Appreciation post: A homeowner's old trick for fishing wire through a tight spot actually worked

I was running a new circuit in a 1950s house in Tacoma last week and hit a nightmare spot behind a finished knee wall. The stud bay was packed with old insulation and cross bracing. I spent over an hour trying to get a fish tape through. The homeowner, an older guy who used to do some handyman work, suggested I try a plastic grocery bag and a shop vac. I was skeptical but gave it a shot. I tied the bag to a pull string, poked a hole in the wall at the top, and used the vac at the bottom opening. It sucked that bag right down in about 10 seconds, pulling the string with it. Has anyone else had a homeowner tip that actually saved the day on a tricky job?

3 comments

3 Comments

vera_robinson3610d ago

Ngl, I'm the guy who would've shredded three bags and then sucked a sock into the shop vac. Sometimes the simple stuff feels like a magic trick.

daniel14011d ago

Honestly, that trick is way overhyped. It only works in a perfect, straight shot with no real obstructions. That cross bracing you mentioned would have shredded that bag in a second. You just got lucky it was clear enough. Most of the time, you need a proper fish tape and some patience to work through the mess. Homeowner tips are a gamble, and that one usually loses.

charlescraig11d ago

Saw a video where an electrician used that bag trick with a long, skinny balloon inside it to help it slide past nails. It made me wonder if that would have solved the problem @daniel140 mentioned about the cross bracing. Sometimes the old homeowner tricks have a bit of clever engineering behind them you can build on.