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#57657 10/18/05 09:20 PM
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 814
B
BigB Offline OP
Member
Well I just bent a bunch of 1-1/4 today with a hand bender, offsets and 90's. I must say that it is a real feeling of satisfaction when pipe that big comes out looking so good with a hand bender. However I also must say I am beat. That was a real workout, even tho I am 6'3" and weigh 236 lbs.

Do many of you bend 1-1/4 by hand? If so, any tricks or suggestions? I don't do enough big pipe work to warrant a hydraulic, maybe someday.

#57658 10/18/05 10:30 PM
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 33
C
Cow Offline
Member
Sorry, don't have any tricks to offer but can you rent a bender for jobs like that? Benders can't rent for that much I wouldn't think.

#57659 10/18/05 11:12 PM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 212
G
Member
When I use a 1 1/4 emt hand bender I put the tail of the piece against a wall and get the whole thing up close and parallel to a wall so I can keep my balance. And I still have to wear all my tools to have enough weight to do a proper job. I really try to avoid the whole thing.

#57660 10/18/05 11:14 PM
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,445
Likes: 2
Cat Servant
Member
Here I will speak of the unspeakable, and suggest non-approved methods, in violation of the manufacturers' instructions!

I have had great success bending 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 EMT with the $75 "hydraulic pipe bender" sold by Harbor Freight.
This device is little more than a frame with a bottle jack inside. The instructions make it plain that it is NOT for bending electrical conduit.
Lets see...$$$$$$$$ for Greenlee, or $75 for HF.....I think I'll try HF anyway.

The "secret" is to limit this thing to very small bends....even a 15 degree bend is best done in multiple steps, moving the pipe a little each time. Thus, you are able to make nice, gentle offsets and saddles. For the right angle bends, store-bought sweeps are the answer. Don't even dream of exceeding a 20 degree bend!
The shoe provided for 2" is way over size for EMT, and my experience with it has been very poor.

#57661 10/18/05 11:26 PM
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 814
B
BigB Offline OP
Member
Greg, They also said to eat all your lunch first so you will weigh more!

[This message has been edited by BigB (edited 10-18-2005).]

#57662 10/18/05 11:32 PM
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 92
P
Member
As President and chief executive secretary of the Intergalactic Oganization Opposed to 1 1/4" EMT, I should be entitled to a few comments.
Bravo to you for your success but I should point out that not all electricians are "6'3" and weigh 236 lbs".
The evil abomination 1 1/4" EMT lies is a no-man's land between what is hand bendable [1"]
and what is plainly not [1 1/2"]. Since hand benders are made for this size [purchased by the electrician employee], the EC owner doesn't bother to buy a mechanical bender with a shoe of this size.
If you need a larger size tube than 1", then why not use 1 1/2"?
~Peter
note: our organiztion has been rather sucessful: have you seen any 3 1/2" EMT or its fittings at Home Depot lately?

#57663 10/18/05 11:34 PM
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 101
L
Member
I have never had enough ass behind me to bend 1-14 with a hand bend unless I segment bend it with a rigid hickey. even then it never comes out the way I'd like.

#57664 10/19/05 12:32 AM
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,143
D
Member
I asked my foreman what that huge *ss bender in his truck was once...

He replied "It's an inch and a quarter hand bender... although nowdays I mostly use it to scare the sheetrockers who fill our boxes full of mud!"

#57665 10/19/05 12:56 AM
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 524
Member
... Weighing in at a buck-80,and the upper body strength of 10 rats,.. if I need to bend anything over 1",I go for the pre-fab bends...I'm not shy....I'm just lazy...
Russ


.."if it ain't fixed,don't break it...call a Licensed Electrician"
#57666 10/19/05 12:58 AM
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,273
T
Member
1.25" hand benders are uneconomic for standard bends.

I use mine strictly for kicks and offsets -- and small ones at that.

I regard it as a two man tool: one heavy dude to apply pressure at the bend; the other to hump the bar.

A solo bend looks like an OSHA violation, to me.


Tesla
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