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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.
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paige_robinson246mo ago
Tbh, I feel pretty dumb for never trying the zip tie hook thing until last month. I used to just shove the tape in and hope, then fight with it for twenty minutes when it got stuck. That little bend on the end just saved me from so much pointless anger.
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elliotl486mo 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.
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beth1476mo 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.
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