Wiremold installation difficulty

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lordofpi

lordofpi

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New Jersey
I just happened to be browsing around, and I came across this video for Wiremold 4000. In the video, it takes the electrician almost ten hours to install 5 receptacles?

I personally haven't had the displeasure of working with surface-mounted raceway often. Is this really what goes into all this? I mean, by time you did all this, you could have knocked out the drywall, ran fresh NM-B through the studs, installed the receptacles, patched the wall, and painted again! I know there are some of you out there who can give me a heads up. Is this video just exaggeration (it does seem that they purposely make what's happening seem convoluted)?

Also, any other tips on installing this Wiremold, et al.? As I always say, the more I continue to mock and hold something in disdain, the more likely it is I will be forced to use it at some point. :smile:
 
That product is new and has a lot of labor saving features...the old version would take at least twice as long to install. I don't think that the new stuff would take 10 manhours for 5 receptacles, but the old stuff sure could.
 
Having installed thousands of feet of the standard 4000 series Wiremold I can see how this new stuff would save quite a bit of time. I'm still undecided if I prefer the new look however. And I would really miss using the knuckle buster 4000 Wiremold base and cover cutters. That's always a treat.
 
infinity said:
And I would really miss using the knuckle buster 4000 Wiremold base and cover cutters. That's always a treat.
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I've had to clean up several blood splatter marks from the stuff! All of the alcohol wipes from the first aid kit on my truck are gone.

This stuff looks like it would go up quicker, but I don't like the look of it. They put the receptacles on the bottom of it, but the thing still looks like it's 6'' wide!
 
Yes, the few times when I worked with it, I shared the same experiences -- lots of pain and cursing. Most of these times were spent in removing it rather than installing, which seemed to be even worse. I'm glad you all had such positive things to say about it ;). To me, Wiremold is the answer to a question nobody asked.:smile:
 
electricguy61 said:
I installed 80' of plugmold last week in a custom house. 3 days! What a pain! And I was thinking I had bid high @ $20 per ft.​
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I put it in houses all the time. Yeah the stuff takes forever, and even longer to make square, clean cuts with it. $20/ft is cheap. It'll cost you about $10-$12/ft just in materials.
 
GilbeSpark said:
I put it in houses all the time. Yeah the stuff takes forever, and even longer to make square, clean cuts with it.
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If you put in Plugmold all the time, you really need the cutter. Turns an hour job into a 10 minute job, and makes factory slick cuts.

Here's the Wiremold 620 cutter, which does 2000 series raceway and Plugmold:

HPIM0706.jpg


HPIM0705.jpg
 
"Having installed thousands of feet of the standard 4000 series Wiremold I can see how this new stuff would save quite a bit of time. I'm still undecided if I prefer the new look however. And I would really miss using the knuckle buster 4000 Wiremold base and cover cutters. That's always a treat"

Never used the Designer Series, but any exposed work must take more time.

Also have installed many thousands of feet of G-6000. Not exactly surface mounted, just mounted to a field-fabricated stanchion under control room access floors. Mounted the 6000 to 18" pieces of P-2000 strut welded to a 6x6 inch A-36 (plain steel) base plate, then painted with inorganic zinc.

Off topic Hint from Heloise here: if you use a lot of strut, and your spec and application will allow, always use a lesser gage than just plain ole P-1000 (12 gage). 14 and 16 gages are available. Might save a few shekels.

Would not be without those Wiremold base and cover cutters. Great $300 investments at the time (big labor saver). They beat the heck out of those deep throat Portabands, busted blades, crooked cuts, and that steel sawdust. And you don't have to de-burr (as much). Never had any trouble with knuckle busting.

But then, we were the same contractor complaining about minor injuries from those Cadwelds, and you guys mostly did not . . . go figure.

Merry Christmas Everyone and Best Wishes
 
Looks like Marc may have a taste or two of those 'busted knuckles', judging from those EMT handle extenders on his 620. Did you make those Marc, or are they OEM?

Merry Christmas Everyone and Best Wishes
 
HighWirey said:
Looks like Marc may have a taste or two of those 'busted knuckles', judging from those EMT handle extenders on his 620. Did you make those Marc, or are they OEM?
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No, that's how it comes. I think I have pretty much every Wiremold cutter that I know about, and I've never had busted knuckles as a result. I was a bit puzzled when I read that earlier comment. Perhaps some people don't maintain their cutters in good condition? I sorta seems that if the handles were to get loose, worn or bent, you could potentially slam your knuckles against the baseplate as it make the final cut through.
 
After reading these posts I glad I can say that at least it's not just me. :grin: I have grown very distasteful of the whole wire mold process. Never did it for years and I think 3 of the last 4 houses have had them and the next one will, too. Hard to say it is "5 receptacles in 10 hours" hard, but I have been in some agravating installs, so...?

And as a side note, I think Marc is officially the king of the right tools at the right time. I am sure this distinction has been given already, but I thought I would cast it upon him just in case. Your tools are not out of the ordinary, but you seem to have one in your posession for most every occassion. :)
 
OP here. I guess I've been doing commercial work for too long, but after all I'm hearing, why would you use this stuff as opposed to EMT, or even RNC? EMT just looks better (that may be just because I'm an electrician) and can be installed as a surface-mounted raceway in a very short time.

Is Wiremold bendable? I'm assuming the nineties are just fittings somehow. How do you handle situations where you may need a saddle or something similar?
 
Is it bendable? - yeah - if you have the bender for it..... Does it look stupid bent as you would EMT - you betcha.... Can you fit 9 #12's in it - nope...

Wiremold in a custom home means there was no planning what-so-ever IMO.

Will the sound of the word "Wiremold" being said in my presence sound like nails on a chalk board to me - Oh Yeah! I have been told that I visably cringe when the word is said.......
 
I was a little confused at first, but i thnk this is the video he was talking about http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTrZ3o3JBPk
No way that should take 10 hours, even if you've never seen 4000 before and count your lunch and breaks
The pre -wired stuff almost sounds good, but you're counting on the walls being built exactly as shown on the drawings.
 
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