A spooling tool for paying out a fiber optic cable prewound on a spool region of a drop box or on an associated spool, when installing a cable at a user's premises. In one embodiment, the tool includes a base plate and a stud projecting from one side of the plate. An elongate arbor has one end secured to the stud in such a manner as to support the arbor perpendicular to the base plate. The arbor is dimensioned to pass through an axial passage in the box so that the box pivots on the arbor when the cable is unwound by an installer. A cap mechanism at the opposite end of the arbor retains the drop box on the arbor, and applies enough drag on the box to inhibit it from free wheeling on the arbor.