Comments on: Fishing With A Dart Gun http://toolmonger.com/2008/10/27/fishing-with-a-dart-gun/ All tools. All the time. Your source for news, information, and reviews of hand tools, power tools, and tools of all kinds. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:15:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Paul http://toolmonger.com/2008/10/27/fishing-with-a-dart-gun/#comment-642869 Paul Mon, 03 Nov 2008 07:21:13 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=14606#comment-642869 Fifteen years ago, when I was a computer tech working on Wall Street and out in the field, I used a hand held crossbow with silk trail line to pull cable. I used it over drop ceilings and over garages. Everyone laughed at me until one or two day jobs took me less than two hours. One of my bosses, when faced with a long cable run over drop ceilings, used a remote control 4x4 with a trail line and ran it above the tiles over all the offices. Fifteen years ago, when I was a computer tech working on Wall Street and out in the field, I used a hand held crossbow with silk trail line to pull cable. I used it over drop ceilings and over garages. Everyone laughed at me until one or two day jobs took me less than two hours.

One of my bosses, when faced with a long cable run over drop ceilings, used a remote control 4×4 with a trail line and ran it above the tiles over all the offices.

]]> By: Fritz Gorbach http://toolmonger.com/2008/10/27/fishing-with-a-dart-gun/#comment-641376 Fritz Gorbach Sat, 01 Nov 2008 23:30:02 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=14606#comment-641376 Get the greenlee fish poles - three or six foot sections with various ends. These are one of the best tools I have ever used. Above ceilings I rarely find a straight and clear path where I could shoot or cast anything. The poles are one of my favorite tools hands down. Work over ceilings, through walls, under floors, etc. Combined with the six foot flexible drill bit and guide, and a chinese fingertrap type cable grip, you can push or pull almost anywhere. Get the greenlee fish poles - three or six foot sections with various ends. These are one of the best tools I have ever used. Above ceilings I rarely find a straight and clear path where I could shoot or cast anything. The poles are one of my favorite tools hands down. Work over ceilings, through walls, under floors, etc. Combined with the six foot flexible drill bit and guide, and a chinese fingertrap type cable grip, you can push or pull almost anywhere.

]]> By: Wayne D. http://toolmonger.com/2008/10/27/fishing-with-a-dart-gun/#comment-636066 Wayne D. Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:56:02 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=14606#comment-636066 I used to use a slingshot with a reel duct-taped to it, and a lead fishing weight tied to the line. Once you get good enough with it, you can fire through about 20 yards of girder easily. I used to use a slingshot with a reel duct-taped to it, and a lead fishing weight tied to the line. Once you get good enough with it, you can fire through about 20 yards of girder easily.

]]> By: fred http://toolmonger.com/2008/10/27/fishing-with-a-dart-gun/#comment-636037 fred Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:01:15 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=14606#comment-636037 I've seen my electrician subs using fiberglass rods that come in sections and screw together to give you distance. I’ve seen my electrician subs using fiberglass rods that come in sections and screw together to give you distance.

]]> By: Shopmonger http://toolmonger.com/2008/10/27/fishing-with-a-dart-gun/#comment-635953 Shopmonger Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:54:04 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=14606#comment-635953 Another improvement will be to use a real with a open spool and a bail. Another improvement will be to use a real with a open spool and a bail.

]]> By: Mr. Man http://toolmonger.com/2008/10/27/fishing-with-a-dart-gun/#comment-635950 Mr. Man Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:49:48 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=14606#comment-635950 I tried (two) of these when they came out a few years ago. The dart needs quite an arch to travel any kind of useful distance. The heavy trigger pull made controllable shots difficult at best. A few shots later, each unit stopped working when the gearing jammed or line tangled (rendering both completely useless and unrepairable). Subsequently, before returning them to the store, I spend more time getting these little jewels back into the packaging than I spent on the entire wiring job. I tried (two) of these when they came out a few years ago. The dart needs quite an arch to travel any kind of useful distance. The heavy trigger pull made controllable shots difficult at best. A few shots later, each unit stopped working when the gearing jammed or line tangled (rendering both completely useless and unrepairable). Subsequently, before returning them to the store, I spend more time getting these little jewels back into the packaging than I spent on the entire wiring job.

]]> By: Shopmonger http://toolmonger.com/2008/10/27/fishing-with-a-dart-gun/#comment-635936 Shopmonger Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:34:46 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=14606#comment-635936 This looks like a great idea. However, it seems, that conpressed air would be much more stable and consistant.. actually i should say it will be more adjustable. In fact with all of the paintball technology i bet this would be easy. i am going to wokr on that this weekend so that my paintball gun will use a compressor and then just make a ballistic ball with a string attached. Very adjustable..... This looks like a great idea.
However, it seems, that conpressed air would be much more stable and consistant.. actually i should say it will be more adjustable. In fact with all of the paintball technology i bet this would be easy. i am going to wokr on that this weekend so that my paintball gun will use a compressor and then just make a ballistic ball with a string attached. Very adjustable…..

]]> By: David Bryan http://toolmonger.com/2008/10/27/fishing-with-a-dart-gun/#comment-635551 David Bryan Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:20:05 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=14606#comment-635551 Wow. Right over there, Ads by Google: Finger Rockets at www.buckets-o-fun.com. Those work. Wow. Right over there, Ads by Google: Finger Rockets at http://www.buckets-o-fun.com. Those work.

]]> By: David Bryan http://toolmonger.com/2008/10/27/fishing-with-a-dart-gun/#comment-635548 David Bryan Tue, 28 Oct 2008 03:14:45 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=14606#comment-635548 A golfball on a string works, a slingshot works, there are all kinds of toy rockets and such at American Scientific and Surplus that'll work. Labor Saving Devices has a tool like this with a slingshot called the Sling-A-Line. I did the cat thing once and my cat was more curious than hungry and it didn't go real well. There are some great old books in the American Electrician's Library by Terrell Croft, like "Wiring of Finished Buildings", that have some really interesting fishing techniques. Just don't be embarrassed to try something unconventional. Most commercially available tools for this kind of job are adaptations of some goofy idea somebody had that worked. A golfball on a string works, a slingshot works, there are all kinds of toy rockets and such at American Scientific and Surplus that’ll work. Labor Saving Devices has a tool like this with a slingshot called the Sling-A-Line. I did the cat thing once and my cat was more curious than hungry and it didn’t go real well. There are some great old books in the American Electrician’s Library by Terrell Croft, like “Wiring of Finished Buildings”, that have some really interesting fishing techniques. Just don’t be embarrassed to try something unconventional. Most commercially available tools for this kind of job are adaptations of some goofy idea somebody had that worked.

]]> By: j http://toolmonger.com/2008/10/27/fishing-with-a-dart-gun/#comment-635479 j Tue, 28 Oct 2008 01:30:48 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=14606#comment-635479 we had an RC car for these kinda jobs, in fact a Bigfoot truck with headlights. there are those sticks that thread together with a basket on the end, too we had an RC car for these kinda jobs, in fact a Bigfoot truck with headlights. there are those sticks that thread together with a basket on the end, too

]]> By: Benjamen Johnson http://toolmonger.com/2008/10/27/fishing-with-a-dart-gun/#comment-635275 Benjamen Johnson Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:49:18 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=14606#comment-635275 Toolaremia: I'm sure you're right about it listing for $70. I saw some places charging $90 to $100 and assumed the list price was around there. Who charges that much above list? Sheesh. Sorry, I should know better. You know what they say about assuming... Toolaremia:

I’m sure you’re right about it listing for $70. I saw some places charging $90 to $100 and assumed the list price was around there. Who charges that much above list? Sheesh.

Sorry, I should know better. You know what they say about assuming…

]]> By: Toolaremia http://toolmonger.com/2008/10/27/fishing-with-a-dart-gun/#comment-635267 Toolaremia Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:34:28 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=14606#comment-635267 Hey, it lists for $70. I know because I set up the SKU in our system when we started carrying it over a decade ago. B2b pricing should be right around $60. I set this up as soon as I saw it because just a couple years before in college I had been making beer and book money stringing RG-58 coax for Ethernet all over a couple of big office buildings. I would have killed for the Cable Caster... Hey, it lists for $70. I know because I set up the SKU in our system when we started carrying it over a decade ago. B2b pricing should be right around $60.

I set this up as soon as I saw it because just a couple years before in college I had been making beer and book money stringing RG-58 coax for Ethernet all over a couple of big office buildings. I would have killed for the Cable Caster…

]]> By: John Laur http://toolmonger.com/2008/10/27/fishing-with-a-dart-gun/#comment-635263 John Laur Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:25:34 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=14606#comment-635263 I have one of these; it works, but it's inconsistent. You miss your target more than you make it, and the darts can hang during pull-back. You have to be careful how you tie your monofilament onto them. Still its handy in a LOT of circumstances. You also need to replace the stock line in it with something heavier and NOT CLEAR. They have fluorescent monofilament that works pretty well. And also the glow in the dark on the darts is a joke. I have a little LED blinky thing that fits in the eyelet that works much better when the thing buries itself in fiberglass. I have one of these; it works, but it’s inconsistent. You miss your target more than you make it, and the darts can hang during pull-back. You have to be careful how you tie your monofilament onto them. Still its handy in a LOT of circumstances. You also need to replace the stock line in it with something heavier and NOT CLEAR. They have fluorescent monofilament that works pretty well. And also the glow in the dark on the darts is a joke. I have a little LED blinky thing that fits in the eyelet that works much better when the thing buries itself in fiberglass.

]]> By: Mark http://toolmonger.com/2008/10/27/fishing-with-a-dart-gun/#comment-635241 Mark Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:53:10 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=14606#comment-635241 When I ran wire for a living, we used a small pistol cross bow to shoot a lead line across dropped ceilings. When I ran wire for a living, we used a small pistol cross bow to shoot a lead line across dropped ceilings.

]]> By: Daniel http://toolmonger.com/2008/10/27/fishing-with-a-dart-gun/#comment-635206 Daniel Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:10:24 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=14606#comment-635206 I've always thought that things like this: http://www.gundogsupply.com/-970-.html Used to train bird dogs would be nice at long distance cable runs. A .22 caliber blank cartridge packs more punch than a spring anyway. I’ve always thought that things like this:
http://www.gundogsupply.com/-970-.html

Used to train bird dogs would be nice at long distance cable runs. A .22 caliber blank cartridge packs more punch than a spring anyway.

]]> By: Steve http://toolmonger.com/2008/10/27/fishing-with-a-dart-gun/#comment-635205 Steve Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:09:00 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=14606#comment-635205 I just tie a string to my cat's leg and put a dish of tuna at the other end. Everybody wins! -Steve I just tie a string to my cat’s leg and put a dish of tuna at the other end. Everybody wins!

-Steve

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