A customer in Phoenix showed me a trick with zip ties I still use

I was running a new drop to a house there last summer, and the homeowner, an older guy named Frank, came out to watch. He saw me fumbling with a bundle of coax and said, 'Here, try this.' He took a zip tie, looped it through the end of another one before pulling it tight, making a little pull cord. I've used that to fish lines through tight attic spaces at least a dozen times since. Anyone else have a simple trick like that they picked up from a customer?

3 comments

3 Comments

black.joel1mo ago

That trick sounds like a lifesaver for those cramped attic jobs.

david_rivera41mo ago

Actually, attics are one place I'd never use that trick, @black.joel. The risk of kicking over insulation or hitting wiring is way too high up there. It's better to just take the extra minute to set up a proper drop light.

jakeb251mo ago

You think that's actually a good idea? That zip tie trick sounds like a great way to snag on every piece of framing and insulation you pass. I've seen guys try stuff like that and it just creates more problems when it gets stuck halfway through. Honestly, taking the extra time to do it right the first time is always faster than fixing a mess.