I got to get my "hands dirty" this week! I took down most of the drywall on my
long wall up to 7' high. The ceiling is 8.5' high, but I thought that stopping
at less than 8' would make replacing the drywall easier (I can always remove
more..). A pro would have probably used a skilsaw, but my Harbor Freight rotary
tool, along with a box-cutter, cut pretty well, if a little (i.e. alot) slower.
This was basically my first time removing any drywall at all, so I took my time.
I quickly learned the axiom, "A hammer is your friend"!

I also removed an existing 50-Amp outlet from the wall. I validated the outlet's
deadness with my voltometer before I touched anything. I made a special trip to
the store to buy connectors (the largest ones I could find!) which I put on the
end of each of the wires (perfect fit) and I taped each of them at least 3"
down. I did this even though the C-Breaker will stay turned off and I must give
some of the Wrecker's most of the credit for giving me the right perspective to
so gingerly protect my dead wires (Lew: I wish my main panel had a lock!).
Swingman: I also picked up a outlet tester *with GFCI* while I was at the store!
I will completely remove that wire and its corresponding C-breaker from the main
panel soon, and I will do so while the main circuit breaker is turned off.


Most of what I wrote above above is feedback. I am seeking your assistance with
the following concerns to help me proceed: I have been reading and thinking
about running wires, running boards and stapling. I also learned a convenient
term: "double top plate"--the entry and exit points to my attic will be through
it. The truth is that since my wires will only be traveling through my attic
near my eave (basicly unaccessible), the NEC would probably permit me to place
new wires next to the one that is currrently lying there. However, seeking to
do things in a craftman-like way, I would prefer to use a running board. I have
been thinking about how I am going to run/staple three 10-2 and two 12-2 or 12-3
cables along my current path: from my subpanel, up through the double top plate
(how many holes, how big), along the running board and back down through the
double top plate. I learned, in particular, that I *do not want to derate* my
wires!!!--at least I would prefer not to. I suppose I can learn the math and
buy bigger wire if I must. BTW, My initial inclinations were to drill a hole
through the double top plate for the 12 gauge wires and another hole for the 10
guage wires (as the grouped wires have similar destinations). All 5 or 6 of
these will be traveling together out of the subpanel and accross the running
board where they will exit the attic "together" (but perhaps not too closely
together!).

Any assistance you may be able to provide me with about this is welcome and
appreciated! I hope that something of what I have written may be insightful to
others who are seeking to add power to their shop.

Bill