Telephone jack in plaster walls

[jbcopet]

I just bought a house last October that was built in the 1920s and it was renovated almost completely before we purchased it. The previous owner had the telephone jack on the opposite wall of where I want it. He had a hole drilled into the baseboard and the jack mounted.

Disconnecting is obviously easy enough, as is drilling a new hole, but when I'm in the attic, what is the best way to fish the phone wire down to where I want to install the jack? I'm not familiar with plaster and this is my first house, so I'm learning.

Any help would really be appreciated. Thanks!!!

[cavedweller]

Plaster walls are hollow, at that age probably on wood lath. Of course, there's always the possibility of an unforeseen obstruction.

Is there a reason you wouldn't consider a set of cordless phones?

[RBM]

To drill down inside the petition, you must locate it first. From in the attic, with any floor boards removed, you'll see the 2x4 cap of the wall petition, as opposed to wood lathe or wire lathe. The easiest way to locate the wall is to drill a very small pilot hole from inside the room. Using a thin, long drill bit or piece of stiff wire, drill into the ceiling right at the wall where you want to run the cable. From in the attic, locate the wire or bit and drill down two inches toward the wall from where the bit came up. Now drop a snake or jack chain into the hole and pull it out where you open the wall for the new jack

[RBM]

My mistake, please make that partition. drilling into a petition won't get you anywhere

[Bennett Price]

Good advice but beware - there may be fire blocking between the studs (a piece of

16" long 2x4 installed midway between floor and ceiling. You'll need a very long and somewhat flexible drill to get through it. Perhaps you can install the wire from below? Also, you don't have to install a full box in the lath and plaster wall to house the telephone socket - a small hole is all that is needed with appropriate screws in the plastic plate to hold the plate to the wall. (But a big hole makes fishing the wire much easier.)

[RBM]

It's not likely to find fire blocking in a 1920's house, unless it was recently installed, but it wouldn't be in the middle of a wall. You may find cat beams if the ceiling is over eight feet high, or possibly wind bracing, which will make your life miserable, but most likely the biggest obstacle will be the plaster itself

[Steve Barker]

chances are if it's an interior wall, it's open to the attic. you may have to dig around in any insulation that may be there, but the wall cavities in those era of houses were all open to the attic. I'm working on one that's this way and even the gable end walls are wide open to the attic. Piece of cake to wire. Stick your flashlight in the new outlet hole and go upstairs and look for the glow.

[Steve Barker]

Not likely any blocking of any type in 1920, ..... Geographical area may prove variations though.