# Sticky  Tips & Tricks



## Speedy Petey

How about this. Let's start a Tips & Tricks thread. 
I'll make it a sticky and we'll see how it goes.
I'll start with a copy of a post I made in a lighting thread (pretty off-topic over there).

** DISCLAIMER: Use any tips here at your own risk. Use common sense and trust your instincts if you are not comfortable with any procedure. These tips are to help us, NOT get us hurt. 
I trust anyone posting tips will keep them within the bounds of good judgment. Thanks.**



_
When drilling 1/2 & 3/4 conduit hole saws (7/8" & 1 1/8"), put a big 1/4" fender washer between the saw and the material. This way when the pilot bit goes through if you can hold it back the teeth do not "grab" the material and break the pilot bit. The washer just spins. :thumbsup:


Also: 
__Use__ Lenox cutting oil when using a hole saw in metal. __This stuff is AMAZING__!!!__ 
It comes in small squirt bottles and is usually right near the holes saws on the rack. __:thumbsup:_


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## 480sparky

*Hole Saws in drywall*

Ever have an occasion to use a hole saw to drill drywall? Drywall can really kill the teeth of a hole saw.

But run your drill in reverse. It may take a couple more seconds to drill the hole, but the cutting edge of your saws' teeth aren't getting ruined by the abrasiveness of the drywall.





Speedy: I like this idea... but let's add a disclaimer about safety. That's something there should be no short-cuts on.

Anything that can save us time, aggravation and blood can't be all that bad!


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## Speedy Petey

Good idea 480. :thumbsup: On both counts.


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## sparkysteve

When fishing walls, use some jack chain rather than string. It walks right through insulation, block, etc. because it's heavier. You can pull on it nice and hard without breaking it too.

Another favorite: Space contuits on unistrut with a roll of electrical tape between them. No measuring.


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## MDShunk

on 1/4-20 thread, screw it on tight then unscrew. The threads will now be like new. Use a blue wirenut on 3/8-16 thread.

Amps. By Multiplication: Dividing shortcut, Hey if your like me, when you’re trying to figure out how many amps. a piece of Equipment draws, long division is a hassle and I usually get it wrong, but multiplying is a lot easier. Well with this shortcut you can use multiplication instead of division to divide watts by volts.
Example: usual way to figure how many amps. in 5000 watts with a voltage of 120 volts is to
divide 5000/120=41.66 amps.
Shortcut : You multiply the watts 5000 by the reciprocal of 120 which will give you the same answer as dividing.
The reciprocals for these voltages are 120=.008333
208=.004807
230=.004347
277=.003610
480=.002083
Shortcut Example:
watts x reciprocal=amps
5000 x .008333=41.66
5000 x .004807=24.03
5000 x .004347=21.73
5000 x .003610=18.05
5000 x .002083=10.41
By the way to get the reciprocal of a number divide 1 by the number you want the reciprocal of the result is the reciprocal

Anti-itch Remedy For Insulation: How often do you have to work in an attic or lay in ceiling that has insulation? Well, there is a remedy that will keep the itch a way. Take a bottle of baby powder or corn starch and apply it to your hands, arms, neck and a face (be carefull not to get in your eyes). The powder protects your skin from the insulation and prevents the irritation and
itching

Locating Locations In Attic With Ease: After your customer decides where they want the new devices installed in existing drywalls, you can drill (or nail) a 1/8 hole at these locations into the attic (or floor), push a bare #14 CU about 3 feet long into the 1/8 hole then go into the attic or crawl space and locate where you want to drill the hole. The shinny copper wire is really visible with flashlight in dark attics or crawlspaces.

Use a Ballon to Plug Unused Conduits: An inexpensive way to plug unused conduits is to use a balloon and spray foam. First the balloons were blown up to fit the conduit snugly and then the balloon was pushed about 6 inches back into the conduit and then filled with foam. The conduits can be opened easily for future use.


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## 480sparky

Ever need to run a machine nut a long way up or down a piece of all-thread?

Take your HandyMans' Secret Weapon (ordinary duct tape) and wrap 3 or 4 layers sticky-side out around the chuck of your cordless. Lightly press the tape against the nut, and, with the drill set for the proper direction (CW/CCW) just pull the trigger and try to keep up!

I mean, this is *really *fast! A foot every one or two seconds once you get the hang of it.


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## TOOL_5150

Using stranded wire on screw terminals:

1) Use your strippers to strip about 1-1/4" of insulation off - but DONT totally remove it, just make about 1/2 to 3/4 of wire show. 

2) Twist the strands CCW [anti-clockwise :laughing: ]

3) bend the wire around the screw.

4) tighten screw and take your dikes and cut the remaining little piece of wire off.

It works, and if you do it right - it works WELL!

~Matt


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## Speedy Petey

On the same theme as Marc's 1/8" hole and #14. 
Take an ordinary wire coat hanger. Every place has them around.
Cut out the whole long horizontal part with your *****; square on one end and at a 45 deg angle on the other. This makes a perfect drill bit for placing holes to drill up through a plate into a wall. This can be a tedious chore finding the center of a wall from below. 
Drill the "bit" through the floor right against the drywall or base moulding. If the floor is hardwood try to find a small defect, crack or knot to drill into. A bit of floor dust can later hide the hole easily.
Go down below and find the hanger, measure in the direction of the wall and drill up with a regular bit. Perfect placement every time. :thumbsup:


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## 480sparky

Speedy Petey said:


> Take an ordinary wire coat hanger. Every place has them around.


I do the same thing. They go through about anything except masonry. The only trick is not to put too much pressure on it or it will just fold on you. Take your time and let the drill do the work.


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## MDShunk

The heavier ceiling grid support wire that they use on commercial jobs is good for that too. I try to keep a long piece of that on the truck, because it works good to fish in styrofoam insulated walls too. I think it's about #12 steel wire; basicly like coat hanger wire.


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## MDShunk

90° Bends Simplified: When bending a 90° bend on a sidewall or a chicago bender and you do not do the deduction for that size pipe. Try this... Let's say you need a 36 90° on a piece of 2 inch conduit. Put a mark at 36 inches and then deduct the size pipe., which is 2 inches and put a mark there. Now put the pipe into the bender and take a level and line up the back of the shoe, on the lip (not in the shoe) with your mark and bend. You will now have a 36 90° without having to know the deduction. This trick works with all sizes. Just make sure you put your level on the lip of the shoe not inside the shoe.

Use Bender To Bend PVC: You can bend PVC pipe with a bender also! I have found that if you bend it to 90 degrees you will get a 45. It seems to work out pretty close to half of the degrees you bend it at. You will have to make 2 bends to get a 90 but it is MUCH FASTER than heating the pipe! I haven't tried it on any pipe larger than 1 inch but I would guess that as the pipe gets bigger, the maximum degrees that you would be able to use this method would decrease. Another handy way is to find something that resembles the degrees you want and lay the pipe on it and let the sun COOK it if you have time before it needs to be installed. Anything to make life easier since we are such HARD WORKERS!

How to repair bent/kinked fish tape: Every wireman and contractor has struggled with a bent or kinked fishtape. Often, the damaged tape is discarded, and a new one purchased. The next time you are faced with this problem, try the following:
Drive 8 or 10 16- or 20-penny nail in a straight line into a block of wood, at least 12 long, a post or anything that can be secured. The nail should be about 3/4 to 1 apart. Next, unwind the fish tape completely and weave it through the nails at the reel end. Now, pull the length of the fish tape through the nails. It may be necessary to repeat the steps two to three times until it is bent/kink free.

Drywall Biscuits For Old Work: When we need to notch a stud or fireblock to run flex/Romex in a wall, we use the hole saws to cut down on the mess and to make the repair easier later. Find the center of the stud. Drill through the drywall with a 3 hole saw, and save the round biscuit for patching later. Don't drill out the stud yet. Switch to a 1 1/2 (EMT size) hole saw and plunge drill the stud far enough to get your flex/Romex in. Knock out the round wooden plug with a chisel. The 3 biscuit opening should give you enough room reach in and fish your wire from stud cavity to stud cavity. Once you get your wire in, nail a Dottie plate over the notch you have made and glue the drywall biscuit back in.

How To Keep Blueprints Wrinkle-Free: Cut a scrap piece of 2 or 2 1/2 pVC conduit a few inches longer than your blueprint, make and fasten a wooden plug in one end using three screws, and smooth the other end with sandpaper. Now you can keep your blueprints behind the seat or in the gangbox without their getting wrinkled or torn.


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## philtx

An addendum to Speedy's washer on a hole saw is, when using a cordless drill with a hole saw on smaller holes and the drill has a clutch adjustment: 

Turn the the clutch down to the lowest number just to get the pilot bit through. When the hole saw teeth hit, the clutch will slip. Then turn the clutch back up when ready to drill


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## philtx

In reading the idea about locating "stub ups" in the attic from inside walls, something I have wondered about for some time...would someone critique this please. 

You are working alone in a house and wanting to install a switch in an interior wall. You cut out for your switch box, tape some cardboard around the opening to keep from damaging the wall and then take one of the 4-6 ft. 5/8" flex shaft bits that Greenlee sells, work it into the switch opening until you feel it hit the ceiling plate. Then chuck up a drill to the bit and slowly begin drilling. As soon as you sense it go throught the plate, go into the attic and see if you can find it. Hopefully you have brought some wire with you, if all goes well, hook it onto the hole in the end of the bit, pull off enough slack to reach the switch, go back down and pull the bit/wire out. 

Give me a minute to get my NOMEX on ...... OK, whatcha think?


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## MDShunk

philtx said:


> You are working alone in a house and wanting to install a switch in an interior wall. You cut out for your switch box, tape some cardboard around the opening to keep from damaging the wall and then take one of the 4-6 ft. 5/8" flex shaft bits that Greenlee sells, work it into the switch opening until you feel it hit the ceiling plate. Then chuck up a drill to the bit and slowly begin drilling. As soon as you sense it go throught the plate, go into the attic and see if you can find it. Hopefully you have brought some wire with you, if all goes well, hook it onto the hole in the end of the bit, pull off enough slack to reach the switch, go back down and pull the bit/wire out.
> 
> Give me a minute to get my NOMEX on ...... OK, whatcha think?


Hey, it's nice in theory. I've tried it myself. Trouble is, you need to run the bit to get it back down through the hole, and you twist off the attached romex. Particularly through the double top plate. Greenlee makes a special pulling grip that attaches onto the little hole in the end of the flex bit that will "spin" and not twist up the wire. When I lost two of these due to failures at 20 bucks a pop, I quit using that method.

Consequently, I almost never cut out a switchbox opening before I scope out the situation from above first. I find the top plate from the attic and drill my hole first. Then, I shove a sufficient amount of fish stick down the wall to determine if I even have a path. Then, and only then, will I cut in the box opening. Sure, it involves a little more back and fourth, but it has saved me from screwing myself many times.


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## 480sparky

philtx said:


> In reading the idea about locating "stub ups" in the attic from inside walls, something I have wondered about for some time...would someone critique this please.


I've done this many times. You can go down to the sill plate as well. Having A Greenlee 712P helps, too.:


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## TOOL_5150

480sparky said:


> I've done this many times. You can go down to the sill plate as well. Having A Greenlee 712P helps, too.:


Has any one used that "handle" for the flex bits, and do they really help? Every time I go by them in the store but I never buy it.

~Matt


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## MDShunk

TOOL_5150 said:


> Has any one used that "handle" for the flex bits, and do they really help? Every time I go by them in the store but I never buy it.


Yeah, that "placement tool" is the only way I've been able to successfully use the flex bits therough the device box location. I seldom use the flex bits anyhow. When I do, it's mostly to get through a fire block.


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## Speedy Petey

You definitely need one. It's the only way to even try to get the bit centered in the wall cavity. 
That pic is WAY off though. The tool needs to be all the way down the bit. Having it completely out of the hole does nothing. After the placement tool the bit is absolutely straight.


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## 480sparky

TOOL_5150 said:


> Has any one used that "handle" for the flex bits, and do they really help? Every time I go by them in the store but I never buy it.
> 
> ~Matt


Abosutely! If you're trying to add a recep in the wall near the floor, you can't get the flex bit bent enough for it to come out in the basement. Without this, you'll end up drilling a hole outside.

Sorry for the 'way off' pix, but it's from Greenlee's web site. I suppose they show it this way because it shows the entire tool, not just the handle.

Edit to add: The placement tool also works if you need to 'aim' your fishing rod/stick as well.


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## 480sparky

Production PVC bends:

If you've got a lot of identical bends to make in PVC conduits, make a template with EMT first. Then when you take the PVC out of the hot box, you can use the EMT as a 'form' to bend the PVC. Even if you are bending different sizes of PVC, all the bends will be the same.


'Morse' Code

When two electricians are pulling wire through a conduit run, and they are too far apart to talk to each other (or it's too noisy), use a "Morse Code" type system to communicate. One 'tug' means "Stop," two tugs means "I'm ready. Go," three tugs means "We're here. Stop now." This obviously only works with pulling by hand, but if properly understood by both parties, it can be a very effective means of communication.


Making holes in drywall for toggle bolts:

If you've got to put a lot of holes in drywall for inserting toggle bolts, use a 10- to 18-inch piece of 1/2" or 3/4" EMT. Cut one end at a 45-degree angle. Strike the sqaure end with a hammer, and in a few swings you'll have a nice, neat, round hole. It's easy to carry around all day (lighter than a cordless drill/driver), saves money by not dulling drill bits and hole saws, and is quick and easy to replace if you destroy or lose it. I've put up scores of flourescent lights in motels with this method.


No more 'floaters'!

If the drywall hangers got a little ambitious when they cut the hole around your box, and the devices' strap won't reach the drywall, take a scrap of #14 or #12 wire, wrap it around your #2 phillips screwdriver shaft and make a 'spring'. Cut it to length (needed to reach the strap to the box), and place it around the devices' 6-32 screw. No more 'floaters' and broken cover plates!


Handy note pad:

Have you ever needed to write down more information than you can remember? Try this; the next time you visit the local home improvement center, grab a sample white kitchen counter top laminate sample. Cut it to fit the side of your tape measure, and glue it on. The next time you need to make some quick notes, use a pencil, and you've got a handy, yet convenient notepad. This comes in handy when you measure for multiple conduit bends, panel layouts, even phone numbers. When you're done, wipe it off with your finger!


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## macmikeman

Carry an Olympus voice recorder around in your pocket and you can make hours of voice notes . For instance, one folder for recording how long typical tasks takes you to accomplish. Use another folder to record pipe measurements, another to record voice notes about what you need to bring to the job when you come back to it, you get it...


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## wayni

MDShunk said:


> on 1/4-20 thread, screw it on tight then unscrew. The threads will now be like new. Use a blue wirenut on 3/8-16 thread.


 
What color for 1/4-20 rod? Your post doesn't say and I'm anxious to try this out. 

Thanks!


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## 220/221

I have HUNDREDS. Where to start?

Trying to get a KO out of the back of an installed box? Run a short self tapper into the appropriate place and grab it with your sidecuts/needlenose.

Ever have to wrap rigid pipe?

Lay it on flat ground (concrete/asphalt). Start your tape at one end (left side for right handers). Give it one wrap to secure it, pull out about 4-5 feet at a 45 degree angle and roll the conduit with your foot as you keep the tape taut and move it along to the other end. Once you get the hang of it, it's WAY faster than even a threader head.

Running lots of (smaller) PVC? Glue as much as you can together from ONE spot. Lay the PVC with the belled ends behind you. Tape the leading end of the first piece to keep debris out and slide it away from you. Put glue on 4 or five ends at a time, couple together, slide down and repeat. If you have a hard surface and limited obstruction you can put together 100' plus feet of pipe from one location. No laying out individual pieces and bending down in the dirt every 10 feet and the chance of getting debris in the conduit is seriously reduced. I think I am the only one who has figured this one out.

Removing a remodel style recessed can? Use a short piece of fish tape with an "L" bent into it. Stick it in he clip and pull down.

Cutting an emt stub with wires in it? If you can't use a tubing cutter you can slip a smaller piece of emt over the wires to protect them and sawsall away.

Have to fish a long distance thru an attic or grid ceiling? Use 1/2 " PVC, tape together at the belled ends one at a time as you manuver/ push them towad your destination. You can do 30/40 feet easily. 50/60 feet in good conditions.

Crap. It's 1 AM and I have to work tomorrow.


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## sparkysteve

Here's a table that came on the back of a business card that came with my do-dog level. I keep it in my wallet, and it comes in very handy.


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## 480sparky

*Divide and conquer!*

Ever have a bunch of receptacles that there's a short in the circuit?

DON"T start at one end and work you way to the other. You'll end up taking 3/4th of them apart before finding the short.

Take a minute and imagine how it was originally wired. Chances are, it's close to the way you would do it. Now try to find what you think is the receptacle in the middle of the circuit. Take it apart and check for a short.

If the short still trips the breaker, the problem is between you and the panel. If the problem goes away, it's further downstream.... Either way, you've eliminated half the circuit already! 

Continue breaking the remaining portion of the circuit in half. Even if there's 20 devices in the circuit, you can isolate the problem by checking just 3 or 4 of them.


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## CADPoint

*another way to straighten a tape*



MDShunk said:


> How to repair bent/kinked fish tape: Every wireman and contractor has struggled with a bent or kinked fishtape. Often, the damaged tape is discarded, and a new one purchased. The next time you are faced with this problem, try the following:
> Drive 8 or 10 16- or 20-penny nail in a straight line into a block of wood, at least 12 long, a post or anything that can be secured. The nail should be about 3/4 to 1 apart. Next, unwind the fish tape completely and weave it through the nails at the reel end. Now, pull the length of the fish tape through the nails. It may be necessary to repeat the steps two to three times until it is bent/kink free.


Variable on this theme,use a scrap piece of 1/2" or 3/4" EMT back of end of Pipe 5"+ - bend a 45º, go 3-4" bend another 45º, 
then go out 7-8" for another 45º a total of 3 hips and valley and bend the last 45º staight (to match beginning)
-\/\/\/- Basiclly looks like the high tech bar bell for weights, works great and one might have to straighten out or run a metal fish through a few times, but it will take most of them out


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## 480sparky

Always pack a digital camera, and don't be afraid to use it!

Pix of a garage before sheetrock:









Pix after Sheetrock:









By having the 'before' photo, I knew exactly where to cut them out!


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## JohnJ0906

A camera is also a good way to document damages before repair.


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## 480sparky

JohnJ0906 said:


> A camera is also a good way to document damages before repair.


Or damages due to shipping.


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## JohnJ0906

480sparky said:


> Or damages due to shipping.


I have never thought of that. That is a durn good idea! :thumbsup:


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## Speedy Petey

On a note from another thread...

I have a Palm T/X and a Treo 680 phone. I got a program called LectriCalc for them. It's a very cool little program that does TONS of calculations and formulas. It's like an Ugly's book in my phone.
Along with the Palm OS program it also came with a desktop version for my laptop.


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## Resiguy

Back to back 90's made quick and easy....

Measure the distance from connector to connector, add 7" to that, then cut the pipe at that mark. Bend 90's in toward each other at both ends of the pipe. You'll have a perfect back to back run without any couplings inbetween. This works using 1/2" conduit.


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## leftyguitarjoe

Wiring multi-gang boxes:

Lets say you have a 4 gang with 8 pieces of 2 wire coming in the top and 8 more on the bottom (a REALLY cramped box). Make up all grounds first. To get the other wires neatly out of your way, fold the wires coming in from the top down to the bottom, and the opposite for the wires coming in from the bottom. Neutrals next. Be careful not to cross circuits. Try to stagger the wirenuts so that not all of them are behind where a device will be. To shove wires into the box without damaging them, use the handle of a hammer, but make sure it is rubber coated. And most importantly.....

ONE WIRE AT A TIME.
and label wires. there are alot of scabs that don't.


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## brian john

Lefty:

Do yourself a favor drop that word SCAB..


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## TOOL_5150

brian john said:


> Lefty:
> 
> Do yourself a favor drop that word SCAB..


What does it mean? Is it a slur or racial comment?

Havent heard that word used before.

~Matt


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## brian john

Typically it is a derogatory term utilized by Union members for open shop workers.


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## Resiguy

brian john said:


> Typically it is a derogatory term utilized by Union members for open shop workers.


Not nessesarly a derogatory term if you know true the meaning of it. At least not where I come from.
Dictionary.com defines it as follows...
*scab* _noun, verb, _*scabbed, scab·bing. *
_–noun _4.a worker who refuses to join a labor union or to participate in a union strike, who takes a striking worker's place on the job, or the like.

I don't believe Lefty was knocking on anyone, just underskilled labor.
*Union workers that I know don't TYPICALLY pick on the non union worker in any serious manor because you can bet half of the union consists of former non-union workers. While I was an a apprentice, most of my class previously worked at non union shops. And when I asked them why they came to the union... *
*To name just a few,*
*They all wanted more money, more work, better job security, benefit's, training and better working contidions. *
*In 10 years I've never met a union guy whom thought a non union guy was any better or worse than himself.*
*Do yourself a favor and don't be so quick to judge or categorise a Union worker as a "typical minded" person.*
*Not all Union members love their Union and tend to think alike as one may perceive such as youself.*
*To tell you the truth, I personally do not like the "Union" or what you might call the "typical union worker", partly because Unions protect the lazy deadbeat good for nothing worker and the corrupt representivite jerks whom both take advantage of the system thus giving the hard working worthy union guy a bad name,*
*...now if it wasn't for the excessive amount of these individuals....:glare: *


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## brian john

Typically it is a derogatory term utilized by Union members for open shop workers.

I doubt he met anything against any type of worker either, but it is a work related term that is used in a derogatory manner for open shop workers. There are many other terms that do not have the cross over of scab. Such as SLACKER


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## Resiguy

brian john said:


> Typically it is a derogatory term utilized by Union members for open shop workers.
> 
> I doubt he met anything against any type of worker either, but it is a work related term that is used in a derogatory manner for open shop workers. There are many other terms that do not have the cross over of scab. Such as SLACKER


 
Tyically the only prople whom take offence by this term are the people whom are scabs...temporarily underpaid underskilled band-aides. Is there a nicer term for this type of person?

Here in Illinois the non-union are called RATS. Not Scabs.


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## Wireless

CADPoint said:


> Variable on this theme,use a scrap piece of 1/2" or 3/4" EMT back of end of Pipe 5"+ - bend a 45º, go 3-4" bend another 45º,
> then go out 7-8" for another 45º a total of 3 hips and valley and bend the last 45º staight (to match beginning)
> -\/\/\/- Basiclly looks like the high tech bar bell for weights, works great and one might have to straighten out or run a metal fish through a few times, but it will take most of them out


The easiest way is to thread the fish tape through the holes in the back of a piece of uni-strut, and then slide it across the whole fish tape.


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## brian john

> Typically the only people whom take offence by this term are the people whom are scabs...temporarily underpaid under skilled band-aides. Is there a nicer term for this type of person?


I have worked with many fine EXCELLENT electricians* that would work the panties off the the men slinging that word around.

One way to offend and continue the void between open shop and union is to use offensive names. 

I like to call them (if licensed) electricians.


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## LGLS

Resiguy said:


> Tyically the only prople whom take offence by this term are the people whom are scabs...temporarily underpaid underskilled band-aides. Is there a nicer term for this type of person?
> 
> Here in Illinois the non-union are called RATS. Not Scabs.


Correct - the tern "scab" is anyone who isn't management that crosses a picket line. 

Working "rat" is working nonunion.


Often when you see contractors advise other contractors - they emphasize - never sell yourself short - do not try to underbid jobs to get them - make sure you're paid first, cover your overhead and profit...

Ironically, it's when their labor demands the same treatment that those rules are suddenly disregarded. When it comes to labor, selling THEM short is all fine and dandy. Competing by having the LEAST paid workers is not only an option, it's standard practice for many.

When I read about contractors giving 1.00 raises per YEAR I have to wonder how bad things are going to have to get before people start hoarding guns & canned food.


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## Resiguy

brian john said:


> I have worked with many fine EXCELLENT electricians* that would work the panties off the the men slinging that word around.
> 
> One way to offend and continue the void between open shop and union is to use offensive names.
> 
> I like to call them (if licensed) electricians.


 
:001_huh: HELLO!?!...ok, let's say I'm calling you, "Mr. Politically Correct". THAT would be name calling. 
SCAB IS JUST A TERM! IT IS NOT A MATTER OF NAME CALLING!!! 

Let me ask you this...
Would you call someone with below avarage intelligence, smart, just so you wouldn't hurt their feelings? 
Would you want a 1st year doctor with less training and experience than a doctor that has 10-20 years experience and training, preform surgery on you? 
Would you want your children to learn mostly from the subsitute teachers or the Teachers that are certified and went to college? 
The corporate world has a name for these type of people too, they call them "temps".
I guess I now see why you are sticking up for these people.:whistling2: ...:thumbsup:


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## amptech

Resiguy, who are "these people" you are referring to? Union? Non-union? I don't care where you are from or what trade you work in, the term "Scab" is derogatory and yes, calling someone a scab is name calling. If you were comparing "below average intelligence", "untrained Doctor", and "substitute teacher" with non-union electrician then you are being very narrow minded. I cringe every time I hear a union sparky talk about how inferior open shop electricians are just as I do when I hear open shop sparkys mouth off about how lazy and overpaid the union guys are. Both are ignorant, broad generalizations. That's the kind of mindset that goes nowhere fast.


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## brian john

And Amptech summed it up perfectly.


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## Resiguy

amptech said:


> Resiguy, who are "these people" you are referring to? Union? Non-union? I don't care where you are from or what trade you work in, the term "Scab" is derogatory and yes, calling someone a scab is name calling. If you were comparing "below average intelligence", "untrained Doctor", and "substitute teacher" with non-union electrician then you are being very narrow minded. I cringe every time I hear a union sparky talk about how inferior open shop electricians are just as I do when I hear open shop sparkys mouth off about how lazy and overpaid the union guys are. Both are ignorant, broad generalizations. That's the kind of mindset that goes nowhere fast.


 
 Holy crap...are you actually reading my posts? Quit taking the issue out of context. The issue here was about the term "SCAB". And that's it. Not Union vs. Non Union at all.
#1 "These people", I was refering to are SCABS. 
Scabs are ANYONE, UNION OR NON UNION. YES UNION GUYS CAN BE SCABS TOO!!! Fact: SCABS ARE "TYPICALLY" not as skilled as Trained Electricians. Wether you think it's demeaning or not, that's your problem. Go complain to the publishers of Websters dictionary if you don't like it. It's not used as a slang as well and it's not just a, "UNION GUY'S" term as you may so preceive it. 
#2 It's you non-union guys that are starting the union/non union argument here. My comments I've made previously generally are that UNION workers DO NOT THINK that they are better than the non union. MOST OF THEM WERE NON UNION TO BEGIN WITH. And if you think that you have it so much better not being a part of a union then why are you complaing about what you think is namecalling by Union members? I think the last time I had problems with namecalling is when I was in grade school. 
#3 Read my post again. The compairison was between SCABS and SKILLED LABOR. 

Again,... SCAB = TYPICALLY UNSKILLED (and willing to accept a smaller paycheck and substandard working conditions) than the UNION and or EXPERIENCED and or TRAINED NON UNION ELECTRICIAN.


----------



## 480sparky

Fact #1; There are great union electricians.
Fact #2; There are terrible union electricians.
Fact #3; There are great non-union electricians.
Fact #4; There are terrible non-unions electricians.
Fact $5; The above four facts are presented in no particular order. No preference in my part is to be presumed. One of them had to be first listed, and it makes no difference to me which one it was.
Fact #6; Discussing the union/non-union issue any further will not resolve any differences, prove any points, demonstrate any perceived 'superiority' of any one of the first 4 facts above, and only lead to useless arguing and bickering.

I suggest one of two things at this point:

1. Drop the arguements now.
or
2. Moderators, close the thread.


----------



## brian john

Resi:

What decides qualified and not qualified? A license?

While I am sure you are a very good electrician, I am sure there others that may say you know nothing IN THEIR FIELD...

MY point is and remains SCAB is a derogatory term that should be dropped in the discussion of workers. 

Now if you have a boo boo it might scab over. But humans, not in my vocabulary.

Oh and resi I am a union member 30 plus years union contractor 23 years.


----------



## amptech

Resiguy, what compels you to presume I am non-union? Your reply to my post speaks volumes. This thread needs to be closed.


----------



## TOOL_5150

Wow, I started quite the arguement! IMO I only see 2 types of electricians: good ones that take their work seriously, do it safely and do it right the first time. And then there are the bad electricians that do hack work.

I could not care less WHO they work for.

~Matt


----------



## 480sparky

TOOL_5150 said:


> Wow, I started quite the arguement! IMO I only see 2 types of electricians: good ones that take their work seriously, do it safely and do it right the first time. And then there are the bad electricians that do hack work.
> 
> I could not care less WHO they work for.
> 
> ~Matt


Exactly. This is* not* a union v. non-union issue.


----------



## Celtic

Resiguy said:


> Would you want your children to learn mostly from the subsitute teachers or the Teachers that are certified and went to college?


Did you know that in many areas, teachers that educate children in private schools (ie, Elementary Catholic Schools) are NOT required to be certified - that is, Certified by passing a test such as those administered by ETS/Praxis? Granted, the teacher must have a degree in education, but they are not certified.

Does that make these teachers "scabs"?
They meet the requirements for teaching in those institutions as detailed by the State.


----------



## 220/221

> Not nessesarly a derogatory term if you know true the meaning of it.


 

Heh heh...that's a stretch.


The term scab is NEVER good when referring to a person.:laughing:


----------



## LGLS

Scab is definately derogatory, and meant to be so. The actual correct term for an unqualified or lesser skilled person, and this applies equally to union and nonunion workers alike, is MUTT.


----------



## brian john

I always thought it was slacker.


----------



## Chris Kennedy

*Scabs*

Tip.

Teach scabs the young people scabs how to use drill bits scabs and saw blades early scabs!





























(pick the scabs to view sentence)


----------



## LGLS

brian john said:


> I always thought it was slacker.


No, I'd say a slacker is capable but unwilling. Also "column shadow."


----------



## Resiguy

[edit] Union scabbing
The concept of _union scabbing_ refers to any circumstance in which union workers, who normally might be expected to honor picket lines established by fellow working folk during a strike, are inclined or compelled to cross those picket lines or, in some manner, otherwise engage in workplace activity which may prove injurious to the strike.
Unionized workers are sometimes required to cross the picket lines established by other unions due to their organizations having signed contracts which include no-strike clauses. The no-strike clause typically requires that members of the union not conduct any strike action for the duration of the contract. Members who honor the picket line in spite of the contract frequently face discipline, for their action may be viewed as a violation of provisions of the contract. Therefore, any union conducting a strike action typically seeks to include a provision of amnesty for all who honored the picket line in the agreement that settles the strike.
No strike clauses may also prevent unionized workers from engaging in solidarity actions for other workers even when no picket line is crossed. For example, striking workers in manufacturing or mining produce a product which must be transported. In a situation where the factory or mine owners have replaced the strikers, unionized transport workers may feel inclined to refuse to haul any product that is produced by strikebreakers, yet their own contract obligates them to do so.
Historically the practice of union scabbing has been a contentious issue in the union movement, and a point of contention between adherents of different union philosophies. For example, supporters of industrial unions, which have sought to organize entire workplaces without regard to individual skills, have criticized craft unions for organizing workplaces into separate unions according to skill, a circumstance that makes union scabbing more common. Union scabbing is not, however, unique to craft unions.


----------



## brian john

Which has nothing to do with my original suggestion to poster that this term should be dropped from his vocabulary.


----------



## LGLS

brian john said:


> Which has nothing to do with my original suggestion to poster that this term should be dropped from his vocabulary.


Agreed. 
It does the labor movement more harm than good to drive a wedge between union and nonunion workers. A rising tide raises all ships.


----------



## nakulak

I wonder if this thread should be renamed 

"Tips and Tricks and RANTING ABOUT SCABS!!!! and Stuff" 


:laughing:


----------



## brian john

You'll find that post have a way of wandering sometimes.


----------



## Pierre Belarge

What a way to ruin an otherwise good thread.


----------



## Celtic

Did you know that you can make an extension for your Klein 10-in-1?









I saw a helper toss out his 10/1 because he had managed to wreck just about all the tips...I took the 5/16" barrel along with 1 of the 1/4" barrels ...tada...a nice extension for my driver.

Bolt on breakers...piece of cake
Ground bars off to the side of a panel...no big deal
EGC's not screwed into boxes even AFTER cabinets mounter...Bring it!


When I had first made this contraption up (to marvel at my mad skills) some said: He's afraid to get close to the work ....now it's like: Can I borrow...

:thumbsup:


----------



## goose134

I'll preface this by saying that I am an advocate of the right tool for the job, but in a pinch you can use a scrap of 1/2" EMT to run 9/16" nuts on rod. Tap the edges of the pipe flat on four sides, and voila! You have a hillbilly socket


----------



## 220/221

You can also use rod couplings as allen/socket heads.

I was in a pinch one time and need a HUGE allen head to tighten some big main lugs. My folding set didn't go that big but I had some large bolts and nuts that fit nicely into the lug. I stacked a couple nuts on the bolt and was able to tighten the lugs. I realized that I couldn't loosen them but I also realized that a rod coupling would work great both ways.



See. The thread wasn't ruined,it just detoured a bit.:thumbup:


If you need to pry a KO out from the back of an existing box, start a self tapping screw and use your lineman's to pull it out.

Cutting an outlet box in drywall? Tape a paper bag open just below it to catch your drywall dust and make cleanup easier.


Running lots of PVC? Glue together as much as possible from ONE spot eliminating the effort it takes to lay out the pipe, carry your glue from point to point and bend down every ten feet to couple it. It also greatly reduce the chance for debris in the pipe,

Place the bundles in a smart place with the non belled ends away from you. Tape the first one to keep debris out. Glue about 5 pieces at a time, couple one, slide it away from you, repeat. You should be able to do at least 100' without moving. In good conditions (hard surface) closer to 200. If you have 200' plus runs to make you might want to have someone take the end of it to keep it from snaking.










Cutting larger sise PVE 90's to make 45's or custom sized ells? If the ell it ovaled too much to accept the coupling use your torch to soften it up a bit.


This is the BEST tool to come along in quite a while. WELL worth the money and the last forever if you don't abuse them by drilling into things you shouldn't be driling into.











Need your helper to find a location to dril a top plate? Poke a tiny hole in the ceiling a couple inches out from the wall and push a cut off piece of fish tape up for him to narrow doen his search.(Our attics are full of blown in insulation here). You can patch this hole with caulk or spackle and no paint is needed if the ceiling is somewhat whitish.


When drilling thru anything abrasive like drywall or shingles, run your drill in reverse until you pass the offensive material and it won't kill your bits.


CODE VIOLATION WARNING!!!
Use #14 for the ground pigtails on your 20 amp outlet circuits. It makes it much easier to fold the wiring/outlets into the box.


----------



## randomkiller

Klein has a new 11 in 1 screwdriver out that has a 3/8" nut driver socket, the 1/4" and 5/16" sockets are also more heavy duty than the 10 in 1 driver. It's perfect for working on RTU's.


----------



## randomkiller

220/221 said:


> Cutting larger sise PVE 90's to make 45's or custom sized ells? If the ell it ovaled too much to accept the coupling use your torch to soften it up a bit.
> 
> What? You need to explain that one.
> 
> 
> 
> Need your helper to find a location to dril a top plate? Poke a tiny hole in the ceiling a couple inches out from the wall and push a cut off piece of fish tape up for him to narrow doen his search.(Our attics are full of blown in insulation here). You can patch this hole with caulk or spackle and no paint is needed if the ceiling is somewhat whitish.
> 
> I have found a wire coat hanger makes a great drill bit for this, it will even drill wood.


----------



## 220/221

What? You need to explain that one.



If you cut a factory PVC 90 down to a 45 (or 50 or 60), the pipe will generally be a bit oval where you cut it (in the center of the 90) and will be difficult to get into a fitting (especially larger sizes). The torch will heat it up and you can then squeeze it back to round and slip it in the fitting.


----------



## Celtic

randomkiller said:


> Klein has a new 11 in 1 screwdriver out that has a 3/8" nut driver socket, the 1/4" and 5/16" sockets are also more heavy duty than the 10 in 1 driver. It's perfect for working on RTU's.


I just bought a Lennox 9/1 for a helper....sure to screw him up :thumbsup:


----------



## 480sparky

Stumbled across this today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTGe8_SyKgY


----------



## Wireless

Wow with an open wall that just works wonders!


----------



## 480sparky

Wireless said:


> Wow with an open wall that just works wonders!


 
That's not an 'open' wall, it's a 'stealth' wall. The gubbamint spent millions of tax dollars to create a wall you cannot see. :laughing: It must have worked, it even fooled Kevin!


----------



## 220/221

Stealth wall...wait for it....the 1 minute mark is awesome.

http://www.break.com/index/drunk-man-hits-invisible-wall.html


----------



## randomkiller

Celtic said:


> I just bought a Lennox 9/1 for a helper....sure to screw him up :thumbsup:


 
I agree, he will be looking for the tips all the time they fall out from being loose in the shaft.


----------



## Bkessler

my favorite a half a basketball between your hole saw and the drill catches 99% of dust when drilling ceilings. Or those real strong earth magnets are the best stud finders, they will stick to where the screws are.


----------



## brian john

I have a magnet on the back of my multimeter, that way I can stick it to switchboards as I am taking readings or trouble shooting. I do not like the Fluke strap magnet. My meter is calibrated with the magnet in place yearly.


----------



## randomkiller

brian john said:


> I have a magnet on the back of my multimeter, that way I can stick it to switchboards as I am taking readings or trouble shooting. I do not like the Fluke strap magnet. My meter is calibrated with the magnet in place yearly.


What don't you like about the Fluke magnet?


----------



## Speedy Petey

This is a tip from member BigRedc222. 
This comes from a thread asking how to keep devices from getting all scratched up in the van. Line the van/truck shelves with carpet. 
Great idea!


bigredc222 said:


> I save the ugly one's for under counters, basements, garages and like that. I find I never have a problem using them up, even odd colored one's I manage to use up. I line my shelves with little pieces of scrap carpet. It also cuts down on the noise and rattles. A noisy truck drives me nuts.


----------



## nap

when using those long flexi bits, instead of buying the special tool they like you to buy. take a piece of 3/4" conduit a 12-18" or so long and bend a 30º or 45º bend towards one end.

Slip the bit through it and stick it.............................in the wall, attach drill motor and away you go.
----------------

use your torpedo level magnet to gather shavings in the bottom of a panel tub. DO NOT WIPE IT with your hand. Drag it across your shoe or a close 2X4 to clean off.
-------------


to check a 90º in conduit. use a newly installed door frame to compare it to if it will fit in the opening. A good carpenter makes his frames really square.
-------------

to check level for accuracy"

horizontal (level) -lay it on anything. the closer to actual level the item is the easier this is. Then spin it 180º and compare the bubble. The rotate 180º and compare and then spin 180º and compare. All 4 positions should cause the bubble to be in the same relative location to a line. If they aren't, time for a new level.

Same thing for plumb but place it on a vertical surface.
-------------------------------

to measure light poles- use your level and site along the top of it. Be sure you use the 45º bubble to maintain a true 45º angle on it. When you can site the top of the pole, I am nearly 6 feet tall so I add about 5 1/2 feet from where my feet are to the distance you are from the pole to come up with a pretty good estimate of height. My boss was going to run our bucket truck out and do a couple lights and since the bucket is a 40 footer and the poles looked a bit tall, I did this and came up with 45 feet tall. He apparently doubted me since he had not seen very many 45 foot wood poles and brought the truck out anyway. When I saw him later, he said, "well, if I had a 6 foot ladder in the bucket, I could have done the lights". In other words, the poles were right at 45 feet. I bet he doesn;t doubt me again.
=====

when drilling stainless steel trim plates (had to make a bunch for a recep. couldn't get them in the style plate we were using) use Sprite Ya, the pop) like you would cutting oil. Always drill slow or you'll burn it regardless but for some reason, the pop makes it cut better and helps keep it cool.
============

when drilling a trim plate (like above) take a chunk-o-wood and run a couple screws through the attatchment holes to hold the plate from spinning. I haave cut my hands and even cut a really nasty gash in my shoe trying to do this without mounting the plate
=====

Now, I;m told that a small crossbow makes a real good tool to throw a string across a ceiling so you don;t have to poke your head up every other tile. Just do NOT screw up and shoot the guy carrying the briefcase in the briefcase. I guess it scares the hell out of 'em.
---------------

rc trucks with a string tied to them can be used to run across a lay-in ceiling.
============

I have even talked with a guy that tied a string to a cat and baited him from the other side of a vaulted ceiling with tuna to get a line across the vaulted ceiling (up in the attic) for whatever he needed it for.
========

and my favorite- if you think there might be large vermin (racoons, skunk, etc.) in an attic or crawl space, use your apprentice for bait. While they are busy freaking out and scaring the vermin, you can go about the neccessary work.






Not reallly, I was just checking to see who actually read my entire post.


----------



## brian john

> What don't you like about the Fluke magnet?


I have been doing it MY WAY long before Fluke decided to sell a magnet and I was given one by a sales guy to check out early on and never cared for it.


----------



## randomkiller

brian john said:


> I have been doing it MY WAY long before Fluke decided to sell a magnet and I was given one by a sales guy to check out early on and never cared for it.


 
I use it all the time on two of my meters, makes my life a tad easier most of the time. I used to use Bell System cable magnets, now I use them on metal jambs on exit doors.


----------



## randomkiller

nap said:


> use your torpedo level magnet to gather shavings in the bottom of a panel tub. DO NOT WIPE IT with your hand. Drag it across your shoe or a close 2X4 to clean off.
> Put it in a sandwich bag first and then turn the bag inside out, level is clean and the scrap is bagged.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Same thing for plumb but place it on a vertical surface.
> Snap a line with a plumb bob to be perfect.
> 
> 
> Now, I;m told that a small crossbow makes a real good tool to throw a string across a ceiling so you don;t have to poke your head up every other tile. Just do NOT screw up and shoot the guy carrying the briefcase in the briefcase. I guess it scares the hell out of 'em.
> 
> The little barrnet pistol types are great for this, just cut the tip off the bolt and screw in a small screw eye.
> 
> 
> rc trucks with a string tied to them can be used to run across a lay-in ceiling.
> 
> The chassis less body gets in tighter places they are great for pulling plenum wire down lenghts of sheetmetal ducting.
> ============
> 
> 
> and my favorite- if you think there might be large vermin (racoons, skunk, etc.) in an attic or crawl space, use your apprentice for bait. While they are busy freaking out and scaring the vermin, you can go about the neccessary work.
> 
> Nah, just keep a couple hunting bolts in the tool box for the cross bow.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just my $.02, hope it helps ya out a little
Click to expand...


----------



## carrollaustralia

when cutting out holes for downlights
if you are using a holesaw
- grab the box that the downlight gimble comes in 
before you put the holesaw in the drill put the bow around the hole saw first
so when you drill the box catches the dust


----------



## 480sparky

*Helpful Tip for Panel Covers*

If you have a panel cover you need to constantly remove and replace, don't use the screws that come with it. Keep the original panel screws in a safe place.

Instead, take some short (3/4" or so) machine screws, nuts and wing nuts.












Install the screw and nut as shown here:












Then take your panel cover, place it over the screws, 












and install a wing nut.












I use 8-32s for resi and most commercial panels. Large switchgear may need ¼-20. No need to pull out a screwdriver or drill-driver... you can do this by hand.

The whole thing will cost less than $5 ($10 for larger panels), but easily save you that much in labor on the first job. When you’re done working in the panel and are ready to button it up for the last time, remove the hardware and drop it in your toolbox for the next job.


----------



## brian john

With large panel covers the one's that WAY too much and if you have to remove this often, I drill a single hole in the back box lip and tap it for a 1/4X20 3/4" bolt. drill a 5/16 hole in the cover and you can now hang the cover as you locate the panel cover mounting hardware.


I also use to carry 1/4" acorn nuts, install 2-1/4X1/2" long bolts in the top two holes use the acorn nuts for a finished look, makes hanging the cover easy.


----------



## faber307

*One man wire pulling*

Anyone ever try this one?..............


----------



## gilbequick

What is the purpose of that?


----------



## faber307

It's a makeshift pulley.
less drag on the fitting, emt rolls.:thumbsup:


----------



## 480sparky

Tab Faber said:


> It's a makeshift pulley.
> less drag on the fitting, emt rolls.:thumbsup:


Kinda reminds me of how I pull wires into underslab runs by myself.....


----------



## Celtic

gilbequick said:


> What is the purpose of that?



Why do you think they put the holes in the box? :blink: 

:laughing:


----------



## john salyards

another trick for fixing floating devices if your box is recessed to far take one of those great ideal wire nuts cut the top off with you dikes place between the device and the box probably have to use a longer 6-32 and make adjustments but works great


----------



## Celtic

john salyards said:


> another trick for fixing floating devices if your box is recessed to far take one of those great ideal wire nuts cut the top off with you dikes place between the device and the box probably have to use a longer 6-32 and make adjustments but works great


Completely disregarding 314.20:whistling2:

A couple of these on the truck and it's compliant:








Arlington's BOX EXTENDER


----------



## dowmace

Celtic said:


> Completely disregarding 314.20:whistling2:
> 
> A couple of these on the truck and it's compliant:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Arlington's BOX EXTENDER



I prefer the caddy version of that although I don't think it's NEC approved 

http://www.erico.com/products/CADDYcfcDvcLvlrRetnr.asp


----------



## 480sparky

dowmace said:


> I prefer the caddy version of that although I don't think it's NEC approved
> 
> http://www.erico.com/products/CADDYcfcDvcLvlrRetnr.asp


I think the Caddy is more for when the wall surface isn't done properly to allow the mickey-mouse ears of a device to set solid against it. If you have a combustible wall material and your box is not flush, you need the Arlington extender.


----------



## BryanMD

Had to do a pipe rack a few years ago without a helper.
Used bungee cords hooked to the rain gutter to support the length of pipe.
Allowed me to focus on the glue and clamps.


----------



## 220/221

Seems like that would get in the way, doing more harm than good???

And......running conduit from an extension ring???? I came upon a job once that had FOUR extension rings stacked up with conduit, flex and MC in all of them.:jester: 



Hmm.....j box pic won't post


----------



## randomkiller

220/221 said:


> Seems like that would get in the way, doing more harm than good???
> 
> And......running conduit from an extension ring???? I came upon a job once that had FOUR extension rings stacked up with conduit, flex and MC in all of them.:jester:
> 
> 
> 
> Hmm.....j box pic won't post


Four is a tad much but I see two stacks pretty often.


----------



## joeyuk

Some great ideas here. More then a couple new to me.

When mounting a box to the underside of unistrut thru the pre fab holes use a spring nut inside the strut (spring away from the box)to bolt into. 

I use a 7/8 spade bit in a battery drill to drill holes in sheetrock for toggle bolts. No core to clear.

When drilling multiple holes in panel etc. with a hole saw I push a small piece of rag in the hole saw and wet it. It keeps the hole saw cool and doesn't allow the cut out to travelup the bit. More holes dip the hole saw into a spry can capof water so piece of rag soaks upmore water.

When pulling large wire wrap the nose with a rag and duct tape it. This will smooth out the nose and make for quicker clean up on the other end. 

Someone mentioned pulling on the wire to communicate . We tap the pipe with our linemen pliers . Sound travels well in the pipe. 1 tap means pull. 2 or more rapidly means stop. tap tap tap tap tap.............tap tap means your done.

Installing high hats in 2X2 ceiling tile. Use a 4" T from corner to opposite corner to quickly find center of tile. Then use small piece of ceiling wire as compass to cut circular groove in tile. Now finish cut with stab saw. Sounds more complicated then it is but saves time.

Joe


----------



## 480sparky

joeyuk said:


> I use a 7/8 spade bit in a battery drill to drill holes in sheetrock for toggle bolts. No core to clear.


I use a short scrap of 1/2" EMT, one end cut at a 45° angle. Smack the flat side with a hammer, and you have a nice 5/8" hole. If you wear it out or lose it, no big deal as it was headed for the dumpster anyway. 12" scraps are always pitched on commercial jobs.

Saves on the drill and bits as well.



joeyuk said:


> Installing high hats in 2X2 ceiling tile. Use a 4" T from corner to opposite corner to quickly find center of tile. Then use small piece of ceiling wire as compass to cut circular groove in tile. Now finish cut with stab saw. Sounds more complicated then it is but saves time.


If you have lots of them to do, cut them before they're taken out of the wrapper. Find the center of the first one, and use a hole saw to cut it. When you have gotten through the top tile, pull it off and your drill bit will have left a 1/4" hole in the next one. Keep working your way down through the bundle until you get to the bottom. I once did hundreds of these for a job in less than an hour.


----------



## leland

You don't need a hammer. Kleins 9" The only (other than 3#er) hammer I own.


----------



## kjw444

Making holes in drywall for toggle bolts:
I just use my drywall saw, I stab it in to about the right size then just turn the saw until you have a hole.

Say you need a 2" hole in a box and you drill a hole to small by mistake, no problem just grab a small scrap piece of 2x4 drill the proper size hole and c-clamp it to the box to use as a guide works great!

Two people pulling wire at long distances use you cell phone on speaker and turn it real loud.

Whenever pulling wire straight through a long distance through many boxes overhead, I use my tape measure to guide it into the next pipe instead of hiking around a 10 footer. 

Whenever I have problems getting the ground screw into a deep metal cut in box, insert the ground screw into your nut driver and wrap one wrap of tape to secure the ground screw, then screw and pull out like any smart man!


----------



## JohnJ0906

leland said:


> You don't need a hammer. Kleins 9" The only (other than 3#er) hammer I own.


I use my hammer as an extra 12" of reach. I hate climbing a ladder, just to realize the wire I am trying to pull is _jussssst _out of reach. Pull out the hammer and grab it with the claw. :thumbsup:


----------



## 480sparky

*Saving trips*

If you are working out of a job trailer, job box or work truck, and need to take several trips back & forth during the day, make the most of each trip.

Once you get enough tools and material on the job to get started, don't make the mistake of walking out to the truck, box or trailer empty-handed. If there's something you're done with, take it out with you. Don't wait for the end of the day. If you're done with it, get it out of the way.

For instance, if you're adding an outlet in an existing wall, start with your tools and wire. Once you've got the wire pulled, go out and get anything else you might need, but take the wire with you now.

This will save you a couple trips at the end of the day, as well as keep your work area cleaner.


----------



## gilbequick

480 that's something I've recently adopted and push on my helpers now. "If you're going to the van don't go empty handed." Even if there's nothing to take back to the van there's trash you can take to the dumpster.


----------



## Trimix-leccy

I have recently discovered 'wheels'!
I got a 3 section wheeled tool box. Splits into 3 seperate sections. Top toolbox, middle slide out drawer, bottom storage box like a bread bin. with a little ingenuity and a hacksaw I extended the handles with the aid of a set of discarded Hospital crutches. Now there is space on the top to fit the box of Dewalt goodies. Tool belt hangs over the handles and the whole lot is wheled to the work area full of the job specific tools.Also doubles as a work bench for cutting tube / trunking. Somewhere to sit at brew time. If you look at the 'Tool ****' thread I can cart all the tools [except a couple of the 1000V socket sets] all in one trip. 
Stands up nicely in the car and I just detach the top box for the standard run of the mill jobs.


----------



## JohnJ0906

*Cutting a box into a one-sided wall*

I find that I often have to put boxes into wall that already have been one sided with sheetrock already. I made a jig with a plaster ring and an "ez-mount" bracket to help.

See slideshow - http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/...e box trick/?action=view&current=86f58c43.pbw


----------



## blindside

some good tips here. 
when drilling into a brick/masonry wall in a domestic situation, get an envelope, open it and sticky tape it to the wall just under where the hole is going. it catches all the dust and you just peel it off the wall. saves you cleaning it up.
BSIDE


----------



## Joefixit2

Here's one I haven't seen mentioned, keep a box of sandwich baggies in the truck. Use them to wrap single devices in when the box is empty, use them to wrap wiremold fittings and wiremold boxes that are opened. No more dinged up devices and fittings.

Also, if you do any landscape lighting, after you make your underground splice, grab a baggie like a glove, pick up the splice, pump some silicine on it, then wrap it with the baggie.

Another favorite if you install a lot of those cast aluminum weatherproof device boxes, keep one of those cheap, small step bits in the box with your screws/anchors. You know the gold ones that cost $5. They are real handy for punching out those mounting holes and they last forever with the soft aluminum. I know, some will say it's a violation to drill holes in the back of the box, but why don't they all come with mounting ears anymore? And why are the hole locations pre marked inside the box??


----------



## Adam12

JohnJ0906 said:


> I find that I often have to put boxes into wall that already have been one sided with sheetrock already. I made a jig with a plaster ring and an "ez-mount" bracket to help.
> 
> See slideshow - http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/JohnJ0906/one%20side%20box%20trick/?action=view&current=86f58c43.pbw


If you were to set up that jig so you were tracing the inside of the ring, all you would have to do is cut along the outside of the traced line and it would fit into the drywall nice and tight. ( mount the ring on the inside of the bracket so the raised part is facing you, then trace the inside)


----------



## randomkiller

Adam12 said:


> If you were to set up that jig so you were tracing the inside of the ring, all you would have to do is cut along the outside of the traced line and it would fit into the drywall nice and tight. ( mount the ring on the inside of the bracket so the raised part is facing you, then trace the inside)


That looks like that's how he does use it Adam.


----------



## Adam12

randomkiller said:


> That looks like that's how he does use it Adam.


If you were to place the ring flat against the wall, raised part out, then trace the inside where it taperes in. You get a wider trace this way and you can cut against the outside of the line and it will fit in nice and tight, the cut will be perfect.


----------



## k2x

I ran some guys that didn't know this one the other day so I thought I would post it..

Dirty hands and clean ceiling tile? Rub your fingers on a piece of scrap tile or the back side of a tile and the dirt and grease will come off your hands. If you get a dirt spot on a tile take a piece of scrap and lightly rub the white on the dirt. It'll look alot better.


----------



## 480sparky

k2x said:


> I ran some guys that didn't know this one the other day so I thought I would post it..
> 
> Dirty hands and clean ceiling tile? Rub your fingers on a piece of scrap tile or the back side of a tile and the dirt and grease will come off your hands. If you get a dirt spot on a tile take a piece of scrap and lightly rub the white on the dirt. It'll look alot better.


Carry a small container of baby powder when you're working with white tile. Face the tile up, shake a bit of powder on it and shake the tile. Poof! Fingerprints all gone!


----------



## Trimix-leccy

Tippex [foreign name= Snowpake I think?] and a black marker pen can be used to cover a multitude of sins

Marks on walls? often come off if rubbed with damp bread!!

File clogged? [works for diamond stone honers / sharpeners etc]...clean the cutting face with a 'hard' eraser, the type used to remove Biro ink

Magnetic tipped steel rule is handy for holding nuts in hard to reach places

We have a couple of fast food places in the UK Mac something, don't know if you have heard of them:laughing:, handy for stocking up with sauce sachets, mayo, salt, pepper and hand wipes for in the car 'truck' etc! Also the straws are good for blowing dust out of hard to reach places


Trouble screwing? wipe screw thread with a bit of soap

Ease the passage of wire in conduit with a bit of talc...UL Listed talc?



:thumbup:


----------



## JRent

Heres my tip of the day...Say you are roughing in a bathroom or a kitchen or any where where it is going to get tile, once you do your make up, put the corresponding 6-32 screws on the box,(but dont srew them all the way) this will prevent the tile guys putting their tile to to high in to the box and leavind you no room to drive the screw once you are instaling the device. This has saved me alot of time to to grind the tile away to make room for my screw.

It also helps to let the tile guys know why you did that or write it in the dry wall.


----------



## Joefixit2

Here's a new one I saw today:

When you need to stub out some romex tails before the rockers come in, like for undercabs, or for pendants or flourescents that will be cut in later, and you are between framing with nothing to staple it to, take a scrap of romex long enough to reach between two framing members, staple it across, then take your knife and put a slit in it right where you need the stubout, and pull the stubout thru.


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## Adam12

*Power in a pinch*

Been using one of these for awhile. These adapters work well for plugging in your battery chargers. Or whatever else.

On most jobs you usually have a temp light stringer running through just unscrew one of the lamps and there you have it.


----------



## MechanicalDVR

Adam12 said:


> Been using one of these for awhile. These adapters work well for plugging in your battery chargers. Or whatever else.
> 
> On most jobs you usually have a temp light stringer running through just unscrew one of the lamps and there you have it.


 
As most temp lights are left hand thread, do those adapters come in left hand thread??????


----------



## 480sparky

MechanicalDVR said:


> As most temp lights are left hand thread, do those adapters come in left hand thread??????


More to the point, where do you buy_ bulbs_ with left-hand thread???????????????


----------



## TOOL_5150

All the 50' and 100' temp light strings ive seen, use standard size light bulbs. Actually, I have never even seen a left threaded light bulb.

~Matt


----------



## randomkiller

TOOL_5150 said:


> All the 50' and 100' temp light strings ive seen, use standard size light bulbs. Actually, I have never even seen a left threaded light bulb.
> 
> ~Matt


All the temp strings in this area are left handed so nobody steals the bulbs for home use.http://www.electriciansupplies.com/index.cfm/S/146/CLID/96/Left_Hand_Thread_Light_Bulbs.htm 


http://www.sunshinelighting.com/item-12530-3218.htm


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## TOOL_5150

randomkiller said:


> All the temp strings in this area are left handed so nobody steals the bulbs for home use.http://www.electriciansupplies.com/index.cfm/S/146/CLID/96/Left_Hand_Thread_Light_Bulbs.htm
> 
> 
> http://www.sunshinelighting.com/item-12530-3218.htm


Wow.... People sure are lame! :blink: Stealing light bulbs didnt even occur to me.

~Matt


----------



## 480sparky

randomkiller said:


> All the temp strings in this area are left handed so nobody steals the bulbs for home use.http://www.electriciansupplies.com/index.cfm/S/146/CLID/96/Left_Hand_Thread_Light_Bulbs.htm
> 
> 
> http://www.sunshinelighting.com/item-12530-3218.htmhttp://www.sunshinelighting.com/item-12530-3218.htmhttp://www.sunshinelighting.com/item-12530-3218.htm


Dem look 'spensive! How many in a case? 12? 20? 50?

Temp light bulbs burn out or break far more often than someone steals one. I think you're spending a dollar to save a dime.


----------



## comp

TOOL_5150 said:


> Wow.... People sure are lame! :blink: Stealing light bulbs didnt even occur to me.
> 
> ~Matt


:laughing::laughing::laughing: sorry but you ain't been around,,,,or just lucky:thumbsup:


----------



## randomkiller

480sparky said:


> Dem look 'spensive! How many in a case? 12? 20? 50?
> 
> Temp light bulbs burn out or break far more often than someone steals one. I think you're spending a dollar to save a dime.


Not in the NYC area. Usually if they look nice and new, they steal the whole string and all. Old and crappy last an entire job.


----------



## brian john

Stealing temp bulbs is very common, when I worked construction some temporary stringers were left handed threads to minimize theft. Some dummies would still take them but only once.


----------



## Adam12

Never heard of people stealing the bulbs out of the stringers here. Maybe thats why they are a standard thread.

However people have been known to steal the toilet paper out of the $hitter.


----------



## randomkiller

Adam12 said:


> Never heard of people stealing the bulbs out of the stringers here. Maybe thats why they are a standard thread.
> 
> However people have been known to steal the toilet paper out of the $hitter.


 
I've heard the mexicans take it home as fast as it gets reloaded.


----------



## Adam12

Ya, every good electrician I know keeps a roll handy.


----------



## 480sparky

Adam12 said:


> ....However people have been known to steal the toilet paper out of the $hitter.


Yea... sometimes you get 240 grit instead of the usual 120 grit. :laughing:


----------



## TOOL_5150

comp said:


> :laughing::laughing::laughing: sorry but you ain't been around,,,,or just lucky:thumbsup:


No, we have crackheads here looking to steal more than a lightbulb. They will break into a vacant house and tear out all the copper pipe and wire. They steal the temporary power boxes and cords, and any other thing that isnt bolted down. They want more than a light bulb for their shack.

~Matt


----------



## TOOL_5150

brian john said:


> Stealing temp bulbs is very common, when I worked construction some temporary stringers were left handed threads to minimize theft. Some dummies would still take them but only once.


Thats funny.... Dont you think they could figure it out when they were taking them out that they are "turning the wrong way"? hahaha :blink:

~Matt


----------



## LGLS

480sparky said:


> Dem look 'spensive! How many in a case? 12? 20? 50?
> 
> Temp light bulbs burn out or break far more often than someone steals one. I think you're spending a dollar to save a dime.


Often on larger jobs one electrician is employed for the sole purpose of maintaining temp light and power. The problem with theft of the lamps (which probably peaked in the 70's when theft of anything not nailed down was rampant) isn't so much the cost of replacement lamps, it's the labor needed to do it, and other contractors claiming delays due to poor temp lighting hindering production, and of course, safety issues. A couple of burned out or missing lamps in an area WILL be cited if another tradesman is injured anywhere near there. 

As for the adaptor... in NYC you've got 2 choices with temp power. Either the drops are GFCI protected, or you must have an assured grounding program in place with all the paperwork and test records readily available for an OSHA inspector if they should find that the laundry drops are not GFCI protected. Many tradesmen are supplied a portable GFCI cordset by their employers, but I think they're used for the convenience of the triple tap splitter rather than the GFCI protection it offers. Thus, the laundry drops on all jobsites are on a separate, 20a GFCI circuit just to keep OSHA happy and everything simple and cut down on the paperwork.

In short, that adaptor pictured will cost about $2500.00 in fines if it's spotted on a construction site. There is no ground, and it would be connected to a non-GFCI protected circuit.


----------



## Adam12

LawnGuyLandSparky said:


> Often on larger jobs one electrician is employed for the sole purpose of maintaining temp light and power. The problem with theft of the lamps (which probably peaked in the 70's when theft of anything not nailed down was rampant) isn't so much the cost of replacement lamps, it's the labor needed to do it, and other contractors claiming delays due to poor temp lighting hindering production, and of course, safety issues. A couple of burned out or missing lamps in an area WILL be cited if another tradesman is injured anywhere near there.
> 
> As for the adaptor... in NYC you've got 2 choices with temp power. Either the drops are GFCI protected, or you must have an assured grounding program in place with all the paperwork and test records readily available for an OSHA inspector if they should find that the laundry drops are not GFCI protected. Many tradesmen are supplied a portable GFCI cordset by their employers, but I think they're used for the convenience of the triple tap splitter rather than the GFCI protection it offers. Thus, the laundry drops on all jobsites are on a separate, 20a GFCI circuit just to keep OSHA happy and everything simple and cut down on the paperwork.
> 
> In short, that adaptor pictured will cost about $2500.00 in fines if it's spotted on a construction site. There is no ground, and it would be connected to a non-GFCI protected circuit.


Out here they arent that anal. 

The temp power stringers are in fact GFCI ptotected via a 20A GFCI recep out of a spider box and none of my battery chargers have a ground prong anyways. They are all two prong.

I just use the adapter to charge batteries and not run heavy power tools.
If its going to cost somebody $2500 I'm sure they are not going to use one, I wouldnt.

They are illegal in a permanent application as well. 410.47 

I wouldnt use them permanently either, just when "in a pinch" as titled.


----------



## 480sparky

Whenever you are working over a sink, take a second and pull the stopper up and close the drain.

Nothing is more aggrivating that dropping a teeny part only to have it go down the drain.....


----------



## Trimix-leccy

480sparky said:


> Whenever you are working over a sink, take a second and pull the stopper up and close the drain.
> 
> Nothing is more aggrivating that dropping a teeny part only to have it go down the drain.....


Same goes for toilets [or whatever you call them over there:jester:]


----------



## sparky723

> I came upon a job once that had FOUR extension rings stacked up with conduit, flex and MC in all of them.:jester:


When I was in electrical school (I.E.C.) in Irving,Tx, one of our instructors told use that in the basement of Dallas City Hall he saw a box with 15-yea, you read that right, 15 extension rings!! I wished he had a picture of that!! sparky723


----------



## Tuckahoe Sparkplug

480sparky said:


> Ever have a bunch of receptacles that there's a short in the circuit?
> 
> DON"T start at one end and work you way to the other. You'll end up taking 3/4th of them apart before finding the short.
> 
> Take a minute and imagine how it was originally wired. Chances are, it's close to the way you would do it. Now try to find what you think is the receptacle in the middle of the circuit. Take it apart and check for a short.
> 
> If the short still trips the breaker, the problem is between you and the panel. If the problem goes away, it's further downstream.... Either way, you've eliminated half the circuit already!
> 
> Continue breaking the remaining portion of the circuit in half. Even if there's 20 devices in the circuit, you can isolate the problem by checking just 3 or 4 of them.


You're right on Sparky :thumbsup:. I once took a class in analytical troubleshooting (it was on a Saturday...but hey, it was free) and that's the way we were taught to approach it. 

When I first started in the trade, I worked for a small contractor who did strictly residential work and he would occassionally get service calls for a shorted circuit. Usually the problem wasn't in the house wiring itself but something plugged into an outlet. After going around and 'eyeballing' every device that he could determine was on the circuit for smoked receptacle wall plates, etc., he would unhook the wire from the fuse or circuit breaker and wire nut a pigtail type temporary light fixture to it and and then connect the other lead of the pigtail to the screw terminal of the fuse or circuit breaker. After, re-fusing or resetting the circuit breaker, the light bulb in the pigtail would come on because of the shorted circuit; but because it was now a load and not a short, the fuse or circuit breaker didn't blow or trip. He would then go around and unplug devices from the circuit outlets and turn off wall switches until the light bulb went out....cause of short was found!


----------



## 480sparky

Next time you work on a large project, collect the following three items:

A short scrap of 4" PVC, 10-12" long.
Two 4" PVC caps (you may need to 'bribe' the plumber for these).

Glue one of the caps on the scrap of PVC, but leave the other one unglued.

NOW.... go home and put two rolls of nice, soft quilted 2-ply toilet paper in it, push on the loose cap and stick the whole thing in your truck.

This will save your arse (euphamistacally speaking!) in more ways than one. From now on, you don't need to use that 80-grit single-ply stuff in the Kybos.... that is, *if there is any*!


----------



## Trimix-leccy

Now why didn't I think of that! I have a 3m length on the roof for trunking [could hold 50+ toilet rolls; handy for when I have made the curry with the home grown chillis]
2 x 1m lengths in the car for holding cable pulling rods
1 x 0.5m length for the 'baby rods'

...as for the toilet rolls, they are in a plastic bag and by the time they are required they look like they have already been 'recycled'

Tip...In the glove box I have one of those combi camping cutlery penknife type sets. Knife fork spoon and can opener. A bottle of Soy sauce, salt, pepper, ketchup, vinegar sachets from mucky D's and some of their hand wipes. Amazing how often they can get you out of what could be a very boring lunch-break:yes:


----------



## JohnJ0906

480sparky said:


> Next time you work on a large project, collect the following three items:
> 
> A short scrap of 4" PVC, 10-12" long.
> Two 4" PVC caps (you may need to 'bribe' the plumber for these).
> 
> Glue one of the caps on the scrap of PVC, but leave the other one unglued.
> 
> NOW.... go home and put two rolls of nice, soft quilted 2-ply toilet paper in it, push on the loose cap and stick the whole thing in your truck.
> 
> This will save your arse (euphamistacally speaking!) in more ways than one. From now on, you don't need to use that 80-grit single-ply stuff in the Kybos.... that is, *if there is any*!


That's a good one! :thumbsup:

I have carried TP on my work truck for YEARS..... That is a lesson I only needed once....


----------



## 480sparky

Whenever you are installing PVC underground, and you need to stop & bury the end, don't just tape up the plain end of the pipe. Always end with a bell end or a coupler and tape that up. When you dig it up to continue, you only need to take a knife and cut out the end. No more struggling to get all that tape off the outside of the PVC, and having it get all dirty in the meantime.


----------



## 480sparky

Another one came to mind tonight:

When working with threaded rod, and you need to run a nut a long way onto the rod, here's a neat trick I learned years ago.

Take some duct tape, and wrap it around the chuck of your cordless drill, sticky side out. 3 or 4 layers should do it. Place the tape lightly against a nut you've started on the rod, and make sure your drill is set to run in the correct rotation. Pull the trigger. It takes a while to get used to it, but it's pretty easy to learn. Soon, you'll be zipping those nuts up the rods so fast everyone else will be amazed.

Works great when you've got a lot of them to do, such as when you're building multi-layered trapezes.


----------



## dognutz12

Speedy Petey said:


> On the same theme as Marc's 1/8" hole and #14.
> Take an ordinary wire coat hanger. Every place has them around.
> Cut out the whole long horizontal part with your *****; square on one end and at a 45 deg angle on the other. This makes a perfect drill bit for placing holes to drill up through a plate into a wall. This can be a tedious chore finding the center of a wall from below.
> Drill the "bit" through the floor right against the drywall or base moulding. If the floor is hardwood try to find a small defect, crack or knot to drill into. A bit of floor dust can later hide the hole easily.
> Go down below and find the hanger, measure in the direction of the wall and drill up with a regular bit. Perfect placement every time. :thumbsup:


This trick also works very well when drilling down in carpeted rooms. Drill down where the carpet meets the baseboard. Go into basement to locate hanger. measure over and drill up into stud space. The hanger will not unloop the carpet like drill bits will.


----------



## Kevin J

Need a cheap pipe rat? Try using an empty plastic grocery bag with a little air in it and a knot tied in the end. Tie string to it and go to the other end with a shop vac and suck it through. Preforms itself to the pipe. Works great on any thing bigger than 3/4'' conduit. I have used this on some pretty long runs.


----------



## CADPoint

Resiguy said:


> Back to back 90's made quick and easy....
> 
> Measure the distance from connector to connector, add 7" to that, then cut the pipe at that mark. Bend 90's in toward each other at both ends of the pipe. You'll have a perfect back to back run without any couplings inbetween. This works using 1/2" conduit.


Which part of the conduit are you measuing to or from. Center to center, etc, etc, etc...



Wireless said:


> The easiest way is to thread the fish tape through the holes in the back of a piece of uni-strut, and then slide it across the whole fish tape.


Thanks I'll try that ...


----------



## 480sparky

*Telephone & Cable rough ins*

To keep the drywallers from zip-routing your telephone and RG6 cables after you rough them in, don't roll the wire up in the box. Instead, go straight through the box and staple it loosely to the stud. When you return to trim, just pull the cable up into the box and you have nice, undamaged cable to work with.







 
This photo shows a telephone line, but the same principal works for cable. Just don't make it so long that it extends over the bottom plate and can get pinched between the plate and the drywall. Staple it *loosely*.. *don't cinch* the staples down below the box..


----------



## MF Dagger

Beware of that trick if they are spraying foam. It can be a real bear to get back out. I try to leave a tiny bit of slack in the box so I can get my fat hand in there to grab it.


----------



## CADPoint

With new construction sometimes the PVC might get a rock or pulled -slip broken,
1 or 2 Bottles of Coke-Cola, overnight will disolve the rock...and seeped concrete.


----------



## N84Christ

480sparky said:


> Abosutely! If you're trying to add a recep in the wall near the floor, you can't get the flex bit bent enough for it to come out in the basement. Without this, you'll end up drilling a hole outside.
> 
> Sorry for the 'way off' pix, but it's from Greenlee's web site. I suppose they show it this way because it shows the entire tool, not just the handle.
> 
> Edit to add: The placement tool also works if you need to 'aim' your fishing rod/stick as well.


 You can also use a 1/2 stub bender to guide the drill bit and protects the cut out in drywall.


----------



## N84Christ

*clean cieling work*

When installing remodel reccess lights, cut the mouth of a one gallon milk jug ( drink milk first) cut it just big enought o grt your cordless drill chuck and all in. When you slide the 6 inch hole saw in the bottom and connect it to the chuck, trim the milk jug down to about an inch or so below the hole saw. Line up your pilot bit and slide the milk jug to the cieling and away you go. No dust in the eyes or on you and your work space.


----------



## Adam12

A Framer showed me this neat trick today. I was cutting out a section of drywall today and using my "cow magnet stud finder" to locate the screws holding the drywall on.

The Framer gathered some of the carbon dust on a piece of paper from the chop saw they use to cut their metal studs. He sprinkled it over the stud against the drywall and as the dust fell over the screws that are covered with mud, the dust stuck to the screw heads through the mud. Pretty neat. 

Since they use a magnetic tip on their screws guns, it slightly magnatizes the screws causing the dust to stick. :thumbsup:


----------



## Southeast Power

.................................


----------



## Adam12

Pic. added.


----------



## 480sparky

Bear with me on this one, because I took a bunch of step-by-step photos to explain better what this idea does.

To prevent 'floaters', devices that just kind of hang out there with nothing behind them that's solid (yea, sometimes the rockets get a bit ambitious rotozipping the drywall!), there's what I do.

When I buy a long, phillips screwdriver, I drill two 9/64" holes into the handle, right next to the shaft. One on each side, at about a 20° angle or so.




















Now, when I rough in a job, I pick up some scrap 12 or 14 and make some little 'springs' to use at trim.

You can do this by hand by inserting one end of the wire into one of the holes, using the hole that will 'catch' the wire and hook it so it won't pull out. I put two holes in so this works in either direction.












Start wrapping the wire around the shaft of the screwdriver by twisting the handle, and holding the wire with your other hand"










Just keep on twisting, keeping the coil as tight as you can together:












Next post..............


----------



## 480sparky

Keep twisting all the way to the end of the wire or screwdriver, whichever comes first:











When done, you'll have this:











Give the wire a slight twist in the opposite direction, and it will pull out of the hole in the shaft.











Slide the entire coil off the screwdriver (note: you need a screwdriver that does not flare out, like this phillips)











Cut the loose ends off the coil:









http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc172/480sparky/Construction methods/float07.jpg


----------



## 480sparky

And you have a spring or coil of 12 or 14 you can carry in your pouch!












When it comes time to trim, you can cut it slightly longer than you need it:










And nibble it down to the final length:


----------



## 480sparky

If you're so inclined, you can chuck the screwdriver into your cordless and do the process with the drill:






























I know the process seems long and drawn out with all the photos and the text, but just a couple minutes at the end of a rough-in will save you countless minutes during trim!


----------



## NolaTigaBait

thats a good idea...i always just use the flathead with the little tab on it for those...its hell to get it off, now i see why you use the phillips....i'll have to try this one


----------



## Noe

MDShunk said:


> Locating Locations In Attic With Ease: After your customer decides where they want the new devices installed in existing drywalls, you can drill (or nail) a 1/8 hole at these locations into the attic (or floor), push a bare #14 CU about 3 feet long into the 1/8 hole then go into the attic or crawl space and locate where you want to drill the hole. The shinny copper wire is really visible with flashlight in dark attics or crawlspaces.


Try using glow sticks. Cheap usually in toy section of stores and they glow for you.


----------



## knowshorts

480,

Wouldn't caterpillars or box extenders be better and cheaper and legal?


----------



## 480sparky

knowshorts said:


> 480,
> 
> Wouldn't caterpillars or box extenders be better and cheaper and legal?


What's cheaper than using rabbit to make these with? And why aren't they legal?


----------



## captkirk

480sparky said:


> Ever need to run a machine nut a long way up or down a piece of all-thread?
> 
> Take your HandyMans' Secret Weapon (ordinary duct tape) and wrap 3 or 4 layers sticky-side out around the chuck of your cordless. Lightly press the tape against the nut, and, with the drill set for the proper direction (CW/CCW) just pull the trigger and try to keep up!
> 
> I mean, this is *really *fast! A foot every one or two seconds once you get the hang of it.


 A circular wire brush on your drill will do the same thing.


----------



## knowshorts

480sparky said:


> What's cheaper than using rabbit to make these with? And why aren't they legal?


First off, I have done it. The cost of the box extenders or cats are cheaper than my time. I don't have scrap 12 solid with me at trim. Devices are typically wired up with stranded unless I am using MC or NM. Pig-tailing is done prior to drywall. Some would argue that the coils are not listed or you have more than 1/4" from face of ring to finished wall. Not opening code book tonight.


----------



## Shaffer87

A tip for ceiling pad mount devices that just wont sit right and bow the tile. Find a spare piece of grid, cut it to about three inches or so. The grid that is already in place has a notch in the middle of the vertical piece. The bottom side of the piece you just cut will fit in there and hold the pad down. Pretty nice trick if you understand what im talking about... :jester:


----------



## 480sparky

Shaffer87 said:


> A tip for ceiling pad mount devices that just wont sit right and bow the tile. Find a spare piece of grid, cut it to about three inches or so. The grid that is already in place has a notch on the top of the vertical piece. The bottom side of the piece you just cut will fit in there and hold the pad down. Pretty nice trick if you understand what im talking about... :jester:


I'll be the first to admit I have absolutely no idea what you're saying here.


----------



## MDShunk

480sparky said:


> I'll be the first to admit I have absolutely no idea what you're saying here.


I know EXACTLY what he's talking about, and I'll take pictures tomorrow (I'm pretty sure I'm going to make it to a place w/drop ceilings). It's a trick that I hope every electrician will eventually get to know. It really cleans up your installs.


----------



## 480sparky

MDShunk said:


> I know EXACTLY what he's talking about, and I'll take pictures tomorrow (I'm pretty sure I'm going to make it to a place w/drop ceilings). It's a trick that I hope every electrician will eventually get to know. It really cleans up your installs.


Good. I can't make heads nor tails of what was posted. 

Then again, I'm just a tool.


----------



## Shaffer87

Sorry, tried my best to explain it... :laughing: I will try to get a photo tomorrow too incase Shunk does not.


----------



## starsailor803

480sparky said:


> Bear with me on this one, because I took a bunch of step-by-step photos to explain better what this idea does.
> 
> To prevent 'floaters', devices that just kind of hang out there with nothing behind them that's solid (yea, sometimes the rockets get a bit ambitious rotozipping the drywall!), there's what I do.
> 
> When I buy a long, phillips screwdriver, I drill two 9/64" holes into the handle, right next to the shaft. One on each side, at about a 20° angle or so.


So what you're saying is you place these coils around the device's mounting screws so it holds tight to the box when the tabs can't grab the sheet rock? Neat trick but most times I can get by just using splice caps/crimp sleeves.


----------



## BDB

Shaffer87 said:


> I will try to get a photo tomorrow too incase Shunk does not.


We are waiting :whistling2:


----------



## oldschool

BDB said:


> We are waiting :whistling2:


yes. i totally forgot about this post
i am curious as well. i could not figure out what was described


----------



## drsparky

I think I may know what he tried to say. Sometimes when you mount a box in the ceiling tile supported by T-grid box hangers the tile gets drawn up off of the ceiling grid. Wedging a small piece of T-Rail between the hanger and the tile forces the tile back into place. I’ve done this when mounting smoke heads and occupancy sensors. I hope this isn't even more confusing.


----------



## App.Electrician

Anyone ever get frustrated when your trimming out recepticles and the sheet-rockers cut the hole too big around you box causing the recepticle to sink into the wall creating a sunken unprofessional appearance to your work? Everyone knows you can take an 8/32 nut and slip it onto the 6/32 screw for spacers, but what if your fresh out?? Try taking a piece of solid #12 in your needle nose and making a coil for however much space you need. Of course you need to strip the insulation first. :thumbsup:


----------



## Kevin J

App.Electrician said:


> Anyone ever get frustrated when your trimming out recepticles and the sheet-rockers cut the hole too big around you box causing the recepticle to sink into the wall creating a sunken unprofessional appearance to your work? Everyone knows you can take an 8/32 nut and slip it onto the 6/32 screw for spacers, but what if your fresh out?? Try taking a piece of solid #12 in your needle nose and making a coil for however much space you need. Of course you need to strip the insulation first. :thumbsup:



Check out 480's method.


----------



## BIGRED

I use these, they work great!

www.secura-lets.com/


----------



## App.Electrician

Kevin J said:


> Check out 480's method.


Same exact thing I was talking about, but his method of doing seems so much easier, and probably saves the pads on your thumbs also.


----------



## Kevin J

To make spacers, I carry a few pieces of 1/4'' plastic plumbing supply tubing (the kind that feeds from the shut-offs to the faucet) and I just cut whatever length off of it I need.


----------



## starsailor803

Here's a few of my tricks.

*#1* If I'm pulling coax, phone wire or cat 5 in an attic or crawl space and have to turn a sharp corner or get around an obstruction that will likely cause the wire to snag this is what I do. Take a romex staple and two splice caps and put the caps over both staple legs and nail it near the corner you're trying to get around. Run the cable through it to use as a pulley. 

*#2* When working in an insulated attic, cover your arms at least up to the elbows with lots of baby powder. It clogs the pores and prevents fiber glass from getting in your skin. Seriously reduces itchiness.

I'm sure most of you probably know this next one but in case some of you don't(some electrician friends had never done it before) here's a time/arm saver...

*#3* If you have a large hammer drill set it for straight hammer action and use it for driving ground rods. Just slip it into the collar as if it were a bit. If you're in nasty earth it can cut a 30 minute job down to a few seconds.


----------



## drsparky

starsailor803 said:


> Here's a few of my tricks.
> 
> *#1* If I'm pulling coax, phone wire or cat 5 in an attic or crawl space and have to turn a sharp corner or get around an obstruction that will likely cause the wire to snag this is what I do. Take a romex staple and two splice caps and put the caps over both staple legs and nail it near the corner you're trying to get around. Run the cable through it to use as a pulley.
> 
> *#2* When working in an insulated attic, cover your arms at least up to the elbows with lots of baby powder. It clogs the pores and prevents fiber glass from getting in your skin. Seriously reduces itchiness.
> 
> I'm sure most of you probably know this next one but in case some of you don't(some electrician friends had never done it before) here's a time/arm saver...
> 
> *#3* If you have a large hammer drill set it for straight hammer action and use it for driving ground rods. Just slip it into the collar as if it were a bit. If you're in nasty earth it can cut a 30 minute job down to a few seconds.


Would not do this one, get the ground rod adapter. You will screw up the hardware the holds the collar on.


----------



## Kevin J

drsparky said:


> [/color]Would not do this one, get the ground rod adapter. You will screw up the hardware the holds the collar on.



Or, as I seen one of the local PoCo guys do, he used his hammer-drill this way and the end of the ground rod mushroomed and got stuck in the drill. I was nice enough at that point to let him use mine with the drive adaptor so he could at least finish the job. I bet he had some explaining to do!


----------



## starsailor803

Oh, here's another common trick but in case some hasn't tried it...

When you need to cut PVC in a tight area where you can't get at it with a hack saw use builder's string. Take a short piece(1 or 2 feet) and two screw drivers or two pair of pliers. Wrap each end around a screwdriver or pliers and make one complete turn around the pipe and pull back and forth on the string and it will cut the pipe neatly and uniformly.


----------



## 480sparky

starsailor803 said:


> Oh, here's another common trick but in case some hasn't tried it...
> 
> When you need to cut PVC in a tight area where you can't get at it with a hack saw use builder's string. Take a short piece(1 or 2 feet) and two screw drivers or two pair of pliers. Wrap each end around a screwdriver or pliers and make one complete turn around the pipe and pull back and forth on the string and it will cut the pipe neatly and uniformly.


There a special wire saws for just such an instance.

You can find them in the plumbing department.


----------



## starsailor803

drsparky said:


> [/color]Would not do this one, get the ground rod adapter. You will screw up the hardware the holds the collar on.


Yeah, that too. But, honestly, I've had the same Hilti hammer drill for years and it's still good as new. As long as you don't have it set on rotor it should be fine. But, yeah if you're uneasy about it better be safe and get the adapter.


----------



## starsailor803

480sparky said:


> There a special wire saws for just such an instance.
> 
> You can find them in the plumbing department.


Cool, never seen those before!:thumbsup:


----------



## starsailor803

Kevin J said:


> Or, as I seen one of the local PoCo guys do, he used his hammer-drill this way and the end of the ground rod mushroomed and got stuck in the drill. I was nice enough at that point to let him use mine with the drive adaptor so he could at least finish the job. I bet he had some explaining to do!


Wow, that's never happened to me. Now, was he driving into bedrock?


----------



## 480sparky

starsailor803 said:


> Cool, never seen those before!:thumbsup:


Usually $5 or $6.


----------



## Kevin J

starsailor803 said:


> Wow, that's never happened to me. Now, was he driving into bedrock?



I don't know, some of the soil around here is soft as butter, some without rocks is pretty hard, and yeah, sometimes it's just chock full of rocks. Some of the "rock" around here is what they call isinglass, it just crumbles in your hand.


----------



## paul d.

starsailor803 said:


> Cool, never seen those before!:thumbsup:


 them things would'nt last 15 min. on a big job. but i'd luv to try em out.


----------



## App.Electrician

*!*



480sparky said:


>


This thing looks dangerous.

Could easliy take out a froggy superintendant with one of these!

:laughing:


----------



## 480sparky

paul d. said:


> them things would'nt last 15 min. on a big job. but i'd luv to try em out.


They're not meant to be used all the time to cut pipe all day.

They're a specialty tool that you use only when it's the only way to cut.


----------



## paul d.

480sparky said:


> They're not meant to be used all the time to cut pipe all day.
> 
> They're a specialty tool that you use only when it's the only way to cut.


 i bet i could use em all day long. and most guys on this forum too. BUT them idiots i work with......


----------



## 480sparky

paul d. said:


> i bet i could use em all day long. and most guys on this forum too. BUT them idiots i work with......


 
I doubt they'd last a full day if you did nothing but cut with them.

They get very very hot. And I mean *HOT*. I doubt I've gotten more than 20 or 30 cuts with one, even using it just once a week.


----------



## paul d.

well, since i dont ( cant ) do slab/ duct bank work no more i'll probably never get to try em. string slower but it works.


----------



## MDShunk

Seems like I remember hearing of a couple guys sawing through their jail cell window bars with string coated in Comet powdered cleanser.


----------



## 480sparky

MDShunk said:


> Seems like I remember hearing of a couple guys sawing through their jail cell window bars with string coated in Comet powdered cleanser.


 
You sure that wasn't Jamie and Adam? Using hot salsa sauce and electricity?


----------



## paul d.

most jail cells now are just a metal box with a door.:laughing:


----------



## Mr. Sparkle

paul d. said:


> most jail cells now are just a metal box with a door.:laughing:


...and 45367 ground rods.


----------



## Johnt

Mr. Sparkle said:


> ...and 45367 ground rods.


Have seen and used all tricks and short cuts listed in this forum. String is best to cut pvc cheaper and always on hand why spend money on a tool used once in a while.
as for running in walls and fishing a friend of mine trained a ferret neat trick. A lot of times to bend pvc in a chicago we got it hot with glue and a match 11/4" to 2" only then used the size pipe to line and got the right bend.


----------



## ralpha494

I forgot all about starting the glue on fire till you said it. As an apprentice 25 years ago the contractor had a 55 gallon drum cut in half with charcoal in it. I've also used a tail pipe and a weed torch.

For re-ballasting jobs with wire nuts I like using rubber fingertips on my thumb and pointer finger. About 10 cents each from the office supply store. Saved a lot of blisters and cracked skin.


----------



## BP_redbear

I didn't realize that there is a tips & tricks of the trade over on the General Discussion page, also.

Here is a website that has many useful tips. None are mine, but I see that I have already used some of them.

http://www.elec-toolbox.com/tricks/tricks.htm

You can even submit new ones on that site.


----------



## jahaiap

I always work alone so I find this really handy. When you have to fish a long or oddshaped void with fish sticks or a fish tape fish it from both ends. From the 1st direction you have a hook on whatever youre using to fish. From the 2nd direction you take about 3 feet of jet line and fold it up to make about 10 loops. Tape it to the end of whatever youre using to fish from the 2nd side. It ends up looking like a ball of jet line. Push it into the void and head back to the irst side. It makes a really big target to hit from the other side and is easily hooked and pulled to you. This works great in walls too.

If youve lost a neutral in a string of receps that someone has probably stabbed in the back.... unplug everything from the circuit. Plug in a lamp where you have a lost neutral. Go around to every receptacle on the circuit with you plug in recep tester and tweak it back and forth. If the lamp flashes when you wiggle the recep you have a loose neutral stabbed in the back at that recep. 

When installing cut in recess cans take your whirly trim screw driver and spin it into the center point that you have marked for your can. Push it all the way in and turn it so the handle of the screwdriver just about rolls on the ceiling. Rotate it around to check for trusses. 

James


----------



## Kris Davis

When pulling control circuits. We use 5 or 6 different colors wires and group them together with phasing tape. If you had to number each one it would take forever.


----------



## rdr

ralpha494 said:


> I forgot all about starting the glue on fire till you said it. As an apprentice 25 years ago the contractor had a 55 gallon drum cut in half with charcoal in it. I've also used a tail pipe and a weed torch.
> 
> For re-ballasting jobs with wire nuts I like using rubber fingertips on my thumb and pointer finger. About 10 cents each from the office supply store. Saved a lot of blisters and cracked skin.


Lighting it on fire, a tail pipe, or a heat gun were the ways I was originally taught. I never saw a heater for bending it for about the first 3 years.


----------



## Jeff000

Tip for bending cheap EMT that always wants to ripple in the bend, put some lube on the bender, not sure why, but works like a damn for having cheap pipe come out buttery smooth like silverslick does.
When hand bending 1 1/4" lubing up the bender is the ONLY way I can bend it without the ripples. 



CADPoint said:


> With new construction sometimes the PVC might get a rock or pulled -slip broken,
> 1 or 2 Bottles of Coke-Cola, overnight will disolve the rock...and seeped concrete.


Does this actually work? And can you pull through it after its all nasty and sticky? Always seems to be a couple of slab pipes that you can get air through but can not get a tape through.


----------



## MF Dagger

A can of coke is cheap. Throw a rock in a glass and a can of coke and see. I call BS on it dissolving anything but ice.


----------



## knowshorts

MF Dagger said:


> A can of coke is cheap. Throw a rock in a glass and a can of coke and see. I call BS on it dissolving anything but ice.


What about teeth?

The acids in Coke will eat away at the concrete. It won't make a hole in a 4" slab, but I have used that method a few times in underground and so far I am batting 1.000.


----------



## paul d.

MF Dagger said:


> A can of coke is cheap. Throw a rock in a glass and a can of coke and see. I call BS on it dissolving anything but ice.


 i remember trying it many years ago. yep. bullsh!t. :no:


----------



## knowshorts

Throwing a rock in a glass of Coke wont do much. That rock had been hardened for millions of years. Fresh concrete takes quite a while to cure and harden. It wont necessarily dissolve the rock in the mix, but it breaks down the remaining concrete ingredients enough to get a line through to swab the conduit.


----------



## rdr

Jeff000 said:


> Tip for bending cheap EMT that always wants to ripple in the bend, put some lube on the bender, not sure why, but works like a damn for having cheap pipe come out buttery smooth like silverslick does.
> When hand bending 1 1/4" lubing up the bender is the ONLY way I can bend it without the ripples.


Never heard that one. I'd have to see it to believe it.


----------



## Jeff000

knowshorts said:


> What about teeth?
> 
> The acids in Coke will eat away at the concrete. It won't make a hole in a 4" slab, but I have used that method a few times in underground and so far I am batting 1.000.


youtube the mythbusters when they unsuccessfully tried to dissolve teeth. 




rdr said:


> Never heard that one. I'd have to see it to believe it.


Just learned it a couple months ago, when I first bent 1 1/4", for the life of me I couldn't bend it without wrinkles or a flat out kink, The foreman for the drywall actually told me he saw a guy using the lube and it helped.


----------



## 220/221

When installing service conductors in an overhead riser, I put the weatherhead on first to avoid possible scrapes. 












This adds a small lip that the conductors will get stuck on but a bit of tape on the end allows it to slide past.


----------



## Kris Davis

Is the riser conduit EMT?


----------



## 220/221

Imc.


----------



## 480sparky

220/221 said:


> Imc.


What is the tensile strength of that hammer-smashed EMT?:whistling2:


----------



## 220/221

It probably makes it stronger like a Samuri sword.


----------



## ampman

480sparky said:


> What is the tensile strength of that hammer-smashed EMT?:whistling2:


 it's forged emt now


----------



## 480sparky

ampman said:


> it's forged emt now


It's counterfeit??


----------



## slickvic277

I like to ad one,maybe most guys here know it all ready but I'll post it anyway.When cutting in a panel that's stuffed with MC cable and you have lot's of wire to untwist,get yourself a cordless drill with an eye bolt in it. Then take the end of the wire wrap it around the eye bolt and spin the drill in reverse.This will untwist all the wires super fast and make them nice and straight instead of twisted.Makes for a nice neat panel in a reasonable amount of time.


----------



## thegoodelectrician

NolaTigaBait said:


> thats a good idea...i always just use the flathead with the little tab on it for those...its hell to get it off, now i see why you use the phillips....i'll have to try this one


The best I have found is to use 1/4 inch ice maker tubing. You keep a roll or piece with you, cut it about 1/8 in longer that needed. When you screw in device or fixture the tubing shrinks up and keeps the device firm.


----------



## MF Dagger

I prefer working in the dark.


----------



## 2towbot

*locating attic fixtures*

Buy a bundle of the landscape metal flags . They are a small diameter
steel you can just twist them up through the sheet rock and you have a 
flag to show you where the box will land. Usually if its not a happy spot,
a bit of spackle and nobody knows any different. I have been working on
the same bundle of flags for more than a few years.


----------



## electricalmarket

This is a great topic! Every electrician needs this!


----------



## 480sparky

2towbot said:


> Buy a bundle of the landscape metal flags . They are a small diameter
> steel you can just twist them up through the sheet rock and you have a
> flag to show you where the box will land. Usually if its not a happy spot,
> a bit of spackle and nobody knows any different. I have been working on
> the same bundle of flags for more than a few years.



I do the same thing with metal coat hangers. Those will go through anything except masonry just by cutting the end at a 45° angle and using a drill.

And if you don't have any spackle, use white toothpaste.


----------



## jw0445

I use the spring wire the insulation guys use to hold it up. Best part is it's free.


----------



## JohnR

finding the wire colors when pulling 3 PH circuits, a union fellow once told me to just use my tape measure to find out what color say circuit 38 or even in series systems, what color circuit 67 is when pulling circuits in conduits. The method, circuits 1,2 are always phase A, circuits 3,4 Phase B, circuits 5,6 Phase C. so taking your tape measure at any point, start at the beginning of a foot just before the number you are looking for. place two fingers on 1,2 and that is A, slide to 3,4 and those are B,etc till you get to the number you are searching the color for. 
using this method helps some who like me had a hard time to learn the divide by 6 and use the remainder method.


----------



## moman

If you need a chase nipple on the fly and only have jakes. Cut off the end that threads into the flex ream it and you have a chase nipple.


----------



## 480sparky

moman said:


> If you need a chase nipple on the fly and only have jakes. Cut off the end that threads into the flex ream it and you have a chase nipple.



I'll bite..... what's a jake?


----------



## RIVETER

Hole sawing stainless steel plate??? Stuff a piece of cloth into the area inside the cutting blade; soak with cutting oil and drill away. Fast and saves the teeth.


----------



## knowshorts

480sparky said:


> I'll bite..... what's a jake?


It's what some of the weirder Californian's call flex connectors. It took me a while to figure out wtf people were talking about.


----------



## JohnR

480sparky said:


> I'll bite..... what's a jake?


This is what we call a jake around here. I don't know what type of flex connector knowshorts is talking about. Maybe there is something else as well.

http://westsidedelivers.com/images/products/BRIFIT/81-dc.gif


----------



## knowshorts

JohnR said:


> This is what we call a jake around here. I don't know what type of flex connector knowshorts is talking about. Maybe there is something else as well.
> 
> http://westsidedelivers.com/images/products/BRIFIT/81-dc.gif


Nope, that looks like a pulling el.


----------



## BP_redbear

knowshorts said:


> Nope, that looks like a pulling el.


A pulling el is what guys around here call a jake.


----------



## 480sparky

Capped elbow.


----------



## ibuzzard

A jake is a screw-type flex connector,as opposed to the clamping type.Anyone know why they were ever given that name?


----------



## knowshorts

ibuzzard said:


> A jake is a screw-type flex connector,as opposed to the clamping type.Anyone know why they were ever given that name?


The guy at Regal that invented them was named Steve?


----------



## Ohmbre

RIVETER said:


> Hole sawing *stainless steel plate*??? Stuff a piece of cloth into the area inside the cutting blade; soak with cutting oil and drill away. Fast and saves the teeth.


I got 2 words for you *white vinegar. *Try it, it really works.


----------



## gilbequick

Ohmbre said:


> I got 2 words for you *white vinegar. *Try it, it really works.


Do you use the vinegar as you would cutting oil?


----------



## Ohmbre

gilbequick said:


> Do you use the vinegar as you would cutting oil?


Yup. No smoke, no torn up bits or hole saws.


----------



## powersec

*Vinegar works a treat*

Thanks for that, I've been looking for a solution like this. Who would of thought vinegar, nice one!


----------



## BuzzKill

powersec said:


> Thanks for that, I've been looking for a solution like this. Who would of thought vinegar, nice one!


I helped build a big ass county swim park and it was all stainless gear. Wore out bits left and right. Never knew this! Vinegar? For real??


----------



## JohnR

*Old SqD panels*

If you are opening a panel especially an old SqD with the little bars in between the breakers, and inadvertently shut a circuit off, here is a little trick that can save 
1) your job 
2) your company their customer account
3) your :whistling2:

first turn the breaker back on, then put your screwdriver against the back side of the breaker where the bump comes thru the panel cover. Tap the screwdriver *lightly* toward the handle of the breaker. 

This will put the breaker in the "tripped" position. which of course you "Couldn't have done unless there was a problem with the wiring" you can show them the tripped breaker .
Works on other types too

I was in a larger Insurance Co. quite a while back. One of the electricians was putting on a panel cover and shut off the hall circuit on a normal 120 panel. (not Iso) well you should have seen the ruckus that raised. Seems some nucklehead was running a Program on a computer on a desk plugged into that ckt. was running for 3 days, No he didn't back it up.:thumbsup:

Came very close to losing the customer. And very close to a lawsuit. This trick would have stopped some of that had the J-man known about it.:jester:


----------



## Widestance_Politics

220/221 said:


> I have HUNDREDS. Where to start?
> 
> 
> 
> Running lots of (smaller) PVC? Glue as much as you can together from ONE spot. Lay the PVC with the belled ends behind you. Tape the leading end of the first piece to keep debris out and slide it away from you. Put glue on 4 or five ends at a time, couple together, slide down and repeat. If you have a hard surface and limited obstruction you can put together 100' plus feet of pipe from one location. No laying out individual pieces and bending down in the dirt every 10 feet and the chance of getting debris in the conduit is seriously reduced. I think I am the only one who has figured this one out.


I learned this as an apprentice from a JW that had worked for BERG for years. I don't know if I was more amazed by how much faster it is than gluing each stick along the trench, or that it is such an obvious idea and nobody seems to notice it. My record is running 2260 feet of 2 inch in one afternoon...I could have ran more but that was all that was on the print..

Also, maybe some of the older guys can explain this better, but our shop wouldn't spring for radios although we were troubleshooting FA with only 2 guys. So the same JW shows up the next day with 2 old style handheld telephone receivers that had alligator clips hanging out. I don't know how he rigged them but I remember seeing a 9 volt battery that he installed...anyhow as long as the building has a continous grounding system you clip the receiver to any 4 square box and you can talk to each other......he said almost everyone at Berg carried them...


----------



## JohnR

Widestance_Politics said:


> I learned this as an apprentice from a JW that had worked for BERG for years. I don't know if I was more amazed by how much faster it is than gluing each stick along the trench, or that it is such an obvious idea and nobody seems to notice it. My record is running 2260 feet of 2 inch in one afternoon...I could have ran more but that was all that was on the print..
> 
> Also, maybe some of the older guys can explain this better, but our shop wouldn't spring for radios although we were troubleshooting FA with only 2 guys. So the same JW shows up the next day with 2 old style handheld telephone receivers that had alligator clips hanging out. I don't know how he rigged them but I remember seeing a 9 volt battery that he installed...anyhow as long as the building has a continous grounding system you clip the receiver to any 4 square box and you can talk to each other......he said almost everyone at Berg carried them...


The handsets
Get 2 or more handsets from an old rotary phone 
remove the cords
get 2 aligator jacks for each handset with attachment cables as long as you thing you will need. 4ft? 
open the mic and ear piece up and rewire them so that everything in the handset is in series two wires out. clip out any of the little resistors caps or what ever they are that are mounted on the speaker piece. wire in a 9v battery. 
clip onto any two wires that are dead and separated or 1 wire and the ground.


----------



## Widestance_Politics

JohnR said:


> The handsets
> Get 2 or more handsets from an old rotary phone
> remove the cords
> get 2 aligator jacks for each handset with attachment cables as long as you thing you will need. 4ft?
> open the mic and ear piece up and rewire them so that everything in the handset is in series two wires out. clip out any of the little resistors caps or what ever they are that are mounted on the speaker piece. wire in a 9v battery.
> clip onto any two wires that are dead and separated or 1 wire and the ground.


Thanks for that info.......now if I could only find two rotary phones...:no:


----------



## 480sparky

Widestance_Politics said:


> Thanks for that info.......now if I could only find two rotary phones...:no:



Just use two test sets, and a toner transmitter.


----------



## Rudeboy

CADPoint said:


> With new construction sometimes the PVC might get a rock or pulled -slip broken,
> 1 or 2 Bottles of Coke-Cola, overnight will disolve the rock...and seeped concrete.


I was on a job a couple weeks ago, the gc had ran the pvc for a couple of columns and hadn't taped up the ends and sure enough, column to column was blocked. I guess stucco had seeped in. Well, about thirty minutes and a can of diet coke later, it was free and clear.
:thumbsup:


----------



## Geoff C

This is good if you are in a bind in resi by yourself trying to find a circuit with no tracer;

Amp everything out, jot down what each circuit is drawing. Ask homeowner for a hair dryer, plug it into the recep, go amp everything out again.


----------



## Bkessler

Geoff C said:


> This is good if you are in a bind in resi by yourself trying to find a circuit with no tracer;
> 
> Amp everything out, jot down what each circuit is drawing. Ask homeowner for a hair dryer, plug it into the recep, go amp everything out again.


is that a trick on how to waste time? why not just turn the breakers off one at a time until the circuit is out?


----------



## zoltan

The next time the hole hawg shoots a wood chip into your eyeball, The kind that sticks in there, grab your handy book of Paper matches. Tear out a match and use the frayed, torn end to pluck the chip out. The torn paper acts like a magnet on the slightly moistened wood.


----------



## Geoff C

Bkessler said:


> is that a trick on how to waste time? why not just turn the breakers off one at a time until the circuit is out?


Guess you've never had a neurotic customer working from home who can't have his computer killed. Not foolproof but better than running up and down the stairs 30 times.


----------



## brian john

Geoff C said:


> This is good if you are in a bind in resi by yourself trying to find a circuit with no tracer;
> 
> Amp everything out, jot down what each circuit is drawing. Ask homeowner for a hair dryer, plug it into the recep, go amp everything out again.


Beter yet use a flasher and a 150 watt bulb on in a drop light.

But we shut down hospitals and data centers a home owner can surely go down.


----------



## Bkessler

Geoff C said:


> Guess you've never had a neurotic customer working from home who can't have his computer killed. Not foolproof but better than running up and down the stairs 30 times.


There's not a house in CA that won't shut down if I tell them to, What you have to do is learn how to explain what you doing and why your doing it. Do it right and they'll understand.


----------



## 480sparky

brian john said:


> Beter yet use a flasher and a 150 watt bulb on in a drop light.
> 
> But we shut down hospitals and data centers a home owner can surely go down.










+







+







+







= Circuit finder.


----------



## Rudeboy

480sparky said:


> +
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> +
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> +
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> = Circuit finder.


Ha ha!
I think I'll just use my circuit finder. Plus I can ncvt and check correct wiring at the same time.


----------



## 480sparky

Rudeboy said:


> Ha ha!
> I think I'll just use my circuit finder. Plus I can *ncvt* and check correct wiring at the same time.



North Carolina Vermont?


----------



## Rudeboy

480sparky said:


> North Carolina Vermont?


Is that a rail line?

I prefer the _BNSF_ .
:thumbsup:


----------



## 480sparky

PELLCOCEU said:


> Im not sure about you guys but i consider a place to get Online ceus for Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wayoming and 15 other states for 99 dollars a great Tool. This site has like 15 states of CEU's for just 99 dollars and there pretty easy check it out (spammer's web site deleted)









​


----------



## etb

kjw444 said:


> Say you need a 2" hole in a box and you drill a hole to small by mistake, no problem just grab a small scrap piece of 2x4 drill the proper size hole and c-clamp it to the box to use as a guide works great!


A similar method for floors: take the plug and wrap with tape until it fits close, then use that to guide.



kjw444 said:


> Whenever pulling wire straight through a long distance through many boxes overhead, I use my tape measure to guide it into the next pipe instead of hiking around a 10 footer.


I used to use a stick too, but then I started using pre-cut pieces of liquid-tight flex, slit lengthwise. (I usually only pull straight throughs on the same size box, so I keep them in a coffee can and reuse them.) Just put the piece between the two fittings, then once the wires are through, pull the flex off using the slit and pull your loop.

*Concrete screws (such as [email protected]):*
Crumbly 'crete is no problem but in really hard concrete or brick, sometimes driving the screw is real tough and if you force it, the hardened steel breaks. I found the cause to be powder/chips left in the hole. So now after all holes are drilled I go along and blow each of them out with that compressed air from office supply (using the straw). I get some looks, laughs, and "comments," but I have yet to snap another screw. Even for boreholes through walls, it beats dust in your face trying to blow with your mouth...


----------



## East Coast Newbie

*Fixing a Fishtape "Slinky"*

When your fishtape turns into a slinky from some apprentace pulling it on a bad angle  you can fix it by by bending a piece of 1/2" emt around 5' long into 3 S shapes like a snake (540 degrees of bends) and pull the fishtape through it two or three times. Your once twisted up fishtape will lay flat again like it's brand new.


----------



## sparky723

East Coast Newbie said:


> When your fishtape turns into a slinky from some apprentace pulling it on a bad angle  you can fix it by by bending a piece of 1/2" emt around 5' long into 3 S shapes like a snake (540 degrees of bends) and pull the fishtape through it two or three times. Your once twisted up fishtape will lay flat again like it's brand new.


There need to be a tips and tricks thread.
I think theres a site called electricians toolbox where they have a TON of these type of tricks. This site is the one with the Rack A Tiers. I may have the wrong site listed..Im sure SOMEBODY will correct me.


----------



## 480sparky

sparky723 said:


> There need to be a tips and tricks thread.
> I think theres a site called electricians toolbox where they have a TON of these type of tricks. This site is the one with the Rack A Tiers. I may have the wrong site listed..Im sure SOMEBODY will correct me.



ETE. .


----------



## sparky723

480sparky said:


> ETE. .


 
Knew I was close..Thanks,480!!


----------



## sparky723

220/221 said:


> Stealth wall...wait for it....the 1 minute mark is awesome.
> 
> http://www.break.com/index/drunk-man-hits-invisible-wall.html


Hey, who put that wall there!?!?!

I got hung up on that Break.com site for over an hour...

Back to the tips and tricks....


----------



## John Peters

*Icon to go to this site*

I have an icon on my iPhone that takes me directly to this site. The site comes up fine, but it seems to think that I searched for something that is not here. It says "sorry try your search again". 

I want it to automically start out with "new posts"


----------



## 480sparky

John Peters said:


> I have an icon for this site but it always comes up sorry try again. How can I fix that to come up to "new posts"?


Huh?


----------



## Chris1971

Tip: make sure the check doesn't bounce before beginning the project.


----------



## Ground Rat

Hi guys, great site here! I have a few tricks to add I haven't seen posted yet.


*Keep prints from getting torn*
If I'm using a set of prints in the field that will likely be getting roughed up, I tape the edges of the most often used pages with duct tape. No more frustration over torn pages.

*Secure hold for conduit*
Out here it is common to use a tea cart to haul around tools and material. To make a steady rest for your conduit, cut two v-notchs in the top lip of your cart, one on each side. Place your conduit in the notchs and it is nearly as secure as a tri-stand.
You can also use a hand bender to get a good grip on your conduit. Stand your bender up on its handle and look at the degree marks, you should see two holes in the shoe. Feed the end of your conduit through the hole in the shoe closest to the start mark. Now set them both on the ground and move the bender handle around until you find a position that places balanced pressure on the conduit when you put your weight on the bender handle. You may have to play with it a bit or try flipping the bender around to see what I mean, but this method is fast and effective with a little practice.

*Loose shoe on hand bender?*
A loose shoe can be very annoying. A quick fix that works well is to unscrew the handle, wrap a bit of tape tightly around the threads then screw the handle back into place tightly.

*Accurate hand bender*
I often see a revised deduct written on the shoe when the start mark not correct. Instead of deducting this revised number and possibly getting it wrong, a faster method is to locate where the start mark should be, then notch the shoe with a file to make your 
new start mark.

*Cow magnet*
I glued a piece of felt to mine so I can run it along finished walls to located metal studs, covered metal boxes, etc. Mine has a hole in the middle so I can tie a string on it to fish in walls and pvc conduit. Also handy for triggering magnetic door holders and probably 10 other uses.

*Locate covered boxes*
I haven't had a 100% success rate with this one, but if you have about a 2' straight edge, rock it back and forth on the wall until you find the high spot. If you have ceiling wire handy take a ~10" piece and cut the end at a 45* angle. Chuck it up and drill into the high spot to see if your box is there.

*Hammer in lead anchors with ease*
If you need to hammer down some lead anchors thru 1 5/8" strut or deep boxes you will want to make this tool. Cut yourself about 8-10" of 1/2" allthread. Thread on a nut then a rod coupling. Leave the end of the rod coupling hanging off the rod just enough to form a shallow cup, then tighten the nut against the rod coupling to lock it in place. Set the cup end against your lead anchor and hammer away.

*Working with strut*
Sometimes moving a piece of strut into place when building a rack by yourself can be awkward, especially if the strut needs to be run very far up the allthread and/or the strut is very long. To make the job easy, hold the strut in place where you want it to go, then clip a spring clamp onto the allthread on each end. Now you can run your nuts and hardware into place without fiddling with the strut - I use the method 480sparky described to thread nuts quickly. Spring clamps are cheap and small so I always keep a couple in my bag.

*Fast conduit spacing*
Next time you have some long conduits runs on a rack or are working by yourself, try these methods out. If you are only running two or three conduits on a rack, you can make some quick spacers using scrap emt (I typically use 3/4" emt for spacers). Pick up a piece of scrap maybe 6-8" long and stand it up on end. Looking down at the conduit, make about a centered 2" cut straight down the end. Now rotate the piece 90* and make another cut the same depth. Your two cuts should form a "+". Bend down all four pieces 90* and you have a spacer to can hang between horizontal conduit runs. 
If you have several conduit of equal size heading down a rack you can make a different type of spacer. Cut a piece of strut the same length as your conduit run is wide. Now cut some 6-8" scraps of emt to use a spacers and loosely clamp them to the strut. Place this jig on top of your conduit run with the scrap emt hanging down in between the conduit and push everything together tightly. Tighten up the straps on your jig and you are good to go.

*Sucking string*
If you are having a hard time sucking in a mouse, try making your own out of the thinnest most flexable plastic you can find (the cheapo sandwich bags work great) and use jet line for your string. Make sure your vacuum is getting a good seal. If the head of the vaccuum can't cover or reach the hole properly, you can bend yourself a new attachment out of conduit and duct tape it into place. Also place duct at the head of your attachment to make sure it seals over the hole. When the mouse gets hung up, pull it back a few feet and let go repeating the process until it moves past the obstacle. 

On a side note a co-worker and I clocked our mouse on some parking lot lighting runs and calculated it had traveled ~40mph!

*Spool wire onto an empty wire reel*
If you need to pull one more circuit than you have wire spools but have an empty spool laying around, you can transfer some extra wire from a full spool to the empty spool using a drill. Chuck up a hole saw (you may need to remove the drill bit) and press this firmly over the axle and onto the end of the empty spool, then run the drill. 
I know there is an easier method than using a hole saw but I can't remember what it is!

*Moving wire*
A loaded wire caddy made to carry by hand can be moved with less effort by flipping it upside down and rolling it using the back spools as wheels.
If you have ever used a step ladder and axle as a wire dispenser for 2500' spools, you know it can be awkward to get the heavy spool into place. Try laying the ladder, spool(s) and axle on the ground first, then lift the ladder and wire up together. You may find this easier especially if working by yourself.

*Keep your hands clean*
If you need to use pull soap and don't want to get dirty (or your apprentice to get dirty) you can make a grout bag in a pinch by rolling up some plastic and duct taping it. You can also fill empty caulk tubes with soap which works better than a squeeze bottle. For big wire pulls polywater sells a hand pump that replaces the lid on their 5gal buckets of soap.

*Faster KO punch*
When using a knock-out punch tool, use the non-cutting half of the 3/4" or 1" punch as an additional spacer. This way you will have less threads to turn when getting ready to punch a hole.

*Work with ceiling wire like a pro*
To tie off your wire a neatly as the grid guys: run your ceiling wire through your hole, bring it straight up then back down 90*. Now on the end sticking out, measure out from the ceiling wire attached to the ceiling about 2" and bend this short piece straight up. You should now have an easy handle to wrap the ceiling wire around itself with. 
To splice or extend ceiling wire make a hook about 1" on the end of both pieces. Now overlap the hooks a little more than 1" and twist the short part of the hook on each wire around the long part of the opposite wire, then pull both wires away from each other firmly. Crimp the hooks while pulling until they are tight.

*Wear a hardhat?*
If you wear a hardhat you can tape info you want quick access to such as multiplier tables or jobsite contact info to the inside of your hardhat. This is much faster than digging through your wallet.

*EMT slip coupling*
If you are in a pinch and have some EMT couplings with the dimples instead of a line in the middle, you can easily drill out the dimples with a small bit then hit the inside with a file and voila! Note: Not an approved method


----------



## doubleoh7

Ever hate cleaning up and dragging everything back out to the truck after? I hate that. Plus, the customer notices that the last half hour of your bill is the labor for you to pick everything up and reorganize in your truck or trailer. It goes a lot smoother for me when I pick up as i go. If I have to go out to the truck to get something, I look around. If there is something that I don't think I will need again, I take it with me and put it up. At the end, it does not look like they paid for all the cleanup, because it is spread out over the course of the day and they don't notice.:thumbsup:


----------



## jproffer

> *Locate covered boxes*
> I haven't had a 100% success rate with this one, but if you have about a 2' straight edge, rock it back and forth on the wall until you find the high spot. If you have ceiling wire handy take a ~10" piece and cut the end at a 45* angle. Chuck it up and drill into the high spot to see if your box is there.


OR....:devil2::devil2:

Take out your trusty hammer...and SMASH holes in their nice new drywall........about every 2 feet should do it....keep smashing until you find your buried box. I'd venture a guess that you won't have any more buried boxes (not by THAT rocker anyway)


----------



## Master E

Adam12 said:


> Been using one of these for awhile. These adapters work well for plugging in your battery chargers. Or whatever else.
> 
> On most jobs you usually have a temp light stringer running through just unscrew one of the lamps and there you have it.


Someone else may have mentioned this and no offense meant. That is a violation of 590.4D in two ways and I can think of at least 3 G.C.s in my area that would sting you up by your wirenuts just for taking the lamp out of the socket.


----------



## ralpha494

You can use an old three prong adaptor (even one with the ground wire broken off) for testing tamperproof receptacles with a proximity tester.


----------



## rgshepherd75

It works but you can't put alot of pressure on the placement tool it will bend.


----------



## bronko_butkus74

If you have to install your own ceiling grid wire for strapping MC w/ batwings and the bar joists are too high up, take a stick of 3/4" EMT and use your snips and make a wedge shaped hook. Then insert your grid wire up through the conduit with about a foot of wire sticking out, hook it over the bar joist or wind brace then grab it with your hook and spin your conduit, then pull the EMT back down and on to the next.


----------



## bronko_butkus74

If you are having issues with concrete/masonry screws spinning out, I have always had luck taking a piece of THHN insulation or a tie wrap and bending it in half (length of screw) and pushing it into the hole then your tapcon will bite.


----------



## chewy

Standing on cold concrete floors for up to 15hrs a day in work boots used to kill my back and joints, I take out the insoles and buy a cheap pair of flip flops/thongs/jandals and trace the insole around them then cut them out with a stanley knife, feels like I'm wearing sneakers now.


----------



## ralpha494

chewy said:


> Standing on cold concrete floors for up to 15hrs a day in work boots used to kill my back and joints, I take out the insoles and buy a cheap pair of flip flops/thongs/jandals and trace the insole around them then cut them out with a stanley knife, feels like I'm wearing sneakers now.


 
Standing on cardboard helps a lot. On a scissor lift I cut cardboard to fit the floor. In winter it insulates and cushions. It makes cleaning it off a breeze, too.


----------



## Ninety

I've had a few Zip-It's blow out their hole in the sheet rock before from the screw being too tight in the anchor. Now I always grab the anchors with the blades of my linesmans and run the screw through it and back out with my cordless before instillation.


----------



## oww-is-that-hot?

*Fix-a-floater*

I like that trick using the spring-shaped wire to give the floating devices a backer, but has anybody just tried to bend the ears back? If the ears wont catch the drywall, just bend them back in towards the box and your all set. The ears will make contact and your device should be sticking out far enough to look good while being held in place. Fast way to fix a floater. :thumbsup:


----------



## A Little Short

I first used this tip to find a lost contact lens in thick carpet, but it can also be used to find tiny screws or anything small you might drop. Get an old pair of panty hose and stretch over the end of a vacuum cleaner hose. Run the vacuum hose over the area and check to see if you've located the dropped item. The vacuum will pick up the item but the panty hose will prevent the item from being sucked into the vacuum. Works great!:thumbsup:


----------



## Ninety

I often hold my drop in anchor set tool with my channel-locks. They take the impact of a hammer so much better than my thumbnail.


----------



## cultch

Wow...what a great thread! Many usefull tips. My old boss (commercial) would make sure someone piped in the lighting and get it pulled. Take the hr and stretch it over to the 120v panel. Put the temp lights right at the j box's. Get the stringers out of there before the drywall goes up thus saving (most) of it.

Used to carry a big huge magnet. Would tie a string to it to retrieve dropped tools in the water when working on piers or behind chase walls.

Also when old working behind drywall, cut the hole above the ceiling (drop ceiling) plenty big and save the piece. Same amount of work for a 2x2" hole as an 8x8" one.

1 more...read the prints...it really helps.


----------



## donselec

i use insulation rods... ever try to cut one...:thumbsup:
or ssl tig rod works good to but $$:laughing:


----------



## Wireman191

Use for the bit less 11-1. Wrap some electrical tape around the shank of your file and jam it into the 11-1 handle. :thumbup:


----------



## Voltech

Little-Lectric said:


> I first used this tip to find a lost contact lens in thick carpet, but it can also be used to find tiny screws or anything small you might drop. Get an old pair of panty hose and stretch over the end of a vacuum cleaner hose. Run the vacuum hose over the area and check to see if you've located the dropped item. The vacuum will pick up the item but the panty hose will prevent the item from being sucked into the vacuum. Works great!:thumbsup:


 Honey, I promise those are for finding small things that I dropped in carpet.:whistling2:


----------



## Voltech

*Panel change out*

When changing out a panel with more than a few conduits coming in the top, cut the top off the old one and transfer to the new panel. This is a huge time saver when using panels that dont have factory knock outs in it. but you can forget using the old panel for your next side job


----------



## Wireman191

Making splices with split bolts, back wrap with jap wrap so if you have to cut into it later its easy to remove. Same goes for making heads for wire pulls


----------



## 480sparky

Wireman191 said:


> Making splices with split bolts, back wrap with jap wrap so if you have to cut into it later its easy to remove. ...........


Wrap with the tape _stickey-side out_ until the split-bolt is covered, then another layer like normal. Then there won't be any goo on the split-bolt 20 years from now.


----------



## IBEW191

480sparky said:


> Wrap with the tape _stickey-side out_ until the split-bolt is covered, then another layer like normal. Then there won't be any goo on the split-bolt 20 years from now.


 Same thing, you wording was better.:laughing:


----------



## 480sparky

IBEW191 said:


> Same thing, you wording was better.:laughing:


I know some who use thin cardboard, toilet paper or sandwich bags to cover the split-bolt first.


----------



## cultch

I had forgoten this one till a thread reminded me of it. I posted it there but I'll post it here as well.

When working by yourself and needing to locate a circuit.

Lets say you need to know what circuit a certain recept is on. Stick your tic tester in the outlet. Let it beep beep beep. Take one of you walkie talkies and set to listen or like me tape it down to listen. Set it next to your tic tester.

Then go to the panel with the other walkie talkie and hit breakers till you here the beep beep stop thru the W/T.

You can use the same premis for other applications. 

Also a dentist mirror and small flashlight really come in handy...


----------



## Sordoni

When doing service upgrades I have stopped cutting the old service at the head and hooking up temp power. Now I just hook up temp power to the line side of the old meter pan, then pull the old service to the side enough to install the new service. Then I only have to mess with the splice once when cutting in at the very end.


----------



## McClary’s Electrical

Little-Lectric said:


> I first used this tip to find a lost contact lens in thick carpet, but it can also be used to find tiny screws or anything small you might drop. Get an old pair of panty hose and stretch over the end of a vacuum cleaner hose. Run the vacuum hose over the area and check to see if you've located the dropped item. The vacuum will pick up the item but the panty hose will prevent the item from being sucked into the vacuum. Works great!:thumbsup:


 

I saw that trick used years ago when a buddy dropped his bag of weed on carpet.


----------



## McClary’s Electrical

Sordoni said:


> When doing service upgrades I have stopped cutting the old service at the head and hooking up temp power. Now I just hook up temp power to the line side of the old meter pan, then pull the old service to the side enough to install the new service. Then I only have to mess with the splice once when cutting in at the very end.


 
I go one step further and never cut the splice. I jumper the old meter to the new meter. The power company removes it when they install new meter. Confuses the hell out of some members here. They're damn positive they need to continue doing things as their fathers did.


----------



## Sordoni

mcclary's electrical said:


> I go one step further and never cut the splice. I jumper the old meter to the new meter. The power company removes it when they install new meter. Confuses the hell out of some members here. They're damn positive they need to continue doing things as their fathers did.


That wouldn't work here. The PoCo comes when they want and decides what they are going to do. Sometimes they don't even upgrade the overhead line, it's all their discretion. They also don't install a new meter, the electrician installs the old one in the new pan, the PoCo just puts a tag on it. They sure as hell aren't going to remove jumpers and equipment from the building. The electrician is responsible for everything up to the weatherhead.

How do you jumper between 2 meters in a safe way that doesn't expose live parts to the kids, etc?


----------



## rhiesa

I think I've finally found a tip that hasn't been brought up yet.

Instead of forking over a few thousand for an hydraulic hole punch, just throw a socket onto an impact drill and let it hammer away. Even with putting 1inch holes in 4x4s instead of using the ratchet an impact can shorten the job to under three seconds.


----------



## knowshorts

rhiesa said:


> I think I've finally found a tip that hasn't been brought up yet.
> 
> Instead of forking over a few thousand for an hydraulic hole punch, just throw a socket onto an impact drill and let it hammer away. Even with putting 1inch holes in 4x4s instead of using the ratchet an impact can shorten the job to under three seconds.


Times are tough right now. You can get a hydraulic kit up to 4" for $400. Add in a rebuild kit and oil for another $100. 

There is really no need to punch a hole any other way when the kits are so cheap.


----------



## oww-is-that-hot?

knowshorts said:


> Times are tough right now. You can get a hydraulic kit up to 4" for $400. Add in a rebuild kit and oil for another $100.
> 
> There is really no need to punch a hole any other way when the kits are so cheap.


That's still $500! I might try the impact driver way, I've heard of a few people doing that on here. And the time it will save.


----------



## Mr. Sparkle

oww-is-that-hot? said:


> That's still $500! I might try the impact driver way, I've heard of a few people doing that on here. And the time it will save.


The hydraulic punch will pay for itself much faster than fumbling with the impact driver.


----------



## HARRY304E

Mr. Sparkle said:


> The hydraulic punch will pay for itself much faster than fumbling with the impact driver.


Definitely..:thumbsup:


----------



## knowshorts

oww-is-that-hot? said:


> That's still $500! I might try the impact driver way, I've heard of a few people doing that on here. And the time it will save.


let's try to remember tip/trick number 1 - Always use the proper tool for the job in a proper manner.


----------



## oww-is-that-hot?

Mr. Sparkle said:


> The hydraulic punch will pay for itself much faster than fumbling with the impact driver.


Sorry bud but it's pretty impossible for me to "fumble" w/ an impact driver and punches are so slooooowwwwwww.


----------



## oww-is-that-hot?

knowshorts said:


> let's try to remember tip/trick number 1 - Always use the proper tool for the job in a proper manner.


never hurts to try it once just to see what happens, usually...


----------



## dr electron

If you can get whoever you're working for to get 1 1/16" hole saws for 3/4" EMT connectors. Over the years the shoulder on most of them has shrunk and will often fall through a 1 1/8" hole.


----------



## southsko

I Have been reading this thread for the last few days and sorry if this is a repost...


When you have a broken underground PVC pipe that got hit by a ditch witch or an excavator and you have to dig it up and its totaled there is a easy fix.

Cut the broken part out

Cut patch piece and glue on a coupling to the side thats in the ground of on your patch piece

Cut the bell end off of a stick (better than a sliding coupling) and slide it onto the patch piece

Glue patch piece into place (do not put cement on the sliding coupling!)

NOW put glue on the other side and existing run side... Slide bell end coupling over onto the existing side.. apply more glue.... slide black to the middle between the patch side and the existing side.

I know that is not the best way to patch, but in a pinch... there you go! I had to dig down 4' one day to see what was causing the blockage and pull the same day and this was all I could do. After my journeyman told me this trick he told me not to forget it. Now I'm sharing it. Thoughts?


----------



## OaklandElec

When you have to cut conduit with conductors in it, slide some 1/2" into the conduit over the conductors and cut away, avoiding cutting through the 1/2".


----------



## southsko

OaklandElec said:


> When you have to cut conduit with conductors in it, slide some 1/2" into the conduit over the conductors and cut away, avoiding cutting through the 1/2".


Or find a plumber on site with a pipe cutter, but yes! I have used this may times!


----------



## chewy

southsko said:


> Or find a plumber on site with a pipe cutter, but yes! I have used this may times!


I use string and 2 screwdrivers as handles to cut PVC in that situation


----------



## southsko

chewy said:


> I use string and 2 screwdrivers as handles to cut PVC in that situation


Ahh I see. I'm talking EMT and your right.. That's why I always have some string on me!


----------



## jordan_paul

Widestance_Politics said:


> Also, maybe some of the older guys can explain this better, but our shop wouldn't spring for radios although we were troubleshooting FA with only 2 guys. So the same JW shows up the next day with 2 old style handheld telephone receivers that had alligator clips hanging out. I don't know how he rigged them but I remember seeing a 9 volt battery that he installed...anyhow as long as the building has a continous grounding system you clip the receiver to any 4 square box and you can talk to each other......he said almost everyone at Berg carried them...





JohnR said:


> The handsets
> Get 2 or more handsets from an old rotary phone
> remove the cords
> get 2 aligator jacks for each handset with attachment cables as long as you thing you will need. 4ft?
> open the mic and ear piece up and rewire them so that everything in the handset is in series two wires out. clip out any of the little resistors caps or what ever they are that are mounted on the speaker piece. wire in a 9v battery.
> clip onto any two wires that are dead and separated or 1 wire and the ground.


Could I get anymore explaination? Or some pictures? I've looked all over google and found nothing that says you could use a buildings ground as a transmitter. Even a proper link would help, I really want to try this.


----------



## 480sparky

jordan_paul said:


> Could I get anymore explaination? Or some pictures? I've looked all over google and found nothing that says you could use a buildings ground as a transmitter. Even a proper link would help, I really want to try this.



Click here.


----------



## Wirenuting

jordan_paul said:


> Could I get anymore explaination? Or some pictures? I've looked all over google and found nothing that says you could use a buildings ground as a transmitter. Even a proper link would help, I really want to try this.


A pair of sound power phone handsets do the same thing. Any pair of wires for about any distance you need. No battery required.


----------



## RAHARRIS78

*pushing wire*

When pushing wire through 1/2 and 3/4 conduit twist a wirnut one the end.Wirenuts without the wings work best like ideals or buchanan.You can also carry a cup of wire ease to dip in.


----------



## RAHARRIS78

Adding to the conduit trick for sheet rock you can use snips to cut pie shapes from the end of a peice of conduit till it has teeth around the end.you can turn this back and fourth through wall by hand,make for the size pipie your insalling perfect fit.easy caulk and fits in pouch.


----------



## RAHARRIS78

Pierre Belarge said:


> What a way to ruin an otherwise good thread.


 I agree either stay on the subject or go somewhere else!


----------



## RAHARRIS78

joeyuk said:


> Some great ideas here. More then a couple new to me.
> 
> When mounting a box to the underside of unistrut thru the pre fab holes use a spring nut inside the strut (spring away from the box)to bolt into.
> 
> I use a 7/8 spade bit in a battery drill to drill holes in sheetrock for toggle bolts. No core to clear.
> 
> When drilling multiple holes in panel etc. with a hole saw I push a small piece of rag in the hole saw and wet it. It keeps the hole saw cool and doesn't allow the cut out to travelup the bit. More holes dip the hole saw into a spry can capof water so piece of rag soaks upmore water.
> 
> When pulling large wire wrap the nose with a rag and duct tape it. This will smooth out the nose and make for quicker clean up on the other end.
> 
> Someone mentioned pulling on the wire to communicate . We tap the pipe with our linemen pliers . Sound travels well in the pipe. 1 tap means pull. 2 or more rapidly means stop. tap tap tap tap tap.............tap tap means your done.
> 
> Installing high hats in 2X2 ceiling tile. Use a 4" T from corner to opposite corner to quickly find center of tile. Then use small piece of ceiling wire as compass to cut circular groove in tile. Now finish cut with stab saw. Sounds more complicated then it is but saves time.
> 
> Joe


If you really want to save time use a roto zip with a circle cutter over a trash can or 5 gal bucket.mark the center with tape measure lik sheet rockers do.hold index finger on 11 7/8 from 2 sides.


----------



## RAHARRIS78

kjw444 said:


> Making holes in drywall for toggle bolts:
> I just use my drywall saw, I stab it in to about the right size then just turn the saw until you have a hole.
> 
> Say you need a 2" hole in a box and you drill a hole to small by mistake, no problem just grab a small scrap piece of 2x4 drill the proper size hole and c-clamp it to the box to use as a guide works great!
> 
> Two people pulling wire at long distances use you cell phone on speaker and turn it real loud.
> 
> Whenever pulling wire straight through a long distance through many boxes overhead, I use my tape measure to guide it into the next pipe instead of hiking around a 10 footer.
> 
> Whenever I have problems getting the ground screw into a deep metal cut in box, insert the ground screw into your nut driver and wrap one wrap of tape to secure the ground screw, then screw and pull out like any smart man!


Replace the tape with a ground your done.


----------



## RAHARRIS78

Adam12 said:


> Been using one of these for awhile. These adapters work well for plugging in your battery chargers. Or whatever else.
> 
> On most jobs you usually have a temp light stringer running through just unscrew one of the lamps and there you have it.


Get caught by OSHA using that.


----------



## RAHARRIS78

ibuzzard said:


> A jake is a screw-type flex connector,as opposed to the clamping type.Anyone know why they were ever given that name?


 Sounds like a MC con to me.


----------



## RAHARRIS78

*removing metal from eye.*

If ever get metal shavings in the eye,hold your torpedo level as close to eye as possible without touching.Work for me more than once.


----------



## RAHARRIS78

*incandescent on 277.*

Take 3 100w lamps and connect in series.connect to 277v circuit.


----------



## gilbequick

RAHARRIS78 said:


> Take 3 100w lamps and connect in series.connect to 277v circuit.


Care to make a diagram for this?


----------



## ralpha494

_________O________^________O________^_______O________
....black......... white ......black ......white .......black ......white


O = lamp in temporary lighting socket
^ = wire nut
Black wire from first temp light to hot wire
White wire from last temp light to neutral


----------



## oldtimer

ralpha494 said:


> _________O________^________O________^_______O________
> ....black......... white ......black ......white .......black ......white
> 
> 
> O = lamp in temporary lighting socket
> ^ = wire nut
> Black wire from first temp light to hot wire
> White wire from last temp light to neutral





Isn't that just a simple series circuit? :blink:


----------



## 480sparky

oldtimer said:


> Isn't that just a simple series circuit? :blink:



Yep. Each lamp will operate at 92.33 volts. Dim, but they will light.


----------



## Chris1971

RAHARRIS78 said:


> If ever get metal shavings in the eye,hold your torpedo level as close to eye as possible without touching.Work for me more than once.



Safety glasses work better for me.:laughing:


----------



## local134gt

Need to enlarge a 1/2" KO into 3/4" without a punch? Put a 1/2" set screw connector into the hole and tighten the locknut and remove the set screw. Now your 1-1/8" hole saw will fit perfectly over the 1/2" connector without walking and you can drill a perfect new hole.


----------



## B W E

local134gt said:


> Need to enlarge a 1/2" KO into 3/4" without a punch? Put a 1/2" set screw connector into the hole and tighten the locknut and remove the set screw. Now your 1-1/8" hole saw will fit perfectly over the 1/2" connector without walking and you can drill a perfect new hole.


Today I cut the bell end off a piece of 3/4 PVC and used it as a slip coupling to repair an underground conduit that was blocked up. Probably isn't legal, but, whatever.


----------



## chewy

B W E said:


> Today I cut the bell end off a piece of 3/4 PVC and used it as a slip coupling to repair an underground conduit that was blocked up. Probably isn't legal, but, whatever.


You guys probally already know this but I havent seen it posted. A plumber showed me how to make a bell end on PVC by heating it up with a heat gun then manipulating another peice of the same size pvc into the heated up piece. There seemed to be a bit of an art to it though.


----------



## Southeast Power

RAHARRIS78 said:


> Take 3 100w lamps and connect in series.connect to 277v circuit.


I just worked on a crap load of fountain lights that were just two 120 volt lamps in series on 277 volt circuit


----------



## ilikepez

If anyone was interested at all in a new meter Agilent is having a cash rebate until 1-31.

http://www.home.agilent.com/agilent...key=2060152&id=2060152&cmpid=zzfindhhcashback


----------



## french connection!!

Speedy Petey said:


> On the same theme as Marc's 1/8" hole and #14.
> Take an ordinary wire coat hanger. Every place has them around.
> Cut out the whole long horizontal part with your *****; square on one end and at a 45 deg angle on the other. This makes a perfect drill bit for placing holes to drill up through a plate into a wall. This can be a tedious chore finding the center of a wall from below.
> Drill the "bit" through the floor right against the drywall or base moulding. If the floor is hardwood try to find a small defect, crack or knot to drill into. A bit of floor dust can later hide the hole easily.
> Go down below and find the hanger, measure in the direction of the wall and drill up with a regular bit. Perfect placement every time. :thumbsup:


I like to use the piece of metal that hold insulation in crawl space , it's really strong .


----------



## carryyourbooks

can't believe the following haven't been mentioned in all of these posts:

1. when pulling wire where you need to duct tape the head, right before you put duct tape, put a tie wire or piece of jet line. after you get your wire pulled and its all soapy, you rip the wire/string and rip off all the duct tape in a single rip pull and all the tape is off fast.

2. when roughing in switches and plugs, cut 2 pieces of emt at 16" and 46" and tape them together. then no need for a measuring tape or marker. just set your box on top of the pipe you need and screw or nail your box down.

i had another, but will have to post when i remember what it was.

edit: i remembered. phase all your nutdrivers. now, when you need phasing tape, you'll have it. (you'll need the 9/16 nut driver, it is orange.)

also, i purchased a very large klein canvas bag. then i purchased the colored zipper pouches. i have one for nut drivers, one for screwdrivers, one for pliers, one for drill bits, one for allen sockets, one for regular sockets, one for my level, rotosplit and other odd balls and one for rolls of tape. very easy to find what i need when i need it.


----------



## EIR

my first boss and i were running underground pvc and ended up an elbow short,he poured the glue onto the pipe light it and made the bend,a little scorched but not kinked worked good


----------



## Dawizman

kjw444 said:


> Say you need a 2" hole in a box and you drill a hole to small by mistake, no problem just grab a small scrap piece of 2x4 drill the proper size hole and c-clamp it to the box to use as a guide works great!


Easier way is to screw the proper sized saw on to your quick release arbor, and then screw the smaller size that you just drilled inside of that to use as your guide.


----------



## french connection!!

here's my dust free drill for toggle bolt in ceiling , a bottle of water .

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-...I/AAAAAAAAB-0/Sq07bJtGiNc/s912/work%20001.jpg


----------



## wesleydnunder

carryyourbooks said:


> can't believe the following haven't been mentioned in all of these posts:
> 
> 1. when pulling wire where you need to duct tape the head, right before you put duct tape, put a tie wire or piece of jet line. after you get your wire pulled and its all soapy, you rip the wire/string and rip off all the duct tape in a single rip pull and all the tape is off fast.
> 
> 2. when roughing in switches and plugs, cut 2 pieces of emt at 16" and 46" and tape them together. then no need for a measuring tape or marker. just set your box on top of the pipe you need and screw or nail your box down.
> 
> i had another, but will have to post when i remember what it was.
> 
> edit: i remembered. phase all your nutdrivers. now, when you need phasing tape, you'll have it. (you'll need the 9/16 nut driver, it is orange.)
> 
> also, i purchased a very large klein canvas bag. then i purchased the colored zipper pouches. i have one for nut drivers, one for screwdrivers, one for pliers, one for drill bits, one for allen sockets, one for regular sockets, one for my level, rotosplit and other odd balls and one for rolls of tape. very easy to find what i need when i need it.


Down here it's called a story pole. My dad showed me that one when I was first helping him wire houses in 1972.

Mark


----------



## bubb_tubbs

carryyourbooks said:


> 2. when roughing in switches and plugs, cut 2 pieces of emt at 16" and 46" and tape them together. then no need for a measuring tape or marker. just set your box on top of the pipe you need and screw or nail your box down.


Jesus, your boxes are high.

We usually use furring bar or a piece of 2" stud and make a stick of knowledge with all the centre heights.

Some guys use the back of their tape measure, but I can't bring myself to do it to the fat maxes.


----------



## 480sparky

bubb_tubbs said:


> Jesus, your boxes are high.
> 
> We usually use furring bar or a piece of 2" stud and make a stick of knowledge with all the centre heights.
> 
> Some guys use the back of their tape measure, but I can't bring myself to do it to the fat maxes.



Those are US inches. :laughing:

In log homes, I put them at 52".


----------



## bubb_tubbs

480sparky said:


> Those are US inches. :laughing:
> 
> In log homes, I put them at 52".


I generally put them at 12" to bottom (13.5" to centre) unless specs instruct me otherwise.

Switches are 47.5" centre line.


----------



## croakerchoker

480sparky said:


> Ever need to run a machine nut a long way up or down a piece of all-thread?
> 
> Take your HandyMans' Secret Weapon (ordinary duct tape) and wrap 3 or 4 layers sticky-side out around the chuck of your cordless. Lightly press the tape against the nut, and, with the drill set for the proper direction (CW/CCW) just pull the trigger and try to keep up!
> 
> I mean, this is *really *fast! A foot every one or two seconds once you get the hang of it.



This to me seems like an ok idea. Maybe this will work better for some. I usually get the nut started on the all thread about and inch, then stick the all thread into my drill as if it were a drill bit. Grab the nut with channel locks, wrench, whatever you prefer. Run the drill in reverse, the nut will zip up the all thread. Careful to not damage threads when tightening the chuck on your drill, and if you try to tighten with drill before you remove it will likely damage the threads inside the chuck.


----------



## dowmace

croakerchoker said:


> This to me seems like an ok idea. Maybe this will work better for some. I usually get the nut started on the all thread about and inch, then stick the all thread into my drill as if it were a drill bit. Grab the nut with channel locks, wrench, whatever you prefer. Run the drill in reverse, the nut will zip up the all thread. Careful to not damage threads when tightening the chuck on your drill, and if you try to tighten with drill before you remove it will likely damage the threads inside the chuck.


That wont work on an existing rack.


----------



## croakerchoker

dowmace said:


> That wont work on an existing rack.[/
> 
> True, never said it would...


----------



## bubb_tubbs

croakerchoker said:


> True, never said it would...


What he's getting at is that the method you commented on _will_.


----------



## denny3992

1)like the color coding on nut drivers ive colr coded my sockets and wrenches with phase tape! instead of digging thru my klein bag, just look for the colors.
2) if ur short on threaded reducers for up to 1 1/2 " thread the outside of a grc coupling ie a 1/2 grc coupl threaded on the outside will screw into a 3/4 hub.
3) when u have a bunch of conduits stubbed out of the slab and need to go into a panel or trough, put a piece of cardboard or 1/4 luan on it and tap with a hammer, no need for all kinds of measurements! makes a great template


----------



## chewy

If you need to cut a drill bit down in size, just get your hacksaw and hold it on the bit steadied against the jaws of the chuck and go for gold moving the hacksaw back and forth. I had to do this recently when I was running conduit inside a cavity sliding door, using my M12 right angle drill.


----------



## french connection!!

my steps stairs ladder !


----------



## chewy

french connection!! said:


> my steps stairs ladder !


I just cut the front legs down off of a regular ladder for stairs work then replaced the feet and it looks purpose built.


----------



## ralpha494

What could possibly go wrong?


----------



## randomkiller

ralpha494 said:


> What could possibly go wrong?


 
Belt slip maybe and you break your back when you land? Way more money spent on medical bills than renting or buying a stair ladder.


----------



## randomkiller

denny3992 said:


> 1)like the color coding on nut drivers ive colr coded my sockets and wrenches with phase tape! instead of digging thru my klein bag, just look for the colors.
> 2) if ur short on threaded reducers for up to 1 1/2 " thread the outside of a grc coupling ie a 1/2 grc coupl threaded on the outside will screw into a 3/4 hub.
> 3) when u have a bunch of conduits stubbed out of the slab and need to go into a panel or trough, put a piece of cardboard or 1/4 luan on it and tap with a hammer, no need for all kinds of measurements! makes a great template


 
1) Sounds like it'll work.
2) Sounds like a PIA first off and then changing the approved use of a fitting if caught by an inspector just isn't worth it in the long run. Plus I'd think it looks hack.
3) Use it all the time.


----------



## denny3992

randomkiller said:


> 1) Sounds like it'll work.
> 2) Sounds like a PIA first off and then changing the approved use of a fitting if caught by an inspector just isn't worth it in the long run. Plus I'd think it looks hack.
> 3) Use it all the time.


only ever done #2 in a pinch, yes it is hack! but has gotten me out of a jam in the past


----------



## thoenew

randomkiller said:


> Belt slip maybe and you break your back when you land? Way more money spent on medical bills than renting or buying a stair ladder.


Especially when a Little Giant Select Step 5-8 is only $155 with shipping today. 
(unfortunately it's aluminum, even though a fiberglass is only $230)


----------



## french connection!!

I use a ratchet strap and climb on the 4' yellow ladder , happen maybe twice per year to be in situation like that , so good enough .


----------



## pwoody

When marking center in a ceiling tile for a fixture box, use a straightedge and make a line from both diagonal corner to corner. If your tape measure is beefy enough you can use that.

way faster and no math involved.


----------



## bubb_tubbs

pwoody said:


> When marking center in a ceiling tile for a fixture box, use a straightedge and make a line from both diagonal corner to corner. If your tape measure is beefy enough you can use that.
> 
> way faster and no math involved.


Aren't you drilling/cutting from the back in that case? It tends to make the veneer at the edges of the hole pull away when you do that and some fixtures don't cover it.


----------



## MollyHatchet29

bubb_tubbs said:


> Aren't you drilling/cutting from the back in that case? It tends to make the veneer at the edges of the hole pull away when you do that and some fixtures don't cover it.


Poke through the center from the back and you know where to put the pilot bit. Flip it, then cut. Ceiling tiles have a tendency to blow out the back which makes the face look jagged (like you said above) 

I've also heard of using a small bit, some thread measured to the radius of your desired circle and a pencil to mark them. Pop through the center and circle around with your pencil. Never tried it, though.


----------



## running dummy

MollyHatchet29 said:


> Poke through the center from the back and you know where to put the pilot bit. Flip it, then cut. Ceiling tiles have a tendency to blow out the back which makes the face look jagged (like you said above)
> 
> I've also heard of using a small bit, some thread measured to the radius of your desired circle and a pencil to mark them. Pop through the center and circle around with your pencil. Never tried it, though.


I've stacked 3-4 on top of each other and drill through all of them with my adjustable radius cutter…boom, done.


----------



## mcb-expert

A Quick tip is to use Portable Test Equipment instead of regulars. There are those with power sources built-in.

MCB Testers


----------



## hardworkingstiff

LOL, I saw this on "today's posts" and thought, I've seen something like this before, then I looked at the date of the 1st post.

Some threads are so good they go on forever! 

Nice thread there Speedy! :yes:


----------



## muchlisin

*yup thanks guys*



Speedy Petey said:


> How about this. Let's start a Tips & Tricks thread.
> I'll make it a sticky and we'll see how it goes.
> I'll start with a copy of a post I made in a lighting thread (pretty off-topic over there).
> 
> ** DISCLAIMER: Use any tips here at your own risk. Use common sense and trust your instincts if you are not comfortable with any procedure. These tips are to help us, NOT get us hurt.
> I trust anyone posting tips will keep them within the bounds of good judgment. Thanks.**
> 
> 
> 
> _
> When drilling 1/2 & 3/4 conduit hole saws (7/8" & 1 1/8"), put a big 1/4" fender washer between the saw and the material. This way when the pilot bit goes through if you can hold it back the teeth do not "grab" the material and break the pilot bit. The washer just spins. :thumbsup:
> 
> 
> Also:
> __Use__ Lenox cutting oil when using a hole saw in metal. __This stuff is AMAZING__!!!__
> It comes in small squirt bottles and is usually right near the holes saws on the rack. __:thumbsup:_


yeah this what I want:thumbup::thumbup:


----------



## chewy

I use superglue as a band aid for cuts to stop getting blood all over the customers stuff.


----------



## hardworkingstiff

chewy said:


> I use superglue as a band aid for cuts to stop getting blood all over the customers stuff.


I bet that burns a bit.


----------



## Ostrichsak

hardworkingstiff said:


> I bet that burns a bit.


Not really. You just hold the cut closed and then put a bead of Super Glue across the surface and continue to hold until it dries. A lot of people don't know that this very use is the original reason Super Glue was engineered.


----------



## dowmace

Ostrichsak said:


> Not really. You just hold the cut closed and then put a bead of Super Glue across the surface and continue to hold until it dries. A lot of people don't know that this very use is the original reason Super Glue was engineered.


Yep very true it was originally planned to be a stitch replacement but doesn't dissolve like they had planned for it too that's why it instantly bonds with skin.


----------



## pwoody

Ostrichsak said:


> Not really. You just hold the cut closed and then put a bead of Super Glue across the surface and continue to hold until it dries. A lot of people don't know that this very use is the original reason Super Glue was engineered.



False. it was developed for use in manufacturing clear plastic gun sights in WW2. It was then sold by kodak and loctite as glue.

It wasnt used as army emergency sutures until the vietnam war.

While superglue and its medical counterpart, dermabond, are both cyanoacrylate glues, dermabond is less of an irritantand less likely to cause an allergic reaction.

If you use superglue, dont get it on your cotton clothing, it may spontaneously combust.


----------



## local134gt

pwoody said:


> If you use superglue, dont get it on your cotton clothing, it may spontaneously combust.


Takes more than a couple of drops.... And anyone stupid enough to get that much super glue on their clothes deserves to combust!


----------



## zoltan

tons of interesting tricks on this page that i stumbled upon

http://www.preterhuman.net/texts/science_and_technology/other/Home%20Repair%20Electricians%20Tricks%20Of%20The%20Trade.pdf


----------



## UncleMike

bronko_butkus74 said:


> If you have to install your own ceiling grid wire for strapping MC w/ batwings and the bar joists are too high up, take a stick of 3/4" EMT and use your snips and make a wedge shaped hook. Then insert your grid wire up through the conduit with about a foot of wire sticking out, hook it over the bar joist or wind brace then grab it with your hook and spin your conduit, then pull the EMT back down and on to the next.


I've seen drop wire installation tools before, but I'm having a hard time visualizing this. Does anyone have a picture or reworded description that might help?


----------



## Hippie

UncleMike said:


> I've seen drop wire installation tools before, but I'm having a hard time visualizing this. Does anyone have a picture or reworded description that might help?


Cut into the end of the emt diagonally and bend it out a little, imagine unrolling the end of a paper towel tube. Stick the ceiling wire down the emt bend over the end to make a big hook. Lift it up, drop hooked wire over bar joist and use the split edge on the end to grab the short end of the wire and twist it around the long part of the wire that's inside the pipe


----------



## UncleMike

Thanks. I think the "v-shaped hook" is what was throwing me off. I actually did picture what you described (very well, I might add), but thought it didn't fit the original description, and figured I must be missing something.


----------



## Hippie

UncleMike said:


> Thanks. I think the "v-shaped hook" is what was throwing me off. I actually did picture what you described (very well, I might add), but thought it didn't fit the original description, and figured I must be missing something.


Yeah I don't really see it either, I guess the part you bend out is kind of pointy like a sideways v but I wouldn't describe it that way


----------



## AmpsHertz

Take an old chalk line (or new one, they are cheap) and put a plumb bob at the end of it. Now you have the perfect device to use when running pipe vertically. This comes in handy when doing service risers.


----------



## rma1998

zoltan said:


> tons of interesting tricks on this page that i stumbled upon
> 
> http://www.preterhuman.net/texts/sc...e Repair Electricians Tricks Of The Trade.pdf


hmmm, interesting. It looks like someone copied someone, the first page is almost identical to this thread's first page.


----------



## aftershockews

I saw once on the MH website where someone made a hole saw extension for when you were drilling up through the soffit for installing a mast pipe.
I would like to make one myself.


----------



## 480sparky

aftershockews said:


> I saw once on the MH website where someone made a hole saw extension for when you were drilling up through the soffit for installing a mast pipe.
> I would like to make one myself.


Wonder who that might be?


----------



## rma1998

Here is one I did not see, When running multiple cables to a box, first nail on a romex strap so that the nails are in line with the cables, after you have all of your cables ran, simply run a zip tie through the romex strap.


----------



## 480sparky

rma1998 said:


> Here is one I did not see, When running multiple cables to a box, first nail on a romex strap so that the nails are in line with the cables, after you have all of your cables ran, simply run a zip tie through the romex strap.


You might get called for bundling on that one.........


----------



## rma1998

480sparky said:


> You might get called for bundling on that one.........


Good point, but Its no different than stacker straps, we use it a lot for the low voltage Cables.


----------



## 480sparky

rma1998 said:


> Good point, but Its no different than stacker straps, we use it a lot for the low voltage Cables.



Technically, stackers are designed to prevent bundling.


----------



## aftershockews

480sparky said:


> Wonder who that might be?


Thanx. What is the handy box for?


----------



## rma1998

480sparky said:


> Technically, stackers are designed to prevent bundling.


Right you can't over do it, but no I don't see how these stackers prevent anything:

http://www.cesco.com/resources/098478/228626-ProductImageURL.jpg


----------



## Nick0danger

Mr. Sparkle said:


> The hydraulic punch will pay for itself much faster than fumbling with the impact driver.


Impact is way faster, and i can use the impact for more than 1 job, i keep a small knockout set in my bag i don't have to go around site looking for one and wait till buddy is done with it as well.


----------



## 480sparky

rma1998 said:


> Right you can't over do it, but no I don't see how these stackers prevent anything:
> 
> http://www.cesco.com/resources/098478/228626-ProductImageURL.jpg



That's not what I call a stacker. This is:


----------



## rma1998

480sparky said:


> That's not what I call a stacker. This is:


We use them too, they are nice, I usually use those at a mulitgang switch box, I still use cable ties, never have had had a inspector even question it except to say that looks neat. :thumbsup:


----------



## Rochsolid

This only works in PVC pipe runs.

Cut the corner off if a ziplock bag and tie your twine onto it. Have a co worker at one end of the pipe run with a shop vac. Hold the twine at the other end and fire up the shop vac. 400' run with a pullstring in about 2 seconds


----------



## running dummy

Rochsolid said:


> This only works in PVC pipe runs.
> 
> Cut the corner off if a ziplock bag and tie your twine onto it. Have a co worker at one end of the pipe run with a shop vac. Hold the twine at the other end and fire up the shop vac. 400' run with a pullstring in about 2 seconds


I've done that in a 4" emt run with SS fittings. Maybe 150', doesn't fly as well as PVC but still works. If I think ahead I will duct tape all fittings out of the slab to help. 

I also use a grocery bag, it's a little lighter and feel that it flies better.


----------



## Hippie

running dummy said:


> I've done that in a 4" emt run with SS fittings. Maybe 150', doesn't fly as well as PVC but still works. If I think ahead I will duct tape all fittings out of the slab to help.
> 
> I also use a grocery bag, it's a little lighter and feel that it flies better.


The key is to use the corner of the bag, but take the leftover plastic ball it up and put it inside the corner before you tie the string on. This makes it fluffy so you're not just trying to suck a little flap of plastic down the pipe. Works great especially on bigger pipe. I've used all kind of random plastic bags and wrappings, but sandwich baggies are kind of too small for more than 2"


----------



## running dummy

I hear ya. 


What's nice about the grocery bag is I will blow it up to fit the pipe and tie my jet line around it to seal it off. I've used it from 3/4" to 4" and works great.


----------



## running dummy

rma1998 said:


> Here is one I did not see, When running multiple cables to a box, first nail on a romex strap so that the nails are in line with the cables, after you have all of your cables ran, simply run a zip tie through the romex strap.


I use a similar technique when I run low voltage (cat5, coax, security) in a house inside walls. I will use a nail strap and hammer it in until there is only a small window showing and then zip tie all the cables to it.


----------



## hardworkingstiff

Sometimes it helps to have the right tool.

A typical shop vac can lift a water column 60".

A 2-stage vac (typical at a car wash/vac center) can lift a little more than 80"

The Greenlee mini blower has a lift capability of 139" or so.



I used to have difficulty with plastic bags not quite making it all the way when I was using a shop vac. When I got the mini blower, those problems went away.


----------



## ponyboy

480sparky said:


> Wonder who that might be?


you are soooooooo cool


----------



## NjSpark

480sparky said:


> Wonder who that might be?


That seems like a lot of work to make that. And it's also a lot of work when the holesaw gets dull (roof shingles do that quicker than usual.

For about $16 you can get this 18" extension that will attach to the arbor of just about any holesaw:


----------



## drumnut08

NjSpark said:


> That seems like a lot of work to make that. And it's also a lot of work when the holesaw gets dull (roof shingles do that quicker than usual.
> 
> For about $16 you can get this 18" extension that will attach to the arbor of just about any holesaw:


That's true , but if you're going through an eve then through a roof , you're going to hit a void between the two and good luck lining your hole saw up then ! This contraption eliminates that all together . I like it personally .


----------



## tommu56

drumnut08 said:


> That's true , but if you're going through an eve then through a roof , you're going to hit a void between the two and good luck lining your hole saw up then ! This contraption eliminates that all together . I like it personally .



Plus you can put your level on it to plumb it up.


----------



## aftershockews

NjSpark said:


> That seems like a lot of work to make that. And it's also a lot of work when the holesaw gets dull (roof shingles do that quicker than usual.
> 
> For about $16 you can get this 18" extension that will attach to the arbor of just about any holesaw:
> 
> View attachment 22319


The only thing that really needs to penetrate the roof decking and shingles is the pilot bit.


----------



## drumnut08

aftershockews said:


> The only thing that really needs to penetrate the roof decking and shingles is the pilot bit.


Very true , and in this case I'll take a 1/4" , long bell hanger bit and run it through the soffit and roof at the same time ( trying to keep it as plumb as possible , then you have a reference for drilling from the roof deck down .


----------



## running dummy

If you ever need tracer wire in a pinch...


----------



## chewy

While installing some 2 inch telco duct conduit into a service trench we just added stick after stick and were hammering it through the silt till we got to the first 90. I found that I would break the edges of the ducting if I didn't hit it square with the sledge hammer. Slipping the sledge handle inside the ducting and using it like a post hole driver but in reverse, holding the head of the sledge in the palm of your hand works a lot better and is a lot easier, didn't break it once.


----------



## HawkShock

chewy said:


> While installing some 2 inch telco duct conduit into a service trench we just added stick after stick and were hammering it through the silt till we got to the first 90. I found that I would break the edges of the ducting if I didn't hit it square with the sledge hammer. Slipping the sledge handle inside the ducting and using it like a post hole driver but in reverse, holding the head of the sledge in the palm of your hand works a lot better and is a lot easier, didn't break it once.


Or put a piece of dunnage on the end of the pipe to spread out the impact, and give you a bigger target. Keeps you out of the trench, lets you swing as hard as you like.


----------



## HARRY304E

HawkShock said:


> Or put a piece of dunnage on the end of the pipe to spread out the impact, and give you a bigger target. Keeps you out of the trench, lets you swing as hard as you like.


cool


----------



## Qualtech

Put an ent connector on the end of your pipe before bending an offset, make your first bend with the screw pointed up make the second bend with the screw pointed down, and you will never have to fix a dogleg.


----------



## Shockdoc

Easy snake from any in wall box to a 7/8 hole or vise versa.. Push about 7' of tsat wire in a wall tape conductor to end of it. Stick a open hook snake in wall spin and pull. almost 8 out of every 10 times I hook and pull on the first try , and pull new wire into box.


----------



## Semi-Ret Electrician

MDShunk said:


> on 1/4-20 thread, screw it on tight then unscrew. The threads will now be like new. Use a blue wirenut on 3/8-16 thread.
> 
> Amps. By Multiplication: Dividing shortcut, Hey if your like me, when you’re trying to figure out how many amps. a piece of Equipment draws, long division is a hassle and I usually get it wrong, but multiplying is a lot easier. Well with this shortcut you can use multiplication instead of division to divide watts by volts.
> Example: usual way to figure how many amps. in 5000 watts with a voltage of 120 volts is to
> divide 5000/120=41.66 amps.
> Shortcut : You multiply the watts 5000 by the reciprocal of 120 which will give you the same answer as dividing.
> The reciprocals for these voltages are 120=.008333
> 208=.004807
> 230=.004347
> 277=.003610
> 480=.002083
> Shortcut Example:
> watts x reciprocal=amps
> 5000 x .008333=41.66
> 5000 x .004807=24.03
> 5000 x .004347=21.73
> 5000 x .003610=18.05
> 5000 x .002083=10.41
> By the way to get the reciprocal of a number divide 1 by the number you want the reciprocal of the result is the reciprocal
> 
> Anti-itch Remedy For Insulation: How often do you have to work in an attic or lay in ceiling that has insulation? Well, there is a remedy that will keep the itch a way. Take a bottle of baby powder or corn starch and apply it to your hands, arms, neck and a face (be carefull not to get in your eyes). The powder protects your skin from the insulation and prevents the irritation and
> itching
> 
> Locating Locations In Attic With Ease: After your customer decides where they want the new devices installed in existing drywalls, you can drill (or nail) a 1/8 hole at these locations into the attic (or floor), push a bare #14 CU about 3 feet long into the 1/8 hole then go into the attic or crawl space and locate where you want to drill the hole. The shinny copper wire is really visible with flashlight in dark attics or crawlspaces.
> 
> Use a Ballon to Plug Unused Conduits: An inexpensive way to plug unused conduits is to use a balloon and spray foam. First the balloons were blown up to fit the conduit snugly and then the balloon was pushed about 6 inches back into the conduit and then filled with foam. The conduits can be opened easily for future use.


MD, if you put a 4" hook on the wire you can twirl it around from the room to see if it hits a ceiling joist.

And, after spraying the foam, squirt the foam can & tube w/ WD40 then the can is good for another day


----------



## HawkShock

Don't remember reading or posting this one.
I don't like trying to math my way into remembering circuit colors, so I just put black, blue or red marks on my tape measure to the corresponding numbers. 1,2,7,8 and so on get black. Pulling a big run with multiple home runs? Pull out your measuring device that is likely already on your hip and no math needed. Plus a tape measure makes a great calculator.


----------



## Chrisibew440

TOOL_5150 said:


> Using stranded wire on screw terminals:
> 
> 1) Use your strippers to strip about 1-1/4" of insulation off - but DONT totally remove it, just make about 1/2 to 3/4 of wire show.
> 
> 2) Twist the strands CCW [anti-clockwise :laughing: ]
> 
> 3) bend the wire around the screw.
> 
> 4) tighten screw and take your dikes and cut the remaining little piece of wire off.
> 
> It works, and if you do it right - it works WELL!
> 
> ~Matt


Listed pressure connectors shall be used


----------



## chewy

Chrisibew440 said:


> Listed pressure connectors shall be used


Or...


----------



## SparkyDino

Not sure if this one was said yet.

Loose panel [or other boxes] mounted to concrete, holes too wore out for standard size tapcon, plastic anchor, steel drop in etc etc or just a quick fix without drilling?

Tap a wood dowel in the hole [or beat a bunch of them in] & and drive a screw. can tighten the panel down in seconds. 

I carry a small assort. in a box. don't need them till ya need them & then nice to have on hand. :thumbsup:


----------



## Tsmil

SparkyDino said:


> Not sure if this one was said yet. Loose panel [or other boxes] mounted to concrete, holes too wore out for standard size tapcon, plastic anchor, steel drop in etc etc or just a quick fix without drilling? Tap a wood dowel in the hole [or beat a bunch of them in] & and drive a screw. can tighten the panel down in seconds. I carry a small assort. in a box. don't need them till ya need them & then nice to have on hand. :thumbsup:


is this code compliant? Not in Ontario.


----------



## SparkyDino

Tsmil said:


> is this code compliant? Not in Ontario.


why wouldn't it be? you can screw to wood?

wood dowel would be behind a metal panel, washer & metal screw. see plastic anchors all the time? wood holds much better than tapcons lol


----------



## chewy

SparkyDino said:


> Not sure if this one was said yet.
> 
> Loose panel [or other boxes] mounted to concrete, holes too wore out for standard size tapcon, plastic anchor, steel drop in etc etc or just a quick fix without drilling?
> 
> Tap a wood dowel in the hole [or beat a bunch of them in] & and drive a screw. can tighten the panel down in seconds.
> 
> I carry a small assort. in a box. don't need them till ya need them & then nice to have on hand. :thumbsup:


They will rot out eventually, the wood acts like a tampon and draws moisture out of the concrete.


----------



## Jlarson

Tsmil said:


> is this code compliant? Not in Ontario.


No go here either.


----------



## SparkyDino

chewy said:


> They will rot out eventually, the wood acts like a tampon and draws moisture out of the concrete.


I guess that possible.

The box over the sump at my dads is still holding to the foundation wall tight as can be, I first saw the wood dowel used when my dad did it. think I was in my mid teens. :001_huh:


----------



## wcord

Tsmil said:


> is this code compliant? Not in Ontario.


CEC says no. I assume NEC is the same?

*2-110 Material for anchoring to masonry and concrete*
2-110
Wood or other similar material shall not be used as an anchor into masonry or concrete for the support of any electrical equipment.


----------



## SparkyDino

I'll be damned. lmfao

such a hack I am.

would think that should say plastic anchors or drywall screws. which is usually what had made it loose in the first place.


----------



## ponyboy

SparkyDino said:


> I'll be damned. lmfao such a hack I am. would think that should say plastic anchors or drywall screws. which is usually what had made it loose in the first place.


Don't worry, it's perfectly legit and everyone here knows it


----------



## thoenew

The 60 year old I work with has a very similar trick. Instead of dowels (we don't carry) he splinters off pieces from wood shims (which we always try and have on hand for various things)

It also works if you want to drive small nails into concrete. My parents actually had a lightweight cheap door that the hinge was starting to get loose and wobbly, the screw holes were getting stripped out. Longer screws wouldn't work because there was nothing to screw into. Instead of finding fatter screws that would fit flush into the hinge assembly, I just used the trick, put the little pieces of wood in the holes and used the same screws and tightened it right up.


----------



## Wirenuting

thoenew said:


> The 60 year old I work with has a very similar trick. Instead of dowels (we don't carry) he splinters off pieces from wood shims (which we always try and have on hand for various things) It also works if you want to drive small nails into concrete. My parents actually had a lightweight cheap door that the hinge was starting to get loose and wobbly, the screw holes were getting stripped out. Longer screws wouldn't work because there was nothing to screw into. Instead of finding fatter screws that would fit flush into the hinge assembly, I just used the trick, put the little pieces of wood in the holes and used the same screws and tightened it right up.


It's why I have toothpicks in my lunch bag.


----------



## denny3992

Wirenuting said:


> It's why I have toothpicks in my lunch bag.


Or just put a piece of tie wire in and tighten... Like the masons do ( speed nail is what they call it i believe)


----------



## zoltan

In those situations I insert pieces of copper wire. Easy to find and soft enough to conform to the threads.


----------



## 206TrunkSlammer

*Radio*

When working a resi job job for a crappy contractor, you know the ones where every single trade is in the house all working on top of one another, show up to the job site as early as possible and set up your job radio FIRST THING. That way you don't get stuck listening to mariachi music or Creed all long.


----------



## Hippie

206TrunkSlammer said:


> When working a resi job job for a crappy contractor, you know the ones where every single trade is in the house all working on top of one another, show up to the job site as early as possible and set up your job radio FIRST THING. That way you don't get stuck listening to mariachi music or Creed all long.


I never get there in time for that... lol


----------



## FrunkSlammer

I just put my ear buds in and crank up my own tunes.


----------



## MattHelm

This is nothing really new or spectacular, but I thought I would post a picture since I just made up a new one this week.

When I have to run a fish tape into a live box, I use a piece of ENT with a threaded female on one end and a plain female on the other end.

Sometimes a cardboard shield is impractical and this is very quick to screw onto the fitting. 

I do have an Ideal fiberglass tape, but I don't have much good to say about it and often opt to use a metal tape.


----------



## finster

480sparky said:


> I do the same thing. They go through about anything except masonry. The only trick is not to put too much pressure on it or it will just fold on you. Take your time and let the drill do the work.


Using the same steps I use a snake as a pilot bit. Works well.


----------



## Joefixit2

206TrunkSlammer said:


> When working a resi job job for a crappy contractor, you know the ones where every single trade is in the house all working on top of one another, show up to the job site as early as possible and set up your job radio FIRST THING. That way you don't get stuck listening to mariachi music or Creed all long.


 
Or if you get there too late just lift the neutral on the circuit they have the radio plugged into and touch it to the opposite bus for a second. Poof problem solved, and no you have no idea what could've happened to the radio.:whistling2:


----------



## icdubois

Hi first poster here. I saw the owner of my comp doing this it works great. We were in some semi deep very sticky mud and we're having to climb ladders. We'll as you all know mud and ladders don't mix so well. At the end of the day they were totally covered in mud. Not a good thing as we do all kinds of work. We'll any way sorry for the long intro but my master that I was working with took a stainless steel single gang cover plate and used it to scrape the mud off the rungs. It worked awesome and the size of the plate allows you to get in to the corners of the rungs.


----------



## HARRY304E

icdubois said:


> Hi first poster here. I saw the owner of my comp doing this it works great. We were in some semi deep very sticky mud and we're having to climb ladders. We'll as you all know mud and ladders don't mix so well. At the end of the day they were totally covered in mud. Not a good thing as we do all kinds of work. We'll any way sorry for the long intro but my master that I was working with took a stainless steel single gang cover plate and used it to scrape the mud off the rungs. It worked awesome and the size of the plate allows you to get in to the corners of the rungs.



Welcome....:thumbsup:


----------



## david_mays

*Conduit bending trick*

If you have to make a kick in your 90 and your not sure which way to kick it up, get a piece of solid wire scrap and bend it in the position your bend needs to be. Better to practice with that first than waste money on the real thing.


----------



## fistofbolts

david_mays said:


> If you have to make a kick in your 90 and your not sure which way to kick it up, get a piece of solid wire scrap and bend it in the position your bend needs to be. Better to practice with that first than waste money on the real thing.


ii used to have to do that all the time lol


----------



## david_mays

I still do it lol. I'm just a first year apprentice.


----------



## Error

Making a Drywall saw blade cover. Take some scrap 3/4 inch Emt and cut to the size of the blade then smash it with a 3 pound eastwing until the blade fits nice


----------



## fistofbolts

when I have a lot of receps to trim. I dont have time to mess around and this saves the day everytime!


----------



## Big John

Wirenuting said:


> It's why I have toothpicks in my lunch bag.


 Also good if you have to make a momentary push-button into a maintained push-button: Wedge it between the edge of the operator and the housing.


----------



## Big John

fistofbolts said:


> when I have a lot of receps to trim. I dont have time to mess around and this saves the day everytime!


 The day I would willingly choose to crap in a bucket to "save time" would be the day I would seriously begin looking for a new job.


----------



## fistofbolts

Big John said:


> The day I would willingly choose to crap in a bucket to "save time" would be the day I would seriously begin looking for a new job.


don't worry bro its coming soon. things are changing.


----------



## LGLS

Big John said:


> The day I would willingly choose to crap in a bucket to "save time" would be the day I would seriously begin looking for a new job.


 Whatever floats your boat, but I don't think there's much money in bucket crapping.


----------



## fistofbolts

pick up one these and use it everyday. wire pulling will be nothing to you now.

shake weight


----------



## Ty Wrapp

Error said:


> Making a Drywall saw blade cover. Take some scrap 3/4 inch Emt and cut to the size of the blade then smash it with a 3 pound eastwing until the blade fits nice


Here is my drywall saw cover....1 1/4" shop vac crevice tool


----------



## FrunkSlammer

fistofbolts said:


> pick up one these and use it everyday. wire pulling will be nothing to you now.
> 
> shake weight


fify! :thumbsup:


----------



## fistofbolts

FrunkSlammer said:


> fify! :thumbsup:


nice!


----------



## local134gt

Error said:


> Making a Drywall saw blade cover. Take some scrap 3/4 inch Emt and cut to the size of the blade then smash it with a 3 pound eastwing until the blade fits nice


Or if the tin knockers are on the job you can use one of their cleats, cut it to size and wrap it in Jap wrap.


----------



## chewy

local134gt said:


> Or if the tin knockers are on the job you can use one of their cleats, cut it to size and wrap it in Jap wrap.


Good idea.


----------



## Alcospark

206TrunkSlammer said:


> When working a resi job job for a crappy contractor, you know the ones where every single trade is in the house all working on top of one another, show up to the job site as early as possible and set up your job radio FIRST THING. That way you don't get stuck listening to mariachi music or Creed all long.


I just cut off power when I get fed up with the amigos blasting la bamba. Then I pull out my little battery powered Bose.


----------



## T&K

I didn't bother to see if this was mentioned, especially since the thread started years ago. If you are cutting in remodel cans, and there are 4 or 5 in a row, just pop a line with a WHITE chalk box. Buy a new chalk box, fill it with white chalk, and never put another color in it. Most of the time you don't even have to remove it, but if you do, a damp paper towel will do the trick. You can do this on painted walls that are any color, and the uses are endless. Hanging pictures and home decor for the wife? Make em perfect with white chalk.


----------



## The_Modifier

That would work in a pinch- especially if the batteries died in the laser level. :thumbsup: Thanks.


----------



## Jarp Habib

Error said:


> Making a Drywall saw blade cover. Take some scrap 3/4 inch Emt and cut to the size of the blade then smash it with a 3 pound eastwing until the blade fits nice


My drywall saw blade cover is a 6" length of outer sheath of an SO cord, slit about halfway lengthwise. Works like a charm! SO cord sheath is also a nice cover/handlegrip for just about anything, I saved dozens of stripped sheaths from when I had to make up a hundredish SO cords and threeway j-boxes for a temporary lighting deployment


----------



## ralpha494

Those tin knocker cleats from # 443 (or better yet the "C" shaped ones) work well as a smooth surface for wire pulling in metal pull boxes. Just cut them to size to fit in the opening of your metal box and snap them in place. 

The things you pick up when you're working by yourself.


----------



## triden

Ty Wrapp said:


> Here is my drywall saw cover....1 1/4" shop vac crevice tool


The fine drywall dust took out the bearings in my vacuum motor. Maybe I need a better vacuum with a better filtering system.


----------



## tommu56

triden said:


> The fine drywall dust took out the bearings in my vacuum motor. Maybe I need a better vacuum with a better filtering system.



I have one like this to filter dust out before it his vacuum









http://www.instructables.com/id/Drywall-Sanding-Dust-CollectorSeperator/

mine was bought at the orange box store and is only like 2 gallons size


----------



## derekwalls

I so need that drywall filter for all this remodeling I'm doing.


----------



## Joefixit2

tommu56 said:


> I have one like this to filter dust out before it his vacuum
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.instructables.com/id/Drywall-Sanding-Dust-CollectorSeperator/
> 
> mine was bought at the orange box store and is only like 2 gallons size


 
I made a 5 gallon version for sucking oil and crap out of engine cylinders, keeps it out of the shop vac


----------



## Semi-Ret Electrician

A bit of duct seal on a ladder is great for holding small parts


----------



## Joefixit2

A worn out hole saw works great for cutting plaster and stucco after you cut notches in it with a 4" grinder fitted with a cutting wheel. Drill your center hole first with a mason bit to avoid trashing the good bit in your arbor. On stucco use a hammer drill on the hole saw.


----------



## denny3992

Joefixit2 said:


> A worn out hole saw works great for cutting plaster and stucco after you cut notches in it with a 4" grinder fitted with a cutting wheel. Drill your center hole first with a mason bit to avoid trashing the good bit in your arbor. On stucco use a hammer drill on the hole saw. http://s39.photobucket.com/user/bossmonkie/media/2014-08-25134624_zps3aa20eec.jpg.html


now thats some engineering!


----------



## Oses

Semi-Ret Electrician said:


> A bit of duct seal on a ladder is great for holding small parts



Like screws and nails etc...=]


----------



## OSSElectric

A hole saw in reverse is the ONLY way to drill through vinyl siding. Burns a clean hole right through without chewing it to pieces


----------



## Joefixit2

When core drilling in masonry I would always drill a 1/2" hole first then use a centering pin to start the core, then after about ten years I realized that all you have to do is put the rotary hammer on hammer only to get started then switch to rotate, no pre drilling or center pin needed, and no coring bit skidding all over the place while trying to get it started.


----------



## telsa

When training apprentices I use set screw die cast zinc couplings that have been bandsawed in half...

Leaving two 'stubs' without the internal ridge. A touch of file work leaves one with a perfect circular 'clamp' for trainees.

It can be used to stop dog legs -- screw up -- screw down. I file notches in the extreme positions, too. So they are looking down the 'sight of a rifle' when they eyeball it.

It greatly improves measurement accuracy for offset bending -- as their tape measure has some purchase.

I always train noobs on 3/4" as 1/2" is just too easy -- and develops bad habits.

The same improvised 'circular clamps' are invaluable in the larger sizes that must be machine bent. They don't shift position and one can remeasure with ease. The smooth, face of these rings is dreamy for marking with a pencil or sharpie. Further, you can mark the opposed 'faces' of the bend at this stage. Sliding the rings on and off the pipe takes but seconds.

This level of effort is only taken for exposed work, big pipe, and noobie training. ( the first attempts )


----------



## telsa

Punching steel studs -- when needed -- is best done at the same height -- typically 24" AFF.

One is well advised to cobble up a 'story pole' of narrow unistrut -- attaching this leg, or 'foot', to the punch with a stirrup style strut strap. ( Cheaper and stronger and quicker than the original style of strut strap )

During the rough-in, the concrete floor can take the abuse from the strut leg. The resultant punching will be almost dead nuts level... perfect for receptacle runs. 

The 'leg' can be removed in 10 seconds. The original tool is not impaired.


----------



## telsa

I have not had to purchase a replacement fish steel in eighteen years... because I never use a fish tape to pull in conductors. 

Though common as sunshine, it's poor technique. Steel on steel -- fish steel on EMT -- is a high friction event when pulling force ramps up. 

Additional bends don't add resistance -- they multiply it EXPONENTIALLY.

The best technique is to "waste time" by pulling in only a pulling line -- that has intrinsically low friction.

That excludes the trade's typical, cheapo blow line. It's a hazard to either break in steel/ EMT or to burn through PVC.

The single best pull line for small branch pipes -- ESPECIALLY PVC -- is #10 Stranded THHN.

Because it's coated in slick nylon it has extremely low friction in pipes. It's easy to grab in one's hands. It can be re-used many, many, many times -- and then sold off as scrap when its day is done.

The best source is salvaged old home runs. Instead of scrapping it out immediately -- it serves this purpose. It will still be scrapped out, eventually. Hence, it is a free tool.

Since I have adopted this method I have NEVER had a burn through in my PVC. Wire pulls go in like greased pigs. It's strong enough to handle any of the pulls up to 1" and likely 1 1/4" -- which is not a popular size in my world. The force level required to get the job done is half of that of a steel fish tape. 

To mark this pulling wire -- a touch of spray paint is enough.

To lengthen it, it's no problem to splice in a second or third piece of #10 stranded THHN.

It also behaves well in sheaves and minor pulleys. This means that it's very practical to pull conductors in solo. 

Lastly, it's no problem to spray paint this pull wire to indicate when the head is getting significantly close. That last 90 is always an event.

Of course, my fish tapes look as new as the day I bought them. Pulling a single run of #10 is always effortless.

This technique always means pulling in a longer run of pull line ( the #10) than the target. So what. The net speed, the lack of pain, the low cost, makes pulling an extra hundred feet of #10 in and out of a branch pipe easy to justify.

And, with time, one ends up with a selection of pull wires. So you can match the length, pretty much.


----------



## telsa

All of the trade standard spool caddies have a terrible flaw: they don't pay out the conductors in a sweet manner -- so an apprentice has to baby them into the hole.

So I simply made my own. The spools are all in a line, with EMT axles to support them between crudely crafted shallow strut rails mounted to 2x6 lumber. The axles are attached with stirrup style strut straps -- which take but seconds to set and remove.

Scrap carpeting acts as a drag -- to stop over spin.

The rest is plywood, handles and a wheeled end -- so that it rolls around like a barrow// hand truck.

It's set up for a five colors. (usually) And it has sufficient structure to permit stacking. I only rarely run more than two round robins in a pipe. ( small shop = small jobs )

This rig permits solo wire pulls. Conventional rigs, don't.

The rest of the sheaves// pulleys are too complicated to detail here. But you get the drift.


----------



## Ty Wrapp

telsa said:


> All of the trade standard spool caddies have a terrible flaw: they don't pay out the conductors in a sweet manner -- so an apprentice has to baby them into the hole.
> 
> So I simply made my own. The spools are all in a line, with EMT axles to support them between crudely crafted shallow strut rails mounted to 2x6 lumber. The axles are attached with stirrup style strut straps -- which take but seconds to set and remove.
> 
> Scrap carpeting acts as a drag -- to stop over spin.
> 
> The rest is plywood, handles and a wheeled end -- so that it rolls around like a barrow// hand truck.
> 
> It's set up for a five colors. (usually) And it has sufficient structure to permit stacking. I only rarely run more than two round robins in a pipe. ( small shop = small jobs )
> 
> This rig permits solo wire pulls. Conventional rigs, don't.
> 
> The rest of the sheaves// pulleys are too complicated to detail here. But you get the drift.



Interesting! Gotta picture?


----------



## telsa

Addendum to post #463 above on this page.

The #10 THHN pull wire is a perfect mate to this IBEW trick:






Many more tool tip videos. ^^^ :thumbsup:


----------



## Lone Crapshooter

*Checking a Megger*

We all have checked a megger to see if it was working short the leads it the reading goes to 0 and also the voltage goes to zero or a couple of volts. Open the leads the reading goes to > 2G or higher and the voltage remains high.

What about a actual value other than the 2 extreme ends of the scale?What you can do do is take your DMM and set it on the DC voltage greater than the megger voltage output and measure the output voltage of the megger . What this will do is measure the input impedance of the DMM that is a constant. Most Flukes are 10Mohm. You must know the input impedance of your DMM and that should be in the instruction manual.
Now this is not a ANSI, NETA or a IEEE accepted and approved test or procedure. It is just a simple test to give you a rough idea to see if your megger is reading accurately at least one point on the scale.

LC


----------



## splatz

Do you remember this as-seen-on-tv product, the hercules hook? 



















It's actually a pretty good picture hanger, but I use these as a drywall probe. It's stiff wire so it doesn't take much force to get it through drywall. You can spin it around to see if there's a stud nearby. If you're careful you can even figure out which side of a metal stud you're on. 

The hole it makes is not much bigger than a thumbtack, so if you discover you're in the wrong place, you can fill it with a spec of spackle, or just pretend it never happened.


----------



## macmikeman

When you drive in the lag screws that come with the fan boxes, dip the threads in yellow #77 and watch how easy the screw threads in, pilot hole or no pilot hole, the lube makes it a breeze.


----------



## wendon

splatz said:


> Do you remember this as-seen-on-tv product, the hercules hook?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> It's actually a pretty good picture hanger, but I use these as a drywall probe. It's stiff wire so it doesn't take much force to get it through drywall. You can spin it around to see if there's a stud nearby. If you're careful you can even figure out which side of a metal stud you're on.
> 
> The hole it makes is not much bigger than a thumbtack, so if you discover you're in the wrong place, you can fill it with a spec of spackle, or just pretend it never happened.


That looks a little bit like these things!


----------



## telsa

wendon said:


> That looks a little bit like these things!
> View attachment 65777



Put on a happy face .

:laughing:


----------



## facial89

*any tips for running wire in conduit?*

im new to the electrician trade but i really like it im doing commercial work building a new school and we are now running wire does anyone have any pointers to make this task easier? thanks in advance guys


----------



## B-Nabs

facial89 said:


> im new to the electrician trade but i really like it im doing commercial work building a new school and we are now running wire does anyone have any pointers to make this task easier? thanks in advance guys


If you read this entire thread from the beginning I'm sure you will find many. Grab a snack, it will take a while.


----------



## hardworkingstiff

facial89 said:


> im new to the electrician trade but i really like it im doing commercial work building a new school and we are now running wire does anyone have any pointers to make this task easier? thanks in advance guys


Whether pulling wire is easy or not is determined at the time of installation of the conduits. I find pulling wire is not very hard, what is it that seems to be making it difficult for you?


----------



## backstay

hardworkingstiff said:


> Whether pulling wire is easy or not is determined at the time of installation of the conduits. I find pulling wire is not very hard, what is it that seems to be making it difficult for you?


This was a b I t c h to pull through.


----------



## UncleMike

hardworkingstiff said:


> Whether pulling wire is easy or not is determined at the time of installation of the conduits.


I couldn't agree more. Klein's foam lube is great, but nothing beats properly installed conduit.

Sent from my XT1095 using Tapatalk


----------



## MechanicalDVR

facial89 said:


> im new to the electrician trade but i really like it im doing commercial work building a new school and we are now running wire does anyone have any pointers to make this task easier? thanks in advance guys




1) Don't be shy use lube liberally.
2) Fiberglass fish tapes pull easier than rusty flat tapes.
3) Wear gloves
4) Rapping on emt with pliers can ease a tight spot while pulling.


----------



## papaotis

footnote to #2; fiberglass fish tapes break easier than steel if youre pulling TOO hard!


----------



## MechanicalDVR

papaotis said:


> footnote to #2; fiberglass fish tapes break easier than steel if youre pulling TOO hard!




Haven't had that problem yet.


----------



## wcord

UncleMike said:


> I couldn't agree more. Klein's foam lube is great, but nothing beats properly installed conduit.
> 
> Sent from my XT1095 using Tapatalk


Tried that crap, threw it away!!

tried many types of lube but somehow always go back to Yellow77

Lube is cheaper than the extra time on a hard cable pull


----------



## cabletie

Yellow 77 for underground pulls in PVC. Any other lube for EMT. Yellow 77 is not water soluble and tends to work better. Most of the time I do not need that much lube. None at all with Simpul. 

Use a yellow or red wirenut, depending on conduit size, to temporarily hold the head together on small branch runs that you can push the wires through. Always keep some in your pouch


----------



## Coreythesparky

I got my 1 1/4 hand punch all jammed up, the slug got stuck between the two pieces. I can't seem to get a grip on it with my channel locks cuz the steel is so tough... Any ideas on how I can free things up?


----------



## Coreythesparky

I don't really care about the die I just want to save my 3/4 draw stud


----------



## hardworkingstiff

Coreythesparky said:


> I got my 1 1/4 hand punch all jammed up, the slug got stuck between the two pieces. I can't seem to get a grip on it with my channel locks cuz the steel is so tough... Any ideas on how I can free things up?


If you can get it in a pipe vice, you might have better luck. Also, if you have a good sized pipe wrench, it will grip better than channel locks.

Edit: I might be a good idea to spray the area you are trying to free up with something to help it come free, I doubt it would hurt.


----------



## varmit

If this is a hex head, manual drive bolt, back the drive bolt off as far as possible, then hold the die and pound the bolt vertically, head down on a concrete floor.


----------



## Jarp Habib

Coreythesparky said:


> I got my 1 1/4 hand punch all jammed up, the slug got stuck between the two pieces. I can't seem to get a grip on it with my channel locks cuz the steel is so tough... Any ideas on how I can free things up?


Find yourself a 1-1/2" connector/coupling. The male, cutting part of the punch should fit inside but the female part will not. Even though the two parts are stuck together you should be able to unscrew the draw stud out a ways, at least as far as the depth of the cutting part.

Place the male part inside the 1-1/2" fitting so that the hex of the draw stud is standing up, put fitting on firm surface and thwack the draw stud with your kleins. It may take a few times but you should be able to pop it straight back out.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk


----------



## TRurak

This may have been said but if you already have a round hole in the material you are drilling but need a bigger hole put your larger size hole saw on your arbor first then put a hole saw that's the diameter of the existing hole inside your larger hole saw and viola you have a guide and won't ruin the finished wall around the existing hole


----------



## zac

TRurak said:


> This may have been said but if you already have a round hole in the material you are drilling but need a bigger hole put your larger size hole saw on your arbor first then put a hole saw that's the diameter of the existing hole inside your larger hole saw and viola you have a guide and won't ruin the finished wall around the existing hole


That trick was a game changer for me. Cabinet guy told me about it when I needed to enlarge puck holes- some knuckle head drilled them out wrong! [emoji22] 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk


----------



## TRurak

Yeah it's a good one


----------



## HackWork

zac said:


> That trick was a game changer for me. Cabinet guy told me about it when I needed to enlarge puck holes- some knuckle head drilled them out wrong! [emoji22]
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk


In situations in which I didn't have the right size smaller holesaw to use as a pilot bit, I just drilled out a piece of plywood with the correct size holesaw and then put the piece of plywood over whatever I needed to drill and had someone hold it tight. If possible, you can run a couple screws thru the plywood into what you are drilling, if the holes won't hurt.


----------



## zac

HackWork said:


> In situations in which I didn't have the right size smaller holesaw to use as a pilot bit, I just drilled out a piece of plywood with the correct size holesaw and then put the piece of plywood over whatever I needed to drill and had someone hold it tight. If possible, you can run a couple screws thru the plywood into what you are drilling, if the holes won't hurt.


Yeah I've done that trick too. Usually it's a 4 -11/16 cover over a concentric 2" knockout! 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk


----------



## west shore electric

Speedy Petey said:


> On the same theme as Marc's 1/8" hole and #14.
> Take an ordinary wire coat hanger. Every place has them around.
> Cut out the whole long horizontal part with your *****; square on one end and at a 45 deg angle on the other. This makes a perfect drill bit for placing holes to drill up through a plate into a wall. This can be a tedious chore finding the center of a wall from below.
> Drill the "bit" through the floor right against the drywall or base moulding. If the floor is hardwood try to find a small defect, crack or knot to drill into. A bit of floor dust can later hide the hole easily.
> Go down below and find the hanger, measure in the direction of the wall and drill up with a regular bit. Perfect placement every time. :thumbsup:


I do similar but with the insulation rods


----------



## MechanicalDVR

When an oscillating tool blade gets dull from hitting a screw or some similar metal object, use them for drywall cutting, dull blades work just fine in this instance.


----------



## Joefixit2

west shore electric said:


> I do similar but with the insulation rods


Ceiling grid wire works great for this too. I always have a few in the truck for fishing.


----------



## MechanicalDVR

Joefixit2 said:


> Ceiling grid wire works great for this too. I always have a few in the truck for fishing.


I've had good luck with it too, I've also used it to fish wires with great success.


----------



## TheLivingBubba

When having to cut a hole in lath and plaster with a sawzall, set a 2x4 or piece of plywood between the sawzall and the lath and plaster. It will give you a firm base and prevent you from ripping the lath and plaster apart.


----------



## johntempleman

we could actually use some kind of water delivery system while drilling cause even running the drill in reverse is still going to make the teeth blunt because of excessive heating. Wall is still going to be dry by the end because lots of heat is produced during the process.


----------



## MechanicalDVR

johntempleman said:


> we could actually use some kind of water delivery system while drilling cause even running the drill in reverse is still going to make the teeth blunt because of excessive heating. Wall is still going to be dry by the end because lots of heat is produced during the process.


Plaster and lath wall?


----------



## johntempleman

MechanicalDVR said:


> Plaster and lath wall?


Nowadays people have started using Rotozip, maybe you could try that. Although i have never used it cause it is as they say quite versatile and has a lot of parts required to be assembled into place to make it usable for hole sawing purposes.
Second and a better one according to me for plaster and lath wall is Carbide grit holesaw. It can work for a long long time as compared to general holesaws.
Also if there are a lot of holes that need to be made, you could just use carbide grit saw to burn it first and then cut the hole out with a normal saw.


----------



## cad99

+1 Carbide holesaw


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Jarp Habib

Picked up a neat trick the other day trying to use a line laser beyond it's optimum range (~200 feet across a lobby lit by 2 story windows)

Smart phone camera on selfie mode. Place that sucker on the wall and slide it until you see the red dot appear on your screen. Your lens is now in line with the laser line! The beam will be too diffuse at that range to damage your sensor, and you can measure to your lens and get decently accurate measurements. Close enough in our case to verify that even though the vertical line beam shoots across the room at a weird angle, it is within the 10° angle allowable between the smoke detector beam and target reflector. Vertical line mode let us put a speed square on the ceiling above laser and check angle.


----------



## rankin

When working with threaded rod, don't use your Channellocks to drive it into the coupling or anchor.

Take two nuts and, using two wrenches, jam them together at the end of the rod. Use a box-end wrench or socket to drive it in like a really long bolt. When it's tight, just use an open-end wrench to drive the second nut further down the rod, freeing the first nut.

I've gotten funny looks from journeymen when doing this, but I like it because I get to stay in one spot when making racks, and I don't have to mess up any part of the thread with my Channellocks.

If you're using 3/8 rod, ask the tin-knockers for a couple of their large nuts.


----------



## MechanicalDVR

rankin said:


> When working with threaded rod, don't use your Channellocks to drive it into the coupling or anchor.
> 
> Take two nuts and, using two wrenches, jam them together at the end of the rod. Use a box-end wrench or socket to drive it in like a really long bolt. When it's tight, just use an open-end wrench to drive the second nut further down the rod, freeing the first nut.
> 
> I've gotten funny looks from journeymen when doing this, but I like it because I get to stay in one spot when making racks, and I don't have to mess up any part of the thread with my Channellocks.
> 
> If you're using 3/8 rod, ask the tin-knockers for a couple of their large nuts.


So you use an extra nut on each connection like this?


----------



## splatz

MechanicalDVR said:


> So you use an extra nut on each connection like this?


I think he just means you use those two nuts to temporarily turn the threaded rod into a bolt with a hex cap. 

You thread the nuts onto the end of the rod, and jam them together with two wrenches. 

Now you can turn the outer nut on the end to drive it into the coupler. Then you can remove both nuts. 

This is also a way to make an allen wrench out of a bolt in a pinch. You jam the two nuts on the end of a bolt, and put the bolt head in the allen socket. Put the wrench on the outer nut to tighten, put the wrench on the inner nut to loosen.


----------



## splatz

Incidentally the coupler nuts I have been getting for a while now have a stop in the middle so you can just use one of those on the end of the rod.


----------



## MechanicalDVR

splatz said:


> I think he just means you use those two nuts to temporarily turn the threaded rod into a bolt with a hex cap.
> 
> You thread the nuts onto the end of the rod, and jam them together with two wrenches.
> 
> Now you can turn the outer nut on the end to drive it into the coupler. Then you can remove both nuts.
> 
> This is also a way to make an allen wrench out of a bolt in a pinch. You jam the two nuts on the end of a bolt, and put the bolt head in the allen socket. Put the wrench on the outer nut to tighten, put the wrench on the inner nut to loosen.


Thanks, it's early and pre-coffee but you made it clearer. It lost something when he brought up tin knockers large nuts.


----------



## MechanicalDVR

splatz said:


> Incidentally the coupler nuts I have been getting for a while now have a stop in the middle so you can just use one of those on the end of the rod.


But then you need channels to hold the rod to unscrew them? 

I've always grabbed on to the center area of the rod where no nuts are going to be threaded so a little boogering of the threads from pliers isn't hurting anything.


----------



## rankin

splatz said:


> I think he just means you use those two nuts to temporarily turn the threaded rod into a bolt with a hex cap.
> 
> You thread the nuts onto the end of the rod, and jam them together with two wrenches.
> 
> Now you can turn the outer nut on the end to drive it into the coupler. Then you can remove both nuts.
> 
> This is also a way to make an allen wrench out of a bolt in a pinch. You jam the two nuts on the end of a bolt, and put the bolt head in the allen socket. Put the wrench on the outer nut to tighten, put the wrench on the inner nut to loosen.


You can also slip a 1-1/4" bolt with a nut threaded onto the end into a deep socket when you need a shallow socket (my sockets don't have the stoppers built in, and it's faster than switching out sockets and extensions). Other guys just stuff their sockets with 3-4 nuts, but one nut's my limit

Come to think of it, you can use a combination of the above tricks to create an impact allen wrench. Just take a longer bolt, jam two nuts together at the end, slip it into your socket, and see what happens.

Best time to try it out is while the foreman's walking by.

Another pro-tip: save your short EMT scraps! If there is someone on the job you do not like, place the scraps strategically around their work area.


----------



## MechanicalDVR

rankin said:


> You can also slip a 1-1/4" bolt with a nut threaded onto the end into a deep socket when you need a shallow socket (my sockets don't have the stoppers built in, and it's faster than switching out sockets and extensions). Other guys just stuff their sockets with 3-4 nuts, but one nut's my limit
> 
> Come to think of it, you can use a combination of the above tricks to create an impact allen wrench. Just take a longer bolt, jam two nuts together at the end, slip it into your socket, and see what happens.
> 
> Best time to try it out is while the foreman's walking by.
> 
> Another pro-tip: save your short EMT scraps! *If there is someone on the job you do not like, place the scraps strategically around their work area.*


This I like. As for the socket trick, it's easier to just carry shallow sockets.


----------



## HackWork

rankin said:


> but one nut's my limit


Paging Sabrina.
@sbrn33


----------



## Southeast Power

MechanicalDVR said:


> But then you need channels to hold the rod to unscrew them?
> 
> I've always grabbed on to the center area of the rod where no nuts are going to be threaded so a little boogering of the threads from pliers isn't hurting anything.


Weld a rod coupling to the jaws of a pair of vice grips and cut it in half long ways.
Just make sure to paint it kitty cat pink, they seem to grow legs pretty quick.


----------



## MechanicalDVR

Suncoast Power said:


> Weld a rod coupling to the jaws of a pair of vice grips and cut it in half long ways.
> Just make sure to paint it kitty cat pink, they seem to grow legs pretty quick.


Nice idea, worth the effort for dealing with all thread on a daily basis.:thumbsup:


----------



## Jarp Habib

rankin said:


> When working with threaded rod, don't use your Channellocks to drive it into the coupling or anchor.
> 
> Take two nuts and, using two wrenches, jam them together at the end of the rod. Use a box-end wrench or socket to drive it in like a really long bolt. When it's tight, just use an open-end wrench to drive the second nut further down the rod, freeing the first nut.
> 
> I've gotten funny looks from journeymen when doing this, but I like it because I get to stay in one spot when making racks, and I don't have to mess up any part of the thread with my Channellocks.
> 
> If you're using 3/8 rod, ask the tin-knockers for a couple of their large nuts.


Not sure why you'd need to do this. Use your rod coupling to set your quickbolt, put jam nut a few turns from the end of allthread, spin allthread into coupling just by hand, tighten jam nut.


----------



## ElectricalArtist

Black red blue 


Brown orange yellow circuit number


----------



## EJPHI

*wire pulling tips*

1) Mark your snake with a sharpie; use tick makes for every foot and numbers for every 5 foot increment. Helps a lot when you want to know how for to go, how far you've pulled, or where you run into a problem. Just like life eh! Maybe some snake vendor already does this, if not and they use this idea I wanna a free labeled snake!!!

2) Use some thin wall PVC tubing with an OD to match the trade size of the conduit as a wire protector. Slide the tubing into the conduit connector so that the wires will not rub against any sharp metal box or connector corners. You can even squirt wire lube into the tubing to keep from getting lube all over the place. The tubing also helps straighten solid wires for pass through pulls. Just cut it off when you are finished.

If the above isn't clear, check out the pictures

EJPHI


----------



## TheLivingBubba

Surprised how many guys looked at me weird on the job site today when pulling ground bonds. 

When cutting bigger wire at the end of the run, wrap with 3-4 inches of electrical tape and then cut in the middle. When doing this you prevent the ends from fraying and it just looks like you know what you are doing.


----------



## B-Nabs

When using a 90 degree connector with small gauge armoured cable (14 & 12), coil the stripped wires around your fingers. Then you can spin the connector onto the cable without having to take the back off. 

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk


----------



## popeye123

hi all


----------



## Trailboss

*Cleaning blackened coroded copper wire*

In marine and automotive wiring it is very common to have to splice or redo a connection or terminal.
After stripping the insulation back you discover the wire is black.
So you start cutting it back till you find bright copper, but usually you don't have enough length before getting back into the harness.
You can un-lay the strands and pull them through sandpaper until you get the black off.
This takes quite a while.
A faster way is to dip the end in an acid solution. I use a hull and deck acid cleaner called ON - OFF, a blend of muriatic, oxalic and something else. I keep a small container of it inside another container just in case of leakage.
After dipping it in the acid, dip it into a baking soda water solution to neutralize the PH.
It will be bright copper.
Now you have a clean conductor to splice to or make your termination. I always solder and heat shrink all my connectors. I use Keystone brand crimp connectors that don't have the plastic sleeve. They are heavy gauge and have a nice bright finish. A good quality ratchet crimp tool with the proper dies is important for a proper crimp. I then solder the connector and heat shrink.


----------



## Simpson Electric

Trailboss said:


> In marine and automotive wiring it is very common to have to splice or redo a connection or terminal.
> After stripping the insulation back you discover the wire is black.
> So you start cutting it back till you find bright copper, but usually you don't have enough length before getting back into the harness.
> You can un-lay the strands and pull them through sandpaper until you get the black off.
> This takes quite a while.
> A faster way is to dip the end in an acid solution. I use a hull and deck acid cleaner called ON - OFF, a blend of muriatic, oxalic and something else. I keep a small container of it inside another container just in case of leakage.
> After dipping it in the acid, dip it into a baking soda water solution to neutralize the PH.
> It will be bright copper.
> Now you have a clean conductor to splice to or make your termination. I always solder and heat shrink all my connectors. I use Keystone brand crimp connectors that don't have the plastic sleeve. They are heavy gauge and have a nice bright finish. A good quality ratchet crimp tool with the proper dies is important for a proper crimp. I then solder the connector and heat shrink.


This sounds like an awesome job for automotive electrical systems but not really practical for in field work on buildings. Thanks for the info though. You never know when you might need this kind of fix!


----------



## MechanicalDVR

Trailboss said:


> In marine and automotive wiring it is very common to have to splice or redo a connection or terminal.
> After stripping the insulation back you discover the wire is black.
> So you start cutting it back till you find bright copper, but usually you don't have enough length before getting back into the harness.
> You can un-lay the strands and pull them through sandpaper until you get the black off.
> This takes quite a while.
> A faster way is to dip the end in an acid solution. I use a hull and deck acid cleaner called ON - OFF, a blend of muriatic, oxalic and something else. I keep a small container of it inside another container just in case of leakage.
> After dipping it in the acid, dip it into a baking soda water solution to neutralize the PH.
> It will be bright copper.
> Now you have a clean conductor to splice to or make your termination. I always solder and heat shrink all my connectors. I use Keystone brand crimp connectors that don't have the plastic sleeve. They are heavy gauge and have a nice bright finish. A good quality ratchet crimp tool with the proper dies is important for a proper crimp. I then solder the connector and heat shrink.



Why not just use the liquid copper cleaner they make for plumbing and just wipe it off with a rag and avoid the baking soda and water option?


----------



## NDC

rankin said:


> When working with threaded rod, don't use your Channellocks to drive it into the coupling or anchor.
> 
> Take two nuts and, using two wrenches, jam them together at the end of the rod. Use a box-end wrench or socket to drive it in like a really long bolt. When it's tight, just use an open-end wrench to drive the second nut further down the rod, freeing the first nut.
> 
> I've gotten funny looks from journeymen when doing this, but I like it because I get to stay in one spot when making racks, and I don't have to mess up any part of the thread with my Channellocks.
> 
> If you're using 3/8 rod, ask the tin-knockers for a couple of their large nuts.


This is a good idea. I did something along those lines when I was building racks, lots and lots of racks...
I took a rod coupler and a 5" piece of all thread. Screw the all thread about 1/2 way into the all thread and drill into the side of the coupler right through the all thread. Add a spring pin or cotter pin and you're set. Throw it on a drill and go to town.

I had 3 of these made up for different sizes of all thread.


----------



## MechanicalDVR

NDC said:


> This is a good idea. I did something along those lines when I was building racks, lots and lots of racks...
> I took a rod coupler and a 5" piece of all thread. Screw the all thread about 1/2 way into the all thread and drill into the side of the coupler right through the all thread. Add a spring pin or cotter pin and you're set. Throw it on a drill and go to town.
> 
> I had 3 of these made up for different sizes of all thread.


You know that drivers like that are available with a 1/4" hex quick connect to fit in a drill or impact?


----------



## LARMGUY

I use these for backups on screws for the installation of cameras and other devices on ceiling tile or drywall. They hold well and are easily removable. Been using these for years and recently saw other technicians have discovered my secret. 

They are the push on backers for duct insulation and you can buy them by the box for pennies compared to threaded or expanding screw inserts. and they don't tear up the tiles.


----------



## Grounded-B

Kris Davis said:


> When pulling control circuits. We use 5 or 6 different colors wires and group them together with phasing tape. If you had to number each one it would take forever.



Your control panels must look like a Skittles factory. 


Around here, 120VAC control is red, 24V is blue, Interlocks are yellow - That's it !!


Steve


----------



## FishinElectrcian

Hey Grounded-B thanks for the necro bump I was looking for a thread like this but it never showed up in the "search"

Quick note pad: dry erase marker on the windshield. Also suitable for writing down street directions so you don't have to take your eyes off the road.

If you're using tie wire and don't have a dispenser wrap it with duct tape (or black) before you crack it open, pull from the inside and you never have to worry about a mess.


----------



## joe-nwt

When cutting or drilling aluminum, give your blades or bits a quick shot of WD-40. Stops the aluminum from gumming things up. Lasts for many holes/cuts, re-apply as needed.


----------



## bill39

Kris Davis said:


> When pulling control circuits. We use 5 or 6 different colors wires and group them together with phasing tape. If you had to number each one it would take forever.


Wire #’s are essential, period. Even if a print is not available later on at least the wire #is a big help when troubleshooting.


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## telsa

For small job TI's -- I'm usually in a super rush... so I'll run two full boats in 3/4" EMT back near the panel -- stranded #12 and solid #12. 

This makes each circuit conductor unique. 

&&& 

The floors are usually cut up for the plumber -- so a scissor lift just doesn't have any range of motion.

So I'll string together scaffolds -- 6' + 6' -- so as to have a poor man's 12-foot run. 

The soft lid is only going to run at 9' ( 10' tin studs ) -- so it's easy to run the work above the grid.

For small TI s this gambit beats renting scissor lifts going away. 

They just don't need that much height... and plumbers take forever to close up the slab.

&&&

I'm also a big fan of shop prepped Sealtite for underslab runs. The materials expense is much greater than PVC -- but I can unroll Sealtite in no time flat -- with the conductors already installed. (Rotosplit can trim the Sealtite with the conductors already installed.) This gambit keeps me off my knees as much as possible. 

( ENT gets shot down by my AHJ. )


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## Tony302

On all of my hole saw arbors I wrap a piece of #12 solid at the base where the hole saw screws onto. Makes removing the hole saw from the arbor easier. The copper wire keeps the hole saw from binding up on the arbor.


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## KB3006

TOOL_5150 said:


> All the 50' and 100' temp light strings ive seen, use standard size light bulbs. Actually, I have never even seen a left threaded light bulb.
> 
> ~Matt


we used to buy them years ago but I haven't seen them in a long time

they were always special order and more expensive

and people stole they lamps anyway because they did noy know any better


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## KB3006

Grounded-B said:


> Your control panels must look like a Skittles factory.
> 
> 
> Around here, 120VAC control is red, 24V is blue, Interlocks are yellow - That's it !!
> 
> 
> Steve


 we buy the bundled wire on large control projects,
each conductor has a printed number on it about every 12-15"


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## bill39

KB3006 said:


> we buy the bundled wire on large control projects,
> each conductor has a printed number on it about every 12-15"


With all due respect, the wire # on the bundle normally has nothing to do with the control circuits wire number....at least for the industrial customers I have worked for or designed systems for.


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## KB3006

You are correct, we use the factory embossed wire number for pulling the wire in order to prevent labeling the wire on both ends twice.
we have spreadsheet that tells us what each factory wire number corresponds to .
prior to terminating the wires, a printed heat shrink label with the correct control circuit ID per the specs and drawings is placed on the wire.
the factory embossed number is only used for reference while pulling and to install the proper labeling prior to termination (point to point verification are performed also)
this reduces labor & material cost for double labeling


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## ktny

as for the coat hanger method, im a bigger fan of a taking a flagger and cutting the flag end off at a 45, this works great if youre just going through sheet rock or alittle plywood, hole is noticeably smaller than the coat hanger, you can almost do it in anywhere in ceiling and no one would ever notice, once you have to go through a top plate thats when the insulation rod or coat hanger comes out


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## mofos be cray

ktny said:


> as for the coat hanger method, im a bigger fan of a taking a flagger and cutting the flag end off at a 45, this works great if youre just going through sheet rock or alittle plywood, hole is noticeably smaller than the coat hanger, you can almost do it in anywhere in ceiling and no one would ever notice, once you have to go through a top plate thats when the insulation rod or coat hanger comes out


Don't know the term. What's a flagger?


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## splatz

ktny said:


> as for the coat hanger method, im a bigger fan of a taking a flagger and cutting the flag end off at a 45, this works great if youre just going through sheet rock or alittle plywood, hole is noticeably smaller than the coat hanger, you can almost do it in anywhere in ceiling and no one would ever notice, once you have to go through a top plate thats when the insulation rod or coat hanger comes out





mofos be cray said:


> Don't know the term. What's a flagger?


Marking flags - I use these too, the steel is springy, and the hole is small enough you can pretend it never happened.


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## HackWork

ktny said:


> as for the coat hanger method, im a bigger fan of a taking a flagger and cutting the flag end off at a 45, this works great if youre just going through sheet rock or alittle plywood, hole is noticeably smaller than the coat hanger, you can almost do it in anywhere in ceiling and no one would ever notice, once you have to go through a top plate thats when the insulation rod or coat hanger comes out


I keep a 1/16" drill bit with a hex shank in my little box of tips and bits. I also keep a piece of stainless steel tie wire in my service tray, I use it all the time as a feeler. I like the stainless tie wire because it's cleaner (doesn't get your hands black) than the normal steel and it is a bit shiny.

That tie wire fits right thru the 1/16" hole perfectly, and is easy to find in a dark basement or attic with a flashlight. The hole is the size of a thumbtack hole.


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## MotoGP1199

Fishtabe for large conduit.

Not sure if it's been said in this thread because it's been a couple years since I read most of this. 
But I put a whiffle ball on the tip of my standard size fish tape when going through conduit 3" and larger. It helps keep the fishtape from turning back around on itself and jamming in the large conduit.


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## TheLivingBubba

Always check your tape measure, and your APPRENTICE'S tape measure...


Had a CW using a Harbor Freight tape that started at 3 1/2 inches once.


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## didntdoit

rankin said:


> Another pro-tip: save your short EMT scraps! If there is someone on the job you do not like, place the scraps strategically around their work area.


 If you keep a bucket full through a large job take time to mark it remnant/not scrap, so the nice guy that grabs the trash doesn't take them out to help you.
This way you're not cutting 6" off a fresh stick in the morning. Speaking of which you dump out so the boss thinks you were really busy.


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## macmikeman

rankin said:


> You can also slip a 1-1/4" bolt with a nut threaded onto the end into a deep socket when you need a shallow socket (my sockets don't have the stoppers built in, and it's faster than switching out sockets and extensions). Other guys just stuff their sockets with 3-4 nuts, but one nut's my limit
> 
> Come to think of it, you can use a combination of the above tricks to create an impact allen wrench. Just take a longer bolt, jam two nuts together at the end, slip it into your socket, and see what happens.
> 
> Best time to try it out is while the foreman's walking by.
> 
> *Another pro-tip: save your short EMT scraps! If there is someone on the job you do not like, place the scraps strategically around their work area*.


I hate to bring up an old thread post, but the bolded in red part is a great way to kill someone. Stepping on a cylindrical pipe on a concrete floor tends to send the leg forwards and the upper body weight backwards , causing a backwards fall onto the backside of the head. And maybe the hard hat stayed on and maybe not during the fall. For most people that's a six foot free fall to concrete floor on the back of the head, a lethal blow most every time. What a jack ass thing to have "LIKED" that post.


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## didntdoit

Pretty certain that was sarcasm or thing you would like to do in your head.
Like when RMC4ME would show HR what a stick of strut in chest would feel like. 
I 've my run ins with my own messes, luckily only twisted ankles. 
The mistake will tend to teach a person to be neater on the job.


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## TheLivingBubba

I keep seeing guys at work with these plastic glove clips. Not going to lie I was a bit jealous, not I'm going to spend money on a cheap piece of plastic jealous though. 



Spent $ .48 on a clip, enlarged the hole with a uni-bit and used one of those whatever they are called things that came with my ergodyne canvas bucket and voila.


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## MotoGP1199

Not sure if its been mentioned. If on PVC boxes like the cantex or Carlon 12x12x6 or 6x6x4 were the screw (like a stainless wood screw) goes directly into the plastic strips out, it can be fixed easily. You cut a small piece (1/4" to 3/8" long) #14 stranded wire and put it in the screw hole, the screws will go in easy and grip tight. Works really well. Stranded wire also works well in other stripped out anchor holes.


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## just the cowboy

TheLivingBubba said:


> Always check your tape measure, and your APPRENTICE'S tape measure...
> 
> 
> Had a CW using a Harbor Freight tape that started at 3 1/2 inches once.


We built a log home for a friend once, first thing they did was buy us all new tape rulers same model and check them against each other. Cutting or drilling something wrong on a log home can be BAD. They learned about this first hand


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## MotoGP1199

Uni-strut works great for setting locations of under ground conduit when it needs to be straight and somewhat precise. I have a dedicated strut post base I put on the strut(to use as a target) to pound it into the ground. It makes it much easier to hit the strut, not miss, and the hit is much more effective and solid. Once the strut is solid in the ground I cut it to the proper height with my portable bandsaw. You can use a mini sledge or excavator. I keep this post base on the van and re-use it. 

This job had a lot of conduit and came out pretty good, it would have been much nicer but they moved the location of the panels and changed some of the equipment when we were more than half way through the job. Still have some more stuff to run.


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## Hoodood1

So what you're saying is you place these coils around the device's mounting screws so it holds tight to the box when the tabs can't grab the sheet rock? Neat trick but most times I can get by just using splice caps/crimp sleeves.
[/QUOTE]
First off there's all kinds violations in this thread. The only SAFE way to deal with this is to use a device collar & 2 6/32 nuts for each screw. First tape the device sides after wiring the device, insert the correct length screws, slide the collar on, screw 2 nuts on and lightly snug the 1st nut behind the collar so the screw still turns freely but there's no wobble with the device and its collar. Screw the second nut up to the 1st nut and jam them together, install the device. Now you have a complaint install!
A coiled up piece of wire as a spacer is a violation in itself. An improperly sized nut on a screw is another one. Plumber PVC is another...... A device collar is required if there's too much space between the wall surface & the mudring/ box (which is usually the case)so use one.


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## Hoodood1

Hoodood1 said:


> So what you're saying is you place these coils around the device's mounting screws so it holds tight to the box when the tabs can't grab the sheet rock? Neat trick but most times I can get by just using splice caps/crimp sleeves.


First off there's all kinds violations in this thread. The only SAFE way to deal with this is to use a device collar & 2 6/32 nuts for each screw. First tape the device sides after wiring the device, insert the correct length screws, slide the collar on, screw 2 nuts on and lightly snug the 1st nut behind the collar so the screw still turns freely but there's no wobble with the device and its collar. Screw the second nut up to the 1st nut and jam them together, install the device. Now you have a complaint install!
A coiled up piece of wire as a spacer is a violation in itself. An improperly sized nut on a screw is another one. Plumber PVC is another...... A device collar is required if there's too much space between the wall surface & the mudring/ box (which is usually the case)so use one.
[/QUOTE]
Oh, some collars have holes that are larger than the 6/32 nuts so use either a washer or what I use is the ears from a device.


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## Grounded-B

Hoodood1 said:


> First off there's all kinds violations in this thread. The only SAFE way to deal with this is to use a device collar & 2 6/32 nuts for each screw. First tape the device sides after wiring the device, insert the correct length screws, slide the collar on, screw 2 nuts on and lightly snug the 1st nut behind the collar so the screw still turns freely but there's no wobble with the device and its collar. Screw the second nut up to the 1st nut and jam them together, install the device. Now you have a complaint install!
> A coiled up piece of wire as a spacer is a violation in itself. An improperly sized nut on a screw is another one. Plumber PVC is another...... A device collar is required if there's too much space between the wall surface & the mudring/ box (which is usually the case)so use one.


Oh, some collars have holes that are larger than the 6/32 nuts so use either a washer or what I use is the ears from a device.
[/QUOTE]
Is this what you mean by a "device collar"?

976 | Raco

Never heard them called that. We call them "goof-up rings"


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## zoltan

Is this what you mean by a "device collar"?

976 | Raco

Never heard them called that. We call them "goof-up rings"
[/QUOTE]

"spark ring" here


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## joe-nwt

Box extender here.


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## Hoodood1

Yep! Old school trade name.


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## 210860

First time me seeing them many yrs ago. They were called "Mullan Rings".. Designed to install devices, use in metal window wall "mullan frames"..


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## TheLivingBubba

If you wear double front pants and like me are too cheap to buy the knee pad inserts, make some. 

Get an old foam yoga mat, I bought a used one in like new condition off of amazon. 








Balance From Go Yoga All Purpose Anti-Tear Exercise Yoga Mat with Carrying Strap, Green, One Size (BFGY-AP6GR)


Balance From Go Yoga All Purpose Anti-Tear Exercise Yoga Mat with Carrying Strap, Green, One Size (BFGY-AP6GR)



www.amazon.com





Spent some time cutting them down to 10" x 6" and was able to make 10 pairs. If you think and plan your cuts you can get more. I'm all in about $7.


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## MikeFL

I buy mats from www.wesellmats.com. 
They have everything.
Good prices.
Fair shipping.


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## awhite

knowshorts said:


> Throwing a rock in a glass of Coke wont do much. That rock had been hardened for millions of years. Fresh concrete takes quite a while to cure and harden. It wont necessarily dissolve the rock in the mix, but it breaks down the remaining concrete ingredients enough to get a line through to swab the conduit.


Use liquid WD40 pour it in wait overnight cement will clean right out do not know about rocks though.


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## Slay301

awhite said:


> Use liquid WD40 pour it in wait overnight cement will clean right out do not know about rocks though.


Muriatic acid is the way to go


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## MechanicalDVR

Slay301 said:


> Muriatic acid is the way to go


The issue with that is getting it all our so it doesn't corrode and/or eat your wiring afterwards.


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## MikeFL

MechanicalDVR said:


> The issue with that is getting it all our so it doesn't corrode and/or eat your wiring afterwards.


That stuff can do some real damage.
I used to buy it by the case to wash down the boat after a day of offshore fishing. I stored it in a room in the garage, same room as all the rods, reels, tackle, etc. Walked in there one day and all the fishing line on all the reels, plus all the bulk spools, were toast. Fumes ate it up.

Great stuff for cleaning the blood out of the boat though.


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## MechanicalDVR

MikeFL said:


> That stuff can do some real damage.
> I used to buy it by the case to wash down the boat after a day of offshore fishing. I stored it in a room in the garage, same room as all the rods, reels, tackle, etc. Walked in there one day and all the fishing line on all the reels, plus all the bulk spools, were toast. Fumes ate it up.
> 
> Great stuff for cleaning the blood out of the boat though.


I've always used hydrogen peroxide to remove blood and/or blood stains. Works fantastic on clothes.


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## MikeFL

MechanicalDVR said:


> I've always used hydrogen peroxide to remove blood and/or blood stains. Works fantastic on clothes.


The acid already came in the gallon jugs for a few dollars per, and it would take 1-2 gallons per trip. H2O2 would cost a fortune. But I'll remember that for inside.


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## drsparky

I take a tiny spray bottle of hydrogen peroxide with me while hunting, tracking a blood trail sometimes it's hard to tell blood from the fall foliage. A little spray, if it foams, it's blood.


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## Brentwerks

480sparky said:


> Whenever you are installing PVC underground, and you need to stop & bury the end, don't just tape up the plain end of the pipe. Always end with a bell end or a coupler and tape that up. When you dig it up to continue, you only need to take a knife and cut out the end. No more struggling to get all that tape off the outside of the PVC, and having it get all dirty in the meantime.


if your not on a bell end, just back-wrap the tape around the outside (sticky side out) first then tape across the end like normal still fits pretty snug and can slide off with a lil effort. great for doing ductbank with alot of pipes if you slide it off carefully you can save time reusing your tape cover. 
Another trick is if you have scraps destined for the dumpster with bell ends cut the bell off and tape those up and you got a nice pvc cap just tap the bell off with your hammer/pliers when you dig it up again and you got nice clean pipe to glue to. Works well with rigid pipe too tape up a crappy coupling and just screw it on at end of day to keep your pipe clean...find less drink bottles in your pipe that way... the thread protectors make nice caps to tape up then when you dig out your pipe you can just cut them off and have a nice clean pipe to start from.


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## LARMGUY

When I had an existing wall and had to get through a corner of wood studs with more studs blocking my drill, I found this drill bit to be invaluable to create curved holes. 



https://www.icscuttingtools.com/catalog/page_167.pdf












I found mine at the local Dewalt Tool Service Center in OKC. Every month or so I got it sharpened.

That is another tip. No matter how good you think you are at sharpening your drilling and cutting tools, spen the time and money and fins a professional sharpening business. You will be surprised how much time you will have saved with newly sharpened tools to work with. Not only knives, scissors, saws with fixed blades, but your auger bits and specialty bits like3 foot and 6 foot bell wire drilling bits.


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## MotoGP1199

LARMGUY said:


> When I had an existing wall and had to get through a corner of wood studs with more studs blocking my drill, I found this drill bit to be invaluable to create curved holes.
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.icscuttingtools.com/catalog/page_167.pdf
> 
> 
> 
> View attachment 172233
> 
> 
> I found mine at the local Dewalt Tool Service Center in OKC. Every month or so I got it sharpened.
> 
> That is another tip. No matter how good you think you are at sharpening your drilling and cutting tools, spen the time and money and fins a professional sharpening business. You will be surprised how much time you will have saved with newly sharpened tools to work with. Not only knives, scissors, saws with fixed blades, but your auger bits and specialty bits like3 foot and 6 foot bell wire drilling bits.


Way cool. Thanks


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## Dennis Alwon

MikeFL said:


> Great stuff for cleaning the blood out of the boat though.


I bet that comes in handy after you dumped the body out at sea. lol


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