# fish tape



## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

There is no easy way except bending every 2 ft. by hand. It would be better to cut up the fish tape into smaller pieces and buy a new tape on a 200' reel for longer pulls. I had a reel tape and the handle broke, so I took a 1" 2' piece of flex PVC and used it to wind the fish tape with. Crude, but works...


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Take a scrap of 2x4 about 24" long. Put a long screw into it about every 3" in a straight line, leaving about 1/2" sticking up.

Secure the 2x4 to something solid.

Weave the fish tape in a back-and-forth manner through the screws (imagine a sports car in a TV commercial weaving around a straight line of orange cones).

Now pull the entire length of tape through the screws, forcing it to weave back & forth just like car in the commercial.










It'll straighten it right out. If not, run it through again. 

If that doesn't do it, it's needs replaced.


Very sharp bends should be heated with a torch first and handled individually.


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

I wouldn't waste the time. I would just buy a refill.


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## BIGRED (Jan 22, 2007)

I wouldn't waste my time with a refill, I would just buy a whole new fish. I used to work with a guy who would want to buy refills, he would order the refill then I would throw out the plastic part of the fish.


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

Does anyone know what the cost difference is between a refill and a new one?


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## BIGRED (Jan 22, 2007)

Time


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## Kevin J (Dec 11, 2008)

I cant remember what the cost difference is, but it's worth the extra money just so I don't have to fool with a refill. I've used the method 480 described, and it works pretty good. I don't like to replace tools if I can help it, so if there new, I try to straighten them. If they have a little age, then I just set it to the side and when I get a chance, I cut short "handy" fishes out of them.


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

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


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## LJSMITH1 (May 4, 2009)

Try a piece of 1/2" or 3/4" EMT with at least 4 or 5 opposing bends. It will accomplish the same task as the nails, but with an eaiser pull. If you mount the EMT in a shop vise, its even easier. It doesn't take too much time, and if it doesn't work as good as you want, throw the tape out or use it for short pulls.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

The closer you are to the business end of the tape, the worse it gets. In other words, the further into the case you go, tapes generally get better.

If it's a long one, such as 200', maybe you can just lop off 50 or 100 useless feet and mark the case as such.


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## Toronto Sparky (Apr 12, 2009)

I've been arguing for years with the contractors that will not spend a few more bucks to get a fish reel.. They buy a refill and run it though a piece of flex or just coil it up after every use. The time saved with a reel will pay for itself in one day in my opinion. And you don't blow up the switch gear when the flopping fish sneaks under it..


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## Wireless (Jan 22, 2007)

Thread it through a peice of unistrut. you don't have to make a contraption all the holes are there already.


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## LJSMITH1 (May 4, 2009)

Wireless said:


> Thread it through a peice of unistrut. you don't have to make a contraption all the holes are there already.


 
Great Idea!:thumbsup:


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## Bob Badger (Apr 19, 2009)

LJSMITH1 said:


> Try a piece of 1/2" or 3/4" EMT with at least 4 or 5 opposing bends. It will accomplish the same task as the nails, but with an eaiser pull. If you mount the EMT in a shop vise, its even easier. It doesn't take too much time, and if it doesn't work as good as you want, throw the tape out or use it for short pulls.


That is how I was taught but now I may have to try that strut trick.


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## raider1 (Jan 22, 2007)

Bob Badger said:


> That is how I was taught but now I may have to try that strut trick.


I agree, I have always used a scrap piece of conduit, but the strut idea sound intriguing.

Chris


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## paul d. (Jul 13, 2008)

i'll try the strut thing tommorrow. :thumbsup:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

raider1 said:


> I agree, I have always used a scrap piece of conduit, but the strut idea sound intriguing.
> 
> Chris


Would you use every slot, or would you skip every other one?


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## paul d. (Jul 13, 2008)

most strut holes are on 2" centers. i'll try 2" first and see what happens.:001_huh:


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I usually cut off the bent up section and deal with whatever I'm left with. Buy a new fish tape when the shorter length begins to frustrate you. I can tell by weight (usually) when I pick one up just about how much might be on the tape.


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## raider1 (Jan 22, 2007)

480sparky said:


> Would you use every slot, or would you skip every other one?


Don't know yet I will have to try it out and let you know.:thumbsup:

Chris


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

Wireless said:


> Thread it through a peice of unistrut. you don't have to make a contraption all the holes are there already.


 I like this idea also. I'll have to remember this one for sure. :thumbsup:


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## gilbequick (Oct 6, 2007)

william1978 said:


> I like this idea also. I'll have to remember this one for sure. :thumbsup:


I've done it a few times, it works ok as long as the fish tape isn't too bad. If there's a lot of side to side bends nothing will really fix that.

Anyone here use the nylon tapes to pull strings in conduits? Are they much easier to get through tight offsets and 90's?


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

gilbequick said:


> Anyone here use the nylon tapes to pull strings in conduits? Are they much easier to get through tight offsets and 90's?


 What does a nylon tape look like?


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

gilbequick said:


> ......Anyone here use the nylon tapes to pull strings in conduits? Are they much easier to get through tight offsets and 90's?


Much easier, especially if there's two 90s right next to each other that are 90° to each other.


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## gilbequick (Oct 6, 2007)

william1978 said:


> What does a nylon tape look like?


Round plastic, extremely flexible for bends but you can still get behind it and push it pretty good. It's not for pulling hard with, pretty much just for fishing in strings and ropes.


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## gilbequick (Oct 6, 2007)

480, those pipes aren't level. They're driving me crazy I can't look at them anymore.  

Over the weekend I went to a family member's house and all the pictures on the walls were crooked......HOLY CRAP it took everything I had to not level them all up. Even though they weren't all that bad I felt like I was in a fun house.


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## gilbequick (Oct 6, 2007)

Ok that settles it, next time I visit I'm bringing a level.


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

I beleive I've used what your talking about it works pretty good. I don't think you can get them to very long.


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

gilbequick said:


> Ok that settles it, next time I visit I'm bringing a level.


 :laughing:


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## electro916 (Jan 16, 2009)

william1978 said:


> I beleive I've used what your talking about it works pretty good. I don't think you can get them to very long.


I have an ideal 200' nylon fishtape that will feed through a 3/4" pipe with 3 90's and the run was all of 185' and the fishtape glided through it.

If you pull too hard while pulling wire or have large wire you need to watch because the tape breaks, trust me.


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## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

electro916 said:


> I have an ideal 200' nylon fishtape that will feed through a 3/4" pipe with 3 90's and the run was all of 185' and the fishtape glided through it.
> 
> If you pull too hard while pulling wire or have large wire you need to watch because the tape breaks, trust me.


 Ok, I must be thinking of a different kind of fishtape.


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## electro916 (Jan 16, 2009)

william1978 said:


> Ok, I must be thinking of a different kind of fishtape.



Well no, not really because I usually see 50' and 100' versions.

The 200' was special ordered and was about $275, but it was nice for working alone and not having to worry about the fish hitting the guts of a hot panel while i was at the other end making the head up.


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## Wireless (Jan 22, 2007)

electro916 said:


> Well no, not really because I usually see 50' and 100' versions.
> 
> The 200' was special ordered and was about $275, but it was nice for working alone and not having to worry about the fish hitting the guts of a hot panel while i was at the other end making the head up.


 
For that you use a threaded coupling and a Bellbox KO.


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## gilbequick (Oct 6, 2007)

Wireless said:


> For that you use a threaded coupling and a Bellbox KO.


How does that push through 90's and other bends? You'd have to be using 1 1/2'' conduit and up for that to work. And the coupling is still metal.

You'd be better off just taping the piss out of the end of your fish tape.


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## steelersman (Mar 15, 2009)

Wireless said:


> For that you use a threaded coupling and a Bellbox KO.


I think he means use it inside the panel to block the tape from coming into the panel, so you can push till you hit the inside of the KO seal and then unthread the coupling and grab the tape.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

steelersman said:


> I think he means use it inside the panel to block the tape from coming into the panel, so you can push till you hit the inside of the KO seal and then unthread the coupling and grab the tape.


I just use a threaded PVC cap from the plumbing department down at Big Orange/Blue.


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## steelersman (Mar 15, 2009)

480sparky said:


> I just use a threaded PVC cap from the plumbing department down at Big Orange/Blue.


that's cause you're a tool!


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

480sparky said:


> I just use a threaded PVC cap from the plumbing department down at Big Orange/Blue.


Oh, you must be talking about Lowes or Home Depot.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

steelersman said:


> that's cause you're a tool!


Even tools like Ken have good ideas sometimes.


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## gilbequick (Oct 6, 2007)

Ohhhhh ok, good idea there.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

steelersman said:


> that's cause you're a tool!


And don't you forget it!


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

480sparky said:


> And don't you forget it!


Oh, don't worry, you never let us forget.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Peter D said:


> Oh, don't worry, you never let us forget.


Forget what?


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Forget what?


How much of a tool you are.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Peter D said:


> How much of a tool you are.


Who's a tool? Lemme in on it... I wanna make fun of him!


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Who's a tool? Lemme in on it... I wanna make fun of him!



Well, let's see...he's fat, bald, ugly, is a master of making fake pictures, he's annoying, has way too much time on his hands, dumb, and sometimes goes by the names Ken and 480Sparky. Does that narrow it down a bit? :jester:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Peter D said:


> Well, let's see...he's fat, bald, ugly, is a master of making fake pictures, he's annoying, has way too much time on his hands, dumb, and sometimes goes by the names Ken and 480Sparky. Does that narrow it down a bit? :jester:


 
480*S*parky, huh?

Whew! You had me going there for a second. Good thing my handle is 480*s*parky.


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## nick (Feb 14, 2008)

paul d. said:


> whats the best ways to straighten a fish tape thats been " abused ".



Well you may think iam kinda nuts but heres how you can straighten up the old fish tape . 

You need a glass or shop metal oven to put the fish tape into. 
Heat it to its cherry red in color then drop it into a water bath to cool all the kinks will be gone . If the tape is new like a reel replacement and you have the reel out before you put it in holder do the same trick and drop it in water it will last longer then if you dont ! If you dont have a glass oven on site just use the iron workers torch its fine just get it cherry red ! take care


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

nick said:


> ................You need a glass or shop metal oven to put the fish tape into.
> Heat it to its cherry red in color then drop it into a water bath to cool all the kinks will be gone . If the tape is new like a reel replacement and you have the reel out before you put it in holder do the same trick and drop it in a water it will last longer then if you dont !............


I think I'd just buy a new tape if I had to do all that.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

nick said:


> Well you may think iam kinda nuts but heres how you can straighten up the old fish tape .....


Yeah, you're nuts. That sounds like a spectacular waste of time.


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

Fish tape, duck tape, what's next! I'm calling PETA; obviously you all have some kind of sick animal bondage fetish. Maybe they will send over some hot chicks in a cage as a protest.:jester:


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

drsparky said:


> Maybe they will send over some hot chicks in a cage as a protest.:jester:


How about some cold chicks? :laughing:


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## nick (Feb 14, 2008)

Peter D said:


> Yeah, you're nuts. That sounds like a spectacular waste of time.



Well it works if you do it the steel will harden and it will be stronger than before . Everything goes back to the day it was new when you got it still think iam nuts its the way they harden steel been around for thousands of years the old swords makers did it . 

But you just asked how to ? Take care


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## gilbequick (Oct 6, 2007)

Peter D said:


> How about some cold chicks? :laughing:


Hey now that picture brings back a memory. I had dinner with that guy once several years ago. Him and my grandfather were buddies.


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