# Southwire Marksman Tool



## JoeKP (Nov 16, 2009)

If you got the ideal tape from their website they will give you a free tshirt. But I'd also like to know the use of the marksman.


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## gotshokd666 (Oct 17, 2012)

JoeKP said:


> If you got the ideal tape from their website they will give you a free tshirt. But I'd also like to know the use of the marksman.


I'm sending in a fiberglass one to repair the head. Think that counts!?


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## JoeKP (Nov 16, 2009)

gotshokd666 said:


> I'm sending in a fiberglass one to repair the head. Think that counts!?


You never know


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## eejack (Jul 14, 2012)

The marksman is an awesome layout tool. Originally in blue they were designed by an electrician and made in the US...that company was bought out by Maxis...who in turn made them in red and also in the US.

Southwire bought Maxis and now produce the Marksman in Southwire brown - no idea if it is US made or not but a buddy of mine says it matches the original as far as quality ( I have not used one of the new ones yet ).

If you are laying out panels or boxes or troughs it is an awesome time saver and removes math errors. I'll add it to my apprentice gift box at $25.


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## gotshokd666 (Oct 17, 2012)

eejack said:


> The marksman is an awesome layout tool. Originally in blue they were designed by an electrician and made in the US...that company was bought out by Maxis...who in turn made them in red and also in the US.
> 
> Southwire bought Maxis and now produce the Marksman in Southwire brown - no idea if it is US made or not but a buddy of mine says it matches the original as far as quality ( I have not used one of the new ones yet ).
> 
> If you are laying out panels or boxes or troughs it is an awesome time saver and removes math errors. I'll add it to my apprentice gift box at $25.


Thanks. Two things that jumped out at me - firstly if I understood the instructions step 3 is redundant. Once you mark the strut line and the conduit line you already have the center line. Am I missing something? Second, sometimes the box/ or panel has dimples on the back where it gets mounted to the wall. How does that affect your marks, being that the box now isn't flush with the wall?


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## halfamp (Jul 16, 2012)

Am I missing something or is that just about the worst meter you could own?


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## gotshokd666 (Oct 17, 2012)

halfamp said:


> Am I missing something or is that just about the worst meter you could own?


Nope. But there's a GC I know that always wants to buy meters - he thinks he's an electrician. I can unload it on him for $100!!


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

Search YouTube, I know there is a video on how to use the Marksman.


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## eejack (Jul 14, 2012)

gotshokd666 said:


> Thanks. Two things that jumped out at me - firstly if I understood the instructions step 3 is redundant. Once you mark the strut line and the conduit line you already have the center line. Am I missing something? Second, sometimes the box/ or panel has dimples on the back where it gets mounted to the wall. How does that affect your marks, being that the box now isn't flush with the wall?


Step 3 gives you the center from the strut line to punch...you put your line in the alignment window and mark the pipe center based on the pipe size.

If your box is off the wall a bit you need to account for it - either by marking normally and spacing the strut off the wall the same amount or by moving the line back on the panel a touch - just like you would if you were laying out without this tool.

Here is a video for the Maxis version...


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## gotshokd666 (Oct 17, 2012)

eejack said:


> Step 3 gives you the center from the strut line to punch...you put your line in the alignment window and mark the pipe center based on the pipe size.
> 
> If your box is off the wall a bit you need to account for it - either by marking normally and spacing the strut off the wall the same amount or by moving the line back on the panel a touch - just like you would if you were laying out without this tool.
> 
> Here is a video for the Maxis version...


Got it now. Thanks! Now I gotta get me one of these!!


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## eejack (Jul 14, 2012)

I got my hands on one today - very similar to the original Marksman minus a centering mark the original has.

Considering it is a Southwire product it does not seem too bad, fit and finish is decent...the color is a bad choice as it makes the embedded white marks hard to read - they could have went with a higher contrasting color.


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## gotshokd666 (Oct 17, 2012)

eejack said:


> I got my hands on one today - very similar to the original Marksman minus a centering mark the original has.
> 
> Considering it is a Southwire product it does not seem too bad, fit and finish is decent...the color is a bad choice as it makes the embedded white marks hard to read - they could have went with a higher contrasting color.


I've never used the original one, so I'm not sure exactly what the difference is, but I'm still planning on buying it. Next time I'm in Lowe's...

On a side note, after watching the you tube clip for the marksman, I saw a clip for their 'speedset' level. Also looked like a decent tool. I'm sure it can help me bend pipe better, the problem is I might never actually perfect my pipe-bending skills...


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## Spunk#7 (Nov 30, 2012)

Interesting tool! For lay-out stuff I've always used an older gadget called a marking guage. They have been around for a long time,never wear out,and adjust for variations. Keeps it simple.


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## LB_Electric (Jan 27, 2013)

Just got the southwire one from lowes. Theresa mark for 5/8 which I think u use if there are 1/4 dimples one the back on the panel. That would give u 7/8 for thin strut I think not 100% positive tho.


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## antique electrician (Apr 16, 2012)

The time saved using this gadget could be used cleaning off all the marker ink.


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## fanelle (Nov 27, 2011)

gotshokd666 said:


> I've never used the original one, so I'm not sure exactly what the difference is, but I'm still planning on buying it. Next time I'm in Lowe's...
> 
> On a side note, after watching the you tube clip for the marksman, I saw a clip for their 'speedset' level. Also looked like a decent tool. I'm sure it can help me bend pipe better, the problem is I might never actually perfect my pipe-bending skills...



The speedset level is made to work with the marksman. I have both and find them very well made. The speed set has a thumb on it that you can use as a gauge to keep your pipe spacing. The marksman spacing guide is set up to give you that space between the conduits when you use it for the layout. I wish I did more new installs so I could break them out more.


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## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

gotshokd666 said:


> I'm sending in a fiberglass one to repair the head. Think that counts!?


where do you send it. i have one that needs that too.


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## Chevyman30571 (Jan 30, 2009)

fanelle said:


> The speedset level is made to work with the marksman. I have both and find them very well made. The speed set has a thumb on it that you can use as a gauge to keep your pipe spacing. The marksman spacing guide is set up to give you that space between the conduits when you use it for the layout. I wish I did more new installs so I could break them out more.


The speed set level made by southwire is worthless as a level. It works great for consistent bending. I went through 3 of them and with all 3 the level was off. Complete waste of money. Learn how to bend pipe without. Your better off. About the only thing worth getting from southwire besides wire is the marksman. Everything else is crap. I wrote to southwire and they never got back to. Just goes to show you how much a company cares about and stands behind their product.


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## StaticFilter (Jul 11, 2013)

Received a maxis marksman with all the tools they gave us at our IEC Graduation Banquet... Probably never going to use it, been punching cans with a speed square for 7 years, old habits...


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## fanelle (Nov 27, 2011)

Chevyman30571 said:


> The speed set level made by southwire is worthless as a level. It works great for consistent bending. I went through 3 of them and with all 3 the level was off. Complete waste of money. Learn how to bend pipe without. Your better off. About the only thing worth getting from southwire besides wire is the marksman. Everything else is crap. I wrote to southwire and they never got back to. Just goes to show you how much a company cares about and stands behind their product.


I actually bought both the speed set and marksman from maxis a few years ago. I never used the level as a level. I have only used it as a spacer gauge when I use my marksman. I have a greenlee electricians level that I use as a level when I need one. I did use it once to try and level a 1900 box but I got aggravated with its week magnets and switched back to my greenlee.


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

We have had a few Southwire fiberglass tapes, complete friggen garbage. Lowe's was the only place close to my job, I had a new van and not everything made it into it, and I needed a tape for pulling wire. Went over, to find they no longer had any Ideal tapes, so got what they had. 

Got back to the job and hooked it up, head pulled off. Went back to Lowes and exchanged it, same thing. Went back to Lowes and returned it, drove the 45 min. to the supply house and picked up an Ideal. Pulled it in with no problems.

I would like to say it taught me a valuable lesson to make sure I have everything before I head out for the day, but it actually taught me to never buy a damn thing from Southwire.


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## TQuade (Jan 22, 2010)

Southwire is garbage I bought two wire baskets and loaded them up today and the first one wouldn't grab and the second one pulled halfway and then it slipped off


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## fanelle (Nov 27, 2011)

I haven't used the southwire pulling basket but I have used the southwire CSPH or circuit size pulling head. I think it works great. I used it a few times without any problems.

http://www.southwiretools.com/tools/tools/CSPH1


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## TQuade (Jan 22, 2010)

I've used something like that before from racky they call it a snatch strap it works good but I usualy end up staggering wires on our pull line cause I can't find it so I figured I'd try somethin new today need less to say where that basket ended up


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## fanelle (Nov 27, 2011)

Yea. I usually make up a mini pull head like you would use on larger wire if I need to pull more then the southwire ocph can hold then I still do that.

Did you tape your baskets before you started pulling?


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## TQuade (Jan 22, 2010)

Na that's the whole reason why I bought them


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## ZZDoug (Apr 30, 2008)

Chevyman30571 said:


> The speed set level made by southwire is worthless as a level. It works great for consistent bending. I went through 3 of them and with all 3 the level was off.


I sent my first one back to them and the replacement was just as inaccurate as the first. Sent the second one back with a note telling them to check the replacement before sending it..... and never got the third one. Maybe they searched their warehouse and couldnt find an accurate one. I wasnt expecting a 2 inch level to be super accurate but it should at least be close. Just eyeballing it would be much closer to level than those things.


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