In article ,
Wayne Whitney wrote:

In article 1095831266.920726@smirk,
wrote:
One of these days, you will go to a good tool store (I suggest CB tool
in San Jose, but the place in Alameda isn't half bad either).
What's the place in Alameda?

The Japan Woodworker, 1731 Clement Ave, Alameda. Specializes in
Japanese hand tools (I'm beginning to salivite just thinking about
them), but also has a good selection of big machines.

OK, if I use 3/4" EMT and have 6 #12 THHN conductors plus ground in
it, and I want to pull out two #12 conductors and replace them with
#10 or #8, how hard would that be? My entire conduit run is a
straight 15 feet, it should be a relatively simple install (once I
figure out all the nuances of conduit).

Through 15 feet of straight conduit: trivial. Even if there are other
conductors already in place. Probably don't even need a fish tape,
just push the wire through (maybe get a piece of solid wire to use as
a fish, then use it to pull stranded wire through). If you had said
"50 feet of 1/2" conduit, with 3 ninety-degree bends, already
stuffed", I would have said: Hard but doable (you'll have skinned
knuckles afterwards).

Our worst experience with this was pulling three 2/0 conductors (about
1/2" of copper each, for a 200A service) through about 70 feet of 1
1/2" conduit, with a few bends. We ended up with one person pushing
like mad, and filling the conduit with wire pulling lubricant, and the
second person using their full 200 lbs weight as a gravity operated
human winch. Took all afternoon, and afterwards all our hands were a
big mess. It is very hard to hold on to wire that has been smeared
with lubricant, so you keep sliding off, and hitting the sharp metal
edges. Much fun. Should have used 2 inch conduit instead.

Good luck!

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Ralph Becker-Szendy