Update: I swapped from a basic fish tape to a Klein push-pull rod for a tricky drop

Had to run a line down a finished wall in a 100-year-old house in Tacoma. My old steel fish tape kept kinking and getting stuck on the insulation. Borrowed a buddy's fiberglass push-pull rod, the kind with the spinning handle. Got it through on the first try because it stayed rigid and didn't snag. Is the extra cost for a good rod actually worth it over a standard tape for you guys?

3 comments

3 Comments

gray5573mo ago

My old steel tape has pulled through more tight spots than any rod. That spinning handle just feels like extra stuff to break.

seanh911mo ago

I saw a guy on a jobsite once who swore by those spinny handles, said it saved him from busting knuckles on tight corners. I guess it's one of those things you gotta use to see if it clicks. You ever find it adds any time to the actual measuring, or is it just as fast?

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harper_gibson23mo ago

Oh man, that's the exact situation where a cheap tape shows its weakness. So you're saying the spinning handle made a real difference in steering it? I've always wondered if that part is just a gimmick or if it actually helps you feel the snags before you jam it.