Switched from fiberglass to steel fish tape for conduit pulls

Honestly, I used fiberglass fish tape for years on residential jobs until I did a 150-foot pull through 2-inch PVC in a commercial building outside Austin. The fiberglass just kept getting stuck on the couplings and fraying. Ngl, the steel tape paid for itself after that one job. Anyone else find fiberglass only works for short, straight runs?

4 comments

4 Comments

jessica9218d ago

Oh man, I feel this one so hard @jana769. I had almost the exact same experience you're talking about. I spent a whole afternoon fighting a fiberglass tape on a 130 foot run through some 2 inch with a couple 45s thrown in. It kept hanging up on every coupling and the tip started fraying so bad I had to cut it back. Switched to steel and it was like a different job entirely. I still use fiberglass for the quick stuff around houses where I'm just doing a 30 footer through a wall, but for anything serious it's steel all the way now. Just gotta be careful not to let it kink up on you if you try to force it backwards.

torres.blair9d ago

The steel tape handles those long runs through PVC way better because it doesn't flex as much trying to push through tight spots. Another thing I've noticed is the steel tape glides over plastic couplings where fiberglass catches on every little burr or lip you didn't get sanded down smooth. For anything over 80 feet with multiple bends I grab the steel every time now. Fiberglass still gets used in my van for the short stuff under 50 feet where I don't want to deal with the weight of the steel coil.

hannah_west399d ago

Yeah man, totally agree with you there. Had a job last month that was like 120 feet with four 90s and the fiberglass just wouldn't push through. Switched to steel and it went right in like nothing.

jana7698d ago

Hold up though, I actually get better results with fiberglass on those long runs with lots of bends because it flexes around the curves instead of fighting them. Steel tape can bind up on me in tight spots and kink easier if I'm not super careful. Maybe it's just how I learned, but fiberglass has never let me down even on 100 foot plus pulls through PVC.

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