I finally switched to a fish tape reel that doesn't tangle

Took me 6 years of fighting with those metal fishtapes that kink up in every attic. Got one of those drum-style reels last month and it cut my rough-in time by maybe 20 minutes per run. Has anyone else made the switch and found a brand that actually holds up after a bunch of pulls?

2 comments

2 Comments

murphy.aaron1mo ago

Wait, 20 minutes per run? That's massive, I've been avoiding the switch because I thought it was hype.

hill.margaret1mo ago

Hold on, did you actually time that or are you just remembering it feeling faster? I grabbed one thinking the same thing and it saved me maybe 5 minutes, and that was on a good day. Honestly, the drum reel feels smoother, but I still end up untangling the last 15 feet by hand in tight spots. Ngl, the old metal tape was a pain, but at least I knew its quirks. Tbh, I think the time savings mostly come from the reel keeping tension steady, not from the tape itself being magic. Maybe your runs are straighter than mine, but I'd borrow one before you commit.

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