Pulling in Flex eNt (vacuum string?)

jamiedolan · 02-25-2009, 06:55 PM

Hello;

When your pulling in flex ENT (Smurf), do you ever vacuum through a string and use it to pull? Sometimes it is hard to get my fiber fish to make the turns in smurf (maybe that due in part to the fact that my leader is missing on my fiber tape).

Anyway, just wondering how you get a string vacuumed through? I tried it with putting my little shop vac up to one end, and feeding a string in the other not enough suction, tried a little bit of tape on the end of the string, but that didn't work either.

I think I need to make an adapter for the vacuum so I get a better fit on the ent or something.

How do you guys do the string pull thing if you ever do that?

Thanks
Jamie

junkcollector · 02-25-2009, 07:07 PM

Take a little sandwich bag and make a little balloon out of it, and tie the string to the open end (holds the air in)

They also make a foam "mouse" or conduit piston that is a small round cylinder that works quite well. (Usually used them in larger sizes)

You would be amazed at how fast the string will get sucked though the conduit...

InPhase277 · 02-25-2009, 07:44 PM

I have never installed a piece of smurf over say 6' long for a data conduit. But I would imagine that your vacuum is being lost at the connectors due to the fashion in which they attach. Maybe put your vacuum on it before you put it in the connector?

nap · 02-25-2009, 08:36 PM

along allphase277's suggestion; if you have access to the couplings and connectors, I would wrap them with electrical tape to seal them.

as to what to use for a mouse; the foam mice don't work well in smurf, for me at least. I simply use a piece of lightweight plastic bag (the current type of bag wal mart uses is great) . you want a piece that fills the tube but you do not have to stuff it in hard. I then take that piece and lay it flat. Pinch it in the middle and pull up a little tit and tie a lightweight string to that. I then put the mouse in the tube poking the center in and allowing the edges to be last in so it is kind of like putting an umbrella point first in the tube. Have the vacuum running when you do this . It should simply suck it right out of your hand. If it stops part way, pull it back to you about a foot or so until you can feel it tugging and simply let it go.

jamiedolan · 02-26-2009, 01:24 AM

Thank you all for the suggestions. I will have more ready to pull in the next day or two and will put these suggestions to use.

Thanks
Jamie

J. V. · 02-27-2009, 12:15 PM

Get a tape with a leader and you will be good to go. Doesn't Smurf have ribs on the inside too? I have never used it, so I am not certain.

nap · 02-28-2009, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. V.

Get a tape with a leader and you will be good to go. Doesn't Smurf have ribs on the inside too? I have never used it, so I am not certain.

yes it does.

jamiedolan · 03-05-2009, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nap

along allphase277's suggestion; if you have access to the couplings and connectors, I would wrap them with electrical tape to seal them.

as to what to use for a mouse; the foam mice don't work well in smurf, for me at least. I simply use a piece of lightweight plastic bag (the current type of bag wal mart uses is great) . you want a piece that fills the tube but you do not have to stuff it in hard. I then take that piece and lay it flat. Pinch it in the middle and pull up a little tit and tie a lightweight string to that. I then put the mouse in the tube poking the center in and allowing the edges to be last in so it is kind of like putting an umbrella point first in the tube. Have the vacuum running when you do this . It should simply suck it right out of your hand. If it stops part way, pull it back to you about a foot or so until you can feel it tugging and simply let it go.

HI;

Just did a few runs of ent, and did the vacuum trick. :-) I found that I need to use a pretty small piece of bag or it gets stuck. Also I need a good seal on the vacuum. I just took my small shopvac, slide the ent right into the vacuum hose about an inch, warped it with a piece of electrical tape, then turned on the vacuum. It makes a HORRIABLE high pitched noise through the smurf, ear piercing! Once the bag, and string are in, the noise stops, while it is stucking, as soon as it make it through, and the bag is into the vacuum, the conduit is clear, and the noise resumes, and you know your done.

Thanks guys for the help. Much easier than feeding a fish through, esp on the long runs.

Jamie