Found a hack for pulling wire through finished walls without patching everything

Had to run a new 20 amp circuit to the far end of a finished basement last week. Was dreading cutting drywall all over. Then an old timer told me to try using a string and a shop vac. Taped a string to a plastic bag, sucked it through from the other end with the vac. Worked on the first try. Saved me from patching like 6 holes. Anyone else do this or am I late to the game?

2 comments

2 Comments

skylercooper17d ago

One thing nobody has brought up yet is that this trick works best with the right kind of vacuum. A standard shop vac with a tight seal on the hose makes a huge difference. I tried it once with an older model that had a cracked hose and the bag barely moved. Also, using a scrap of plastic grocery bag instead of a paper towel is key because the plastic slides easier and doesn't tear. Those little details can make or break the whole method.

leo_carr1316d ago

Actually, that plastic grocery bag trick can backfire if you're not careful. I tried it and the bag got sucked right into the hose and clogged the whole thing up. A thicker piece of plastic, like from a shopping bag with handles cut off, works way better since it's stiff enough to slide without getting pulled in. The paper towel thing is hit or miss too, once it gets wet from any moisture in the line it turns into a soggy mess that just tears apart.