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ideas on how to run cable?? ever think of a crossbow?

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Doe anyone have any good idead on how to run cable through ceiling tile? I am looking for other ideas other than a ball and rope. I thought of using a crossbow(not a hight powered one) has anyone ever tried such a thing.

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I use the cane pole extension type. Mine is 25ft. long and it works great.

 

The point and shoot type look fine but I can tell you that it won't "push" past AC duct or other obsticales. I have yet to find a false ceiling with nothing in it......

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I have a handheld crossbow that I have used to 'shoot' a string through a space so I can pull wire. Bear in mind you must have access to the other side.

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I take a 20 foot length of 1/2" schedule PVC and tape the cable to one end. Open up the first ceiling tile or two, and the PVC bends enough (use schedule 40) to allow the cable/wire to go under ducting, etc. About the cheapest way to do it. The PVC will "skim" across the top of the ceiling tile supports, most of the time. Ceilings are always full of ducts, conduit, piping, etc. etc.

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My personal favorite (although we don't use it often) is.....

 

73516_1.jpg

 

The Original Sling-A-Lineâ„¢ - Span Caster

 

For ultimate accuracy and leverage, shoot the yoke horizontally.

 

The Sling-a-Lineâ„¢ is the original span caster first introduced in 1982 by Labor Saving Devices Inc. Other manufacturers have tried to imitate it, but none offer the versatility in range and the retro feel of the original. The Sling-A-Line has a beautiful birch wood yoke with 10lb. test fish line to accommodate most wire pulls. Simply depress the caster reel, pull back the surgical tubing strap with the lead weight and shoot. The sling-shot action allows you to vary your range from 10ft. to over 100ft. Attach your wire or a pull cord and pull it back to you.

 

Product Hi-Lite

Eliminates multiple ceiling tiles & ladder movements!

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I am missing out on all of the fun!!

 

I am still using the glow rod method!!

 

I've been using glow rods as well... Maybe this "gun" thing isn't such a bad idea huh Scorpion?

 

Ha ha

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i'm working on training a very small monkey to run across the drop ceiling pulling the wire

 

perhaps a cat would be better ... faster

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i'm working on training a very small monkey to run across the drop ceiling pulling the wire

You have stolen my idea, sir . For years I was thinking either a monkey or a small dog!

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This discussion brings to mind some web pages I have read.

 

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Cable+Monkey:

"1) Pulling cable doesn't take much intelligence... a monkey could do it."

"2) We need some cable monkeys to add some more cable drops. Joe, you get to breathe some asbestos!"

 

http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=815056:

"Through selective breeding, cloning, and other advanced genetic engineering techniques, a new breed of monkey could be created. The monkey would have excellent colour and shape matching abilities, giving it the requisite skill to wire up a PC in seconds. Due to it's small size and flexible body, crawling around under desks would be no problem."

 

and, relating back to my previous post:

73691_1.jpg

 

Slingshot Flying Monkey With Scream Sound

"The Slingshot Flying Monkey is nothing short of outrageous! The monkey can be shot long distances using his elastic arms. Put two fingers in the hand pockets, pull back and let go. The soft, furry monkey is pretty funny with his cape and mask, like some sort of super hero monkey. As an added bonus, every time you shoot him, he let's out two loud monkey calls. We don't know why he does this, he just does. If your office needs some seriously funny props, you have to get the Slingshot Flying Monkey."

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We used to use a large Radio Shack remote contol 4x4 (with lights, cheap ebay wireless camera and various cable attachments) Unfortunatly it disappeared one day from a customers place in the famous town of Oakland, Ca. I currently use the fiberfish rods but plan on customizing another rc 4x4. ( I may put a car alarm on it)

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small pipe crawler comes in handy, you can build one using their kit great for limited access drop ceiling and attic spaces, even duct work as well inspection for tight areas where nobody left behind a drawing or a mess of wire thrown up over a grid, oh the things you can find in a overhead...., the mini got a pull rating of 23kg (50lbs ) per track http://www.roboprobe.com/CATALOGS/C20-LISTOFALLPIPECRAWLERS.HTML

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put him up in the ceiling and cant find him now... looks like i need to get a small dog now to track down the monkey

If you also lose the dog, you can retrieve him by dangling a cat up there .

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put him up in the ceiling and cant find him now... looks like i need to get a small dog now to track down the monkey

If you also lose the dog, you can retrieve him by dangling a cat up there .

 

How do you get the cat back?

 

 

"There was an old woman who swallowed a fly"

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How do you get the cat back?

 

 

"There was an old woman who swallowed a fly"

 

I swallowed a fly the other day, its no fun. . .

 

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