Fishing wires horizontally through walls

[delectric123]

I've run into a few situations where I need to add a receptacle a few stud partitions away from an existing one. the walls i'm dealing with are regular drywall-covered 2x4 walls. both the ceiling was totally enclosed and the floor was concrete. with a flexible drill bit you can only go through two studs before the bit would come out on the other side of the wall. does anybody have a trick for going further without making another hole in the wall? if there somehow was a way to make the bit go straight............

 

[John120/240]

I've run into a few situations where I need to add a receptacle a few stud partitions away from an existing one. the walls i'm dealing with are regular drywall-covered 2x4 walls. both the ceiling was totally enclosed and the floor was concrete. with a flexible drill bit you can only go through two studs before the bit would come out on the other side of the wall. does anybody have a trick for going further without making another hole in the wall? if there somehow was a way to make the bit go straight............

If you must cut holes do something useful with the new holes. I have cut in another receptacle or two between the existing one and the location for the new receptacle. Maybe you could put the intermediate receptacle in the adjoining room.

Trying to make the flexi bit go straight...Good Luck with that.

 

[RLyons]

Drill the 2 from original location and 2 from the new location. :?
and if the wall isn't insulated you might have a chance.

 

[mjf]

A few times, I've resorted to carefully popping the baseboard trim off, cutting the drywall, drilling, wiring, replacing the rip of drywall and reinstalling the baseboard trim.

 

[dereckbc]

Got a great answer for this one. Seen it myself for the first time doing a remodel the last couple of months one of the contractors had. It is a simple solution or a tool called Magnepull Magnetic Retrieving Wire Running Kit. Basically a Plumb Bod on a string with a Monster Rare Earth Magnet.

We had several walls with insulation and it was super easy to fish the wires through. All they did was drill a hole in the top plate, took a screw driver to move the insulation to one side or the other, and dropped the Plumb Bob which would only go a foot or two with the insulation. Then just have your partner take the Magnet to find the Plumb Bob, then pull the Plumb Bob just below the hole you make in the wall. You will know when you find the Plumb Bob with the magnet. You hear a loud thud as the Plumb Bob smacks the wall when the magnet grabs it. You will also feel it as it can jerk the magnet out of your hand if you do not have a firm grip on it. Once th emagnet has th ePlumb Bob it takes a lot of force of 5 to 10 pounds to pull the magnet off the wall.

 

[jaylectricity]

From my experience the customer almost never wants you to cut holes in their wall because it would be unsightly. But almost always if you just cut a 1"X3" notch in front of the studs necessary to get the wire from one location to the other, then patch up the holes with some lightweight patch'n'paint the customer will start to overlook those small patches of white in their wall.

I've gone back to customers' houses years after and they still hadn't painted the wall, in fact they had forgotten all about it.

 

[ActionDave]

A few times, I've resorted to carefully popping the baseboard trim off, cutting the drywall, drilling, wiring, replacing the rip of drywall and reinstalling the baseboard trim.

I've done this often.

From my experience the customer almost never wants you to cut holes in their wall because it would be unsightly. But almost always if you just cut a 1"X3" notch in front of the studs necessary to get the wire from one location to the other, then patch up the holes with some lightweight patch'n'paint the customer will start to overlook those small patches of white in their wall.

I've gone back to customers' houses years after and they still hadn't painted the wall, in fact they had forgotten all about it.

All true. Depending on the job I'll patch, other times I'll cut a whole and use a round or single gang blank to cover it.

 

[rlundsrud]

There is a handle that looks like a key hole saw frame that can be used with flex bits. It is pretty effective at making the bit run straight when doing horizontal shots. I would practice on a wall that has been rocked on one side if you get the chance, or even slap a piece of scrap sheet rock on an open stud wall with a 2x4 opening in it. Then you can watch your bit travel as you run it. Making sure the first hole is started in the correct spot is the key to success. Practice makes perfect.

 

[ptonsparky]

Some one used to sell parts that would make a drill bit extension out of 1/2 EMT. A spade bit just larger than the emt helped alignment as you drilled through the studs. With some imagination and adjusting the angle of the drilled hole you can drop a sash chain right to your boxes. I lost half of my set. Dang.

 

[PetrosA]

I'm not a fan of flex bits, and I can't imagine it would work at all in the 2-2 1/2" opening you have with a wallcase. If removing the baseboard and going that way is an option, it's the best one (works well in older homes with real baseboard, sometimes in newer homes with drywall and cheap moldings). If not, you can locate the studs and drill a drywall plug with a 2 1/2" hole saw then a 1 1/2" hole into the stud with a spade bit deep enough to get your wire in, get a nail-on plate in there, replace the plug and patch it. It gets a whole lot more complicated if there is wallpaper.

 

[delectric123]

Great ideas, thanks!

 

[delectric123]

Drill the 2 from original location and 2 from the new location. :?
and if the wall isn't insulated you might have a chance.

How would you fish your cable through without making a hole in the wall?:?

I'm not a fan of flex bits, and I can't imagine it would work at all in the 2-2 1/2" opening

Yeah, and with a 2x2 wall its pretty tough keeping the bit from coming out

 

[John120/240]

Drill the 2 from original location and 2 from the new location. :?
and if the wall isn't insulated you might have a chance.

How would you fish your cable through without making a hole in the wall?:?

You gotta be damn lucky. The day that you do this Go buy a lottery ticket.

 

[RLyons]

You said add a new location a few partitions away from an existing outlet.

When you cut the new location let's say located directly to the left of a stud then you drill two studs over...now at the original location you bust out or remove the existing box and drill two studs over (depending on if existing box is located on the left or right side of a stud) to the new location. If the wall isn't insulated and the drill hole is 7/8" or larger it is doable by putting a loop on the wire and feeding it through the first two sets of studs then from the other side use fish tape or stick with a hook and then go play the lottery. :thumbsup:

I don't patch and removing trim I either get a damaged wall by caulk or prybar or I split the moulding.

 

[John120/240]

You said add a new location a few partitions away from an existing outlet.

When you cut the new location let's say located directly to the left of a stud then you drill two studs over...now at the original location you bust out or remove the existing box and drill two studs over (depending on if existing box is located on the left or right side of a stud) to the new location. If the wall isn't insulated and the drill hole is 7/8" or larger it is doable by putting a loop on the wire and feeding it through the first two sets of studs then from the other side use fish tape or stick with a hook and then go play the lottery. :thumbsup:

I don't patch and removing trim I either get a damaged wall by caulk or prybar or I split the moulding.

You hit the nail on the head. Reading your first post I had the impression that you drill two studs from each direction with no intermediate holes.

 

[Jacob S]

Aren't you scared you will drill through a cable or pipe in the cavity using this method? A water pipe would suck, but you would at least know that you hit something. My worry would be that a cable would get nicked and that would eventually lead to a fire. Just curious.

 

[1793]

I've run into a few situations where I need to add a receptacle a few stud partitions away from an existing one. the walls i'm dealing with are regular drywall-covered 2x4 walls. both the ceiling was totally enclosed and the floor was concrete. with a flexible drill bit you can only go through two studs before the bit would come out on the other side of the wall. does anybody have a trick for going further without making another hole in the wall? if there somehow was a way to make the bit go straight............

There have been quite a few posts that give answers, advice for the questions asked. I would like to offer; you may suggest the HO install some crown molding. You could make a small hole in the wall at the ceiling above the existing receptacle then a small hole in the wall at the ceiling above the new receptacle location and let the new crown hide your cable. Just a thought.

 

[delectric123]

Aren't you scared you will drill through a cable or pipe in the cavity using this method? A water pipe would suck, but you would at least know that you hit something. My worry would be that a cable would get nicked and that would eventually lead to a fire. Just curious.

I just do these things for our local community, and have a good idea where water pipes run in these houses. You can usually make a very good guess if there are cables in the way if normal procedures were used to wire that house. And knowing who did the wiring I feel pretty safe. I would be hesitant to do such things at other places.

There have been quite a few posts that give answers, advice for the questions asked. I would like to offer; you may suggest the HO install some crown molding. You could make a small hole in the wall at the ceiling above the existing receptacle then a small hole in the wall at the ceiling above the new receptacle location and let the new crown hide your cable. Just a thought.

any idea what I could search for to find these posts?

 

[Ashflre]

I've run into a few situations where I need to add a receptacle a few stud partitions away from an existing one. the walls i'm dealing with are regular drywall-covered 2x4 walls. both the ceiling was totally enclosed and the floor was concrete. with a flexible drill bit you can only go through two studs before the bit would come out on the other side of the wall. does anybody have a trick for going further without making another hole in the wall? if there somehow was a way to make the bit go straight............

Put a flexbit directly through a tennis ball's center. And that should keep you away from the drywall.

 

[roger]

This thread is six years old so I am closing it, if you would like to start a new thread feel free to do so.

Roger