Home-owners...What are your current projects? (5 Viewers)

[Fat Nick]

I've decided that I need to get some Cat6 run from my basement media closet up to the attic for distribution around the 2nd floor.  My kids will eventually have computers and/or TV's in their rooms as they get older.  I also am interested in the new Ring PoE enabled security cameras...and lastly, I want to run some HDMI over Cat6 upstairs so I can play all my source devices from the media closet in the master bedroom...This idea all came about when I was looking at ways to play video games in bed.  My thought process is hilarious now that I think about it.

-Decide I want to play more video games, and playing in bed at night is the best option.

-Decide $200+ for a duplicate X-box one is too expensive and the wife wouldn't go for it

-Decide to try $12 Onecast app on the iPad with marginal success

-Decide to run a few wires upstairs to try and run the unit in the media closet on the TV upstairs

-Decide that while I'm at it, I might as well go overboard and wire up the whole upstairs...My total cost is up over $300 now ($100 more than another xBox that started this whole thing!) when I consider rolls of Cat6, patch panels, switches, etc.  

 

[Fat Nick]

One other note with a question for you guys - when I was up in my attic, it was a ******* mess.  Mouse crap EVERYWHERE.  Probably 6-8 dead birds in various states of decay.  I've been up there before.  Did one round of rodent mitigation a few years ago and caught 4-5 of them...I thought that solved the problem, but clearly there was a ton of new droppings.

1) Any ideas other than what I did before (Set out ~15-20 snap traps with food in the spots I find the most crap) to catch the mice?  

2) Does it make any sense to even try and clean things up in the attic?  I've got exposed floor/ceiling joists with rolled insulation in between the joists...no floors.  I get around by just walking on the joists.  There's crap all over the insulation, some of the framing/joists, etc.  I'm not sure if it's better to just leave it be or clean it and risk stirring up dust and particulate from it.  No smell or issues other than it being disgusting.

 

[shuke]

One other note with a question for you guys - when I was up in my attic, it was a ******* mess.  Mouse crap EVERYWHERE.  Probably 6-8 dead birds in various states of decay.  I've been up there before.  Did one round of rodent mitigation a few years ago and caught 4-5 of them...I thought that solved the problem, but clearly there was a ton of new droppings.

1) Any ideas other than what I did before (Set out ~15-20 snap traps with food in the spots I find the most crap) to catch the mice?  

2) Does it make any sense to even try and clean things up in the attic?  I've got exposed floor/ceiling joists with rolled insulation in between the joists...no floors.  I get around by just walking on the joists.  There's crap all over the insulation, some of the framing/joists, etc.  I'm not sure if it's better to just leave it be or clean it and risk stirring up dust and particulate from it.  No smell or issues other than it being disgusting.

How are they getting in?  Do you have trees up against the house?  Can you trim them back?

 

[thecatch]

I've decided that I need to get some Cat6 run from my basement media closet up to the attic for distribution around the 2nd floor.  My kids will eventually have computers and/or TV's in their rooms as they get older.  I also am interested in the new Ring PoE enabled security cameras...and lastly, I want to run some HDMI over Cat6 upstairs so I can play all my source devices from the media closet in the master bedroom...This idea all came about when I was looking at ways to play video games in bed.  My thought process is hilarious now that I think about it.

-Decide I want to play more video games, and playing in bed at night is the best option.

-Decide $200+ for a duplicate X-box one is too expensive and the wife wouldn't go for it

-Decide to try $12 Onecast app on the iPad with marginal success

-Decide to run a few wires upstairs to try and run the unit in the media closet on the TV upstairs

-Decide that while I'm at it, I might as well go overboard and wire up the whole upstairs...My total cost is up over $300 now ($100 more than another xBox that started this whole thing!) when I consider rolls of Cat6, patch panels, switches, etc.  

With the increased effectiveness of some of these new routers (Google Wifi, etc), and the trend toward wirelessly connected devices, I’m not sure why you’d need wiring all over the house. 

 

[Spike]

One other note with a question for you guys - when I was up in my attic, it was a ******* mess.  Mouse crap EVERYWHERE.  Probably 6-8 dead birds in various states of decay.  I've been up there before.  Did one round of rodent mitigation a few years ago and caught 4-5 of them...I thought that solved the problem, but clearly there was a ton of new droppings.

1) Any ideas other than what I did before (Set out ~15-20 snap traps with food in the spots I find the most crap) to catch the mice?  

2) Does it make any sense to even try and clean things up in the attic?  I've got exposed floor/ceiling joists with rolled insulation in between the joists...no floors.  I get around by just walking on the joists.  There's crap all over the insulation, some of the framing/joists, etc.  I'm not sure if it's better to just leave it be or clean it and risk stirring up dust and particulate from it.  No smell or issues other than it being disgusting.

Why not rip sheets of 3/4” plywood in half the long way (so you would have two 2’x8’ pieces per sheet of plywood) into the attic and put in a floor?

I did it years ago in my attic and it was the perfect solution. 

If you screw them in, you can still pull them up if you need, in the future, to do any wiring. 

 

[Fat Nick]

Why not rip sheets of 3/4” plywood in half the long way (so you would have two 2’x8’ pieces per sheet of plywood) into the attic and put in a floor?

I did it years ago in my attic and it was the perfect solution. 

If you screw them in, you can still pull them up if you need, in the future, to do any wiring. 

This is totally on my eventual "to do" list...My attic is HUGE.  Due to the way the roof is framed, there's a ton of open space up there.  My understanding from the architect who came to look at the basement when we put in a beam and removed some columns, he said most of the weight of the roof is carried by the exterior walls, so the interior attic space is super open.  If I were to put down flooring and consider the space I can comfortably stand up in without obstructions, I easily have a 700 square feet or more up there, plus another 700 or so sq. feet of space that is available, but with lower clearance.  I actually pondered putting a little loft/reading area up there and finishing it with a ladder for access for the kids, but the wife didn't really want to.

Going that route basically covers up any poo...but the mice could still traverse at will and will eventually just poo on the boards.  I guess it does solve the gross dust and other things issue.

Question - did you notice any change in heating/cooling efficiency once you put that floor up there?  

 

[wilked]

I would get the mice / etc outta there  that’s one step too close to living space for me  if they can make it from outside the house to attic, they’ll figure out a way to get into main house from there 

 

[Spike]

This is totally on my eventual "to do" list...My attic is HUGE.  Due to the way the roof is framed, there's a ton of open space up there.  My understanding from the architect who came to look at the basement when we put in a beam and removed some columns, he said most of the weight of the roof is carried by the exterior walls, so the interior attic space is super open.  If I were to put down flooring and consider the space I can comfortably stand up in without obstructions, I easily have a 700 square feet or more up there, plus another 700 or so sq. feet of space that is available, but with lower clearance.  I actually pondered putting a little loft/reading area up there and finishing it with a ladder for access for the kids, but the wife didn't really want to.

Going that route basically covers up any poo...but the mice could still traverse at will and will eventually just poo on the boards.  I guess it does solve the gross dust and other things issue.

Question - did you notice any change in heating/cooling efficiency once you put that floor up there?  

No. Very quick and easy job. Very rewarding. 

 

[shuke]

Building the wife a huge craft table for the basement.  Will be an L-shaped basic workbench from 2x4's and plywood.  Picked up a Kreg jig today based on this thread.  Looks pretty easy to use.  Any tips?

 

[ragincajun]

Building the wife a huge craft table for the basement.  Will be an L-shaped basic workbench from 2x4's and plywood.  Picked up a Kreg jig today based on this thread.  Looks pretty easy to use.  Any tips?

It’s pretty simple to use.  The first time I had it clamped wrong but once I figured it out it was great.  Which one did you get?  If you have one of the lower end ones like mine you can build a base for it fairly easily.  I may end up doing that.  Make sure you get some dowels for the holes if they are visible.  You can buy the premade ones.  If you are trying to match the wood types then you can get a bit to cut the little dowels out of scrap.  I was building something out of cypress and all I could find where the expensive oak? Dowels.  Food for though.

 

[wilked]

Building the wife a huge craft table for the basement.  Will be an L-shaped basic workbench from 2x4's and plywood.  Picked up a Kreg jig today based on this thread.  Looks pretty easy to use.  Any tips?

So simple a monkey could use it 

I’ve built a lot with mine, cabinet doors, bunk bed, book shelves. It’s fantastic 

 

[Fat Nick]

Spent 4 hours yesterday trying to fish some Cat6 through an unused Radon pipe from the attic to the basement.  By the end I wanted to burn my house down and smash all my tools.  I thought the pipe ran down 2 floors, then over ~20' or so...It actually runs down 10', then across 10', down 10' more, then across 10' more.  Add to the frustration that Radon pipe can use tight angle (small radius) 90 degree turns, and it's a nightmare to fish a pipe like that.  My steel fish tape made it past the first angle, then I couldn't get it to go any further.  I tried blowing some fishing line and a plastic bag through with no luck either.  It's REALLY hard and tiring trying to fish a pipe like that by yourself.  My Apple Watch said I did 37 fights of stairs in my epic failure.  

I've basically got 3 options now after re-grouping.  I can try and tie a neodymium magnet to some fishing line and coax it across the horizontal sections with another magnet (I think I have access to the majority of the wall for the 1st horizontal run, and can access the 2nd from the bottom.  I can try a novel idea I read about online, which is to tie fishing line to a Hexbug kids toy.  Guy claims it'll basically vibrate its way across the horizontal sections.  Or...I can go my alternate and run conduit outside.  I was wanting to avoid the conduit simply because it's really hard to get to the eaves in my attic.  I'm more likely to punch a hole in my head with a roofing nail (literally) than I am to enjoy that process.

Anybody got any other tips?  Pipe is 3" diameter.  As noted above, several hard bends.  The only other thing I could try is fiberglass fish tape, but I don't see that going much better than my metal fish tape experience unless it somehow handles turns better.

 

[wilked]

Building the wife a huge craft table for the basement.  Will be an L-shaped basic workbench from 2x4's and plywood.  Picked up a Kreg jig today based on this thread.  Looks pretty easy to use.  Any tips?

So simple a monkey could use it 

I’ve built a lot with mine, cabinet doors, bunk bed, book shelves. It’s fantastic 

 

[shuke]

It’s pretty simple to use.  The first time I had it clamped wrong but once I figured it out it was great.  Which one did you get?  If you have one of the lower end ones like mine you can build a base for it fairly easily.  I may end up doing that.  Make sure you get some dowels for the holes if they are visible.  You can buy the premade ones.  If you are trying to match the wood types then you can get a bit to cut the little dowels out of scrap.  I was building something out of cypress and all I could find where the expensive oak? Dowels.  Food for though.

Played around with it today.  I looked everywhere and watched tutorials but nowhere was it clear regarding the board thickness and drill collet settings, whether those should be set for the piece you were drilling through or the piece you were drilling into.  So for the holes where I was drilling through a 2x4 into 3/4 plywood, I didn't know if the settings needed to be for 1-1/2 or 3/4.  I ended up figuring it out it was for the latter but I am surprised this is stated anywhere.  Unless I'm a moron and missed it.

Here's the base of the table.  It's just 2x4's but that's fine for our unfinished basement.

 

[bucksoh]

Spent 4 hours yesterday trying to fish some Cat6 through an unused Radon pipe from the attic to the basement.  By the end I wanted to burn my house down and smash all my tools.  I thought the pipe ran down 2 floors, then over ~20' or so...It actually runs down 10', then across 10', down 10' more, then across 10' more.  Add to the frustration that Radon pipe can use tight angle (small radius) 90 degree turns, and it's a nightmare to fish a pipe like that.  My steel fish tape made it past the first angle, then I couldn't get it to go any further.  I tried blowing some fishing line and a plastic bag through with no luck either.  It's REALLY hard and tiring trying to fish a pipe like that by yourself.  My Apple Watch said I did 37 fights of stairs in my epic failure.  

I've basically got 3 options now after re-grouping.  I can try and tie a neodymium magnet to some fishing line and coax it across the horizontal sections with another magnet (I think I have access to the majority of the wall for the 1st horizontal run, and can access the 2nd from the bottom.  I can try a novel idea I read about online, which is to tie fishing line to a Hexbug kids toy.  Guy claims it'll basically vibrate its way across the horizontal sections.  Or...I can go my alternate and run conduit outside.  I was wanting to avoid the conduit simply because it's really hard to get to the eaves in my attic.  I'm more likely to punch a hole in my head with a roofing nail (literally) than I am to enjoy that process.

Anybody got any other tips?  Pipe is 3" diameter.  As noted above, several hard bends.  The only other thing I could try is fiberglass fish tape, but I don't see that going much better than my metal fish tape experience unless it somehow handles turns better.

Worth a try but they have micro remote cars like this Micro https://imgur.com/a/5hCqwzk

Tie a string to it drop it down and give it a  whirl.  Gl

 

[shuke]

Spent 4 hours yesterday trying to fish some Cat6 through an unused Radon pipe from the attic to the basement.  By the end I wanted to burn my house down and smash all my tools.  I thought the pipe ran down 2 floors, then over ~20' or so...It actually runs down 10', then across 10', down 10' more, then across 10' more.  Add to the frustration that Radon pipe can use tight angle (small radius) 90 degree turns, and it's a nightmare to fish a pipe like that.  My steel fish tape made it past the first angle, then I couldn't get it to go any further.  I tried blowing some fishing line and a plastic bag through with no luck either.  It's REALLY hard and tiring trying to fish a pipe like that by yourself.  My Apple Watch said I did 37 fights of stairs in my epic failure.  

I've basically got 3 options now after re-grouping.  I can try and tie a neodymium magnet to some fishing line and coax it across the horizontal sections with another magnet (I think I have access to the majority of the wall for the 1st horizontal run, and can access the 2nd from the bottom.  I can try a novel idea I read about online, which is to tie fishing line to a Hexbug kids toy.  Guy claims it'll basically vibrate its way across the horizontal sections.  Or...I can go my alternate and run conduit outside.  I was wanting to avoid the conduit simply because it's really hard to get to the eaves in my attic.  I'm more likely to punch a hole in my head with a roofing nail (literally) than I am to enjoy that process.

Anybody got any other tips?  Pipe is 3" diameter.  As noted above, several hard bends.  The only other thing I could try is fiberglass fish tape, but I don't see that going much better than my metal fish tape experience unless it somehow handles turns better.

Hexbug sounds like a good idea.  You might  have to try a few times.  If it lands on its back after one of the verticals you might have to pull it out and start again.

 

[ragincajun]

The only issue I see possibly arising with the hex bug is that they can turn around if it’s a flat area.  Food for thought.  

Crazy idea but what about weed eater string?  Fairly stiff but more forgiving than a fiberglass fish tape.  Just thinking about my past issues running car 6 and not sure why I didn’t try this.

 

[ragincajun]

Also sounds like it’s time to buy a micro drone

 

[SWC]

you brohans are awesome this gm and the nba are my favorite threads in the whole ffa keep on keepin on you are all brohans from other mothrans in my opinion take that to the bank 

 

[doowain]

Been focusing on organizing and de-cluttering my home (easier said than done with a near 4 year old and 1 year old).

Recently built 20 linear feet of storage shelves in the unfinished part of my basement.

Finishing up reorganizing/redesiging the laundry room.  Painted.  Unstacked the washer and dryer.  Built a laundry table over top of them.  Recently bought a Kreg Jig so I went nuts with pocket holes.  Put up iron pipe/stained 1x12 shelving above the units.  

My OCD itch has been getting scratched so hard.

 

[Fat Nick]

Worth a try but they have micro remote cars like this Micro https://imgur.com/a/5hCqwzk

Tie a string to it drop it down and give it a  whirl.  Gl

I read about someone online who did that...I just wasn't sure which car would work.  Agree, for $11 it's worth a shot!  Cheaper than buying conduit and running stuff outside, and unlike the hexbug, I have control over the speed and when it moves vs. stays still.  Just have to figure out how to make sure it lands wheels-down after each of the two drops.

 

[Fat Nick]

The only issue I see possibly arising with the hex bug is that they can turn around if it’s a flat area.  Food for thought.  

Crazy idea but what about weed eater string?  Fairly stiff but more forgiving than a fiberglass fish tape.  Just thinking about my past issues running car 6 and not sure why I didn’t try this.

I read that online too - I had a whole unopened reel in the garage and I played around with it without actually trying it.  My issue is the pipe is 3" in diameter.  If it was smaller, it'd work great.  At 3", there's enough room for it to start to accordian in the pipe, which increases the pressure needed to really push it around the later bends.  That's the same thing that I think is happening to my fish tape.  It's not the rigidity, it's the diameter of the pipe where it starts to just Z across and gets too hard to push because it's like pushing a spring.

 

[Rirruto]

Just bought a house, and I'm super enthusiastic about getting some projects going.

1. The previous homeowner did probably one of the worst jobs ever of laying the floor. He may have single-handedly shown me I shouldn't DIY the floors. The wood (I'm sure it's laminate or something) is noticeably separating all over the house. I guess I'm thankful he didn't fix it before selling. It's also scuffed up in a few places, so I'm just going to totally re-do it.

What's the shark move for flooring? I don't hate the wood-look tile that I saw in a couple houses I looked at, but I don't know if that's the best way to go. I'm really after something that's going to be durable, not look terrible, and with not a lot of upkeep. I'd definitely spend more on the front end if it's smart. 

B. 3/4 of the fence looks great. The east side looks like total ####. No big deal I tell myself, I'll just fix it this fall. I read the disclosure and find out that that's the only fence that is totally owned by one of my neighbors. Super.

What's the etiquette? "Hey, I'm Rirruto. Nice to be in the neighborhood. Also, your fence looks like it got raped by Sasquatch; please fix it. kthx!! And that crappy tree that's overhanging on my property is being trimmed next weekend. Take that to the bank neighborino" seems like not a good way to handle it.

The fence on both sides is flush with the back of the house, and I'm going to extend it to be flush with the front. I guess no one could be pissed if I offer to re-do his fence while the project is going? Now that I think about it if "his" fence is on his side of the property line, that's going to mess with my plan to extend it. Is putting a fence just inside his a #### move?

 

[SWC]

if you tell that guy to take it to the bank he will both fear love and respect you all at once then call his grandma and tell her she is a brohan that is all i know for sure take that to the bank bromigo

 

[doowain]

Not a project but a question for you guys.  In the past month I've found 5 or 6 wasps in my basement.  All of them were very lethargic and easy to kill by hand.  Where are they coming from?  Do I have a nest in the house?  How do I figure it out?

Weep holes? Do you spray the perimeter of your house and all weep holes once a year? 

 

[shuke]

Weep holes? Do you spray the perimeter of your house and all weep holes once a year? 

Never thought about the weep holes.  No I've never sprayed them.  Ever since I re-caulked a couple spots of pipe/wire entry, I haven't seen any.

 

[doowain]

Weep holes? Do you spray the perimeter of your house and all weep holes once a year? 

Never thought about the weep holes.  No I've never sprayed them.  Ever since I re-caulked a couple spots of pipe/wire entry, I haven't seen any.

Right on. Probably not the weep holes then.

I spray every year and never have spiders or insects of any kind in the house.  This year I put it off and never did it. Big mistake. Spiders like crazy in the basement when it first got cold (none to be seen lately). Although now I'm getting these damn house centipedes, which may be why I haven't seen any spiders

 

[shuke]

Right on. Probably not the weep holes then.

I spray every year and never have spiders or insects of any kind in the house.  This year I put it off and never did it. Big mistake. Spiders like crazy in the basement when it first got cold (none to be seen lately). Although now I'm getting these damn house centipedes, which may be why I haven't seen any spiders

Holy crap I hate those things.  What are spraying and when?  One spray last all year long?

 

[ragincajun]

I read that online too - I had a whole unopened reel in the garage and I played around with it without actually trying it.  My issue is the pipe is 3" in diameter.  If it was smaller, it'd work great.  At 3", there's enough room for it to start to accordian in the pipe, which increases the pressure needed to really push it around the later bends.  That's the same thing that I think is happening to my fish tape.  It's not the rigidity, it's the diameter of the pipe where it starts to just Z across and gets too hard to push because it's like pushing a spring.

Thinking out loud here....

What about a ping pong ball with a fishing line attached.  Attach a blower or air to one end and see if you can blow the ball all the way through?  Doubtful and watch your eyes for all the crap that would fly out.

 

[ragincajun]

If you could attach a line to this. https://www.sphero.com/sphero-mini

Something like this but smaller, however you have to worry about tangling up line.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073HJJ28H/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_uZBsCbJCN7W2R

 

[belljr]

Spent 4 hours yesterday trying to fish some Cat6 through an unused Radon pipe from the attic to the basement.  By the end I wanted to burn my house down and smash all my tools.  I thought the pipe ran down 2 floors, then over ~20' or so...It actually runs down 10', then across 10', down 10' more, then across 10' more.  Add to the frustration that Radon pipe can use tight angle (small radius) 90 degree turns, and it's a nightmare to fish a pipe like that.  My steel fish tape made it past the first angle, then I couldn't get it to go any further.  I tried blowing some fishing line and a plastic bag through with no luck either.  It's REALLY hard and tiring trying to fish a pipe like that by yourself.  My Apple Watch said I did 37 fights of stairs in my epic failure.  

I've basically got 3 options now after re-grouping.  I can try and tie a neodymium magnet to some fishing line and coax it across the horizontal sections with another magnet (I think I have access to the majority of the wall for the 1st horizontal run, and can access the 2nd from the bottom.  I can try a novel idea I read about online, which is to tie fishing line to a Hexbug kids toy.  Guy claims it'll basically vibrate its way across the horizontal sections.  Or...I can go my alternate and run conduit outside.  I was wanting to avoid the conduit simply because it's really hard to get to the eaves in my attic.  I'm more likely to punch a hole in my head with a roofing nail (literally) than I am to enjoy that process.

Anybody got any other tips?  Pipe is 3" diameter.  As noted above, several hard bends.  The only other thing I could try is fiberglass fish tape, but I don't see that going much better than my metal fish tape experience unless it somehow handles turns better.

Why not just skip using the pipe and drill a hole and drop the line down  

 

[wilked]

Just bought a house, and I'm super enthusiastic about getting some projects going.

1. The previous homeowner did probably one of the worst jobs ever of laying the floor. He may have single-handedly shown me I shouldn't DIY the floors. The wood (I'm sure it's laminate or something) is noticeably separating all over the house. I guess I'm thankful he didn't fix it before selling. It's also scuffed up in a few places, so I'm just going to totally re-do it.

What's the shark move for flooring? I don't hate the wood-look tile that I saw in a couple houses I looked at, but I don't know if that's the best way to go. I'm really after something that's going to be durable, not look terrible, and with not a lot of upkeep. I'd definitely spend more on the front end if it's smart. 

B. 3/4 of the fence looks great. The east side looks like total ####. No big deal I tell myself, I'll just fix it this fall. I read the disclosure and find out that that's the only fence that is totally owned by one of my neighbors. Super.

What's the etiquette? "Hey, I'm Rirruto. Nice to be in the neighborhood. Also, your fence looks like it got raped by Sasquatch; please fix it. kthx!! And that crappy tree that's overhanging on my property is being trimmed next weekend. Take that to the bank neighborino" seems like not a good way to handle it.

The fence on both sides is flush with the back of the house, and I'm going to extend it to be flush with the front. I guess no one could be pissed if I offer to re-do his fence while the project is going? Now that I think about it if "his" fence is on his side of the property line, that's going to mess with my plan to extend it. Is putting a fence just inside his a #### move?

I like wood, real wood.  3/4" select oak, tongue and groove, unfinished.  Easy to install (make sure you let it acclimate before) and finishing is fairly straightforward.  

I wouldn't get worked up over the neighbor fence.  Odds are the family there is nice and reasonable.  If it's me I meet them first couple of days, bring a baked treat and say it's important to you to have good neighborly relationships.  Whether that day or soon after you'll be talking about house / neighborhood / yard, bring up the fence and ask if he/she knows why it is in worse condition that rest of yard?  Play dumb a bit on ownership, and worst case offer to split the cost of replacement.  Sticking it to the guy for $1000 is not a +EV in the long run

 

[ragincajun]

Why not just skip using the pipe and drill a hole and drop the line down  

Good point. I have done that in the past and ran into insulation however a strong fish tape fixed that.

 

[ragincajun]

I like wood, real wood.  3/4" select oak, tongue and groove, unfinished.  Easy to install (make sure you let it acclimate before) and finishing is fairly straightforward.  

I wouldn't get worked up over the neighbor fence.  Odds are the family there is nice and reasonable.  If it's me I meet them first couple of days, bring a baked treat and say it's important to you to have good neighborly relationships.  Whether that day or soon after you'll be talking about house / neighborhood / yard, bring up the fence and ask if he/she knows why it is in worse condition that rest of yard?  Play dumb a bit on ownership, and worst case offer to split the cost of replacement.  Sticking it to the guy for $1000 is not a +EV in the long run

What if you go over to bring baked goods and say I am riruuto, and he replies hi am Wilked?

 

[Fat Nick]

Why not just skip using the pipe and drill a hole and drop the line down  

Honestly, too risky.  I don't have too many shared walls across the floors.  To be honest, that's one of the only ones I'm really aware of.  Some are close, but slightly offset.  If I was going to do it, I'd try and drop down via closets on each floor.  The challenge then is that the portion of the basement below the two stacked closest has a drywalled ceiling.  Plus, I'm looking to run ~8 Cat6 cables...That's a lot to get through a hole drilled by a spade bit.  I'm really trying to avoid drywall damage/repainting.

 

[Fat Nick]

Thinking out loud here....

What about a ping pong ball with a fishing line attached.  Attach a blower or air to one end and see if you can blow the ball all the way through?  Doubtful and watch your eyes for all the crap that would fly out.

I tried the plastic bag on a fishing line trick and it didn't work.  I think a ping-pong ball might work better.  My only concern is how much what I estimate to be 40' of fishing line would weight, and at what point does the friction of that laying on the pipe outweight the force of the blower.  I ordered the small RC car the other night.  That's my next try...If that doesn't work, I have one more idea using fish tape, fishing line, and a big bolt that I think could work...I'll consider ping-pong ball #3.  It's a ##### to get my leaf blower up to the attic and up under the eaves where the pipe is.  Very tight space.

 

[belljr]

Honestly, too risky.  I don't have too many shared walls across the floors.  To be honest, that's one of the only ones I'm really aware of.  Some are close, but slightly offset.  If I was going to do it, I'd try and drop down via closets on each floor.  The challenge then is that the portion of the basement below the two stacked closest has a drywalled ceiling.  Plus, I'm looking to run ~8 Cat6 cables...That's a lot to get through a hole drilled by a spade bit.  I'm really trying to avoid drywall damage/repainting.

How about just using Powerline Adapters instead and a Switch 

 

[Fat Nick]

How about just using Powerline Adapters instead and a Switch 

Nah.  I need real Cat6 for several reasons.  Of the 8 lines, I want to run, I'm thinking of splitting them up as follows:

1 will be connected to USB extensions so I can play my xbox in the bedroom (need usb extensions to plug in the controller since wireless is too far)

2 will be for HD-BaseT or Bitpath extenders to run signal from the media closet to some of the other bedrooms upstairs.  

4 will be for straight ethernet jacks in each room (futureproofing for kids)

1 will likely connect to a PoE switch in the attic for security cameras that I need to install this summer.

 

[The Commish]

Spent 4 hours yesterday trying to fish some Cat6 through an unused Radon pipe from the attic to the basement.  By the end I wanted to burn my house down and smash all my tools.  I thought the pipe ran down 2 floors, then over ~20' or so...It actually runs down 10', then across 10', down 10' more, then across 10' more.  Add to the frustration that Radon pipe can use tight angle (small radius) 90 degree turns, and it's a nightmare to fish a pipe like that.  My steel fish tape made it past the first angle, then I couldn't get it to go any further.  I tried blowing some fishing line and a plastic bag through with no luck either.  It's REALLY hard and tiring trying to fish a pipe like that by yourself.  My Apple Watch said I did 37 fights of stairs in my epic failure.  

I've basically got 3 options now after re-grouping.  I can try and tie a neodymium magnet to some fishing line and coax it across the horizontal sections with another magnet (I think I have access to the majority of the wall for the 1st horizontal run, and can access the 2nd from the bottom.  I can try a novel idea I read about online, which is to tie fishing line to a Hexbug kids toy.  Guy claims it'll basically vibrate its way across the horizontal sections.  Or...I can go my alternate and run conduit outside.  I was wanting to avoid the conduit simply because it's really hard to get to the eaves in my attic.  I'm more likely to punch a hole in my head with a roofing nail (literally) than I am to enjoy that process.

Anybody got any other tips?  Pipe is 3" diameter.  As noted above, several hard bends.  The only other thing I could try is fiberglass fish tape, but I don't see that going much better than my metal fish tape experience unless it somehow handles turns better.

Haven't been in this thread in a bit and haven't read beyond this, but have you thought about renting (or buying) those attachments you put on your drill to clean dryer vents?  They usually come with 20ish feet of line...so you might need two, but our dryer vent sort of does what you are saying this pipe does.  We have a 90 degree angle and it makes it no problem.  Just a thought.

 

[Fat Nick]

Haven't been in this thread in a bit and haven't read beyond this, but have you thought about renting (or buying) those attachments you put on your drill to clean dryer vents?  They usually come with 20ish feet of line...so you might need two, but our dryer vent sort of does what you are saying this pipe does.  We have a 90 degree angle and it makes it no problem.  Just a thought.

I have about 24' of dryer vent cleaning poles.  They're 3' each, and pretty flexy...they might work, but I'd have to buy 2 more packs at about $20 a pack.  Not off the table for options...but higher on the price scale.  I think I've got a decent plan of attack at this point.  In order of how I'll try them (based on cost, and time involved)

1) Fishing line to the micro-RC car that comes today - I think this will work.  Based on what I think the pipe structure is (10' down, 10' across, 10'down, 10' across), I only have to navigate 2 10' acrosses, and the weight of the car handles the down section. (I'll try this today or tomorrow most likley)

2) Ping pong ball with a leaf-blower - I tried this with a plastic bag, and it didn't work, but I do think the ball will handle the surface tension of the pipe a little bit better.  I think the bag was too prone to getting stuck, and also could've picked up condensation in the pipe and gotten heavy.

3) Magnet on fishing line - may be able to walk/drag across the one in-wall horizontal section, and then grab it from the other side for the last horizontal section.

4) If all these fail, I'll probably try the dryer vent poles or other fiberglass-type fish tape or maybe the HexBug idea I noted above.

I'm becoming more and more convinced that the pipe is too long (and the turns are too sharp) to push my way through.  I need to somehow navigate a very small line through, then pull some heavier line through and use that to pull the cable.  

 

[The Commish]

I have about 24' of dryer vent cleaning poles.  They're 3' each, and pretty flexy...they might work, but I'd have to buy 2 more packs at about $20 a pack.  Not off the table for options...but higher on the price scale.  I think I've got a decent plan of attack at this point.  In order of how I'll try them (based on cost, and time involved)

1) Fishing line to the micro-RC car that comes today - I think this will work.  Based on what I think the pipe structure is (10' down, 10' across, 10'down, 10' across), I only have to navigate 2 10' acrosses, and the weight of the car handles the down section. (I'll try this today or tomorrow most likley)

2) Ping pong ball with a leaf-blower - I tried this with a plastic bag, and it didn't work, but I do think the ball will handle the surface tension of the pipe a little bit better.  I think the bag was too prone to getting stuck, and also could've picked up condensation in the pipe and gotten heavy.

3) Magnet on fishing line - may be able to walk/drag across the one in-wall horizontal section, and then grab it from the other side for the last horizontal section.

4) If all these fail, I'll probably try the dryer vent poles or other fiberglass-type fish tape or maybe the HexBug idea I noted above.

I'm becoming more and more convinced that the pipe is too long (and the turns are too sharp) to push my way through.  I need to somehow navigate a very small line through, then pull some heavier line through and use that to pull the cable.  

If the pipe is empty, why not use water?  Ping Pong ball would work....a fishing bobber would work too.  Can you catch the water in the basement as you dump it in at the top?  Probably need two people for that approach just to be safe.

 

[Fat Nick]

If the pipe is empty, why not use water?  Ping Pong ball would work....a fishing bobber would work too.  Can you catch the water in the basement as you dump it in at the top?  Probably need two people for that approach just to be safe.

I mentioned this to my wife a few nights ago...The ONLY concern is that since the pipe isn't pressurized that there may be leakage.  I totally think it would work and honestly be the most fool-proof way.  Fishing floatie and string.  I could totally catch it in the basement.  Basically, somebody would need a bucket to catch some of the water as it came out the hole, but I imagine a 5 gallon bucket would catch all the water I'd need.  It's a lot of work to get a hose up to the attic, but it would work.  Consider that the new #4 above I think.

 

[wilked]

I mentioned this to my wife a few nights ago...The ONLY concern is that since the pipe isn't pressurized that there may be leakage.  I totally think it would work and honestly be the most fool-proof way.  Fishing floatie and string.  I could totally catch it in the basement.  Basically, somebody would need a bucket to catch some of the water as it came out the hole, but I imagine a 5 gallon bucket would catch all the water I'd need.  It's a lot of work to get a hose up to the attic, but it would work.  Consider that the new #4 above I think.

No f-ing way I fill that pipe with water personally unless I was very confident it was water-tight

 

[The Commish]

I mentioned this to my wife a few nights ago...The ONLY concern is that since the pipe isn't pressurized that there may be leakage.  I totally think it would work and honestly be the most fool-proof way.  Fishing floatie and string.  I could totally catch it in the basement.  Basically, somebody would need a bucket to catch some of the water as it came out the hole, but I imagine a 5 gallon bucket would catch all the water I'd need.  It's a lot of work to get a hose up to the attic, but it would work.  Consider that the new #4 above I think.

I thought about that after I posted.  Can you tell if the pipe is glued together or if it's just friction fit?  This is what I'd probably do with the understanding that leaks become a problem only if the water gets backed up and sits in a particular spot where there's a hole.  While it might drip a few drops if there's a hole, it won't be a ton given the water is moving and not just sitting still.  At the end you can cap the top end, hook up a shop vac to the bottom end and suck out any water remaining.

ETA:  Speaking of shop vacs, have you considered trying to suck the ping pong ball down the tube rather than blow it down?  Might be easier to set up.

 

[Fat Nick]

I thought about that after I posted.  Can you tell if the pipe is glued together or if it's just friction fit?  This is what I'd probably do with the understanding that leaks become a problem only if the water gets backed up and sits in a particular spot where there's a hole.  While it might drip a few drops if there's a hole, it won't be a ton given the water is moving and not just sitting still.  At the end you can cap the top end, hook up a shop vac to the bottom end and suck out any water remaining.

ETA:  Speaking of shop vacs, have you considered trying to suck the ping pong ball down the tube rather than blow it down?  Might be easier to set up.

At least at the top, in the attic where I can see some of the joints, it's glued...but it is low/no pressure sewage/drain pipe, not full wall thickness PVC.  If there's any back-slope at all to the pipe where it angles back to one of the joints, it could pool there.  I don't think there would be much of an issue honestly...but just the risk of it pushes it down my list.  I do think that's likely the most fool-proof option barring the leak potential.  Unless there's a big up-hill grade, there's no way it doesn't make it down.

RE. shop-vac - May be easier since it's in the basement vs. the attic for that one...but in theory you get more force blowing air vs. pulling it.  

 

[belljr]

sure its been mentioned but rent one of these

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-1-2-in-x-50-ft-Drain-Auger-82-971-111/301879201

 

[Fat Nick]

The little RC car just came.  I'm giving it a full charge now.  Initial thoughts - It's got some good power.  It's the right size (Looks small enough to fit, but long enough to not get turned around).  Range on the signal seems good too.  I think it'll work...I'll try it as soon as I get a chance.  The only challenge will be keeping it upright, but I feel like if it lands upside down, I just pull it back up and try again.  I need to be aware enough of the line tension to know when it's falling down the vertical drops so I can catch it and lower it down vs. just letting it fall.  It's light, but also cheaply made, so it may not survive such a fall.

 

[wilked]

Godspeed 

 

[shuke]

The little RC car just came.  I'm giving it a full charge now.  Initial thoughts - It's got some good power.  It's the right size (Looks small enough to fit, but long enough to not get turned around).  Range on the signal seems good too.  I think it'll work...I'll try it as soon as I get a chance.  The only challenge will be keeping it upright, but I feel like if it lands upside down, I just pull it back up and try again.  I need to be aware enough of the line tension to know when it's falling down the vertical drops so I can catch it and lower it down vs. just letting it fall.  It's light, but also cheaply made, so it may not survive such a fall.

Get some video of this.

 

[ragincajun]

Get some video of this.

Ditto.

One other thought.  Would a long enough drain snake work?  I would think it could work around the bends etc.  I would use a new one.....