Found a weird trick for pulling wire through finished walls using a shop vac and a bag tie

I was working on a remodel job over in Tampa last month and had to run a new circuit from the basement up to a second floor bedroom. The walls were already closed and painted and the customer made it real clear they didn't want any holes patched. I tried the normal fish tape method but kept getting caught on insulation and who knows what else in the wall cavity. After about 45 minutes of frustration I remembered a tip an old timer told me years ago. I taped a small plastic bag (like the kind from the grocery store) to the end of my fish tape and then used my shop vac from the top to pull it through. Worked on the first try after that. The bag catches the air flow and guides the tape way better than just hoping it finds the right path. Has anyone else tried this vacuum trick or got a better method for closed wall runs?

2 comments

2 Comments

anna71712d ago

Oh man that's hilarious because I literally just used this same trick last week! The bag really does catch the air better than just a rag or something. But here's what I'm wondering - did you have any trouble with the bag getting caught on drywall screws sticking out? I had to stop halfway through because mine snagged on one and I almost lost the whole thing. Also how big was the hole you cut for the vac attachment? I feel like mine was too small and it took forever to get suction going.

sanchez.ivan12d ago

Use a bigger bag next time, works better on the snags and keeps that smooth flow going.