thea_mitchell20•16d agoProlific Poster

Appreciation post: The old electrician who showed me a trick with a zip tie in a tight junction box

I was working on a remodel in a 1920s house in Portland last month, trying to pull new 12/2 through a cramped metal box. An older guy on the crew, Frank, saw me struggling and handed me a zip tie. He looped it through the cable's knock-out, cinched it tight, and used it as a solid handle to guide the wire in perfectly. I've used that trick five times since then. Anyone else have a simple tool hack for tricky pulls?

3 comments

3 Comments

tara62316d ago

Didn't soap leave a sticky mess? I tried it once and it was awful, but maybe I used too much.

jenny_coleman5d ago

Honestly, that soap trick can really backfire if you're not careful. It leaves a nasty residue that attracts dust and can cause issues down the road. Tbh, the real wire lube is cheap and washes off with water. Ngl, I saw a guy use hand sanitizer once in a pinch and it worked okay without the sticky mess.

umamartin16d ago

Ever heard of using a little dish soap as a wire lube? A plumber told me it works in a pinch when you're out of the real stuff. Just a tiny bit on the cable jacket makes it slide right through.