# Greenlee flex bits



## knothole (Mar 10, 2007)

Does anyone use the Greenlee flex bit for getting romex around and in and out of, and drill behind, finished walls? What are your thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Danny


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## sundogusa (Jan 22, 2007)

They work great! No problems!


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## BryanMD (Dec 31, 2007)

sundogusa said:


> They work great! No problems!



When I know you all better I tell you what a problem with them can be.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Definately worth the money to invest in a couple.

Be sure to get the placement tool as well.


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

480 beat me to it. The placement tool is a MUST!

The guy in the pic is using it all wrong though. :laughing:

Bryan, it's all good. Do tell.........


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## nap (Dec 26, 2007)

hopefully the pic is simply to show the intent. If they were using it correctly, obviously most of the tool would not be seen.

I don't have one of those tools but I have used a piece of conduit with a proper bend in it to guide the bit. Probably doesn;t work as good as the tool does but it did do what I needed when I needed it.


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## BryanMD (Dec 31, 2007)

Speedy Petey said:


> Bryan, it's all good. Do tell.......


I was an apprentice and new to working with this JM doing a heavy up and panel change IIRC. He left me alone to go fetch some tool or material with an instruction to bore a pilot hole near the sill plate...

Long story short, the end of the flex bit ended up through the (hardwood) dining room floor and in the leg of an allegedly antique chair. There may have been a Persian rug too.

To his credit he never really blamed me for it but I still shudder whenever I so much as see a flex bit.


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## gilbequick (Oct 6, 2007)

They're a handy thing to have around.

Be careful about running them too fast while you're bending it a good bit. It'll heat up and snap at the bend point if you're not careful. I've snapped 2 of them like that so far. 

Because of heat I'd think, I also had one where the drill/auger part of the drill bit separated from the shaft. 

I've never liked that placement tool, for myself I can do a better job placing and controlling the bit by hand.


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

gilbequick said:


> I've never liked that placement tool, for myself I can do a better job placing and controlling the bit by hand.


A piece of EMT with a nice bend on it works well ...:thumbsup: ...save your paw for playing cards.


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## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

How 'bout this. 

Get you a piece of 1/2 Pex tubing just shorter than the shaft length of your flex-bit. 
Slide your bit in and leave it. You can hold it tight and drill and the bit will never burn through the Pex, and your hands stay unhurt.
You can also slide it on the bit after placing it in the wall. The wall does not get all chewed up if the bit bounces around a little. 
:thumbsup:


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## DPDT (Nov 3, 2007)

That one goes in my book speedy. Nice one.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

The placement tool image is from Greenlee's web site.

So it shows the tool, not how to use it. When used correctly, most of the tool is in the wall.

I also use this same tool for getting my green fish sticks to go where I want them to.


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## Bkessler (Feb 14, 2007)

I keep two with me at all times But, they can get away from you if your not careful. You never know whats on the other side of that first floor ceiling joist. I try and use it as little as possible. I do like using the irvin long 16" paddle bits.


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## randomkiller (Sep 28, 2007)

Speedy Petey said:


> How 'bout this.
> 
> Get you a piece of 1/2 Pex tubing just shorter than the shaft length of your flex-bit.
> Slide your bit in and leave it. You can hold it tight and drill and the bit will never burn through the Pex, and your hands stay unhurt.
> ...


 
I like that one, thanks.


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## randomkiller (Sep 28, 2007)

Celtic said:


> A piece of EMT with a nice bend on it works well ...:thumbsup: ...save your paw for playing cards.


 
Conduit doesn't cause as much drag on the bit as their placement tool either. I used to spray the bit with WD 40, but now I think I'm gonna try the Pex jacket.


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## randomkiller (Sep 28, 2007)

Has anyone used the masonary bit and liked it?


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## John (Jan 22, 2007)

I use them all the time, just don't do this.:whistling2: :laughing: 
View attachment 341


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## sundogusa (Jan 22, 2007)

PEX, huh? I'll give it a try. I do have hte placement tool...forgot about that!
Best use I ever had was installing can lights in 1st floor ceiling with bedroom above. Cut the 8 6" holes, then used loooong flex bit to go between openings. Owner thought I was the greatest. Didn't booger-up the ceiling.
"FREE ADVICE" That 90 degree angle in Greenlee's picture is a good way to make a mess. Try to limit the angle as much as possible. Try to drill straight down. You'll have better control of the bit.


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## sundogusa (Jan 22, 2007)

John said:


> I use them all the time, just don't do this.:whistling2: :laughing:
> View attachment 341


OOPS!
(Blame the plumber!)


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## KayJay (Jan 20, 2008)

knothole said:


> Does anyone use the Greenlee flex bit for getting romex around and in and out of, and drill behind, finished walls? What are your thoughts? Thanks in advance.
> 
> 
> The Diversibits do come in longer lengths for drilling up through the bottom and out the top of stud bays if that’s what you mean.
> ...


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## knothole (Mar 10, 2007)

Thanks for the responses, I guess I'll have to pick up one.


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## te12co2w (Jun 3, 2007)

John said:


> I use them all the time, just don't do this.:whistling2: :laughing:
> View attachment 341


This is the kind of thing I've done a few times too many, about 5 or 6. I am real leery about those things now. I broke my last remaining bit and haven't replaced it yet. Indespensible when needed, but like all tools, they must be used correctly.


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## gilbequick (Oct 6, 2007)

I've drilled across dozens of ceiling (without being able to see what's in them, obviously) and only hit anything else once....well twice, sorta. Once the bit flexed up and went up through the floor above, luckily there was carpet up there and when the bit was backed out you couldn't tell the bit went through even staring at it. The other time I hit a wire (14-2). I was being careful when drilling and all of a sudden the lights went out, I knew I hit a wire and stopped fast. Luckily all it did was skin the sheathing and not damage the wire at all. 

The odd thing is, both times I hit something it was in MY OWN house!

Bottom line is, that's just the chance you take when using these things.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

I have and use several of them all the time. I find them very useful, I have two pieces of conduit with bends to locate the bit inside a wall without the placement tool that I don't care for too much.


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## leland (Dec 28, 2007)

I use them quite a bit. Especialy nice for alarm work, getting the wies up to the windows.

Never tried it in a ceiling (aafraid of hittig wires tacked to the floor joist.

Besides, all our ceilings here are strapped off with 3/4,so snakeing is pretty easy.


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## BryanMD (Dec 31, 2007)

gilbequick said:


> Bottom line is, that's just the chance you take when using these things.


Just don't take the chance of leaving a unsupervised apprentice around them when you happen to have taken them out of the truck just because they were in the way...


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