old_house_guy

There's a reason for the term "pulling wire", because you PULL wire, not PUSH it.

The author used the term "smake". I assume he means a fish tape. For those who don't know, a fish tape is a narrow spring steel flat wire in a reel used to PULL wire through conduit. It will make for a very frustrating day if you try to fish a wall with one, whatever the cavity depth. Because of the natural curl it will just coil up in the wall. Another case of using the wrong tool for the job.

Here's the method I've used for 30+ years.

1. Mark the location of the outlet box, and cut a hole in the wall to accept the outlet box. Be sure the box will fit correctly. (not sure what old work box you could mount with only a depth of 1")

2. Mount a work light so that it is shining into the opening.

3. In the area above (attic) locate the area directly above the outlet. If it's your own home, you can cheat by drilling an 1/8" hole into the ceiling above and inserting a piece of wire to be used as a locator. Easily plugged later.

4. If there is a top wall plate, with an auger bit drill about a 1" hole in line with the outlet box.

5. Look down your just drilled hole and you should see your work light shining into the opening. If you can't, you are either on the wrong side of a stud, or there is firestop blocking in between, making for a bad day.

6. Assuming you can see your light, attach about 6" of small chain to a length of nylon dry line. Lower this into the whole until you see the light on the chain.

7. Now go downstairs and pull the string through the opening. If you missed the alignment, you can use a magnetic retreiver with a flexible shaft to grab the chain.

8. Next, strip about 6" of sheath off of the NM-B. Cut the white even with the sheath, black about 2" longer, and leave the bare for the leader. As previously mentioned, tape from the bare to the sheath to ease the transition and eliminate the hump.

9. Attach the bare leader to the chain.

10. Go back up into the attic and PULL the wire.

It probably took longer to write this than to actually do it.