tips for fishing wires through narrow spaces

I want to try to fish some romex from an attic above a third floor to a bedroom on the second floor. The access area is above the third floor and I will have to fish through not only the second floor but also through the third floor wall too.

The house is built of solid brick with furring strips on the inside to support the lath/paster interior. I expect that I will have about a 3/4 inch space between the brick and the back of the plaster & lath.

I think that I can at least get to the bottom of the wall of the third floor but might run into some framing that would prevent me from getting all the way down to the second floor.

Questions:

1.) I have a fish tape but it likes to curve once it is extended. I don't think it will make it to the bottom of the third floor on account of this curving. Is there similar type tool that I might use to fish down from the top of the third floor to the bottom of the third floor?

2.) How might I access the second floor from the third floor? Are there any special tools that allow for minimal destruction in the process of running new wiring?

3.) Are there any good resources on wiring in old houses of solid masonry?

Thanks for any advice...


RD Harris

 

There is another tool, the exact name I can't think of (fish-stix maybe?), but they are long flexible rods that hook together and are semi-rigid.
Consider using a Greenlee 54" flex-drill bit to go from the opening in the wall for a switch on the 2ndfl to drill up through the next level. If ceilings are high, or you don't want to install a switch, you can do it from the 3rdFL down. Otherwise opening the wall and patching is the only choice. A piece of smooth chain with a weight at the end may be handy to fish as well.

gj