Structured Cabling Parts & Tools www.amazon.com/shop/lawrencesystemspcpickup?listId=4IL2963UNMJS 72-Inch Klein Tools Flex Auger Bit 53717 amzn.to/2sQlvZ3 Magnepull XP1000-LC Wire Pulling System amzn.to/2TeV4b1 Mid-Flex Glow Rod Set, 15-Foot Klein Tools 56415 amzn.to/2Un08ub
I like your calm mater a fact style to information sharing. It seems like everyone else is ether boring or overtly dramatic. Thank you so much for sharing.
i love that even while shooting a video in a controlled environment you were able to show the things that go wrong. i love a flex bit but dam can they be a pain sometimes. and the coax coming off of the magnet there at the end was priceless, yet lucky. I've had that happen countless times mid wall and had to pull it back out and start over, oh well that's how we learn.
What I like the most is how your instructions are presented. I watched this because I want to run coax cable from one room down to my basement. This has really helped me. Thanks
Great video for starters. I do cabling from time to time and had everything I've learned tossed out the window by one building. The building is/was a 195 year old Hotel. We installed 30 UniFi Protect cameras. I brought all the tools you mentioned in this video along with some extras like a Borescope, and a extra long Steel fish tapes, (120'). This Hotel had been remodeled an unknown number of times. While the current owner had owned it for 40 years, he was completely hands off in terms of maintenance. Current people who were familiar with the building included a 30yr who had worked there for about 5 years and myself. I have been the IT person for over a decade. The hotel had never had cameras and the wifi system was limited to a single wired UniFi AP and 2 remote wireless Uplinks, only about 1/3rd of the hotel had usable wifi. One of the ceilings was solid wire mesh and basically isolated each floor like a faraday cage. I planed for 3-5 days. It took 10 days, 10-12 hr a day, and over 5500' of ethernet. Most of the walls were anywhere from 3-5" thick with newer sheetrock on top of plaster from the 50s, on top of wood paneling, there was then a gap that varied from 4" to 10" and the original walls which were some type of plaster, that literally took chisels to break and was effectively concrete. The older wood, 100yr+, was in a type of petrified state that took hammer drills to get through. In addition there were multiple sections of the building that had granite support walls. These walls were around 14" thick solid granite. In addition to the 30 cameras, I added 3 more APs bringing out total to 6 and that got us about 80% coverage. At least there was usable wifi in all the hallways. We pulled the 2/3 of the ethernet from a single wiring cabinet on the ground floor. There are 3 stories above the ground floor total 4, the top floor is unused and wasn't touched. We put a remote switch/box on the 3rd floor and ran 5 cameras from it. Due to other problems with the ceiling on that floor we found it easier to run wiring to one of the back hallways from the ground floor to the 2nd floor then used one of the sprinkler pipes as a guide to get to the 3rd floor. Between the ceiling of the 2nd floor and the 3rd floor is about 5-6' of sub ceilings and sub floors. The floors don't exactly line up and it was something of a nightmare getting to the 3rd floor, took nearly an entire day due to sub floors, brick walls, granite walls etc. The current height of the hallway ceilings is around 10' on the 2nd and 3rd floors, though it is not consistent. The ground floor has a more reasonable 8' ceiling though some rooms have 10-12' ceilings.
Thanks for the video. I learned something so wanted to reciprocate: you can run a wall sensor from the planned outlet location on up to the spot where you would insert the fishing wire. If there's a fireblock then it saves you from making a hole. Building code says the integrity of a fireblock must be maintained so I've just slid over and picked a new spot so I didn't have to mess with it. But I realize that may not be an option for some installs.
so how do you reach the top of the wall where you drill the first hole in a house thats already built. isnt the top of the wall already attached to the cieling?
@@jasonjrf Try replacing the battery. Mine would detect power on walls that had no wires at all. Replaced the battery and it surprisingly stopped doing that.
Former telecom and home theater installer here: another option for fishing a fiberglass insulated wall: a 12 to 16 ounce lead fishing sinker with a string tied to it. It may require a 1"-plus hole in the top stud; but if you jerk on the string and bounce the lead weight, eventually it'll find the path of least resistance---- between the fiberglass and the sheetrock ---- and each time you jerk the string the weight will work its way father down inside the wall cavity. A "bank" sinker, or an ovoid, egg-shaped lead "drail" with pointed ends, worked well for me most of the time, but occasionally, the skinnier and more streamlined the weight, the better, like maybe a piece of 1/2 or 3/4" copper pipe filled with lead shot or molten lead. This technique is particularly usefull when you can't drill through the top plate, and/or are working inside a drop ceiling where you don't have much vertical height or room to manipulate glow rods.
I’m gearing up to pull Cat6 through the house and this helped immensely. I wished I could find some videos that cover complex building scenarios. Seems like only one wall in my whole house was standard. Everything else is super weird.
Useful video. Glad you didn't edit out the imperfections. Much more useful to see a bit of reality rather than imply it works out perfectly everytime. +1 for the inclusion of some fine European beverages!
I have literally been dreading running new wiring in my house that was built in 54 with no grounds because it has a lot of additions and shoddy fixes all over the place. There is no way of telling where the fire blocks are or anything like that so I have just avoided doing it. I just came across this video and I never knew there was a drill bit that is attached to the end of a fishing wire, that is a total life saver!
10:08 1 1/4 bit (hole) on a 2x6 wall could be a building violation of code. Most electricians keep their inspector happy by drilling 3/4-in. holes dead center on a 3-1/2 in. wide stud. I advise anyone drilling holes in bearing or non bearing walls to understand dia. size. must keep the structure strong heres a general list: Holes in bearing wall studs (exterior and interior walls that bear the weight of the roof and/or other stories above) may not exceed 40 percent of the width of the stud. Notches in bearing wall studs may not exceed 25 percent of the stud’s width. Holes in non-bearing walls can’t exceed 60 percent of their width. Notches in non-bearing walls can’t exceed 40 percent of their width. The edge of a hole must be at least 5/8 in. from the edge of a stud. A ceiling joist or floor joist allows a hole of 33% of the size of the lumber, but holes cannot be bored within 2 inches of the top or bottom. On a stud, holes cannot be bored within 5/8 of an inch from the edge, but Article 300.4 of the NEC requires holes bored within 1-1/4 inch from the edge to have nailer plates. * yes I realize this is Low voltage cable and NM-B would not be (should not be by code) in the same raceway/holes.
Dude awesome video wish I saw it a year ago. Ran into the fire stop scenario and had to go elsewhere cuz I didn’t know what to do. Magnepull plus beer, u guys deserve an Emmy.
GREAT video, thanks Tom! Next, can you please do a video on pulling a bunch of new drops through an attic, by yourself, with j-hooks, around corners, without the cables getting tangled? That's what I'm working on now and it's a real PITA! I'm lacking the formal training so a video would be amazing! Thanks for all the time you spend on educating us youtubers.
Like some other commenters, I was most impressed by the "real world" aspects: it never works perfectly and most videos edit out the problems. Watching you guys, I felt like I was right there; the apprentice. Thanks guys. Excellent video.
Honestly being an electrician and network installer for many years I see a bunch of issues with this video. First off when marking out cut in data rings NEVER use pen or marker. Always use pencil and mark it lightly so that you can erase any mark in the case of something being behind where you plan on putting your ring in. Secondly, you have a magnepull, a good pointer for anyone that has a magnepull would be to use the fish end (the leader end that goes in the wall) to find the drywall screws so you will know where the studs are before you even plan on marking out your spot as no wall in real life would have the screws exposed with no drywall mud on them. Third, when cutting your data ring in ALWAYS start in the centre of your ring shape mark and cut either way horizontally to make sure nothing is behind the wall where you want to put the ring in. Also good to start in the centre and cut vertically up then down from the centre line incase for the odd reason there is something lower or higher then your box you can adjust your marks before you have to fix the drywall. And last but not least, make sure you tape your wire onto your fish sticks, magnepull, fish tape or whatever means of fishing you are doing really well as sometimes fishing walls may take lots of time depending on how easy it is to fish and you don’t want to do it twice. Anyways, those are my pointers. Have a good day everyone
Better idea is to use blue painter's tape. Make your (alignment) marks on that and drill after verifying location. Then you can remove the tape without any marks left to erase. I also use this for sight lines, level lines, etc. and it allows you to adjust to new marks easily if something is off.
Another tip when installing cable and mud rings. When it is time to cut the hole you traced, get a sheet of paper and set it on the floor under the hole you are about to saw. The paper will catch most if not all of the drywall dust you make when sawing the hole.
Thank you for taking the time to make this video, which appears to have taken quite some time and effort especially, considering you constructed the wall. I had no idea this stuff existed and I have been running wires for many years. Very interesting. Good stuff. Have a great day.
This is super helpful man! I'm so glad I see this from tech TH-camrs because you guys know what were doing. This has been the most helpful video on TH-cam so far! Building that wall was a great idea!
It gets far more complicated in commercial office buildings where the studs and fire-stops are sheetmetal, not wood. On several occasions I had drill through horizontal metal firestops with a hole saw, starting from inside a drop ceiling, and adding drill-bit extenders to it section by section to reach down inside the wall and hit the firestop. Both sides of the wall had wallpaper, and cutting additional holes to get around the firestop, to be patched up afterwards, wasn't an option....
Just found this video It really helps me prepare for a DIY wire job im about to do :) Very detailed, very high quality, i feel confident i can now run my new hardwired security system through the attic. Thanks!
How have I never seen or heard of the flex auger drill bit before? Man, this would have saved my butt a few times over the years. Added to my cart! Thanks for this video.
I love how you sit cross legged, you can tell you’re an expert and that you’ve been doing it a long time. *When I was a kid my dad always told me to always be in a comfortable position while working* (he is a mechanic/welder). Great video, I learned a lot 😊🙌📚
Ok but what if there is not access from above like this. I assume your in your example you are tapping in from the top in an attic or something? What if you in first floor of multi floor building. Glo rod doesn’t seem ideal bc it’s not going to make a 90 degree angle without snapping
For boxes I'll be installing frequently I make a template of hard cardboard to draw an outline, the I use a multitool with a vacuum to cut the wall. For pulling wire, I usually tape it on to the rod with packing tape that has fibreglass woven in - stickier, tougher and won't break.
@@LAWRENCESYSTEMS well since I have your attention. Just wanted to say I watched 4 or 5 of your videos today. Great stuff. Good job. Have a Guiness on me. 🍻
I put shingles on my own porch roof way back when. I found I hit my thumb with the hammer less after a couple of beers. I think it loosened me up a bit. So I always have a beer during my personal projects. Great video, I've been in all of these situations, without the proper tools of course.
This is a great video! Your demonstration of each scenario was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. At least I know how it should be done. Thank you!!!
One of these days I'm going to buy a magnet pull. But they are a bit pricy. My cheap method that works is to take a cheap tape measure, cut the end off with tin snips. Form it into a bit of a point and you can manually work it down the wall between the drywall and the insulation. The tape measure method costs about $5 for a cheap tape or free if you a have a "bad" tape measure you were not using. The magnet pull is $125 in your link and much more here in Canadian rubles to buy. Actually the tape measure is also a reasonably good pole replacement and for reaching across suspended ceiling tiles too and it's easier to carry up a ladder than a set of poles. I love my stupid cheap cut off tape measure for pulling wires. It's my favourite tool hack. Now there are problems with cutting the end off a tape measure. It will want to retract into the body of the tape measure. You have to avoid that, but after the first time it does it and you end up opening up the housing you can take a few windings out of the spring so it has less tension when retracting. I just tape up the end with electrical tape around the body of the tape measure when done so it doesn't let go and retract rather than rely on the brake mechanism. Also the end gets a bit chewed up over time as you frequently kink the end while pushing down through walls but just cut it back again when it happens. Another tip, cut it off at exactly 1 ft or 2ft mark and you can know if you pushed it far enough down the wall. So an 8ft wall you cut 1 ft off, once you see you pushed 9ft of tape down the wall before you hit something and you know you hit the bottom plate and not a fire stop, or if you only go 3.5 ft you know there is a fire stop around 3.5 ft down. How to fire stop on an insulated wall. Ok, no amazing tricks to that one, you are probably going to be doing some drywall repair at the fire stop to make an access hole.
I’ve been installing data cabling for the past 25 years, best method by far is a yellow tongue, the plastic strip that joins chipboard flooring together, it’s not metallic which gives you isolation if you hit live cables. Here in Australia they are about 2.4mt long, easy to also tape 2 or 3 together. As a tip always drill at least a 25mm hole in each level of timber, never know when you require another cable down the same cavity!
Very comprehensive!!! Excellent! Now if I only remembered if we put insulation in this interior wall or not. I'm pretty sure my contractor/builder did.
So I've been watching your videos for an hour or so and just now realized you guys are located just down the road from me in Trenton, AND you have my old buddy Corey working for you1 how crazy is that?!? Man, I guess I should have taken him up on the offer to come work for you too a few years back, Maybe I too could have been a youtube star! lol.
Fantastic. I was simply going to go the "Wreck it Ralph" method and keep destroying plasterboard walls until I eventually fished it through. Granted there would have been some interesting collateral damage, however, I could still honestly say that the sat TV cable had been successfully installed.....lol
Great video and learned some things. Definately will look into the magnepull. I wish this video show from the point of view were you don't have access to the very top of the wall. You would cut the top and feed it but the angle is not always straight. So, wonder how the fire wall drill would react
At the beginning of the video you show the back side of the wall, and there are four stud bays, with the one on the far right being constructed with metal studs. Was this supposed to be used to demonstrate something else?
Would have liked to seen the best method for running wires with walls that have sprayed foam insulation (with and with out fire stops). Hopefully, maybe in another video. Thanks
We spray foam all of the exterior walls in our new builds. If the walls are partially foamed (3" in a 2 by 6 wall) then you just stay to the inside to run a wire. If the cavity is full of foam, you're pulling drywall.
I really like the Magna Pole concept. However a fellow co-worker has one. He says that it makes marks in the dry wall. Any ideas on how to avoid making the marks?
?? I’m saying they messed a big piece of how and where. Unless you have a unfinished basement and go up or it’s a attic Hoe do you drill through a top plate?
Ahh, Guinness. I see you're a man of refined taste. Also I'm ordering a Magnepull and I'm not even an electrician/installer but DAMN would it have saved my tail with home electrical repairs.....
It's great that you can just drill through the firebreak without having to make another hole in the drywall, but isn't this a fire code violation? Aren't you supposed to fill the hole with fire resistant foam if you're running something through a break?
What’s the difference between the XP1000-3 and the XP1000-6 magnet puller? Also do you HAVE to use the roller? You can’t just use a piece of metal or another magnet to trace it? Not trying to pay $175 for the “kit” if you can get the bullet dropper for $35 and use a piece of metal or a 500lb fishing magnet I already have lol
Being an electrician is a pretty fun, simple and easy job but you definitely want a second pair of hands. I have done solo installs for garage lighting and it always takes sooo long.
james hawkins Hi, I want to run network cables through my house and install wall jacks, but how do I know I won’t drill through something I’m not supposed to? E.g electrical.. etc
@@Handleme23 well, dont press to hard when you're drilling through the 2x4 so when you break through, you dont push the spade bit in and hit wires. 2, you could use a stud finder that also reads for electrical. 3, could punch a hole in the wall and look down inside with an inspection camera.
Really well done, should show to strip the wire more and use electrical tape to make a gradual slope of thickness so you can easily pull multiple wires through the same hole
very informative thank you for sharing with the world I stop drinking but if I was that Stella would add desert to the job lol have a good one y'all!!!
Enjoy watching your videos. With wall fishing, I'm no pro, just a weekend hack. So I try to avoid any scenario outside of a hollow wall. Have yet to master that very last step of yours...but it sure looks tasty 😆
Structured Cabling Parts & Tools
www.amazon.com/shop/lawrencesystemspcpickup?listId=4IL2963UNMJS
72-Inch Klein Tools Flex Auger Bit 53717
amzn.to/2sQlvZ3
Magnepull XP1000-LC Wire Pulling System
amzn.to/2TeV4b1
Mid-Flex Glow Rod Set, 15-Foot Klein Tools 56415
amzn.to/2Un08ub
>
Tom what about concrete? Any videos on that?
b
I like your calm mater a fact style to information sharing. It seems like everyone else is ether boring or overtly dramatic. Thank you so much for sharing.
i love that even while shooting a video in a controlled environment you were able to show the things that go wrong. i love a flex bit but dam can they be a pain sometimes. and the coax coming off of the magnet there at the end was priceless, yet lucky. I've had that happen countless times mid wall and had to pull it back out and start over, oh well that's how we learn.
I bet Corey is fun to work with. Thanks for not editing out the snags in this video either. Real stuff that happens on the job(s) every day.
What I like the most is how your instructions are presented. I watched this because I want to run coax cable from one room down to my basement. This has really helped me. Thanks
Great video for starters. I do cabling from time to time and had everything I've learned tossed out the window by one building. The building is/was a 195 year old Hotel. We installed 30 UniFi Protect cameras. I brought all the tools you mentioned in this video along with some extras like a Borescope, and a extra long Steel fish tapes, (120'). This Hotel had been remodeled an unknown number of times. While the current owner had owned it for 40 years, he was completely hands off in terms of maintenance. Current people who were familiar with the building included a 30yr who had worked there for about 5 years and myself. I have been the IT person for over a decade. The hotel had never had cameras and the wifi system was limited to a single wired UniFi AP and 2 remote wireless Uplinks, only about 1/3rd of the hotel had usable wifi. One of the ceilings was solid wire mesh and basically isolated each floor like a faraday cage.
I planed for 3-5 days. It took 10 days, 10-12 hr a day, and over 5500' of ethernet. Most of the walls were anywhere from 3-5" thick with newer sheetrock on top of plaster from the 50s, on top of wood paneling, there was then a gap that varied from 4" to 10" and the original walls which were some type of plaster, that literally took chisels to break and was effectively concrete.
The older wood, 100yr+, was in a type of petrified state that took hammer drills to get through. In addition there were multiple sections of the building that had granite support walls. These walls were around 14" thick solid granite.
In addition to the 30 cameras, I added 3 more APs bringing out total to 6 and that got us about 80% coverage. At least there was usable wifi in all the hallways.
We pulled the 2/3 of the ethernet from a single wiring cabinet on the ground floor. There are 3 stories above the ground floor total 4, the top floor is unused and wasn't touched. We put a remote switch/box on the 3rd floor and ran 5 cameras from it. Due to other problems with the ceiling on that floor we found it easier to run wiring to one of the back hallways from the ground floor to the 2nd floor then used one of the sprinkler pipes as a guide to get to the 3rd floor.
Between the ceiling of the 2nd floor and the 3rd floor is about 5-6' of sub ceilings and sub floors. The floors don't exactly line up and it was something of a nightmare getting to the 3rd floor, took nearly an entire day due to sub floors, brick walls, granite walls etc.
The current height of the hallway ceilings is around 10' on the 2nd and 3rd floors, though it is not consistent. The ground floor has a more reasonable 8' ceiling though some rooms have 10-12' ceilings.
Jesus, that sounds like a nightmare. Thanks for sharing
Best part about those nightmare jobs is the satisfaction when you finish
Easy
The weight increase must be insane. Remove all the extra layers and do it properly and you'd gain another 1000 sqft!
Thanks for the video. I learned something so wanted to reciprocate: you can run a wall sensor from the planned outlet location on up to the spot where you would insert the fishing wire. If there's a fireblock then it saves you from making a hole. Building code says the integrity of a fireblock must be maintained so I've just slid over and picked a new spot so I didn't have to mess with it. But I realize that may not be an option for some installs.
I have been doing this for many years and never have i gotten a beer out of a wall.
I think i need more training on this methodology!!!!!!
I've found an empty beer bottle but never a full bottle inside of a wall.
@@lelandclayton5462 I think I would be worried about the rest of the wiring in that house.
so how do you reach the top of the wall where you drill the first hole in a house thats already built. isnt the top of the wall already attached to the cieling?
@@beepbeep9043 3 years on and I had the same thought throughout.
Awesome job guys. You've given me lots of ideas about ways to fish some Cat6 through my walls instead of relying on WiFi!
I have been working for myself full time since 2015.. it's great to see that I have been doing this the right way prett much from the start..
Always cut horizontal first! If you hit a stud or obstacle, you can turn back and cut the other direction.
Carson Edwards or use a stud finder
@@zachsmith1674 the stud finder loves telling you where those service feeds are
Walabot
Darrell Terry - I think it is only Android
@@jasonjrf Try replacing the battery. Mine would detect power on walls that had no wires at all. Replaced the battery and it surprisingly stopped doing that.
Former telecom and home theater installer here: another option for fishing a fiberglass insulated wall: a 12 to 16 ounce lead fishing sinker with a string tied to it. It may require a 1"-plus hole in the top stud; but if you jerk on the string and bounce the lead weight, eventually it'll find the path of least resistance---- between the fiberglass and the sheetrock ---- and each time you jerk the string the weight will work its way father down inside the wall cavity. A "bank" sinker, or an ovoid, egg-shaped lead "drail" with pointed ends, worked well for me most of the time, but occasionally, the skinnier and more streamlined the weight, the better, like maybe a piece of 1/2 or 3/4" copper pipe filled with lead shot or molten lead. This technique is particularly usefull when you can't drill through the top plate, and/or are working inside a drop ceiling where you don't have much vertical height or room to manipulate glow rods.
This was one of the best informational videos on TH-cam. Thanks!
Thanks
Great video demonstration. You can tell Cory really has done this 1000's of times, and did a really good job of explaining.
I use a template made of MDF for the mud plate hole to have the hole at the same height and cut it with a oscillator cutter. Saves me a lot of time.
I’m gearing up to pull Cat6 through the house and this helped immensely. I wished I could find some videos that cover complex building scenarios. Seems like only one wall in my whole house was standard. Everything else is super weird.
Useful video. Glad you didn't edit out the imperfections. Much more useful to see a bit of reality rather than imply it works out perfectly everytime. +1 for the inclusion of some fine European beverages!
Not only for info but showing when things don't go as planned and the humor got my sub...good work guys
I have literally been dreading running new wiring in my house that was built in 54 with no grounds because it has a lot of additions and shoddy fixes all over the place. There is no way of telling where the fire blocks are or anything like that so I have just avoided doing it. I just came across this video and I never knew there was a drill bit that is attached to the end of a fishing wire, that is a total life saver!
You guys need your own show! I'd watch!
10:08 1 1/4 bit (hole) on a 2x6 wall could be a building violation of code. Most electricians keep their inspector happy by drilling 3/4-in. holes dead center on a 3-1/2 in. wide stud. I advise anyone drilling holes in bearing or non bearing walls to understand dia. size. must keep the structure strong heres a general list:
Holes in bearing wall studs (exterior and interior walls that bear the weight of the roof and/or other stories above) may not exceed 40 percent of the width of the stud.
Notches in bearing wall studs may not exceed 25 percent of the stud’s width.
Holes in non-bearing walls can’t exceed 60 percent of their width.
Notches in non-bearing walls can’t exceed 40 percent of their width.
The edge of a hole must be at least 5/8 in. from the edge of a stud. A ceiling joist or floor joist allows a hole of 33% of the size of the lumber, but holes cannot be bored within 2 inches of the top or bottom. On a stud, holes cannot be bored within 5/8 of an inch from the edge, but Article 300.4 of the NEC requires holes bored within 1-1/4 inch from the edge to have nailer plates. * yes I realize this is Low voltage cable and NM-B would not be (should not be by code) in the same raceway/holes.
Dude awesome video wish I saw it a year ago. Ran into the fire stop scenario and had to go elsewhere cuz I didn’t know what to do. Magnepull plus beer, u guys deserve an Emmy.
Thanks so much! Fishing cold beers out of walls is a big part of my day... and the tutorial on electrical wiring / pulling was good too...
Wow Cory is such a great teacher! Easily one of the best videos covering this topic
GREAT video, thanks Tom! Next, can you please do a video on pulling a bunch of new drops through an attic, by yourself, with j-hooks, around corners, without the cables getting tangled? That's what I'm working on now and it's a real PITA! I'm lacking the formal training so a video would be amazing! Thanks for all the time you spend on educating us youtubers.
Great idea to create a wall to show us different scenarios! Thank you very much.
Cory is the best! Really appreciate the pre-wire work he's done at my house
Like some other commenters, I was most impressed by the "real world" aspects: it never works perfectly and most videos edit out the problems. Watching you guys, I felt like I was right there; the apprentice. Thanks guys. Excellent video.
Honestly being an electrician and network installer for many years I see a bunch of issues with this video.
First off when marking out cut in data rings NEVER use pen or marker. Always use pencil and mark it lightly so that you can erase any mark in the case of something being behind where you plan on putting your ring in.
Secondly, you have a magnepull, a good pointer for anyone that has a magnepull would be to use the fish end (the leader end that goes in the wall) to find the drywall screws so you will know where the studs are before you even plan on marking out your spot as no wall in real life would have the screws exposed with no drywall mud on them.
Third, when cutting your data ring in ALWAYS start in the centre of your ring shape mark and cut either way horizontally to make sure nothing is behind the wall where you want to put the ring in. Also good to start in the centre and cut vertically up then down from the centre line incase for the odd reason there is something lower or higher then your box you can adjust your marks before you have to fix the drywall.
And last but not least, make sure you tape your wire onto your fish sticks, magnepull, fish tape or whatever means of fishing you are doing really well as sometimes fishing walls may take lots of time depending on how easy it is to fish and you don’t want to do it twice.
Anyways, those are my pointers. Have a good day everyone
Better idea is to use blue painter's tape. Make your (alignment) marks on that and drill after verifying location. Then you can remove the tape without any marks left to erase. I also use this for sight lines, level lines, etc. and it allows you to adjust to new marks easily if something is off.
As an ex electrician and telecom/datacom guy, I agree. I like the painter's tape idea, but most of us run broke and hurting for gas money LOL.
Another tip when installing cable and mud rings. When it is time to cut the hole you traced, get a sheet of paper and set it on the floor under the hole you are about to saw. The paper will catch most if not all of the drywall dust you make when sawing the hole.
Or get a small hand vac.
Turn on a vac while you’re sawing or use it when you’re done sawing
Piece of paper is a great idea even if vacuuming after. Vacuum never seems to get 100%, but the paper first should take the lion's share.
Drilling the corners before cutting the hole is a great idea! Thanks!
Thank you for taking the time to make this video, which appears to have taken quite some time and effort especially, considering you constructed the wall. I had no idea this stuff existed and I have been running wires for many years. Very interesting. Good stuff. Have a great day.
I break into office building at the weekends, cut holes in the drywall and look for beer.
Not going too well so far - any tips?
Gord Slater look in their fridge
can confirm fridge method is still working :)
Ever find underpants gnomes in there? What phase is that?
Buy a magnetpull
Try the flooring 👍
Well done. I definitely didn't expect the comic relief at the end. nice touch.
This is super helpful man! I'm so glad I see this from tech TH-camrs because you guys know what were doing. This has been the most helpful video on TH-cam so far! Building that wall was a great idea!
This was a badass, very informative video on wall fishing especially dealing with "fire stops." Now I know how to find and deal with a fire stop.
It gets far more complicated in commercial office buildings where the studs and fire-stops are sheetmetal, not wood. On several occasions I had drill through horizontal metal firestops with a hole saw, starting from inside a drop ceiling, and adding drill-bit extenders to it section by section to reach down inside the wall and hit the firestop. Both sides of the wall had wallpaper, and cutting additional holes to get around the firestop, to be patched up afterwards, wasn't an option....
Bro, I've learned more from watching your videos than any corse i've taken.. i really appreciate your hard work to bring us content.
Very helpful, especially the wall mock-up showing 3 different conditions. Thank you!
Just found this video
It really helps me prepare for a DIY wire job im about to do :)
Very detailed, very high quality, i feel confident i can now run my new hardwired security system through the attic.
Thanks!
How have I never seen or heard of the flex auger drill bit before? Man, this would have saved my butt a few times over the years.
Added to my cart! Thanks for this video.
I love how you sit cross legged, you can tell you’re an expert and that you’ve been doing it a long time. *When I was a kid my dad always told me to always be in a comfortable position while working* (he is a mechanic/welder). Great video, I learned a lot 😊🙌📚
Ok but what if there is not access from above like this. I assume your in your example you are tapping in from the top in an attic or something? What if you in first floor of multi floor building. Glo rod doesn’t seem ideal bc it’s not going to make a 90 degree angle without snapping
For boxes I'll be installing frequently I make a template of hard cardboard to draw an outline, the I use a multitool with a vacuum to cut the wall.
For pulling wire, I usually tape it on to the rod with packing tape that has fibreglass woven in - stickier, tougher and won't break.
I'm only at the 3 minute mark and learned a bunch already! Thanks!
Great video. We have beein installing structured cable for years but never used a magnapull. That's a handy tool. Thank You!
The end was the best part. Thanks for the info.
That magnet pull is super cool! I never knew such a thing existed!
I have not tried a magnepul yet. Gonna have to try one. Specially if there's Guiness in the wall. My FAVORITE!!!
It's a good way to end the work day;)
@@LAWRENCESYSTEMS well since I have your attention. Just wanted to say I watched 4 or 5 of your videos today. Great stuff. Good job. Have a Guiness on me. 🍻
Fun and instructive video guys. I loved the pulling out a beer ending... that was unexpected and funny. Thank you!
I put shingles on my own porch roof way back when. I found I hit my thumb with the hammer less after a couple of beers. I think it loosened me up a bit. So I always have a beer during my personal projects. Great video, I've been in all of these situations, without the proper tools of course.
This video can't get any simpler, thanks for telling us, how it is done!
My mind exploded when you drilled with the fishing wire... so cool
And i thought i have seen all types of drill bit
This is a great video! Your demonstration of each scenario was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. At least I know how it should be done. Thank you!!!
One of these days I'm going to buy a magnet pull. But they are a bit pricy. My cheap method that works is to take a cheap tape measure, cut the end off with tin snips. Form it into a bit of a point and you can manually work it down the wall between the drywall and the insulation. The tape measure method costs about $5 for a cheap tape or free if you a have a "bad" tape measure you were not using. The magnet pull is $125 in your link and much more here in Canadian rubles to buy. Actually the tape measure is also a reasonably good pole replacement and for reaching across suspended ceiling tiles too and it's easier to carry up a ladder than a set of poles. I love my stupid cheap cut off tape measure for pulling wires. It's my favourite tool hack.
Now there are problems with cutting the end off a tape measure. It will want to retract into the body of the tape measure. You have to avoid that, but after the first time it does it and you end up opening up the housing you can take a few windings out of the spring so it has less tension when retracting. I just tape up the end with electrical tape around the body of the tape measure when done so it doesn't let go and retract rather than rely on the brake mechanism. Also the end gets a bit chewed up over time as you frequently kink the end while pushing down through walls but just cut it back again when it happens. Another tip, cut it off at exactly 1 ft or 2ft mark and you can know if you pushed it far enough down the wall. So an 8ft wall you cut 1 ft off, once you see you pushed 9ft of tape down the wall before you hit something and you know you hit the bottom plate and not a fire stop, or if you only go 3.5 ft you know there is a fire stop around 3.5 ft down.
How to fire stop on an insulated wall. Ok, no amazing tricks to that one, you are probably going to be doing some drywall repair at the fire stop to make an access hole.
I’ve been installing data cabling for the past 25 years, best method by far is a yellow tongue, the plastic strip that joins chipboard flooring together, it’s not metallic which gives you isolation if you hit live cables. Here in Australia they are about 2.4mt long, easy to also tape 2 or 3 together. As a tip always drill at least a 25mm hole in each level of timber, never know when you require another cable down the same cavity!
Very informative! The Manga-Pull blew me away haha! Thank you!!
I have to run romex through insulated walls and this video was very helpful.
Very comprehensive!!! Excellent! Now if I only remembered if we put insulation in this interior wall or not. I'm pretty sure my contractor/builder did.
Then you’re fucked
I don't have to go fishing at home just yet but this is a great resource for the inevitable job at home or elsewhere.
Never knew about the Magna Pulll. What a great tool. Thanks! Very informative and helpful video, too.
I'm working on prepping to do this from a second floor. Any advice on how to start this process from a second floor with a finished wall?
This was insanely better than the home depot video
I just ordered the Magnapull system using your like. Thanks for the video!
Thanks!
Thank you!
So I've been watching your videos for an hour or so and just now realized you guys are located just down the road from me in Trenton, AND you have my old buddy Corey working for you1 how crazy is that?!? Man, I guess I should have taken him up on the offer to come work for you too a few years back, Maybe I too could have been a youtube star! lol.
You guys are great, I'm learning a ton of stuff.
Fantastic. I was simply going to go the "Wreck it Ralph" method and keep destroying plasterboard walls until I eventually fished it through. Granted there would have been some interesting collateral damage, however, I could still honestly say that the sat TV cable had been successfully installed.....lol
Thanks for sharing uncommon common sense especially the mud-ring jiujitsu !
This is an EXCELLENT demonstration. You're awesome.
Great video and learned some things. Definately will look into the magnepull. I wish this video show from the point of view were you don't have access to the very top of the wall. You would cut the top and feed it but the angle is not always straight. So, wonder how the fire wall drill would react
At the beginning of the video you show the back side of the wall, and there are four stud bays, with the one on the far right being constructed with metal studs. Was this supposed to be used to demonstrate something else?
That will be for a future video :)
Steel studs in commercial buildings
@06:48, fire stop, also know in the UK as a "Noggin". Used for joining drywall & structural stability
Great stuff! Love that Auger Flex bit. Didn't know such a useful thing existed.
Sawzall blade is also my tool of choice when cutting holes in drywall cheers
Would have liked to seen the best method for running wires with walls that have sprayed foam insulation (with and with out fire stops). Hopefully, maybe in another video.
Thanks
I imagine that as being impossible. But if method does exist, I am definitely curious how to accomplish that😄
We spray foam all of the exterior walls in our new builds. If the walls are partially foamed (3" in a 2 by 6 wall) then you just stay to the inside to run a wire. If the cavity is full of foam, you're pulling drywall.
I really like the Magna Pole concept. However a fellow co-worker has one. He says that it makes marks in the dry wall. Any ideas on how to avoid making the marks?
Outstanding finish fellows!
Oh, and the magnepull is sweet too.
How does this work on existing construction if you can’t get to the top of the wall?
Dennis Miller you could put in a blank just below the ceiling.
?? I’m saying they messed a big piece of how and where. Unless you have a unfinished basement and go up or it’s a attic Hoe do you drill through a top plate?
Dennis Miller lol you have to cut a piece of the curling next to the top plate and one on the wall right below it
I appreciate this video and you guys making this demo. It is so helpful
Ahh, Guinness. I see you're a man of refined taste.
Also I'm ordering a Magnepull and I'm not even an electrician/installer but DAMN would it have saved my tail with home electrical repairs.....
It's great that you can just drill through the firebreak without having to make another hole in the drywall, but isn't this a fire code violation? Aren't you supposed to fill the hole with fire resistant foam if you're running something through a break?
ur right..but nobody does...all forms of modification usually break fire codes
Yeah I would love to do this but I have a old home with shiplap behind the sheet rock so I can’t find a good wall plug insert.
I wish I would have seen a video like this before I started. Great video guys!!
OK, how do you drill a hole from the top of the wall again? There is no attic in my house and the flat roof is over a ft thick.
Great video, thanks. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone who has walls like that. They are all brick. And we have a stone house.
What’s the difference between the XP1000-3 and the XP1000-6 magnet puller?
Also do you HAVE to use the roller? You can’t just use a piece of metal or another magnet to trace it?
Not trying to pay $175 for the “kit” if you can get the bullet dropper for $35 and use a piece of metal or a 500lb fishing magnet I already have lol
When you are drilling on top of the wall, is that the from floor above?
This is what I was wondering too. How are you supposed to get in from the top to drill down?
helpful! what was the purpose of the last wall, insulation with gray wood(?)
Right on about the level. No QBit for the box cut-ins tho?
You guys appear to enjoy your job! I would hire you in a sec!
Being an electrician is a pretty fun, simple and easy job but you definitely want a second pair of hands. I have done solo installs for garage lighting and it always takes sooo long.
james hawkins Hi, I want to run network cables through my house and install wall jacks, but how do I know I won’t drill through something I’m not supposed to? E.g electrical.. etc
@@Handleme23 well, dont press to hard when you're drilling through the 2x4 so when you break through, you dont push the spade bit in and hit wires. 2, you could use a stud finder that also reads for electrical. 3, could punch a hole in the wall and look down inside with an inspection camera.
I do these about the same, except I use tape to connect the wire and the fish rod or whatever I’m using to get the wire down the wall.
and gotta taper that end so it doesn't get hung up on anything.
Thanks so much guys, 1 of the best videos I have seen!!! Very very helpful
Thanks Tom and Cory, I have often wondered about how this was done. I am very happy that you made this video.
Can you make a video showing how to get a hdmi cable through a 3/8" hole ?
Wish I could give you a million thumbs ups for using a level
I do TV installs and mounting, sometimes running wires in wall. whats your best way of working around a fireblock without top/attic access?
Really well done, should show to strip the wire more and use electrical tape to make a gradual slope of thickness so you can easily pull multiple wires through the same hole
Also use the tape to taper the other end in case you have to pull it back out to start again!
very informative thank you for sharing with the world I stop drinking but if I was that Stella would add desert to the job lol have a good one y'all!!!
when do you ever get free access to the top of the wall? the ceiling is in the way for me
Enjoy watching your videos. With wall fishing, I'm no pro, just a weekend hack. So I try to avoid any scenario outside of a hollow wall. Have yet to master that very last step of yours...but it sure looks tasty 😆