My old journeyman's trick for fish tape still saves me time

I was running a new circuit through an old house in Portland last week and got stuck at a tight corner in the attic. Instead of fighting the fish tape for 20 minutes, I remembered how my journeyman back in '92 would tape a small washer to the tip. It gave just enough weight to drop straight down through the insulation without snagging. Has anyone else tried something simple like that that just works better than the fancy tools?

2 comments

2 Comments

dianab681mo ago

Man, isn't that always the way? The simple stuff beats the fancy crap every time. I notice it all around me, not just in electrical work. Like my grandma's old cast iron pan cooks better than any nonstick coating they sell now, and my buddy still tunes up his 90s pickup with a screwdriver and a feeler gauge. We overcomplicate everything these days when a washer on a fish tape or a few drops of oil on a squeaky hinge does the job perfect. It's like we forgot that the best tools are usually the ones you already have in your hand.

hugo_jones21mo ago

Grandma's cast iron and a 90s pickup, that's the real gold standard right there, @dianab68. Everything else is just a shiny distraction to separate you from your cash.