I have been using string with a bolt to drop down and tie to my coax to pull it up from under the house. Is there something I can buy from Lowes/etc that will work better/easier?
What do you use to pull coax?
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I use a length of 1/2" conduit pipe. The coax easily slides right through it. I have never run into any space so small I couldn't extract it after running the cables if I need to. In some cases I use a larger diameter pipe for easy access for future installation in the same place. If I am running smaller cable like lighting controls, rear channel or front/rear effect speakers, I still attach a weight to the end.
You can try a snake (fish tape) They should be in the electrical dept. You may also want to run a drag line along with your wire for future applications.
How bout using a pool cleaning pole...it starts at about 8 foot and extends to about 16 foot..or if that will be to big , You could try a painters extension pole, same difference , just shorter. What do you think Rob?
The fish tape works very well. I used to do Network cable installations and had to run through walls that had insulation and it works great. It's a reel of about 1/4" wide and quite thin rolled steel but is very flexible but stiff enough to jam up through walls. I think mine was about 25' long.
The by far easiest way I have found to do wall fishes etc. is the magna pull. It is a magnet that attaches to the end of the wire and you use a roller to slide it down the wall right out of the hole.
I have tried many things fishing line with weight, chain, glow rods, and it is the easiest and best so far.
I have tried many things fishing line with weight, chain, glow rods, and it is the easiest and best so far.
That looks like a real handy little devil. At $140 it's a bit on the high side, but I'm just nuts enough to buy one anyway. How is it when going between floors? I mean if you were running cable from the basement to the 2nd floor of a house.
I use the Greenlee "Fish Sticks" available at Home Depot for $32. It includes four three foot sections that screw together. The pointed tip with the hole through it is the handiest. Just strip off about two inches of everthing on the coax down to the bare center cinductor. Thread the wire through the center hole of the tip and twist it into place. By drilling a hole correctly near the corner of a wall cavity, I can even push a cable trough a hole on the top 2x4 of an attic into an exterior wall full of fiberglass insulation down to a hole for an old work 2x4 inch box 12 inches from the floor. Using this technique, I can also go from an attic through the second floor wall to an access opening that I can later cover with a box frame and a blank cover. Using a long flex bit, I can drill through this opening into the first floor wall cavity, push the cable to a first floor box opening 12 inches from the floor, and then contunue to a basement, if needed.
I also like the Gopher Pole.
http://www.gopherpole.com/
I can lift out one tile in a suspended ceiling, tie the cable to its end and extend the telescoping sections through and ebtween ducts, plumbing and cables to the area odf another ceiling tile 22 feet away. No hangups like the slingshot or the dart gun.
I've actually ran cables between floor joist to install floor outlets in the middle of a living room floor or for a ceiling fan using the Gopher pole.
I also like the Gopher Pole.
http://www.gopherpole.com/
I can lift out one tile in a suspended ceiling, tie the cable to its end and extend the telescoping sections through and ebtween ducts, plumbing and cables to the area odf another ceiling tile 22 feet away. No hangups like the slingshot or the dart gun.
I've actually ran cables between floor joist to install floor outlets in the middle of a living room floor or for a ceiling fan using the Gopher pole.
When I had my slab house rebuilt in 03, I should have rewired it and put cable runs in every room, but as usual, I wasn't thinking ahead.
Now I have to do the same thing to fish romex through insulated outside walls from the attic since I moved my computer. But fish tape seems to be the most economical choice.
Now I have to do the same thing to fish romex through insulated outside walls from the attic since I moved my computer. But fish tape seems to be the most economical choice.
Well, are we wall dropping or retreiving from a crawl space?..I guess I got all mixed up...W/ wall fische's a magnet does work the best for non insulated walls....
Your gopher pole is my pool pole modified...and btw Greenlee GLOW RODS are very bulky and not very flexible ..i.e. 90 degree pulls..try a different brand........I cannot remember the exact name of mine..they were purchased from Perfect 10 distributors ,they are very very flexible,compared to the Greenlee's..And the glow beautifully in the attic or under a crawl space....
SATMAN IN MEMPHIS said:
The gopher pole is a lot easier to use than the swimming pool pole. I hate those twist lock ends. The sections of the gopher pole snap in place. A push of a button releases them. Anyway, fiberglass is much safer than aluminum.
The stiff rods are much better for pushing wires through insulation like a needle and thread. The Greenlee glow rods are too long. I prefer the cheap opaque ones. Using piano wire insulation hangers, I can easily locate positions in the attic and in crawl spaces and basements. Who needs glow rods?
I tried to go under the house but the crawl space is so low that i do not think anyone other than a child could work in there. I am trying to figure out a different way to hook up the tivos. I am studying on trying to use diplexors instead. I have 4 directivos to hook up. 2 of them are just using 1 coax line and i want full function from both. the boss of me will not let me drill in the wall/floor or anywhere else in the new house. the house has built in runs for cable but that does not help with dual input tuners. any thoughts on diplexor use will be appreciated.
Does the house have vinyl siding. Malco makes a $5 tool called the Sideswiper 2. which allows you to relaeas a panel of vinyl siding and replace it without any evidence that it was done. Since they are low voltage and permitted, I've placed a lot of telephone and coaxes under vinyl siding.
LOL yeah glow rods are a rich mans tool..right?
My painters extension pole is my fav. like ur gopher pole, it is fiberglass, but it still has the twist handle lock. I might have to get one of those poles
My painters extension pole is my fav. like ur gopher pole, it is fiberglass, but it still has the twist handle lock. I might have to get one of those poles
the house is covered in sheets of plywood and reclaimed wood. drilling would be the only option and the BOSS will not allow that. I tried to run the coax under the house since there is a access pipe running up to each wall jack for phone and coax additons. But with piping and ductwork running under the house i can not easily (or at all) reach the areas i need to get too. my local installers have not been able to get there either. if i can not get another solution i may just have to continue with the single coax runs. Maybe i will luck out and find someone who can get around under there that i can afford to pay to do it.
