atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring running wiring in a solid but frail cieling

cracker,

I would call it a latice of thin sheet metal hooked to wires suspended from the ceiling that hold the sheet rock up but thats about it. I like the idea of the cross bow. Thought of that the other night. We had a small opening in the other end of the sheet rock that was barly long enough to streath out fiberglass rods...but barly to the other side.

I told the other tech that he would feed me one end of the rods and I would take a second set with some electrical tape looped around the end like a coboys lasso so it push the open end around the other set being pushed in my direction. Then would wist my end closing the end of the loop of electrical tape and pull all of the rods my way. worked. But unless you have two people and steady hands wont work.

Rc car would also work heheh no need to drop so many ceiling panels to feet cable across vast streatches of ceiling area. Even better if it had a camera and you had a head piece once it rounded a corner

I'd be worried about a cross-bow stabbing something it's not supposed to, like ductwork, light fixture, pipes, your assistant.

They make a small spring-loaded "gun" that they sell at home depot that has 6" glow in the dark plastic darts. The bottom of it has a fishing-reel hooked to it. Seems like a good idea but not sure how well it would work.

I couldn't see an RC car working with 6" fiberglass layed on top of the grid. Even if you got one with tracks I think it would just sink down in it and get caught up in the insulation.

Unless your talking a big one that weighs like 20-pounds...

I would call it a latice of thin sheet metal hooked to wires suspended from the ceiling that hold the sheet rock up

Sounds like metal channel hung from the old ceiling or structure with the sheetrock screwed to it. It's the usual way to construct a dropped commercial sheetrock ceiling. There is always limited access (if any) to the space above via access panels. Can't have them every few feet.

I certainly wouldn't call this "frail" just because you are not familiar with it. It's on par with any ceiling grid system. No, it can't be walked on unless you want to fall through.

I would suggest that you try to learn something about construction if you are going to be running cables in buildings.

-Hal

LOL! My little fellow would probably take the job -- Every time I open the hatch to the attic he appears at the bottom of the ladder and tries to get up there!

I've never seen a suspended grid with sheet rock attached to it.

I do as many have said with the sticks etc. What I use in suspended ceiling I have a wood closet rod about 5 inches long that I wrap my string around. I just pull off what string I need and put a half hitch around the rest, I can throw it pretty far, if I have the room. My sticks are the fiber glass rods for cleaning chimneys and they work well and if I have the room I have some old Telco lay-up sticks that beat anything else.

The question that has not been asked is how far is the span. Ultimately if its beyond any reasonable length or has blind turns, the only way to make this happen, safely, is to periodically cutout the ceiling, neatly, at manageable distances. Obviously, this needs to be conveyed to the customer, hence they will need to hire a drywall/painting company to come and finish up the job.

edit for spelling. opps

rustynails. That is exactly the point. I was working with another employee showing me the needed steps to do the work including backboard installation and termination but he was always late always unreliable and it was affecting my income. We are paid by the job site. We show up late we cannot work into the dinner time where the resteraunt ask us to leave. So
now I am working on my own. Just wanted to see what was best to string cable long distances and around blind corners.

Here is one possible replacement for your untrusty sidekick:
https://www.lsdinc.com/content/product_details/66

Poke around that site you should be able to find a lot of useful things to make running cable by yourself easier.

hbis,

Thought of the idea of a cat to pull string. I would of course have to find a way to make the string break in the event he is caught up on something and cannot pull it loose. Cute idea though. I would worry a little bit about the mouse traps that I do some times see in those areas. Now the question has anyone here used a cat to run string before? Has one fallen though the ceiling before?

I have always wanted to get a little monkey, one of the ones you can hold in your hand. They seem pretty smart and trainable...