Wall Fishing

MEDIAINSTALLS

what is everyones methods to wall fish speaker wire in the ceiling which is plaster to a utility closet? drop down the wall and use the basement? what is best methods used by others

ABLE1

There is "piece-o-cake", easy, hard, harder, very difficult and "no-way-Jose".

What's your pleasure. Every situation is different. Every different situation requires a different procedure. There is no set rule or favorite. Sometimes you just have to bite the bit and cut in some holes for path ways. Sometimes you don't. Far too many variables.

For my vote every house should have 2x4 drop ceiling on all floors, have 2 each 2" conduit runs from basement to attic, and 12" pipes from main house to any out building.

Tell me your way and I'll tell you mine.

Have a good day.

Les

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ABLE1

GregS

That's a question that leads to a million other questions:

Which way do the joists run?

How are you going to hop the top plate? Cut the ceiling drywall and the wall drywall and then drill the top plate?

Is the wall insulated? Do you have to worry about vapour barrier?

Is the ceiling insulated? Can you just do this through the attic?

If the joists do not run the direction that you need, can you run it parallel with them down/up to the next floor and then over? If not, can you cut the ceiling between each joist and then drill it?


Best case scenario:
Joists run parallel to an interior wall.
Cut your hole for the speaker.
Cut your wallplate hole for a volume control on the wall at the end of a joist run.
Use a long flex bit and drill up into the wall where the volume goes through the top plate.
Stick your head (or a mirror) into the speaker hole and see if you can see where you drilled up.
Use some flex-rods to push wire over and try and snag it with another flex rod going up.


Worst case scenario:
Main floor
Plaster ceiling with decorative 'swirls'
Joists run the wrong way
Walls filled with insulation
Finished basement

MEDIAINSTALLS

there are a million ways and a million questions that led to each way.

older home plaster ceiling bedrooms above (never know what you will find in the walls). all the wires are going to a closet where all the equipment is going. handheld lcd remote is being used instead of volume controls.

the plan is cut for the speaker wire follow the joists over to a wall and drop the wire down into the basement and back up to the closet. lots of flex rods string w/ glowrods to pave some light if needed in the ceiling.

I just was hoping not to punch some unneeded holes---which brought up the question.

and if i had my way i would vote for drop ceiling as well...and those are not always easy either.

ABLE1

Let's start a movement. We could have a march on Washington and call it "The Drop Ceiling for Every House March".

Good luck,

Les

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ABLE1

JohnJ0906

I've never cut an unnecessary hole......

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John from Baltimore
"One Day at a Time"
All replies based on the 2008 NEC

ChillaWatt

If it's lath and plaster it's probably old and you should beware of the cut-in diagonal bracing which can play havoc when making drops. A sharp 3/4 inch bell hangar bit is a must.

cableman

Me either, not this week.. Oh dang that's a lie too...