install a ceiling fixture. No easy way there.
The wire flag is simply genius… Very helpful… thanks
Awesome! Really glad you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback!
Super helpful video. Clear instruction on the process. Thanks so much
In insulated walls ,I've used a old measuring tape with the end removed. It slides against the drywall and cuts thru the insulation. This does require a larger hole drilled.
Thanks for the tip!
When it comes to spotting your penetrations, one good tip is to take some 12ga t-bar wire, cut it into 12in lengths (cut at an angle) and then insert one into your drill just like a drill bit. At high speed these wires will penetrate just like an 1/8in drill bit. You can make your penetration and then just detach the wire from the drill, leaving the wire in the penetration so you can easily locate it in the attic or under the house etc.. When you are done just re-attach the drill to the t-bar wire, pull the trigger and pull the wire back out, and it leaves only a tiny hole on the surface that can easily be concealed with a little bit of spackle on the tip of your finger. Easy peasy.
When I started my apprenticeship and rewiring back in the day we used to use wire coat hangers. Cut off the same way and you can drill those through just about anything. Of course I don't know if you can even buy wire coat hangers now lol
Dude, True Magic Tricks! Sorcery! Much appreciated. You just reframed my thinking and saved my day. 😂🤟
Your videos are awesome and educational. Thank you.
Don't go right to drilling a small hole to see where you are above the switch in the attic. First, look for wiring or plumbing that may be in the area. you can use that as a guide to then determine where the switch is going.
'Landmarking' in the attic is exactly correct. Distance from a corner, AC vents, light fixtures all can be used as points of reference to find your location.
Not for me. I show up, drill that tiny 1/16 hole, slide a precut cut hanger in the attic (30 seconds) Go into the attic with wire and cordless drill, then drill the wood (the coat hanger shows me exactly where I drill down) Feed wire into my hole... Done in the attic. Very easy to get dis orientated while crawling around in an attic on fact finding mission, Waste of time
Using the chain, also employ a collapsible magnetic pick uo tool to "hook" the chain. Most are small enough for holes big enough to fit cable, have strong magnets & are a good addition to your basic tool set/box. Quick tip for measuring w/o using a tape measure... use arms length. On average the distance from one handhold to your other handhold is near your height, so if you are 5 feet something inches your arms stretched out from your sides is about 5', from hand to shoulder 3', and hand to elbow 1.5' - 2' .
Thank you so much for always providing so many helpful tips
I’ll use your: **1/8” drill plus a neutral wire as a flag** idea tomorrow, thanks! I’m just starting to rewire a house from the 1950’s.
Instead of the wire hook, a magnetic pick up tool is handy for grabbing the chain.
Yup those work great if you can get it to the other side of the box. Thanks a lot for the feedback!
these are fine and yes they work really well but that would not work on my house i had back in the late 80's the house i bought was built in the late 1800's later they upgrade parts of it but had what you call fire stops in the wall anyone remember them there 2x4 nailed one to another wall stud at different heights. long story i said hell i'll just remodel the whole damn house be easer.
@@HowToHomeDIY You don't need to get to any other side of the box. You just use it to grab the chain that's near the hole instead of the wire hook.
You are unlikely to have enough access to the top plate of an exterior wall to drill vertically down. For the bottom plate you will have to drill though the floor and sub-floor and will likely need a longer drill. Again on an exterior wall the foundation plates will prevent drilling up. Houses built with out sheathing or interior walls may have blocking and bracing. If so you may have to cut large access holes in the drywall.
Yeah I mentioned in the video that this is for empty interior walls. There are other steps needed for the situations you are talking about.
I think i can do it now, thank you, from someone who knows nothing about home electric
I like the chain recommendation.
Really glad to hear you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback!
mistake #1: not using the jab saw as a probe to see if there is an obstruction behind the sheetrock. mistake #2: knocking the scrap INTO the wall cavity. pro tip: if you have a carpeted floor, drive a shiny bright nail through the carpet a set distance from the wall, and angled towards the wall. that will tell you where to drill, and then just pull it back out and there will be no sign of the nail hole in the carpet.
I have used 3 foot to 4 foot flexible drill bits with a small hole in the top to hook the wire on after going to the attic or basement, Hook wire on and pull bit out with wire. No patching holes in ceiling. :) Works like a charm.
I have a set of guides made from EMT to get the flex bit lined up better with the plate.
Flex bits are great!!! I stopped using it till I hit a water line doing recessed lights on a beautiful manssion in LA area. There was no attic. I ended up losing alot of money due to very expensive custom made paintings on the ceiling. I had never used them again!!!!.
@@rodrigorodriguez7410 Wow! that would have sucked. Sorry that happened.
I know this is an old video, but would you be willing to show us your setup and how you created it. Thank you so much. I really enjoy your videos as I am an apprentice and trying to learn as much as I can and practice even more from home.
5:40 it is best to start taping from the trailing edge to the front edge. That is start at, for example 2" from the end of the cable, and rap towards the end of the cable. It is a smoother joint with only one edge to catch on everything, instead of the edges of the tape catching everything and possibly ripping the tape off.
Great channel with loads of valuable "how to" details. Thanks for sharing.
Interesting stuff! All our walls in Australia are brick which makes making holes in it a challenge 😂 but we don’t have to worry about stud I guess
incredible great teacher... i hope you are helping in highschool trade classes!