ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Homemade tools

Hey, I remember that series! Wasn't it Don Adams in the lead role, battling Chaos? Did you ever get that "cone of silence" thing working right?

I've made a variety of tools, some as temporary improvs, and some as permanent tools. Here are some examples:

1) A #6 cable reel will both mount 4 receptacles in the core, and carry 100' of real extension cord. Instant spider-box;

2) A collection of 12" threaded nipples, plastic threaded couplings, and certain bits from the garden department gives you a tool for boring under drives and walks. Hook hose to one end, and let the water do the work for you. Add nipples for length, as needed;

3) 6-gal bucket, rigid paint liner, and toilet seat, and some kitty litter solves a critical issue on some job sites; and,

4) Glue a tape measure to the side of your truck, and you have one great assist to bending pipe.

I tried to bend conduit with my truck and it kinked. You must be doing something I don't understand. Perhaps you can give some more details.

BTW, I, also, once had a helper that was about as good as a tape measure glued to the side of a truck.

Ah, the joys of grammar ...

Here's how the tape can help:
Normally, when making multiple bends, you wind up in an unnatural position with the pipe going off in one direction, the tape in another, and your trying to hold it all together, read the tape, and mark the pipe with only one free hand.

Instead, you take advantage of the bodywork of the truck. A seam can give you a groove that will hold the pipe in place; this is where you put the pipe. With the sheet metal being straight, you can both measure your offsets as well as check them for being straight. You can also check bend angles readily. The tape lets you measure and mark the pipe for the next bend.

You're not using the truck as a tool to actually bend the pipe; you're using it as a fixture and a square to mark and inspect the bends you have made.

... unless you are sticking RNC in the tail pipe

I used the truck exhaust pipe on a few occasion to bend some PVC conduit. I have hot boxes up to 6" but when you're way out in the boonies it's Macgyver time.

I learned that an exhaust manifold doesn't get hot enough to cook hot dogs, and it makes them taste like grease.

One contractor I worked for used a portable barbecue with holes cut in the ends to bend PVC. That did get hot enough to cook hot dogs.

The only tricks with using the exhaust pipe trick is, wear gloves and keep a cold connector handy to slide over the hot end so it holds the shape when it cools or you will have the perfectly bent pipe that is useless because you can't hook it up.

I think I have used that trick more for plumbing pipe than RNC but it is the same trick. When I was plumbing in my solars for the spa, I needed a strange bend you can't assemble from parts so I fired up old "Brownie" (the 86 F100 that went for the clunker deal RIP)

I remember one of the guys I worked with way back using the rear dual wheels of the truck to bend offsets in 2" EMT!

Also, he had some pieces of steel banding strap that he used for a short snake in walls.

I get funny looks from people when they see me with a stick of 2" EMT wedged between the rear tire and the ground and start prying. It's a great way to take the bend out of an over-bent angles. If there's a JLG on the job the knobby tread is great to seat the bend on. Next time I run 2" I think I'll throw a stick of 3" GRC in the conduit rack. That way if I run into an over-bend problem I can just stick the EMT inside the pipe and take some bend out. Can't do too much though because of deformation..