[TowerTalk] Putting a pull rope in conduit.

[Jack Myers]

Thought I would pass this along as it worked very well for me.
Earlier this fall I buried 350 Ft of conduit out to my two new towers and just got around to putting a pull rope in them today. I decided that instead of the fish tape method I would blow a string through the conduit as I have seen done once with the local power company.
I used masons string for the shoot through the conduit. I made a cap for the end of the conduit with the lid off of 3m #33 tape container. I drilled two holes in it, one about 1/8 diameter the other just big enough to squeeze the nozzle of my air blower in it. I then threaded the masons string through the cap and then poked it through a red mechanics rag (the ones you get at the auto parts store) and to keep it from pulling back through the rag I tied a #12 washer to the end of it. 
I took my air compressor (nothing special about it) out to the end of the conduit with a full tank of air (20 gal). I stuffed the rag loosely in the conduit then stuck the cap on and put the nozzle in  and let her rip. The main thing is to have the masons string able to feed easily and it will shoot through fast. I ran out of air about 1/2 through and had to wheel my compressor over to an AC outlet and air up again. Second tank I got it through no problem. I then pulled a larger (parachute cord) through. 
The second conduit I decided to try it with just my hand cupped over it instead of the cap and it worked just as well and was less fuss.
I was not sure if it would work but it worked great! Took me less than an hour from start to finish to get my pull ropes in place.
73
Jack NK7J