Changed my mind about using a fish tape for every drop

Last Tuesday in a tight attic in Springfield, I had a coax run that kept snagging. My usual fish tape was just making it worse, binding up on every joist. The homeowner, an older guy who used to do phone lines, handed me a roll of old mule tape and said 'try this, it's softer.' I was ready to cut a new hole, but that mule tape slid right through a gap I couldn't even see. Finished three more drops that afternoon without a single hang-up. Anyone else find a specific spot where mule tape or a glow rod just works better than steel?

2 comments

2 Comments

cameron76310d ago

That old mule tape is a lifesaver for plaster and lath walls too. The steel fish just punches through the brittle keys and makes a mess. The softer tape weaves through the gaps without breaking everything. Did a 1920s house last month where the customer would have killed me over the dust and damage. The mule tape left the old walls totally clean.

noah91710d ago

Forget tight spaces, the real win is when you're fishing near live wires. That steel tape can make you jump if it taps something hot, but the mule tape just brushes past without a spark. It's a peace of mind thing that doesn't get talked about enough. Saved my bacon more than once in an old panel with questionable insulation.