I just ordered a Magnepull. It consists of a roller with a strong magnet in it, and a smaller magnet with a lead on it. You drill a hole in a wall, insert the small magnet (with a chord attached) and roll the roller down the wall and the magnet follows it. You can even "pull" wires under rugs with it. You can see a video of it on some sites. I think this thing will cut pull time in half.
Google Magnepull and ck it out!

Thanks for the tip. Let us know how it works out.

I am especially interested in how well fishing insulated walls works out. I watched the videos and I am a little nervous to purposely aim to drill through the top plate close to the wall. Not all wooden top plates are created equal and aiming for one edge or the other could easily have you coming through the ceiling instead of into the wall cavity...

I agree about top plates, but this innovation sure beats previous alternatives. If the thing pulls cable under carpet, the insulation should not prove to be an issue. I just ordered yesterday, so it will not be here until Tue/Wed. I will follow up with a post after trying it.

I can't speak for the MagnaPull but to determine exactly where to inner edge of the wall is actually located the following may help.

Go to a local hobby shop and buy a 3' section of 1/16" dia music wire. Now cut into about 9" to 12" lengths. Use a pair of dyke's so the cut end looks like a chisel. Something like this " ===> ".

Now when you need to locate the wall in the attic chuck up the rod in your cordless drill. At the corner where the wall meets the ceiling place the point and keeping the rod from hitting the wall start drilling up. It will drill thru the drywall and the 2x4 above into the attic. It may take a bit of a push but it will go though.

Once you feel it passes thru un-chuck and leave it there. Go into the attic and look in the approximate area under the insulation. It will be there sticking up. Now you can measure as you see fit. Once done just pull it through. Use a very small dab of Spackle to plug the very small hole. Once done it can not be seen unless you know where it was at. Job done.

Hope this helps someone in the future.

Don't mean to step on the OP but I thought this might help. I am interested in a report on the use of the MagnaPull.

Thanks,

Able 1 that is a good point.

I do the same from the attic down in to the room. Before I drill I want to make sure I am not "thrown off" where I think I am drilling, and where I really should be drilling.

I had an employee (new) who did not listen to my request to poke down a stinger before he drilled.

You guessed it! He was way off because he judged an electrical box to be his target, and he had the wrong electrical box (wall switch), and he drilled down in to a door frame!!!

That was embarrasing! He was not to happy paying for a new door frame out of his paycheck!

If he had done a stinger he would have had the time to make a correction!

If I understand what you are saying, you are poking a plot hole from the attic to the room and then measure from there. That sound a little backwards to me, not to mention dangerous. Depending upon the ceiling paint you could make a much bigger hole that needs patched.

My way is more accurate. But to each their own.

Have a good week.

No.

I agree your way is the proper way to do it!

Sometimes one cannot find the stinger in the insulation in custom cut houses, or where 2X4 or other "objects" may block you from visually, (or feeling for it), and that may, or maynot be an option.

Poking down does create the problem that you mention, but then again how much does spackle cost verses drilling through a water pipe, or an electrical line, or through an interior door jamb, or being fooled by a plant shelf?

What you and I are saying is this:

Leave this to the professionals!
For the DIY: Measure twice, and drill once!

On a real tricky house use more then one methode to verify where you are in an attic verses where you need to be in the house. Look at your air conditioning vents, and fans that may be centered in a room, and look at smoke detectors in the hallways to determine where you should be.

We work on a lot of houses that have strange cut walls, and / or add on walls, or we find solid pour concrete interior walls, and the hated cathedral ceiling that gives you no room for personal, and tools.

I wish every house was a single story with a perfect square shape!!

And again:

You are absolutly right, and your way is the only way it should be done, but use alternatives if the consequence will cost you more money.

Yes, this is but one of the tricks in my bag!!!

Thanks, I might try that. I use to do that once in a while just to locate the wall but I purposely stayed out away from the nailer. I would have thought it would be quite a chore to push through the top plate with wire.

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Thanks, I might try that. I use to do that once in a while just to locate the wall but I purposely stayed out away from the nailer. I would have thought it would be quite a chore to push through the top plate with wire.[/quote]


You will be suprised how easy it is. Just make sure it is sharp.

I use it on a house once and on four different business. It works okay. Save time a little. Never use it under carpet tho. Just makes fishing lines easier for short distances. The magnet is strong just be careful with it. Comes with a DVD to show you have to use it.

I tried the puller under our wall to wall carpet today. No problems. The magnets are tenacious! I believe that this unit will work as described. This is a tremendous time saver.

I have one of the pullers and it does work well. We always carry a length of lightweight chain which we can tie a piece of nylon chaulk line. drill your hole drop the chain in and you can work the chain up and down. We have not shorted out any electrical yet and if the chain get hopelessley hung up. Well that has not happened yet.