# Anybody got any tricks to pull wire ?



## user438 (Jun 6, 2007)

Anybody got any tricks to pull wire by yourself ? I have been helperless for about a year or so and by far the biggest pain is trying to pull in 100'+ run of wire by myself.....usually end up walking back and forth between feeding and pulling 20 times.

I pulled in a run the other day 150' ...I ended up walking like a mile by the time I was done. Got to a point where I was hoping some kid would walk by so I could offer him 20 bucks to feed the wire in

I tried the ladder trick set up over the feed area but the resistance is still there from the spools


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Rig it. I usually set up the spools on some conduit and 2 ridged pipe stands, then a tri stand holds a large plastic spool on another piece of conduit. A funnel can be useful too. I have pulled more that 100' this way you just have to think it out and put something together.


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## user438 (Jun 6, 2007)

Here is my last contraption, It did not work to well. The resistance from the spools made me end up just pulling the wire from spools and setting it up for 5' pulls at a time


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## user438 (Jun 6, 2007)

Oh wait I see what your saying, I need another conduit or whatever as a pulley


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

​


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## user438 (Jun 6, 2007)

480sparky said:


>


lol That is awesome :thumbsup:


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Rich R said:


> Oh wait I see what your saying, I need another conduit or whatever as a pulley


Yep cause it is usually not the friction http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/...56624&cid=4072316621&mkwid=C073009j00002&nm=4of the spools but the wire is probably dragging and catching on the box, getting it so the wire is coming down right into the conduit makes it go pretty easy. 

In your picture it looks like one of those little garden post things right with a hub on top for a light or what ever right? I would have set the ladder right up over the thing and put a chase nipple in the top and pulled right through that and down into the conduit, no need for a second guide spool on that one IMO.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

​


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

480sparky said:


> ​


​ 
:laughing: Looks like some of my hand work. I keep good spools and tie wire around just for that.


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## user438 (Jun 6, 2007)

Jlarson said:


> Yep cause it is usually not the friction of the spools but the wire is probably dragging and catching on the box, getting it so the wire is coming down right into the conduit makes it go pretty easy.
> 
> In your picture it looks like one of those little garden post things right with a hub on top for a light or what ever right? I would have set the ladder right up over the thing and put a chase nipple in the top and pulled right through that and down into the conduit, no need for a second guide spool on that one IMO.


 
Yeah I was going thru the outlet opening on the side, I was using a jet line too that I think was burning into the PVC as I was pulling it


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Jlarson said:


> [/center]
> 
> :laughing: Looks like some of my hand work. I keep good spools and tie wire around just for that.



That's not tie wire.... it's #12 orange THHN.:thumbsup:


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Rich R said:


> Yeah I was going thru the outlet opening on the side, I was using a jet line too that I think was burning into the PVC as I was pulling it


Yeah use lube or use mule tape, the flat measuring stuff, goes through PVC well. And going through the top with the chase nipple would have been easier plus then there would be less chance of  up a conductor on the box opening, I have been there, it sucks.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

480sparky said:


> That's not tie wire.... it's #12 orange THHN.:thumbsup:


I use tie wire, If it were me that #12 would have been in the scrap bin already, hey that's like a cent or two right there.


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## user438 (Jun 6, 2007)

480sparky said:


> That's not tie wire.... it's #12 orange THHN.:thumbsup:


 
Hey at least you didn't have to worry about your Orange #12 texting his girlfriend while your trying to get the pull in :thumbsup:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Jlarson said:


> Yeah use lube or use mule tape, the flat measuring stuff, goes through PVC well. And going through the top with the chase nipple would have been easier plus then there would be less chance of  up a conductor on the box opening, I have been there, it sucks.



Measuring tape typically has a lower pull strength than true 'mule' tape. The former usually tops out at around 1200 lbs, while the latter starts out at 2000.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Jlarson said:


> I use tie wire, If it were me that #12 would have been in the scrap bin already, hey that's like a cent or two right there.


It ain't worth it to keep track of that two cents.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Measuring tape typically has a lower pull strength than tru 'mule' tape. The former is usually around 1000-1200 lbs, while the latter is 2000+


I have both and it kind of gets called the same thing in my little corner of the planet.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Jlarson said:


> I have both and it kind of gets called the same thing in my little corner of the planet.



I wouldn't use measure tape for anything more than pulling something stronger in.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

480sparky said:


> I wouldn't use measure tape for anything more than pulling something stronger in.


I just use it on small control pulls like #14 and small instrument cable, anything larger gets real mule tape or rope.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

For anyone wondering what mule tape is:








​


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## voltz (Jun 2, 2010)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcvCbSfPB2M&NR=1


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

voltz said:


> www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcvCbSfPB2M&NR=1 :laughing:



Uh.......... um........................ yeah.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Uh.......... um........................ yeah.


Now 480 remember what Marc said.:laughing: 

It don't work for me either BTW, Ytube is SNAFU right now.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Jlarson said:


> Now 480 remember what Marc said.:laughing:
> 
> It don't work for me either BTW, Ytube is SNAFU right now.



That's not the point. It's kinda difficult using one of those toys when it comes to a _real_ pull.

And it's FUBAR, not SNAFU.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

480sparky said:


> That's not the point. It's kinda difficult using one of those toys when it comes to a _real_ pull.
> 
> And it's FUBAR, not SNAFU.


Oh that's what you are getting at, I got a smart comment for that too.

Just get a really big magnet like one the size of a VW Bug and drag it behind the van, you just got to up size to fit your situation:thumbsup:

SNAFU, FUBAR, both could be applied in this situation IMPO.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

voltz said:


> www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcvCbSfPB2M&NR=1


how do you pull wire through a conduit with that?

~Matt


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

Mule tape rocks! I throw away thousands of feet though of it. Find any low volt guy, and they normally have it. Its in the inner-duct we use for fiber pulls. 

Also, check out this site

http://www.rack-a-tiers.com/products.htm

http://www.licensedelectrician.com/Store/Wire_Pulling.htm


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

mikeh32 said:


> Mule tape rocks! I throw away thousands of feet though of it.http://www.rack-a-tiers.com/products.htm


Would anyone call me cheap cause we save mule tape some times?


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

Jlarson said:


> Would anyone call me cheap cause we save mule tape some times?


youre not the only one.

BTW, its not being cheap - its recycling:thumbsup:

~Matt


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

TOOL_5150 said:


> its recycling:thumbsup:


California sparkies :jester:


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

Jlarson said:


> California sparkies :jester:


ok yeah.. youre just a cheap ass 






















:laughing:

~Matt


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

TOOL_5150 said:


> ok yeah.. youre just a cheap ass


Hey originally I called my self a cheap b*sterd so...:laughing:


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

Jlarson said:


> Hey originally I called my self a cheap b*sterd so...:laughing:


theres nothing wrong with being cheap... Why waste your money on something like that when you can have it for free.

I dont like wasting money.. i dont have much money to begin with.

~Matt


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## user438 (Jun 6, 2007)

voltz said:


> www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcvCbSfPB2M&NR=1


I love the way the ceiling is all clean in this video, I should make my own where I lift a tile up 5lbs of Rat crap falls on my head and some A/C guy decided to run his duct right down the middle of open space....not to mention the 50 runs of Cat 5 just laying on tiles :thumbsup:

Oh don't forget having to work around the pissed off lady's ofice cubicle


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Rich R said:


> I love the way the ceiling is all clean in this video, I should make my own where I lift a tile up 5lbs of Rat crap falls on my head and some A/C guy decided to run his duct right down the middle of open space....not to mention the 50 runs of Cat 5 just laying on tiles :thumbsup:


You forgot the roaches and the odd flying MC splice. Cause no drop ceiling is complete without those:clap::no:


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## user438 (Jun 6, 2007)

Jlarson said:


> You forgot the roaches and the odd flying MC splice. Cause no drop ceiling is complete without those:clap::no:


 Ah yes, I forgot the Handy Andy's free floating 12/2 romex splice complete with Red wire nuts and black tape :laughing:


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

Rich R said:


> Ah yes, I forgot the Handy Andy's free floating 12/2 romex splice complete with Red wire nuts and black tape :laughing:


I lifted up a 4x8 of plywood in an attic once and there was just all this romex spliced with greenies, no tape even under it in between the stud bays, I just said WTF, and something about the handy hacks needing to be educated on what a junction box is and kept working:laughing: (after covering the DIY j box back up)


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

I guess i just dont want to take the time. Its already normally a pain in the ass pulling it


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## Mike_586 (Mar 24, 2009)

Apprentices


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Jlarson said:


> Would anyone call me cheap cause we save mule tape some times?



I have some that's at least 10 years old.


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## knowshorts (Jan 9, 2009)

Rich R said:


> Anybody got any tricks to pull wire by yourself ? I have been helperless for about a year or so and by far the biggest pain is trying to pull in 100'+ run of wire by myself.....usually end up walking back and forth between feeding and pulling 20 times.
> 
> I pulled in a run the other day 150' ...I ended up walking like a mile by the time I was done. Got to a point where I was hoping some kid would walk by so I could offer him 20 bucks to feed the wire in
> 
> I tried the ladder trick set up over the feed area but the resistance is still there from the spools


I've been pulling wire pretty much by myself now for almost 10 years. For your standard 12 and 10 pulls, make sure you use stranded wire. Makes it so much easier. I've used that pulling pal and the Dottie orange condoms before and both work well.


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## Loose Neutral (Jun 3, 2009)

I'd walk some off the reel then run it thru a pulley. Those reels so close rubbing against each other creat a lot of drag.


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## gold (Feb 15, 2008)

What if you need to pulll wire while on your 6 foot ladder?


I got a set of those auto jack stands from pep boys for like $20, you need to zip tie the axle (1/2 " emt) down but it gives you a pretty solid base to pull from. Granted I'm not pulling 500s off them but there fine for romex reels or thhn. Then if you slide on some reducing washers onto the emt and wad up some tape outside the washers it will stop the reels from traveling. 

Low budget I know but reel jacks are expensive.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

Arlington make some nice cheap little pullers helpers. I don't have a pic right now but they work. Stranded wire makes a world of difference to.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

There's a local business near me that builds all sorts of trailers (horse, flat, box, etc) where I get my welding jobs done.

They had some scrap 1" square stock laying around, and I supplied a short piece of 1" IMC. They welded it all together, I ground down the rough spots, tapped a couple screws, a bit of left-over spray paint, and viola!:





























​
Add a scrap of ½" EMT, and you can load this thing up with a dozen spools of THHN, or a 1000' spool of NM. Takes up very little room in the truck.


In a pinch, especially in a situation like the OPs, you can put the spools onto a stick of half inch, center them, then bend the ends 90° and stick 'em into the ground.


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## gold (Feb 15, 2008)

480sparky said:


> There's a local business near me that builds all sorts of trailers (horse, flat, box, etc) where I get my welding jobs done.
> 
> They had some scrap 1" square stock laying around, and I supplied a short piece of 1" IMC. They welded it all together, I ground down the rough spots, tapped a couple screws, a bit of left-over spray paint, and viola!:
> 
> ...


Simple ideas are the best. It just so happens I have some square stock and a welder, and that would fit right behind my shelf.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

gold said:


> Simple ideas are the best. It just so happens I have some square stock and a welder, and that would fit right behind my shelf.


I actually built four of them. Two are permanent passengers on the van, the other two are brought out when needed..... I can utilize a full stick of ½" with all 4 in place without a problem.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

sorry, not Arlington

www.pullbuddy.com


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

QuickSpooler.

Rack-A-Tiers.


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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

480sparky said:


> I can utilize a full stick of ½" with all 4 in place without a problem.


The pull would go much easier with two 5' sections of EMT. One rack in front of the other. 10' of spread out rolls would be almost impossible to pull without help on that end. I take it you never tried using the whole 10' piece of pipe. Just thought it sounded smart? It didn't.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

This may not fall in the vein of the other posts...but. If you need to get additional conductors in a conduit and you cannot use an existing conductor as a pull wire, tie a pull string to a sandwich bag and a shop vac at the other end and vacuum the pull string in. Whatever way the bag finds, in, and out, around the other conductors and through the conduit should allow you to pull the additional wires as long as you don't overfill. Use wire lube too.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

How do you seal the shop vac to the pipe with you've got a bunch of wires coming out of it?


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

480sparky said:


> How do you seal the shop vac to the pipe with you've got a bunch of wires coming out of it?


Duct seal would be one way.


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

RIVETER said:


> If you need to get additional conductors in a conduit and you cannot use an existing conductor as a pull wire


 
Who says????:whistling2:I will use an existing wire as a pull in a new york minute.....Say you use a #10 to pull your new wires in.....just tie a #10 onto those to replace the one you pull out.


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

RIVETER;286645 Whatever way the bag finds said:


> Mr prostate exam guy:jester:.....I don't think you would ever suck a bag or sponge thru a conduit that has more than a few wires in it. If you can please post it to You tube for us all to see ....and remember you can't use an existing wire as a pull....:whistling2::laughing:


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

jwjrw said:


> Mr prostate exam guy:jester:.....I don't think you would ever suck a bag or sponge thru a conduit that has more than a few wires in it. If you can please post it to You tube for us all to see ....and remember you can't use an existing wire as a pull....:whistling2::laughing:


I did it throughout every manhole, and I use that term loosely, throughout the property at the General Electric Plant here in Louisville. They were over 400 feet apart. At that time, though , I did have to use an aircompressor and sheets of plastic, and blew it thru. Since you are being feisty, I guess I should say that I used the compressor to do the blowing.:whistling2: It was to pull fiber optic cables for the new phone system.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

jwjrw said:


> Who says????:whistling2:I will use an existing wire as a pull in a new york minute.....Say you use a #10 to pull your new wires in.....just tie a #10 onto those to replace the one you pull out.


I did not mean that you could not; I meant that if the wires were twisted and you would rather not.


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

RIVETER said:


> I did not mean that you could not; I meant that if the wires were twisted and you would rather not.


 
Thats why I didn't think you could blow anything thru. Its can be a pita to add wires to a conduit with wires already in it.


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## Fredman (Dec 2, 2008)

480sparky said:


> There's a local business near me that builds all sorts of trailers (horse, flat, box, etc) where I get my welding jobs done.
> 
> They had some scrap 1" square stock laying around, and I supplied a short piece of 1" IMC. They welded it all together, I ground down the rough spots, tapped a couple screws, a bit of left-over spray paint, and viola!:
> 
> ...


Nice.

Here's my cheapo set up for the small pulls. Works great for me.


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

I said the heck with it and bought a cart. Works just fine and rolls too!


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

gray, orange, and purple.. what are you wiring.. :blink:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Black4Truck said:


> gray, orange, and purple.. what are you wiring.. :blink:


Buried PVC boxes. I didn't show any cans of 3M Scotchkote....... that's what thew you.

Actually, I just grabbed those three out of the truck to take the pix with.


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## jamesnelson1 (Sep 15, 2010)

480sparky said:


> ​


 these are awesome technique pulling wires.:thumbup:


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## voltz (Jun 2, 2010)

480sparky said:


> There's a local business near me that builds all sorts of trailers (horse, flat, box, etc) where I get my welding jobs done.
> 
> They had some scrap 1" square stock laying around, and I supplied a short piece of 1" IMC. They welded it all together, I ground down the rough spots, tapped a couple screws, a bit of left-over spray paint, and viola!:
> 
> ...


your not putting 12 spools of # 12 thhn on that contraption


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

I like them but you need one or two more to load more spools of wire.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

voltz said:


> your not putting 12 spools of # 12 thhn on that contraption


That's why I made four of them:



480sparky said:


> I actually built four of them. Two are permanent passengers on the van, the other two are brought out when needed..... I can utilize a full stick of ½" with all 4 in place without a problem.


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## knowshorts (Jan 9, 2009)

I think you need to spend some of that money you saved by building your own wire rack and invest in a lawn edger.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

knowshorts said:


> I think you need to spend some of that money you saved by building your own wire rack and invest in a lawn edger.



I'll let my neighbor worry about that since it's his yard.








​


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

480sparky said:


> I'll let my neighbor worry about that since it's his yard.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well is he paying rent for keeping it on your property?


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## 220/221 (Sep 25, 2007)

Plan ahead when you have to pull wire by youself. It looks like your job involved an existing installation so it's a little more difficult. If you were doing that installation from scratch, for example, you could leave off the 90's and pull the wires straight into the conduit.


You may have been able to eleviate friction by pulling your wires off the spools and laying them on the ground.

And.....Ladders such as wire racks. 



mikeh32 said:


> Mule tape rocks! I throw away thousands of feet though of it.


 
You obviously never have to buy it.



> Would anyone call me cheap cause we save mule tape some times?


Not anyone that had to buy it. The first time I had to buy a spool is when I started saving it. You have to be very careful if you try to save it off the spool. Crap gets tangled up easy.


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

220/221 said:


> Not anyone that had to buy it. The first time I had to buy a spool is when I started saving it. You have to be very careful if you try to save it off the spool. Crap gets tangled up easy.


The tangled stuff gives that helper that is really pissing you off something to do instead of sitting around texting.


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## WelchRyan (Sep 16, 2010)

I don't know if this would work for your application. However Caddy makes a J-hook style pulley. Different mounting and size configurations make wire pulling a little easier.


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## Introyble (Jul 10, 2010)

Rich R said:


> Anybody got any tricks to pull wire by yourself ? I have been helperless for about a year or so and by far the biggest pain is trying to pull in 100'+ run of wire by myself.....usually end up walking back and forth between feeding and pulling 20 times.
> 
> I pulled in a run the other day 150' ...I ended up walking like a mile by the time I was done. Got to a point where I was hoping some kid would walk by so I could offer him 20 bucks to feed the wire in
> 
> I tried the ladder trick set up over the feed area but the resistance is still there from the spools


Go to your nearest Lowes or Home Depot the morning of the pull. Ask an illegal if he wants to make 8 bux an hour cash, he will hop in the truck and off you go.


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## user438 (Jun 6, 2007)

Introyble said:


> Go to your nearest Lowes or Home Depot the morning of the pull. Ask an illegal if he wants to make 8 bux an hour cash, he will hop in the truck and off you go.


 
Good idea but won't work down here, the illegals at home depot in the morning are picking up supplies for they're own jobs


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## Introyble (Jul 10, 2010)

Rich R said:


> Good idea but won't work down here, the illegals at home depot in the morning are picking up supplies for they're own jobs


Yeah, but your not looking for a roofer :laughing: No seriously, :blink: What's this country coming to?


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## amptech (Sep 21, 2007)

I have made a couple of these. It holds up to 16 rolls of #12 or 8 rolls of #10. You can buy the hand truck for around $25.00 and weld up the wire rack for less than $25.00. It keeps the wire in a 25" wide pulling zone and it is an easy way to move several rolls from one pulling station to another.








Just lay it down for a pull, if it is fully loaded and top-heavy. I usually use it with 13 spools loaded. 3 full boats and a ground in 3/4" EMT.








If you have access to a welder you can make up one of these for less than $30.00. Handy for smaller pulls.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

amptech said:


> I have made a couple of these...
> 
> 
> .........If you have access to a welder .............


I did something very similar, but no welding needed:










A pair of the GB wire racks fit right into a hand cart. The 'legs' of the racks sit behind the outside edges of the cart. Racks slide on and off, no tools or fasterners. Holds the same amount of wire, but does not dedicate the cart to be a wire cart forever..... take the racks off and you still have a standard cart.​


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## 76nemo (Aug 13, 2008)

amptech said:


> I have made a couple of these. It holds up to 16 rolls of #12 or 8 rolls of #10. You can buy the hand truck for around $25.00 and weld up the wire rack for less than $25.00. It keeps the wire in a 25" wide pulling zone and it is an easy way to move several rolls from one pulling station to another.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

We did that when I use to work on airway terminals, worked like a champ. That frigger would be quite heavy when we loaded it up. It was a good exercise to run from one bridge to all the rest:001_huh: We'd have four bridges going at once. You'd lug that frigger around long enough and you knew you might better hit the gym:whistling2:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

76nemo said:


> We did that when I use to work on airway terminals, worked like a champ. That frigger would be quite heavy when we loaded it up. It was a good exercise to run from one bridge to all the rest:001_huh: We'd have four bridges going at once. You'd lug that frigger around long enough and you knew you might better hit the gym:whistling2:


One suggestion for anyone wanting to make a wire cart with pneumatic tires........ _take them someplace and have innertubes installed._ It royally sucks when you get a flat on the jobsite.


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

480sparky said:


> One suggestion for anyone wanting to make a wire cart with pneumatic tires........ _take them someplace and have innertubes installed._ It royally sucks when you get a flat on the jobsite.


starting fluid and a lighter. oh boy the look on the sparkies face when i did that was priceless...


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## mikeh32 (Feb 16, 2009)

Just becuase i know some one will say huh?


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## 76nemo (Aug 13, 2008)

480sparky said:


> One suggestion for anyone wanting to make a wire cart with pneumatic tires........ _take them someplace and have innertubes installed._ It royally sucks when you get a flat on the jobsite.


We had tubes, and made sure they were balanced. That dolly loaded up with different rolls of MC made for a heavy lift and not fun to manuever around other trades chit laying on the floor:blink:

Walking a bee line is a whole lot different than zig-zagging with a good load on your shoulders/back and biceps


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

mikeh32 said:


> starting fluid and a lighter. oh boy the look on the sparkies face when i did that was priceless...


I was always able to get small tires installed with a piece of rope.


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## jamesnelson1 (Sep 15, 2010)

RIVETER said:


> I like them but you need one or two more to load more spools of wire.



yeah he should need mare n sounds good.


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## Mr. Sparkle (Jan 27, 2009)

Sparky, amp, where did you guys get that specific hand truck?

I found this while searching for that model.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Mr. Sparkle said:


> Sparky, amp, where did you guys get that specific hand truck?
> 
> I found this while searching for that model.



Home Despot.


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## amptech (Sep 21, 2007)

Mr. Sparkle said:


> Sparky, amp, where did you guys get that specific hand truck?
> 
> I found this while searching for that model.


Small local version of Harbour Freight. I've had it for 5-6 years so I don't think I'll worry about the recall.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

Another little thing, not necessarily a trick; I remember going on a job a long while back. It was larger conduit,underground, and since we had not run the conduit, the first thing we did was to pull in a rope and then tie a bunch of rags to it and soaked with wirepulling compound and pulled it through first. Out came a bunch of water, sand, some mud. It made for an easier pull.


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## amptech (Sep 21, 2007)

RIVETER said:


> Another little thing, not necessarily a trick; I remember going on a job a long while back. It was larger conduit,underground, and since we had not run the conduit, the first thing we did was to pull in a rope and then tie a bunch of rags to it and soaked with wirepulling compound and pulled it through first. Out came a bunch of water, sand, some mud. It made for an easier pull.


That is always a good idea. I have also tied foam rubber sponges to the pull rope about 3' ahead of the pulling head, slathered them with lube, and dumped a gallon down the conduit. The sponge drags the lube along ahead of the wire.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

I'd really love to actually see someone who has pre-lubed a raceway get a grip on the rope as it comes out, all slobbered with lube and such.:001_huh:


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

Speaking of lube, when I first got here to Ford I was sent to help a wire pulling gang. The lead guy was a prima donna type who was always in on the final termination, and such. He said that we would not use wire pulling compound on the first 15 feet of the wire so it doesn't get sloppy in the panel. I told him that that doesn't make a lot of sense, that would be like putting vaseline on your balls when you're getting ready to f***.


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## amptech (Sep 21, 2007)

480sparky said:


> I'd really love to actually see someone who has pre-lubed a raceway get a grip on the rope as it comes out, all slobbered with lube and such.:001_huh:


If you ain't seen that you ain't seen much pullin. You ought to see the rope slipping on the capstan of a tugger with 10 wraps on it. I've seen guys squirt yellow 77 in each section of 3" PVC as they glued it and layed it in the trench. I'd rather use the sponge plug ahead of the pull.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

amptech said:


> If you ain't seen that you ain't seen much pullin. You ought to see the rope slipping on the capstan of a tugger with 10 wraps on it. I've seen guys squirt yellow 77 in each section of 3" PVC as they glued it and layed it in the trench. I'd rather use the sponge plug ahead of the pull.


I can't see the point... Whatever you gain in added lubrication is lost in rope slippage.


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## amptech (Sep 21, 2007)

HackWork said:


> I can't see the point... Whatever you gain in added lubrication is lost in rope slippage.


Exactly, but I've seen guys do it(pre-lube the raceway) over and over. It is a good idea to swab the pipe with rags to clean them out but I wouldn't lube it at that time. The sponge method doesn't slime up the rope on the pulling side.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

amptech said:


> If you ain't seen that you ain't seen much pullin. You ought to see the rope slipping on the capstan of a tugger with 10 wraps on it. I've seen guys squirt yellow 77 in each section of 3" PVC as they glued it and layed it in the trench. I'd rather use the sponge plug ahead of the pull.



I've seen plenty of pulling rope. Just never when someone is dumb enough to lube up the rope as well. But it would be well worth the price of admission, I'm sure.


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## amptech (Sep 21, 2007)

Worked with an outfit that did high school football/baseball sports lighting. 25-30 ball fields a year. The owner was an old-timer that had been doing it since he got back from Korea. Always pulled 4/0 AL URD triplex in PVC from pole to pole. He was the king of lube. On a long pull with 4 90º he'd pull in a garden hose about 1/2 way and pump 5 gallons of 77 in and blow the hose out with a compressor. Then pull it in with a backhoe. I saw some unbelievable stuff.


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