Prewiring: The tools

[beelzerob]

So now that I've acquired the wire, and a very healthy fear of the work before me, it's time to consolidate my list of required tools to wire this monster. Here's what I have so far, based on common sense and suggestions made in the other prewiring thread:

1) Drill - Probably corded rather than cordless, so it won't fail on me at just the right time...especially in the cold environment I'll be working in.
2) Right angle adapter - Attaches to drill for drilling in tight spots, without needing to buy a speciality right-angle drill. Example seen here
3) Auger drilling bits - Use rather than spade bits for drilling through studs. Example seen here
4) A long roll of velcro. Cut pieces as needed to join wires into a single workable wire bundle. Also can be used to hold wires to studs, when velcro is stapled to it.
5) Labels, or label maker. Some will swear you should splurge here and get one of the really good label makers. Others have blasphemed and suggested something like this. I'll probably be a blasphemer here... Others also just use a sharpie and write on the cable jacket itself. Probably a good backup plan.
6) Lots of ladders.
7) PVC or other conduit tubing and sufficient tools to cut them, if installing conduit for wiring or future wiring
8) Nail guards if wiring too close to the edge of the stud
9) Lights and extension cords (if required...and extension cords obviously will be)

So here's what I'm still lacking:

• A means to fish the small 2c wire from between the window frame. I'm going to run the wire between the window frame and the window box, as there is a very nice little gap there that will get me all the way around the window without having to drill through the header. However, once the wire is laying on top of the window frame, and I drill a small hole up to get it...how do I fish it through? Is there something really useful for that, or is it as simple as running a bent paperclip up the hole, snagging the wire and pulling it through?
• A good pair of wire strippers. I've got LOTS of wire strippers. Some have the predefined wire gauge marks, and I've NEVER noticed those to work good (though to be fair, I don't think I've ever actually know what gauge of wire I was working with). The other thing I have is this. Fully adjustable, and it has worked good for me many times, but it takes some trial and error to set it to the exactly perfect depth of cut. Is there something that is THE thing for wire cutting?

Any other suggestions? Other than beer.....

 

[Sacedog]

I like to pull some poly line to hard to get to places, in case I want to pull something there in the future, in addition to what I am currently pulling:

https://www.tselectronic.com/greenlee_prog/430.html

Personally, I would probably go with the write on labels too, if you are only doing the one job. If you do decide to get a label printer, make sure to get the flexible tapes, as they work well for putting on cables.

I would also bring a fish tape. Sometimes, it is easier to run a fish tape from the opposite direction, and tie the cables to it to pull through. This can be very helpful when going floor to floor.

You will need a good pair of dykes to cut through all of that cable, but those are probably in your normal toolbox.


This is all stuff for termination, so you may not be looking for these suggestions yet...

- UTP Cable stripper
- RJ45 Crimp Tool
- RG6U Cable stripper
- Coax Crimp Tool
- Impact tool for 66 and 110
- Wire cutting scissors (I prefer using these when terminating Cat5e/6 wire, instead of the cutters on the wire strippers)

 

[gatchel]

For prewire I usually use a Sharpie and write right on the wire. I label them after the wires are cut back and more permanant.

 

[IVB]

even if i had new construction, i don't know how i would have handled the cable super-highway without j-rings. The current wiring is all stapled to the joists, and damn it's all over the place. It's so much cleaner with it all laid on that single path. I bought 1 for every joist that's 18" apart and every 24" laterally, which was something like 100 of them (or more). I got deep ones for the joists, shallow ones for the lateral/along joist.

 

[beelzerob]

even if i had new construction, i don't know how i would have handled the cable super-highway without j-rings. The current wiring is all stapled to the joists, and damn it's all over the place. It's so much cleaner with it all laid on that single path. I bought 1 for every joist that's 18" apart and every 24" laterally, which was something like 100 of them (or more). I got deep ones for the joists, shallow ones for the lateral/along joist.

Are J-Rings those bicycle-storage hooks I saw in your pictures?

What about this....I was thinking I could cut a big piece of velcro, maybe 1 ft, and staple it to a stud right in the middle. Then, I just wrap the velcro around the wire bundle, and now it's held to the stud. The advantage of that is that if I need to add more wire to that location, I can just unwrap the velcro and put the wire in there and wrap it back up. The other advantage is that there's nothing to feed through any hold, so I can just run my wire the whole way and then secure it. Do you guys think that would work? I'd be a little concerned about how much wire weight a stapled piece of velcro could hold, but I can always split it up into multiple secured locations if necessary.

As far as termination...ya, I suppose I should prepare for that too, because if I'm going to do ANY testing at all, it's going to have to start immediately after the prewiring is done. At a minimum, all the cat's will have to be tested.

 

[DJK]

I had a hard time drilling some holes for contacts under the window (8" total clearance). So I used a right angle drill and these stubby spade bits.

Not as good as the auger bits, but I couldn't find a stubby auger.

Man, you and I are in the same point in the project. I know how you feel!

 

[beelzerob]

Man, you and I are in the same point in the project. I know how you feel!

Hehe..man, snypez said the exact same thing...that I kept posting stuff he was just then dealing with too. Maybe I should ask the builder for a 2 week pause in construction, then I can sit back and you two guys can get all the answers.

I'm thinking probably the auger bits were meant for the bigger holes anyway. Certainly no one said "Don't use spade bits!", but I guess they wear down faster or something. I'm certain that by the time I'm done, I'll have acquired every possible variation on drill bits.

 

[DJK]

All the answers, I wish. This is definetly a "step at a time" project. I am probably about 4 weeeks away from pulling all the cable, so have been busy running conduit, catwalks, etc. to make pulling easier. I'm sure this is going to add the needed delay for you and snypez to blaze the way.

The auger bits are sooo much better to work with because they pull their way through. The spade bits require a bunch more muscle. I also learned to stay about 2 inches away from the vertical studs, cause the nails will dull your bits in a heartbeat.

FYI, I went to my site with a corded drill and a Dewalt with about 5 batteries. After drilling a 1-1/4" hole through the top plate (two studs), I had to change the battery every two holes. Needless to say, I switched over to the corded pretty fast.

I ended up using the cordless for the small 5/8" holes through one or two studs.

Great write up of the summary so far. Maybe a "Wiring your new house 104?"

 

[beelzerob]

Well, that helps a lot...the LURE of a cordless drill is always strong just for the convenience. But I've always wanted a corded drill because of the reliability (it's not going to be dead just when you need it most). I don't actually own a drill (except some old Ryobi cordless for really small jobs), so that's on the list of things to pick up too.

Glad the summary is useful. I feel it's my way of atoning for posting yet another "help me from the very beginning" kind of thread. I hope to produce the kind of information that would have kept me from posting.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Dont' forget nail guards in the few places where the wiring is to close to the drywall surface.

 

[beelzerob]

Dont' forget nail guards in the few places where the wiring is to close to the drywall surface.

Good idea. I'll probably wait until after I've wired, as I'll still have weeks before the drywall goes up.

 

[SnyperBob]

Man, you and I are in the same point in the project. I know how you feel!

Hehe..man, snypez said the exact same thing...that I kept posting stuff he was just then dealing with too. Maybe I should ask the builder for a 2 week pause in construction, then I can sit back and you two guys can get all the answers.

Haha

yeah, well it looks like there's a few of us in the same boat. lol.

Here's an interesting thread that might list a few tools that you didn't think of. Unfortunately the deal is over:
http://www.cocoontech.com/index.php?showto...mp;hl=Group+Buy

That was one deal I wish I could have gotten in on.

Yes, a corded drill is a must (as long as you have power on site). From there, it just comes down to having the right bits for the job. I also used metal stud plates. Don't forget extension cords (obvious). Also, a nice work light will help if you plan on installing early/late in the day.

All of my wiring was done in construction phase for the most part, so I didn't need many fancy specialty tools. Now that my house is finished, they would come in handy for running more stuff, or finishing the wiring that I pre-ran before.

Oh, the biggest/best tool of them all .....a partner! If you have someone to help you pull wires, you'll cut the time to about a quarter of the time. Seriously.

 

[SnyperBob]

You have to think ahead. Depending on your floor plan, you want to build in some sort of futureproofing/planning. For instance, if you have a two story house and basement, you would want to run some PVC pipes from your wiring closet all the way up to the attic for future wire.

I think I've mentioned stuff like this before, so I know you already know about it. Sounds like you're in for a *great* time, lol

 

[beelzerob]

You have to think ahead. Depending on your floor plan, you want to build in some sort of futureproofing/planning. For instance, if you have a two story house and basement, you would want to run some PVC pipes from your wiring closet all the way up to the attic for future wire.

I think I've mentioned stuff like this before, so I know you already know about it. Sounds like you're in for a *great* time, lol

No, they have been mentioned, and it's good to mention them again. I've already got my future-wiring conduit planned...there's a HVAC chase area that I should be able to use for almost all my wiring, once the HVAC guys are done putting their conduit in. (no, not wiring IN the conduit, just in the area around it)

Unfortunately we're going to be buying another 1000W worklight and extension cords, because even though we own lots of that already...it's all mercilessly buried in storage. There's no hope of finding it. Oh well, I guess you can't get too much of that stuff, huh? And being that it's winter, we'll for sure need the lights...not just for light, but warmth, too! And the closet being in the basement, with only a little window nearby...that will definitely need some major wattage.

Power should be in the house by then.

 

[Chas821]

Let me add one thing to all the great advice here (comes from experience...the greatest teacher!!!); When you buy your corded drill make sure it has some real power behind it. I was using auger bits to drill out doubled up top plates when running wiring conduit (smurf tube) for my theater during construction. My poor little Craftsman half-inch drill just didn't have enough torque for anything over a half inch auger bit to get through the header. Unless you want to burn up a drill, get one big enough to do the work. Or.....you might want to consider renting a big right angle drill made specifically for this purpose. The right-angle adapter you linked to isn't gonna cut it for larger sized holes using a auger bit.

Chuck