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My fish tape snapped inside a finished wall last Friday
I was pulling a new line in an old house in Tacoma, felt the usual drag, then just a sudden snap. The end of the tape is still stuck about 15 feet in. Had to cut a small access panel to get it out, which the homeowner was not happy about. What's your go-to trick for avoiding a snap on a tough pull?
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terrywilson1mo ago
Ever notice how the cheap tool always breaks at the worst time?
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bailey.terry1mo ago
Yeah, that sickening snap is a sound you never forget. I've had it happen with a brand new tape on a cold morning, just a clean break like it was nothing. My only trick now is to go painfully slow on anything that feels like real resistance, and I keep a can of wire pulling lube in the truck for the stubborn ones. Still feels like a coin toss sometimes.
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irisg571mo ago
That snap is the sound of a bad day starting. Terrywilson is right about cheap tools, but even the good stuff gives up when you hit a nail. I just budget for an extra access panel on any old house job now.
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