I finally caved and bought the $90 'universal' fish tape from the truck and it snapped on the second pull through a 3/4-inch conduit.

Has anyone found a truly tough fish tape for tight bends that won't leave you stranded on a job?

4 comments

4 Comments

My old boss swore by the Klein heavy duty flat steel tape. That thing is a tank. Had to pull it through some crazy old 1/2 inch with back to back 90s. Never snapped on me. The trick is to keep it bone dry and wipe it clean after every pull. Grease or dirt builds up and it binds in the conduit.

wendy1312mo ago

Check the reel spring tension after a few years of hard use. That steel tape is tough but the spring inside wears out and gets weak. You end up fighting the reel instead of the pull.

ninaowens2mo ago

What a total waste of money, that's so frustrating. I've had good luck with the flat steel kind too, they seem to handle the stress better. Hope you find one that lasts.

-1

grays134d ago

That flat steel kind is really a workhorse. I had one that lasted me close to fifteen years before the spring finally gave out. What @emma_flores said about keeping it dry and clean is spot on - I learned that the hard way after ruining one by leaving it out in a damp truck bed overnight. It rusted up and started binding so bad I could barely pull it back in. Replaced the whole thing with a fiberglass model, but that one snapped on its second job. Went back to the flat steel and never looked back.