Man!! Great video! We have no one in our area who wants to do anything like this. I've had to do all my own fishing. I actually had an electrician quote me over $3K to fish 3 wires! I told him to just tell me that he didn't want to do it! I have quite a few fishing projects over the next 2 months in our "new to us" home. I appreciate your ideas!
That electrician didn't want to do it, but felt that 1k/wire was work the time/effort/hassle to do the work. Maybe he needed to buy the tools to do the work, and that was going to cover the costs of it.
The ball chain and magnet is an awesome idea! I’m definitely going to try that! I’ve used mason line and a shop vac with good results too but have to remove the box. Thanks!
Great video! If you have a two story with carpeting on the second floor, you can pull the carpeting back and open up the subfloor between joist, too. Just make sure you support it well and seal it up in the end.
That wire/hole you did at 20:18 aprox would never meet code where I live and if caught the person would lose their license and/or big fine. Plus would have to re-run the line. Better way would be to use a flex bit 3' or greater and star lower on wall to drill up into space.
Thanks! Making and patching drywall holes is a skill anyone doing this type of work should be confident in doing. I try to avoid making holes, especially for videos, but sometimes there is no other way.
Drill through top plate. Push long drill bit in until you are against top plate. Now from the top of the hole in the wall for drill bit measure down 3" and put tape on shank of bit as a marker. When drilling tape gets to top edge of hole in wall you know know you are very close to going through. This keeps you from drilling through your roof.
I ran my audio and data cables to the top of the wall (in the void) then cut a hole at the top of the wall and ran the cables round the room. I then fitted plaster coving to the top of the wall as fancy trunking to cover them up
Nicely done, thanks for taking the time. My big takeaway is there's the easy ones (fishes), and then there's the ones you just can't escape the reality that there is no easy way, so just do it the right (least damaging, most assured of success) way...
@ 15:20 I use a straight piece of coat hanger to the ceiling near the location of where I want to drill into the wall cavity. No damage to the drywall , fill the pin hole and I’m done.
"I doubt that anyone will put a screw that far up on the wall". Correct, probably not. However, it may be an issue if the owner does decide on installing crown molding. Regardless, the video was really informative. Good stuff.
Hey thanks for watching! I'm glad to be of help. Please do me a favor and hit like and subscribe which tells RUclips that my videos are helpful so they'll promote my channel. Happy New Year!
Great video! I just purchased the ball and chain and a couple more fish sticks! I never heard them called glow sticks before lol, we always had called them fish sticks or fish rods, but the video is very helpful! I've always been nervous with those long flexible drill bits myself, and I try to do it any other way than that. Thanks again for the tips, may Jesus greatly bless you and your channel!
9:15 Tried this a couple months ago and the bit got stuck in the header. Trying to back it out and it wouldn't budge (hit a nail?). The drill put out enough torque to break the extension off in the wall. I ended up punching through the outer fiber board and luckily my house has a space between the fiber board and outside brick where the wire could go up and into the soffit/attic. Good tip on the ball chain!
Ouch! My guess is that you hit a nail. A drill bit can get gagged up in wood, but it shouldn't require enough torque to snap the shaft. Running wire between the brick and plywood is a slick move. Glad it worked out!
To locate the place on the wall up in the attic (or any other place) I take my linemans pliers or other heavy duty wire cutters, and cut the end off a straightened metal dry cleaning hanger. This makes it like a drill bit. I then insert the other end of the hanger into my drill and either drill up or down. This makes a tiny hole in either a floor or ceiling. Once u break trough, you can push the coat hanger all the way down/up. U then go to attic or basement and you will see the long coat hanger white for easy identification. ive been doing this for years
This is great advice. I use the same technique using piano wire. It's not something that is easy to find so I didn't share that technique. Using a coat hanger is a great option as well
I use 'lightning rods', the insulation hanging rods for under the floor. Already cut to a perfect length and strong enough to go through framing if you are unlucky enough to hit a joist.
@@vanatical they are about 16" long yes? A coat hanger is at least 24" long and thinner (16 guage I think) which makes a smaller hole. I have had zero problems going thru 2 plates (2x4) You never want to go thru a joist, you want to be on either side of it or you will weaken it. Coat hangers are also an item people already have.
@@scottsatterthwaite4073 hole is too big and may not be long enough. ESP when there is attic insulation. A 2' long coat hanger is EASY to spot im an attic ESP when far away
I didn't go through all 200 comments, so maybe this was asked and answered, but when you are shoving the ball chain up the wall and trying to grab it with the magnet, why didn't you just drop the ball chain down from the top and let gravity do most of the work and then grab it above the box in the wall? Seems that might be much easier?
Good question. You can't drop a ball chain down a wall with insulation and the hole is too close to the top of the wall to get an angle to shove a glow rod down.
@@bobbob123ful Thanks! That's a tricky installation. I actually just did one of those a few weeks ago but I was in a hurry and didn't have time to film it. There is no question- you will need to put some holes in the drywall. It's just a matter of taking good measurements to minimize the damage. When in doubt, cut a hole. Drywall is cheap and easy to patch. Good luck and thanks for watching!
@@AlanCleggYouDoAV Thanks for the quick reply. Is it better to run through the attic or try the unfinished basement? I feel like basement would be a pain because fishing the cable downward then up through the bottom plate would be really hard and not as clean; curious to hear your thoughts
@@bobbob123ful I've done both. If you have a nice "chase" from the basement to the attic, I'd use that. When I say "chase" I'm referencing some kind of encasement that connects the basement to the attic. Usually gas lines, HVAC ducts, and plumbing will run through those chases. You can usually shoot a long drill bit through the bottom plate using the existing single gang hole on the second floor. When the bot pops out into the basement, all you have to do is widen the hole from the bottom (if needed) and then push the wires up. It also depends on the cabling. If it's HDMI, I'd say take the shortest route possible. If it's cable TV, network, or phone, it doesn't matter. Wire is cheap ad lengths aren't going to have any noticeable effect. If it's speaker, it's a toss-up. Speaker wire is a little more expensive and if the long way makes it WAY longer, I'd probably go the short way.
@@AlanCleggYouDoAV This one is CAT 5 cable for a a Reolink PoE camera system. I just took a peek in the attic and it'll be interesting to try to get this stuff through two floors up to the attic. I'd hate to hire someone to do it because it shouldn't be bad, but it's a difficult case.
Your video gave me the solution to an outlet I’ll be installing soon. THANKS! I like the combination of steel ball chain and a flexible magnet “wand”. Any specifics on a source for the magnetic portion?
Iv got a question. This is what i also do for a living. Im lucky enough to know some cable installers that help get my work. Im wondering how you get the majority of your work?
I don't do this for a living anymore, but when I did, I had a few places where we picked up leads (other than return customers and referrals). We paid a couple services like Yelp and Angie's List and we had a killer website that naturally ranked top three on Google searches. We designed our own website and never paid for search engine optimization. The majority of our work came from these sources.
Cool! Liked the video. I've had to do a couple of tricky wall fishes while I was a ISP technician, but nothing this crazy. People here would go nuts if they had holes in their wall. I thankfully never had to use the bendy drill bit, but I have had to crawl into those tight corners and pray that I don't see daylight after drilling.
You could also cut a small hole above the box to hook the chain. The plate would cover this hole. Strange, I've never seen anyone run into fire stops in walls. In some cases it's quicker and easier to cut open the drywall and stud at the ceiling joint and plaster over when done.
thanks! give me a great idea of how to run my CAT5 cable in my ceiling. Your ceiling is better than mine with lots of insulation. I have to be careful that my head won't bump on the roof nails. Admire your patient. thanks for your excellent youtube video. God bless my friend.
One question from someone who has extremely limited electrical knowledge (worked as an apprentice on commercial for about 3 months and got out). When stuffing that wire into the hole at the top of the wall it looks like it was so tight of a hole that it may have put a crimp in the wire that could cause problems later. Is that possible?
It may have looked like a tight fit, but it was fine. If the hole is so tight it is crimping the wire, a larger or an additional hole should be drilled. It won't impede the signal (like a kinking a garden hose) but it could damage the wires on install or slowly wear a small hole into a conductor.
Go to my channel. There are several videos where I show how to patch and texture for a near-perfect finish. Matching the paint is tricky. It seems that it never turns out PERFECT but if you take the cutout piece to a paint store for matching, you’ll get a match that’s hard to see unless you know it’s there.
razor blade and gently score a 2"x2" thin piece of the wall. The paint will peal right off. Put it in a plastic baggie and go tot home depot. They have a machine that will match it almost perfect. Sample size custom paint is like $5.
I have an exterior wall on the ground floor with a wall sconce and would like to tap into the switched power and run it up and into the ceiling above to then install 4” LED down lights. I’m wondering if I cut my 4.25” hole for the first of 8 LED lights in the ceiling above where the wall sconce is if your 3rd method shown here is best? The ceiling above has no attic and is the floor for the second level.
Any suggestions for running speaker cable from in-ceiling speakers across the ceiling to run down behind the TV wall and out the bottom to a receiver on first floor with no attic access? Most videos I see have pre-installed speaker wires in the ceiling.
This video will get you out of the wall and into the ceiling. Like I showed in the video, you'll need a hole in the ceiling to get out of the wall. Try to use the front center speaker hole as this hole to save on patching. Do a good room layout to know where your joists are and which way they are running. Then cut holes for all of your speakers. Your joists will help you run wire in same direction they are running (front to back joists help run the wire from the front of the room to the back without cutting holes, joists running left and right help you run wires from side to side). With the room laid out and joists marked, now you know how many joists to cross in each direction. Cut a hole every second joist. Then you are only drilling through one joist from each hole and you'll have to do some magic fishing to get the wires through but it saves patching. That's about it. Good luck!
And were in the world did you get that drill bit bender to help aim the flex bit up the wall? Whats its actual name and has it ever earned its money back lol. In other words has it ever come in handy yet?
If I took that long getting a box out of the wall, my boss would call me an idiot and explain to the customer how hard it is to find good workers 😂😂😂 Seriously, he would do it for me, and say “now that I have shown you for the thirty-sixth time…maybe next time you can do it without bleeding all over the walls…”
I've been trying to figure out how I can run a line from my garage to my modem room in my house but it's really hard to get to the area where I want to run the line into the attic from the modem room. There's a bunch of ducts and electrical lines in the way and there's probably a 1 foot opening to that area. I wish I could train a cat to grab the line for me and run it over to the side.
Thanks for watching! I don’t do this type of work anymore but a good installer should be charging at least $75/hr if it’s a legit licensed and insured business. If you’re in a lower cost of living area, you may find someone for less but I can’t imagine anyone could keep a business running for less than $60/hr in any state.
Long drill bits have their place, and their use…going up into the wall from a switch box is just “STUPID”, I agree with you “I HATE IT”. The few times I’ve done it, eventually find out we could have just cut holes in the wall…😣 seriously - EVERYTIME! The long drill bit is good if you can see it “Land” in the wood, with bare eyes.
When using a long drill bit, why don't you tie the pull string through the hole on the end of the drill bit? that way when you extract the bit the string will come with it. No messing with the glow rod or chain.
That kind of works. The hole is only as big as the drill bit so the bit will cut the string on the way back out of the hole. A lot of bits have a tiny hole in the end where you can attach a string too. If you're drilling in a corner of an attic, it's too hard to get a string down to the drill bit. I have used those holes a few times but I have always found it easier just to use a glow rod and string trick. Thanks for watching!
New sub here. I am running speaker wire. I had trouble with the long drill bit up through the seal (top two 2x4’s) when I tried one. I found out I can through Sheetrock in the other room. Oops. I haven’t tried the magnet approach. I have used the tiny camera that is tied to a glow rod. Have you ever run speaker wire behind the baseboard?
Yes, I've done the baseboard trick a few times. If it's your house, it wouldn't be a big deal to remove them. I used to work on a lot of million-dollar homes with beautiful carpentry and I was afraid I would crack the wood or wouldn't be able to get it back together just right. Then there is the putty and caulking.... ugh. I cringe at the thought. I much prefer to make a bunch of small drywall holes and patch those. It's something I can do on my own or I had a drywall subcontractor that was a wizard for a really reasonable price.
@@AlanCleggYouDoAV thanks. Yes I have thought of routing a channel in the baseboards or perhaps use a gap in the bottom of the Sheetrock (unlikely because that would be too easy - haha). I might try the Sheetrock trick but behind the TV and 7.1 stereo is two fire breaks. So have to know what I am doing. For older wire I have taped old to new and ran it through. I guess I could do that. Bottom line is o am getting carpet installed in a couple of weeks and would like to finish that side of the room. Thanks so much for the advice.
The 2x4 that you drilled into are not called studs. The 2x4 at the top of the wall is called the Top Plate and the 2x4 at the bottom of the wall is called the Bottom Plate or "Sole Plate". The "Studs" of a wall are the vertical 2x4 or 2x6 which are vertical and connect the top plate with the bottom plate.
I like you made this look easy, but its not. how many times to try to catch and hook and missed? So many have tried the do it yourself and this is how I stay in business by correcting their mess. You noted the metal plate is required at that point of the wall. That is when your passing through a stud, if the wire is not in the center and off to one side, then the plate is required. You are floating the wire in the wall and is not needed, but I was wondering why you didn't mention the required fire seal around the hole you drilled through the stud into the attic? IRC 302.11(4). FYI some states do not allow handymen or homeowners to perform electrical work. Require a State License.
Great comment. The biggest difference between a pro and a regular person is patience- how long they stick with it before they quit. We don't need fire caulk in the top plates here. It's not something I see alot anywhere I go actually. I know it's a code in some places though.
cool and all but this is not allowed in my country you have to use conduit in walls and ceiling as protection and also so you can change wires in the future without having to take the whole wall down lol
Oh man, if any of you guy ever move to europe you will start to cry ;-) Most houses here are built out of brick and concrete. Usually ceilings are reinforced concrete, some outer walls are brick and/or concrete. Only inner walls are usually made with drywalls but then they use metal studs instead of wood so even then it's a pain to get a cable from one side to another. Even drilling a simple hole can be a pain if you hit a stud... So yeah, next time any of you guys is frustrated because something didn't work out the way you expected you just have to remember how lucky you are ;-) Jokes aside, concrete and bricks are very solid and durable which is good, I would not like to trade my solid built house for something made built out of wood and drywall BUT it's a pain sometimes.
Great point. I'd imagine anything that needs to be added in Europe probably has to go in conduit. Sounds like a pain! I bet those materials are better for insulation though.
@@AlanCleggYouDoAV exactly, and if there are no empty pipes to pull your cable you‘re f*ed :-) in that case get out your hammer drill and pry the walls open and insert pipes or cables ... It‘s a pain!
This guy has a couple of good ideas but it is foolish to leave electrical wire right near the surface of a wall he should have dug it deeper and install a metal plate to cover the wire to protect the wire from nails it would have taken an extra 5 minutes I'm sorry if I hurt his feelings but sometimes people do nail up there for occasions like Christmas decorations and party decorations that's the responsible thing to do pal work a little more and do it right😎👍
Dang. It’s been a while since I bought piano wire. I used to buy it from a company called Labor Saving Devices. I don’t know the gauge but it’s nothing special. You just need a size thick enough that it can penetrate drywall. I cut it at an angle so it’s sharp too.
It is obvious you know what you are doing. But if you are doing this video to show it is done, suggest (1) not to block the view with your body and (2) show closeup. Meaning you may have to Pause and move your camera. Thanks,
That’s good advice. It’s hard to be patient when I’m doing a real install at the same time that I’m making an instructional video. If the video isn’t great quality, it isn’t helpful so this is a good reminder to slow down and make sure I’m capturing everything.
The patches are super well-done. You couldn't see them after they were painted. Any large, difficult install will require at least some patching, so I think drywall patching is just as important as the AV skills part.
How long do you want the installation to last? 2 years? 20 years? How sure are you that in 20 years, nobody will drill a hole through the wall into your wire? Put a plate.
Don't do option 3. That is crap work. Do it the right way and cut for a single gang old work box. Drill the middle of the plate, pull the wire then either install an old work box and blank cover or repair the drywall.
That’s not too bad but you can do better. I believe in you. Hopefully you can build up your “Boom” tolerance and see it through to the end. Nobody likes a quitter.
I'm not an expert, but I believe US electrical code requires you to install nail plates on the faces of the studs/headers that you run Romex through if the diameter of the hole goes within 1.25 inches of the edge of the board. This is the nail plate: amzn.com/B00BV2S670 That way, if someone comes along later and wants to nail/screw something to the wall they won't risk going into the Romex cable and possibly electrocuting themselves or causing a circuit failure. That third technique you used where you drilled upwards and downwards at an angle through the header definitely puts the hole within that 1.25 inch range. Just cut out a rectangular hole big enough to fit the nail plate and mount that over the hole to be safe. Either that or cut a bigger hole that allows you to get your entire drill into the stud cavity so you can drill straight upwards and further back than 1.25 inches from the face, and you won't need the nail plate.
You are correct. Those are very important during new construction where a lot of nails and screws will be shot through every stud multiple times. In a finished home, adding screws and nails into studs for projects is less common. If a person is worried about hitting a wire, they should definitely use a plate.
Man!! Great video! We have no one in our area who wants to do anything like this. I've had to do all my own fishing. I actually had an electrician quote me over $3K to fish 3 wires! I told him to just tell me that he didn't want to do it! I have quite a few fishing projects over the next 2 months in our "new to us" home. I appreciate your ideas!
AWESOME!!! I love hearing about people deciding to tackle their own projects! Thanks for watching
That electrician didn't want to do it, but felt that 1k/wire was work the time/effort/hassle to do the work. Maybe he needed to buy the tools to do the work, and that was going to cover the costs of it.
Alan I agree about no one putting a nail that hight up, except if they decide to do Crown Moulding down the road! Thank you for the video!
Thank you for watching! It would be an extremely unlucky shot to send a nail through that wire so hopefully it never happens c
Awesome video. When you yelled when touching the wires I jumped outta my skin 🤣 good job
Hahahaha! I love it!
Yes that reminded me of Nicholas Cage in National Treasure when he is reaching under the rock. Made me laugh. Both the movie and your reaction.
The ball chain and magnet is an awesome idea! I’m definitely going to try that! I’ve used mason line and a shop vac with good results too but have to remove the box. Thanks!
I LOVE the ball chain. I have worn out several through the years.
Great video! If you have a two story with carpeting on the second floor, you can pull the carpeting back and open up the subfloor between joist, too. Just make sure you support it well and seal it up in the end.
I approve of this message : )
That wire/hole you did at 20:18 aprox would never meet code where I live and if caught the person would lose their license and/or big fine. Plus would have to re-run the line.
Better way would be to use a flex bit 3' or greater and star lower on wall to drill up into space.
I think this is the only video where you opened a hole in the wall to gain access to the top of the wall and below to an outlet - great job.
Thanks! Making and patching drywall holes is a skill anyone doing this type of work should be confident in doing. I try to avoid making holes, especially for videos, but sometimes there is no other way.
Great tips, Could you post a list of your tools that you use.
Drill through top plate. Push long drill bit in until you are against top plate. Now from the top of the hole in the wall for drill bit measure down 3" and put tape on shank of bit as a marker. When drilling tape gets to top edge of hole in wall you know know you are very close to going through. This keeps you from drilling through your roof.
This is a fantastic tip!
I ran my audio and data cables to the top of the wall (in the void) then cut a hole at the top of the wall and ran the cables round the room. I then fitted plaster coving to the top of the wall as fancy trunking to cover them up
That sounds like an awesome idea!
Great tips Alan! Love the wet noodle and will use it today to pull a heavy cable up into the attic. Happy New Year from California!
Thanks! I’m from So Cal. I sure could use some of that warm weather today. Happy new year!
Nicely done, thanks for taking the time. My big takeaway is there's the easy ones (fishes), and then there's the ones you just can't escape the reality that there is no easy way, so just do it the right (least damaging, most assured of success) way...
Yup! Couldn't agree more!
@ 15:20 I use a straight piece of coat hanger to the ceiling near the location of where I want to drill into the wall cavity. No damage to the drywall , fill the pin hole and I’m done.
"I doubt that anyone will put a screw that far up on the wall". Correct, probably not. However, it may be an issue if the owner does decide on installing crown molding. Regardless, the video was really informative. Good stuff.
That’s true. Thanks for watching!
Great upload. Shows a lot of possibilities and well explained. Thank you!
Thank you for the comment! Good luck on your project. Let us know how it goes
Thanks for taking the time to record this video! I've snaked wires in the past and it's not an easy task and it takes much time to do. Great Video!
Hey thanks for watching! I'm glad to be of help. Please do me a favor and hit like and subscribe which tells RUclips that my videos are helpful so they'll promote my channel. Happy New Year!
Great video! You explained everything so well. Thanks for sharing your techniques.
Thank you for watching!
Great video! I just purchased the ball and chain and a couple more fish sticks! I never heard them called glow sticks before lol, we always had called them fish sticks or fish rods, but the video is very helpful! I've always been nervous with those long flexible drill bits myself, and I try to do it any other way than that. Thanks again for the tips, may Jesus greatly bless you and your channel!
Oh that's awesome! Good luck on your install. Come back and let us know how it goes.
Great work on this, very good ideas and insights!
9:15 Tried this a couple months ago and the bit got stuck in the header. Trying to back it out and it wouldn't budge (hit a nail?). The drill put out enough torque to break the extension off in the wall. I ended up punching through the outer fiber board and luckily my house has a space between the fiber board and outside brick where the wire could go up and into the soffit/attic.
Good tip on the ball chain!
Ouch! My guess is that you hit a nail. A drill bit can get gagged up in wood, but it shouldn't require enough torque to snap the shaft. Running wire between the brick and plywood is a slick move. Glad it worked out!
To locate the place on the wall up in the attic (or any other place) I take my linemans pliers or other heavy duty wire cutters, and cut the end off a straightened metal dry cleaning hanger. This makes it like a drill bit. I then insert the other end of the hanger into my drill and either drill up or down. This makes a tiny hole in either a floor or ceiling. Once u break trough, you can push the coat hanger all the way down/up. U then go to attic or basement and you will see the long coat hanger white for easy identification.
ive been doing this for years
This is great advice. I use the same technique using piano wire. It's not something that is easy to find so I didn't share that technique. Using a coat hanger is a great option as well
I just use a 1/8" x 14" drill bit.
I use 'lightning rods', the insulation hanging rods for under the floor. Already cut to a perfect length and strong enough to go through framing if you are unlucky enough to hit a joist.
@@vanatical they are about 16" long yes? A coat hanger is at least 24" long and thinner (16 guage I think) which makes a smaller hole. I have had zero problems going thru 2 plates (2x4) You never want to go thru a joist, you want to be on either side of it or you will weaken it. Coat hangers are also an item people already have.
@@scottsatterthwaite4073 hole is too big and may not be long enough. ESP when there is attic insulation. A 2' long coat hanger is EASY to spot im an attic ESP when far away
Wire mold works wonders! Quick, easy and very small hole
Wire mold… ew.
I didn't go through all 200 comments, so maybe this was asked and answered, but when you are shoving the ball chain up the wall and trying to grab it with the magnet, why didn't you just drop the ball chain down from the top and let gravity do most of the work and then grab it above the box in the wall? Seems that might be much easier?
Good question. You can't drop a ball chain down a wall with insulation and the hole is too close to the top of the wall to get an angle to shove a glow rod down.
Good lesson Thankyou for you video
Thank you for watching
Never seen so many responses to comments. That's impressive!
I try to respond to them all. Thanks for watching!
You seem like a genuinely nice guy and I love these videos (like the home security series). Thanks
Also how do you do this when you're trying to run cables to a first floor room but your attic is on top of the second story?
@@bobbob123ful Thanks! That's a tricky installation. I actually just did one of those a few weeks ago but I was in a hurry and didn't have time to film it. There is no question- you will need to put some holes in the drywall. It's just a matter of taking good measurements to minimize the damage. When in doubt, cut a hole. Drywall is cheap and easy to patch. Good luck and thanks for watching!
@@AlanCleggYouDoAV Thanks for the quick reply. Is it better to run through the attic or try the unfinished basement? I feel like basement would be a pain because fishing the cable downward then up through the bottom plate would be really hard and not as clean; curious to hear your thoughts
@@bobbob123ful I've done both. If you have a nice "chase" from the basement to the attic, I'd use that. When I say "chase" I'm referencing some kind of encasement that connects the basement to the attic. Usually gas lines, HVAC ducts, and plumbing will run through those chases. You can usually shoot a long drill bit through the bottom plate using the existing single gang hole on the second floor. When the bot pops out into the basement, all you have to do is widen the hole from the bottom (if needed) and then push the wires up.
It also depends on the cabling. If it's HDMI, I'd say take the shortest route possible. If it's cable TV, network, or phone, it doesn't matter. Wire is cheap ad lengths aren't going to have any noticeable effect. If it's speaker, it's a toss-up. Speaker wire is a little more expensive and if the long way makes it WAY longer, I'd probably go the short way.
@@AlanCleggYouDoAV This one is CAT 5 cable for a a Reolink PoE camera system. I just took a peek in the attic and it'll be interesting to try to get this stuff through two floors up to the attic. I'd hate to hire someone to do it because it shouldn't be bad, but it's a difficult case.
Your video gave me the solution to an outlet I’ll be installing soon. THANKS!
I like the combination of steel ball chain and a flexible magnet “wand”. Any specifics on a source for the magnetic portion?
You can get it on Amazon. It's called the "Ball chain and retriever."
Thank you! Order placed!
Iv got a question. This is what i also do for a living. Im lucky enough to know some cable installers that help get my work. Im wondering how you get the majority of your work?
I don't do this for a living anymore, but when I did, I had a few places where we picked up leads (other than return customers and referrals). We paid a couple services like Yelp and Angie's List and we had a killer website that naturally ranked top three on Google searches. We designed our own website and never paid for search engine optimization. The majority of our work came from these sources.
you are the real pro.
Well I think YOU are the real pro!
Cool! Liked the video. I've had to do a couple of tricky wall fishes while I was a ISP technician, but nothing this crazy. People here would go nuts if they had holes in their wall. I thankfully never had to use the bendy drill bit, but I have had to crawl into those tight corners and pray that I don't see daylight after drilling.
NOTHING stops your heart like seeing light at the end of the hole you just drilled!!!!!
Scary as a technician
You could also cut a small hole above the box to hook the chain. The plate would cover this hole. Strange, I've never seen anyone run into fire stops in walls. In some cases it's quicker and easier to cut open the drywall and stud at the ceiling joint and plaster over when done.
Yes! Sometimes it is faster. Sometimes it is faster but the customer won't let you because they have special paint or wallpaper.
very useful video, thank you.
Thank you for watching!
I also own the Mag pull. Good when you can use it. But it is limited.
I also have one of these. I found that it’s a great idea but in practice, it has limited use.
Hey! Trying to find the magnet you used in this video. Any tips?
www.amazon.com/LABOR-SAVING-DEVICES-LSD85124-Retriever/dp/B00009WE0H/ref=sr_1_2?crid=IOJXEDCUBDTH&keywords=labor+saving+devices+ball+chain+and+retriever&qid=1653109404&s=hi&sprefix=labor+saving+devices+ball+chain+and+retriever%2Ctools%2C102&sr=1-2
thanks! give me a great idea of how to run my CAT5 cable in my ceiling. Your ceiling is better than mine with lots of insulation. I have to be careful that my head won't bump on the roof nails. Admire your patient. thanks for your excellent youtube video. God bless my friend.
THANK YOU for the comment! I do not love attic work, but unfortunately, it's part of the job. Thanks for watching.
One question from someone who has extremely limited electrical knowledge (worked as an apprentice on commercial for about 3 months and got out). When stuffing that wire into the hole at the top of the wall it looks like it was so tight of a hole that it may have put a crimp in the wire that could cause problems later. Is that possible?
It may have looked like a tight fit, but it was fine. If the hole is so tight it is crimping the wire, a larger or an additional hole should be drilled. It won't impede the signal (like a kinking a garden hose) but it could damage the wires on install or slowly wear a small hole into a conductor.
Hi!
Could you add links to the tools you use?
The ball chain (magnetic)
Thanks
Here it is:
www.amazon.com/LABOR-SAVING-DEVICES-LSD85124-Retriever/dp/B00009WE0H
What kind of string do you use? Thanks for your instructions; very well done.
You can buy "Electrician's String" at most hardware stores. It's just called electricians string
Alan Clegg Thanks, appreciate the reply! I’ve just used stuff I had on hand; didn’t know there was electricians string
@@billmoody9736 I actually like electrician's string more than regular string. It's light, strong, and thin- perfect for custom installations.
13:45 Yes... one out of a million🙂
How do you cover up the holes in the wall and ceiling? How do you get it to match the paint?
Go to my channel. There are several videos where I show how to patch and texture for a near-perfect finish. Matching the paint is tricky. It seems that it never turns out PERFECT but if you take the cutout piece to a paint store for matching, you’ll get a match that’s hard to see unless you know it’s there.
razor blade and gently score a 2"x2" thin piece of the wall. The paint will peal right off. Put it in a plastic baggie and go tot home depot. They have a machine that will match it almost perfect. Sample size custom paint is like $5.
I would find this kind of work absolutely infuriating - respect to people with enough patience to do this for a living.
Ha! I also find this work infuriating at times. I love the end product though, so it's worth it... most of the time.
Well done and great info
Thank you! I hope it helps
I have an exterior wall on the ground floor with a wall sconce and would like to tap into the switched power and run it up and into the ceiling above to then install 4” LED down lights. I’m wondering if I cut my 4.25” hole for the first of 8 LED lights in the ceiling above where the wall sconce is if your 3rd method shown here is best? The ceiling above has no attic and is the floor for the second level.
What is the magnetic thing called? Was searching for magnetic pull snake on amazon.
“Wet Noodle and Retriever”
Any suggestions for running speaker cable from in-ceiling speakers across the ceiling to run down behind the TV wall and out the bottom to a receiver on first floor with no attic access? Most videos I see have pre-installed speaker wires in the ceiling.
This video will get you out of the wall and into the ceiling. Like I showed in the video, you'll need a hole in the ceiling to get out of the wall. Try to use the front center speaker hole as this hole to save on patching. Do a good room layout to know where your joists are and which way they are running. Then cut holes for all of your speakers. Your joists will help you run wire in same direction they are running (front to back joists help run the wire from the front of the room to the back without cutting holes, joists running left and right help you run wires from side to side). With the room laid out and joists marked, now you know how many joists to cross in each direction. Cut a hole every second joist. Then you are only drilling through one joist from each hole and you'll have to do some magic fishing to get the wires through but it saves patching. That's about it. Good luck!
@@AlanCleggYouDoAV awesome thank you for your help!
And were in the world did you get that drill bit bender to help aim the flex bit up the wall? Whats its actual name and has it ever earned its money back lol. In other words has it ever come in handy yet?
I get all my specialty installation tools from a company called Labor Saving Devices. I rarely use it to be honest.
OMG, great video. Can you install them at my house?
I’m on my way. You better start cooking breakfast now.
@@AlanCleggYouDoAV - you jokes, man I am serious.😊🙌
@@docmacg6315 Wish I could!
Good stuff!! thumbs up.. learning quite a bit from you :D
Sweet! Glad to help and thanks for watching!
Thank you
thanks for watching
If I took that long getting a box out of the wall, my boss would call me an idiot and explain to the customer how hard it is to find good workers 😂😂😂
Seriously, he would do it for me, and say “now that I have shown you for the thirty-sixth time…maybe next time you can do it without bleeding all over the walls…”
Also by guiding drill to corner and up. This give you some great control manipulating drill bit and continue with fishing.
I've been trying to figure out how I can run a line from my garage to my modem room in my house but it's really hard to get to the area where I want to run the line into the attic from the modem room. There's a bunch of ducts and electrical lines in the way and there's probably a 1 foot opening to that area. I wish I could train a cat to grab the line for me and run it over to the side.
When you train the cat, let me know. I'll need to rent it from you.
Liked and Subscribed and Saved to My Construction playlist... 👍
Thanks!
Pretty solid dude
Solid like your biceps? Sweet!
I'm flattered
I love this!!!
Awesome! Thanks for wacthing
great video, how much did you charge for labor?
Thanks for watching! I don’t do this type of work anymore but a good installer should be charging at least $75/hr if it’s a legit licensed and insured business. If you’re in a lower cost of living area, you may find someone for less but I can’t imagine anyone could keep a business running for less than $60/hr in any state.
Excellent,
Long drill bits have their place, and their use…going up into the wall from a switch box is just “STUPID”, I agree with you “I HATE IT”.
The few times I’ve done it, eventually find out we could have just cut holes in the wall…😣 seriously - EVERYTIME!
The long drill bit is good if you can see it “Land” in the wood, with bare eyes.
Yup. By far my least favorite method
Great. Video love it !!!
Awesome! Glad to help
When using a long drill bit, why don't you tie the pull string through the hole on the end of the drill bit? that way when you extract the bit the string will come with it. No messing with the glow rod or chain.
That kind of works. The hole is only as big as the drill bit so the bit will cut the string on the way back out of the hole. A lot of bits have a tiny hole in the end where you can attach a string too. If you're drilling in a corner of an attic, it's too hard to get a string down to the drill bit. I have used those holes a few times but I have always found it easier just to use a glow rod and string trick. Thanks for watching!
Do you have a link to buy the flexible magnet?
www.amazon.com/LABOR-SAVING-DEVICES-LSD85124-Retriever/dp/B00009WE0H/ref=asc_df_B00009WE0H/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198077680239&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17909324662507499807&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029755&hvtargid=pla-318184357096&psc=1
@@AlanCleggYouDoAVThank you! On the purchase list now!
New sub here. I am running speaker wire. I had trouble with the long drill bit up through the seal (top two 2x4’s) when I tried one. I found out I can through Sheetrock in the other room. Oops. I haven’t tried the magnet approach. I have used the tiny camera that is tied to a glow rod.
Have you ever run speaker wire behind the baseboard?
Yes, I've done the baseboard trick a few times. If it's your house, it wouldn't be a big deal to remove them. I used to work on a lot of million-dollar homes with beautiful carpentry and I was afraid I would crack the wood or wouldn't be able to get it back together just right. Then there is the putty and caulking.... ugh. I cringe at the thought. I much prefer to make a bunch of small drywall holes and patch those. It's something I can do on my own or I had a drywall subcontractor that was a wizard for a really reasonable price.
@@AlanCleggYouDoAV thanks. Yes I have thought of routing a channel in the baseboards or perhaps use a gap in the bottom of the Sheetrock (unlikely because that would be too easy - haha). I might try the Sheetrock trick but behind the TV and 7.1 stereo is two fire breaks. So have to know what I am doing. For older wire I have taped old to new and ran it through. I guess I could do that. Bottom line is o am getting carpet installed in a couple of weeks and would like to finish that side of the room. Thanks so much for the advice.
@@brentjohnson6654 If you have carpet, you can run the wire under the floor boards in that gap where the carpet meets the wall.
The 2x4 that you drilled into are not called studs. The 2x4 at the top of the wall is called the Top Plate and the 2x4 at the bottom of the wall is called the Bottom Plate or "Sole Plate". The "Studs" of a wall are the vertical 2x4 or 2x6 which are vertical and connect the top plate with the bottom plate.
"Sill plate"??
Good point on using correct terminology.
They make neon twine. it's great dyi
Whoa. I've never seen that. Great to know.
cool.thanks
Thanks for watching!
Try an auger bit mate
YES! 100% the problem is that all of mine are dull and I can't find anyone to sharpen them but I totally agree that they are way better.
I like you made this look easy, but its not. how many times to try to catch and hook and missed? So many have tried the do it yourself and this is how I stay in business by correcting their mess. You noted the metal plate is required at that point of the wall. That is when your passing through a stud, if the wire is not in the center and off to one side, then the plate is required. You are floating the wire in the wall and is not needed, but I was wondering why you didn't mention the required fire seal around the hole you drilled through the stud into the attic? IRC 302.11(4). FYI some states do not allow handymen or homeowners to perform electrical work. Require a State License.
Great comment. The biggest difference between a pro and a regular person is patience- how long they stick with it before they quit. We don't need fire caulk in the top plates here. It's not something I see alot anywhere I go actually. I know it's a code in some places though.
What if u got fore blocks and multiple studs to pass threw
Sometimes you have to make a hole. If I am running one small wire and hit a fire block, I usually cut a slit in the drywall in front of the block.
smart
guy
cool and all but this is not allowed in my country you have to use conduit in walls and ceiling as protection and also so you can change wires in the future without having to take the whole wall down lol
Ugh. That sounds brutal! I like the idea of having conduit but installing it would be a nightmare.
#contentcreatoroftheyear
Jonathan is #youtuberofthedecade
I have also used my to death. It reside in a pouch on my electrical tool pouch.
Oh man, if any of you guy ever move to europe you will start to cry ;-)
Most houses here are built out of brick and concrete. Usually ceilings are reinforced concrete, some outer walls are brick and/or concrete. Only inner walls are usually made with drywalls but then they use metal studs instead of wood so even then it's a pain to get a cable from one side to another. Even drilling a simple hole can be a pain if you hit a stud...
So yeah, next time any of you guys is frustrated because something didn't work out the way you expected you just have to remember how lucky you are ;-)
Jokes aside, concrete and bricks are very solid and durable which is good, I would not like to trade my solid built house for something made built out of wood and drywall BUT it's a pain sometimes.
Great point. I'd imagine anything that needs to be added in Europe probably has to go in conduit. Sounds like a pain! I bet those materials are better for insulation though.
@@AlanCleggYouDoAV exactly, and if there are no empty pipes to pull your cable you‘re f*ed :-) in that case get out your hammer drill and pry the walls open and insert pipes or cables ... It‘s a pain!
@@TheNightstalker80 That hurts my brain just thinking about that.
last example puts alot stress bending the wire pron to failure
Good point
This guy has a couple of good ideas but it is foolish to leave electrical wire right near the surface of a wall he should have dug it deeper and install a metal plate to cover the wire to protect the wire from nails it would have taken an extra 5 minutes I'm sorry if I hurt his feelings but sometimes people do nail up there for occasions like Christmas decorations and party decorations that's the responsible thing to do pal work a little more and do it right😎👍
Probably would have been better but that patch takes a little more work. I took the lazy man’s route.
Like we say inda country. Dat Boy Good! 😌
Hahahaha! I thank ya kindly sir.
Where are you located in case someone would like to hire you?
Unfortunately, I don’t do side jobs anymore. I’m back in school now and I barely have time to keep my head above water anymore.
Alan Clegg ok, thank you anyway!
Alan Clegg can you please tell me where I can find that piano wire, and which one to buy?
Dang. It’s been a while since I bought piano wire. I used to buy it from a company called Labor Saving Devices. I don’t know the gauge but it’s nothing special. You just need a size thick enough that it can penetrate drywall. I cut it at an angle so it’s sharp too.
Alan Clegg I really appreciate the information. Keep the videos coming!
Arent there concreet homes in Britain??I only ever see these things in homes with a wooden floor..
They have castles too. That’s where the wizards go to school.
🤔I 🙏
It is obvious you know what you are doing. But if you are doing this video to show it is done, suggest (1) not to block the view with your body and (2) show closeup. Meaning you may have to Pause and move your camera. Thanks,
That’s good advice. It’s hard to be patient when I’m doing a real install at the same time that I’m making an instructional video. If the video isn’t great quality, it isn’t helpful so this is a good reminder to slow down and make sure I’m capturing everything.
Can you say crown molding.. lol maybe a nail plate won’t matter.. top 4 inches.
I wouldn't call the wires hidden with all those drywall patches..
The patches are super well-done. You couldn't see them after they were painted. Any large, difficult install will require at least some patching, so I think drywall patching is just as important as the AV skills part.
Christmas tree in august? 🤔
Well... We filmed during Christmas time but edited and posted much later.
I think Joey needs more screen time.
I agree! He's way prettier than me anyway
How long do you want the installation to last? 2 years? 20 years? How sure are you that in 20 years, nobody will drill a hole through the wall into your wire? Put a plate.
20 minutes max
10:30 - look at the spirit on the left of frame! Clearly not straight ;)
Unforgivable! I'm filing a complaint against this Alan guy.
My man just fish the 3 feet down LOL,,,,,Jesus
Don't do option 3. That is crap work. Do it the right way and cut for a single gang old work box. Drill the middle of the plate, pull the wire then either install an old work box and blank cover or repair the drywall.
agreed i dont like that method of snaking the romex around a wall cap, then patching the part that is exposed.
Not in the UK pls!
"For the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His Name in vain".
Explains that ceiling space might be between first and second floor in the first 30 seconds of his video. This video isn't for me.
What is your project?
Made it 9 minutes 20 seconds too many booms
That’s not too bad but you can do better. I believe in you. Hopefully you can build up your “Boom” tolerance and see it through to the end. Nobody likes a quitter.
My house was built in 1880. Your tips won't help me
Ugh. Lathe and plaster? I love old houses. They're so cool and have so much character but working with lathe and plaster is a nightmare.
Not funny!
Wouldnt a long flexible drill bit be more practical?
With a pulling attatchment
I'm not an expert, but I believe US electrical code requires you to install nail plates on the faces of the studs/headers that you run Romex through if the diameter of the hole goes within 1.25 inches of the edge of the board. This is the nail plate: amzn.com/B00BV2S670 That way, if someone comes along later and wants to nail/screw something to the wall they won't risk going into the Romex cable and possibly electrocuting themselves or causing a circuit failure. That third technique you used where you drilled upwards and downwards at an angle through the header definitely puts the hole within that 1.25 inch range. Just cut out a rectangular hole big enough to fit the nail plate and mount that over the hole to be safe. Either that or cut a bigger hole that allows you to get your entire drill into the stud cavity so you can drill straight upwards and further back than 1.25 inches from the face, and you won't need the nail plate.
You are correct. Those are very important during new construction where a lot of nails and screws will be shot through every stud multiple times. In a finished home, adding screws and nails into studs for projects is less common. If a person is worried about hitting a wire, they should definitely use a plate.