Spent 3 hours on a simple coax run in an old Baltimore rowhouse

Everyone says to just fish the wall, but the lath and plaster was packed with old newspaper and horsehair insulation. I had to cut five small access holes to get a clear path from the attic to the living room outlet. What's your go-to method for these nightmare walls?

3 comments

3 Comments

grantw321mo ago

Ugh, been there. My go-to is a flexible glow rod and a lot of swearing. I once spent an entire afternoon just to run a cable about six feet. Felt like a real genius that day.

spencer_davis1mo ago

Tell me about it. That six foot run turning into a whole day is the worst kind of humble. Did you at least figure out what the actual hang-up was in the end, or did you just force it through and never look back? I always need to know what beat me.

val5181mo ago

Flexible glow rods are a lifesaver until they get stuck in a tight corner. I had a job where the only way through was a tiny gap behind some built-in shelves. Ended up taping the cable to a straightened coat hanger and feeding it through millimeter by millimeter. The swearing definitely helps move things along, like verbal lubrication. Some days the walls just win, no matter what tools you bring.