Fishing tape through finished walls, I was doing it backwards for 2 years

Took a job in Austin last month where the previous guy had used push rods on every drop, and I finally saw someone pull a 90 degree turn by feeding the tape from the box side instead of the wall side. I've been fighting the hook curve my whole career, and now I'm redoing my standard method on every new build. Anyone else had that ah-ha moment with a basic tool they've used for years?

2 comments

2 Comments

adams.harper1mo ago

Austin's a whole different animal for sure, but honestly I gotta disagree. Pulling from the box side works when you got a straight shot, but that hook curve is your friend on the return. I've pulled more wire through finished walls by letting the tape grab the stud on its own, not forcing the turn.

gray_roberts1mo ago

That hook grabbing the stud is exactly what I want to ask you about. What happens when that stud is offset from the box by more than a few inches, say a double stud or fire blocking in the way? Seems like letting the tape find its own path works fine on a single open cavity, but on a tougher run, you're still pulling from the wall side and hoping your hook lands right. Don't you end up with more snags and broken tape on those returns than if you just fed from the box and pushed through the turn? I've seen guys lose 20 minutes on one drop doing it the way you're describing.