Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Around The House). This thread is read-only.
This is a quality braided steel fish tape made in Italy, very happy with the quality and it lasts much longer than the plastic ones or the spring steel ones. You can get a quality plastic storage for it as well.
That looks great, thanks for sharing, but there is no way I would use a metal fish tape, even if it coated, in a live electrical panel.
My ancient plastic Greenlee fish tape, like this current version, is one option I use when working in live panels.
Another option, when I have conduit to the remote location is to crumple a disposable store bag, tie on a fish string and use my shop vacuum to pull the string through.
In addition to my plastic fish tape, my uncoated steel “blade” fish tapes and my string, I also use these segmented rods LOTS. The segmented rods are my first choice in almost every application.
The other waaay handy tool for pulling wire are these basket nets, in the correct size.
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I agree, but what I meant was to use it in newly built buildings that there has not been any wire before. But if you want to do some partial rewiring better to not go for a metal fish tape at all. The problem with the rods is that they can get unplugged from the point they are connected to the brass connectors in the middle of conduit and it would be a big stress to deal with that issue then, specially if the conduit has a lot of bends.
You might like to have a pair of Knipex 98 65 40 electricians’ gloves
Never have used the rods within conduits.
The rods are terrific for running within covered wall stud cavities, or over long distances, like an attic. I also use them on the boat for wiring.
Even though I’ve been electrocuted more times than I can count (very, very infrequently), I almost never use gloves. I always use gloves on the live to street wires.
Most of my shocks were on my 150 year old farm house, built before house wiring, where I reworked to current standards, that was a hodge podge of horrible stuff. That task was decades ago, before the most useful electric tool, the chirpy / blinky voltage “sniffer”.
My mindset is very little concern about being shocked working on / touching live because I remain so focused and concentrated on that task.
wingless wrote:
29 minutes ago, wingless said:Never have used the rods within conduits.
The rods are terrific for running within covered wall stud cavities, or over long distances, like an attic. I also use them on the boat for wiring.
Even though I’ve been electrocuted more times than I can count (very, very infrequently), I almost never use gloves. I always use gloves on the live to street wires.
Most of my shocks were on my 150 year old farm house, built before house wiring, where I reworked to current standards, that was a hodge podge of horrible stuff. That task was decades ago, before the most useful electric tool, the chirpy / blinky voltage “sniffer”.
My mindset is very little concern about being shocked working on / touching live because I remain so focused and concentrated on that task.
Well, maybe it is because you have 120V AC in US and not 220-240V AC that we have in Europe, so you care less about being shocked 🙂
Maybe, but my panels all have 220VAC / 60Hz.
(NOT providing electrical advise…) The trick is to never complete the circuit. Finger touching only one live wire, while NOT touching ground AND NOT touching the other line won’t provide a shock.
FWIW, I HATE getting electrocuted. It hurts every single time.
wingless wrote:
15 minutes ago, wingless said:Maybe, but my panels all have 220VAC / 60Hz.
(NOT providing electrical advise…) The trick is to never complete the circuit. Finger touching only one live wire, while NOT touching ground AND NOT touching the other line won’t provide a shock.
FWIW, I HATE getting electrocuted. It hurts every single time.
I had it twice in my life and I remember one time my elbow was hurting so badly for two days.
wingless wrote:
23 minutes ago, wingless said:Maybe, but my panels all have 220VAC / 60Hz.
(NOT providing electrical advise…) The trick is to never complete the circuit. Finger touching only one live wire, while NOT touching ground AND NOT touching the other line won’t provide a shock.
FWIW, I HATE getting electrocuted. It hurts every single time.
That is why I always wanted to have 120V AC instead of 240V in Europe also.
BTW, you now have the Devil post count…
wingless wrote:
20 minutes ago, wingless said:BTW, you now have the Devil post count…
:)))) As an Agnostic It is quite funny for me to be related to Devil and things like that. So I decided to write one more time to end this relation quickly :)))))))
Similar perspective, but I’m instead antagonistic…
Altan wrote:
On 4/17/2022 at 10:34 AM, Altan said:This is a quality braided steel fish tape made in Italy, very happy with the quality and it lasts much longer than the plastic ones or the spring steel ones. You can get a quality plastic storage for it as well.
I totally agree with you about the quality of braided steel fish tape, Year ago, I had a experience when I was dealing with a tricky wiring job at my house. I was working with an electrician from sherbrookelectricien.ca here in Sherbrooke QC, and they used a braided steel fish tape for running wires through some tight, awkward spaces in the wall. The difference in durability compared to the plastic or spring steel versions was immediately noticeable. Not only did the braided steel tape glide through the spaces effortlessly, but it also didn’t kink or wear out, making the whole job go much faster.
millsmark21 wrote:
On 1/3/2025 at 6:41 AM, millsmark21 said:I totally agree with you about the quality of braided steel fish tape, Year ago, I had a experience when I was dealing with a tricky wiring job at my house. I was working with an electrician from sherbrookelectricien.ca here in Sherbrooke QC, and they used a braided steel fish tape for running wires through some tight, awkward spaces in the wall. The difference in durability compared to the plastic or spring steel versions was immediately noticeable. Not only did the braided steel tape glide through the spaces effortlessly, but it also didn’t kink or wear out, making the whole job go much faster.
Yes, if you use them all in one project you can feel the difference! I dont think you would go back to the other two if you use the braided one.