Trick of the Trade Please

I've used glow rods before, and think they work better than a fish tape.



Drill a hole from above, feed the rods down to the top of the box then using a thin blade just above the box I move the rod to a knock out and into the box.


Secure the wire onto the glow rod (there is a hole in the rod for this) and pull it up to the attic.






Other times, I just removed the existing box, pulled the wires, and used an old work box.

Lots of tricks to use. At a glance I see it's an outside wall... expect it to be packed with insulation. Also expect there will be a mid-span block (aka fire block or sob block, etc) above the switch box that you need to get the cables through.

There are long flexible shank augur bits that can be used to drill those blocks. I have had mixed results with them. A surer way is to accurately locate the block and cut an access hole no larger than can be covered with a blank wall plate and then notch the block with a chisel or hole saw (or equal) to allow easy passage. In your case you probably would need to cut a hole in that cabinet if it has a back panel. That also allows for easier fishing to a way point. Drop ceiling support wire makes an excellent fishing tool and can often work when all else fails... and it's cheap too!

Interior walls with no insulation are a cake walk.

In all cases, it's easiest and best to remove the switch box and install a new one when replacing it. Keep the hole the same size and you can use an old work cut-in box.

There are many other tricks but the ones you have heard so far will likely do. Hacksaw blades, forceps, long metal light jerk chain, large flat blade screwdriver, wonder bar, linemen pliers, super magnet... all tools you may or may not need. You won't know until you get there. You might get lucky and need very little... we can hope.

Alexandre Dumas said, "We live in hope, we die in despair" but Yoda said, "DO or Do NOT, There is no TRY.

SD2 said, "Good luck works better than special tools and techniques, go for it!"

surferdude2 said:

... Hacksaw blades, forceps, long metal light jerk chain, large flat blade screwdriver, wonder bar, linemen pliers, super magnet... all tools you may or may not need. You won't know until you get there. You might get lucky and need very little... we can hope.

Click to expand...

Since you mentioned magnets, I've had good luck using a rare-earth magnet and a piece of small-link steel chain.



In some cases, I push the chain up so it sits on top of the junction box knockout, and then fish for it from the other end with the magnet attached to a string or a fiberglass rod.



Other times, I drop the chain from above and catch it with the magnet at the box.



This works well in uninsulated walls.



For insulated walls, as well as uninsulated, there is a great tool called a Magnapull.





It's not cheap, but can save a lot of aggravation when you are pulling many cables.

I've literally hundreds of walls. Many exterior with insulation, and never had a problem using glow rods.


I would use a stud finder to see if there is a purlin in the way. In that case, removing the box IS the way to go, since that will generally give you enough access to drill a hole in the purlin.




Tried the chains and magnets. Never had any luck with them, especially in a insulated wall. They were removed from my job site tool kit.



The rounded end of a glow rod pushes through insulation with ease, as long as it's not expanding foam insulation, and that end has a hole where you can tie on a feed line, or the actual wire.




Regards the D'versabits. Be careful, they will tend to roam, and you would be blind drilling, which is not a great idea. Besides, they don't work very well in a insulated wall anyway. Tend to knot up the insulation and make a huge mess.