wire staple removal

madmax55555

Need some advice please...
I have a ceiling fan that I want to move approx 8 feet from its current position. It is wired to a light switch on the other end. If possible I want to continue using the wall switch. I plan to move the fan 8 feet back toward the switch.
The wire goes from the switch up to the ceiling, then through holes that have been drilled in the joists, then runs lengthwise down the joist to the current location. I figure I should be able to pull the wire back through the joist holes, and run it down the joist closest to the new location.
The problem is, between the hole in the last joist (where it bends 90 degrees and runs to the current location) and the hole where the fan was, the wire is stapled to the joist ( as I am sure it should be ). I put a mirror and a flashlight up to the hole in the ceiling after I took the fan down, that is how I know it's there.
I can not pull the wire back through the other joists unless I get that staple out.
I am wondering how to get it out without cutting another hole in my ceiling to access it. We have a textured ceiling, so I really dont want to have to mess it up any more than I have to. The staple is about 4 feet down the joist from the box where the fan was.
Any suggestions as to how I might get that staple out without cutting another hole in the ceiling would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance, Max

Sparky Joe

4ft away that sucks, usually it's within 12 inches of the box then you could probably get a long screwdriver to pry it out.

Perhaps you could just make a small hole right where the staple is, just big enough to get your screwdriver in there.

redline

What is above this room? Attic space or another room?
Can you get access from above?

If not then you could splice another piece of wire onto to this peice to make it long enough to go to where you want it. Put the splice inside an enclosed box.

madmax55555

Hi Sparky,

I was thinking of that, just trying to avoid it.

Hi redline,

No , the fan is in the basement, so the space I am working in is between the basement ceiling and the upper storey floor.

As far as splicing, I don't think you understand my situation.

Here is a picture:




| | | | |
--------|
| | | | ||
| | | | ||
| | | | ||
|n | | |o


The orange shows the path of the wire. o is where the fan is now and n is where I want to move it to. The staple is about half way down the vertical orange length.
I want to move the fan 8 feet straight back from o to n, so the wire thru that joist is 6 feet away from where I want. I was thinking if there was some way to either remove the staple or cut the wire at the staple, I can cut the new hole at n and fish it back through. But I am not sure if I can achieve that. Whatever I do, I am hoping to do it from where o is, and not have to damage the ceiling any more than I have to. If I cut the wire I still have plenty of length to work with, so if I can figure out a way to cut instead of remove the staple, that works for me.
Hope that gives a clearer picture of what I am dealing with. I have tried putting a metal bar into the hole to see if I can make contact with the staple and then give it a whack with a hammer to try to loosen it, but I have not had much success, as the view is limited. I can not see the staple by looking into the hole, I have to face away from it and use a mirror and a flashlight to even see the actual staple. Trying to guide a metal bar with one hand while looking through a backwards view in a mirror is not very efficient.
Anyone with any bright ideas, I am listening....

madmax55555

On the advice of someone on another forum, my problem is solved.
He suggested a cold chisel on a long extension.
As previously mentioned, I had tried putting a metal bar into the hole to see if I could make contact with the staple and then give it a whack with a hammer to try to loosen it. That bar was in fact a 4 ft length of aluminum pipe. I had put a slight bend into it to reach the staple properly.
My cold chisel happened to be exactly the same diameter as the inside diameter of the pipe.
I put it in, whacked it a few dozen times, and VOILA, done deal !!!
Thanks to all who offered suggestions.
If anyone else runs into the same problem in the future, give this a a try.

Sparky Joe

what's the name of the other forum, if I might ask?

madmax55555

http://forum.doityourself.com/forumdisplay.php?f=9

jbfan

The only problem with using a chisel is you may damage the wire and never know it.

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Sparky Joe

As I understand it, the damged part would be removed