How many of you guys have or do use no-dog levels? Do they make bending faster/easier?

I ask because of some bending I had to do last week...conduit going up from a panel, offsetting back to plywood , then offsetting from plywood back to drywall. I took the time to make all the conduit bends match each other so it looks nice, but I couldn't help wonder how much quicker it might have been with a no-dog. I also have another panel like this to do right after the holidays.

I've thought about buying one of these in the past but I figured I should probably get good at bending without any "cheating" first. Well I think I've gotten pretty good at doing neat, consistent bends and maybe it's time to make my work easier.

Will a no-dog level make my life easier?

Thanks for the input.


Shawn.

I use the greenlee version, doubles as a regular level too.



The bubble is really sensitive though. That is the only drawback it has for me. Besides making bending easier, It just doesn't take as long to get the other side of the offset to line up. Just level it back out and bend away.

Never tried one. I try the measurement and flat surface method.

Funny quick story: Had a helper, errr. (sorry) napprentice) Did 50/60" looked good for a second... Found he had the plumbers level.

So in good spirit... I broke his heart.. Poor thing.

Then WE (he and I) had a good laugh. Thats how you learn. He tried so hard and I knew it.

He is a master now. I hope I had a little to do with his success.

I have never used a 'no-dog level'. I dropped my Klein of a ladder so I got this Johnson one and it can take a punishment:
http://www.johnsonlevel.com/jl/product.php?id=lvls007

I just hold the length of conduit up by my head and look down the conduit to see if there is a dogleg. If there is a dogleg I can bend it slightly to correct it (1/2" to 1"). When I do back to back offsets like that, I make sure the conduit is straight in the bender before bending. I also put a mark on the bender where the center of the bend will be so if I need to copy a bend I know it will be the same.

One thing that irritates me is when the conduit isn't straight when you receive it. I try not to use those for surface runs.

I tried the no dog but I lost it before I could tell if I really liked it. The way I do them is with a sharpie, I just make a tiny mark at the end, about 1/4" long right in the center. Then I mark the cut edge, then straight down to the opposite side where I draw another 1/4" line. Now I can get each side centered in the bender for a no dog offset, and the tiny lines are not visible once inside the fittings.

I have two of the no-dogs.. one stays on my hard hat until I lose it, then the second one comes out, it will help with bigger EMT and certainly rigid, some guys like the Greenlee style , I just don't have one of them,
>>I think the bubbles are too small for me<<<

I use a no-dog for bending anything that I won't bend by hand, which anymore is anything bigger than 1"

Togol must have had a lot more lead in his, well nevermind, I never could bend 1 1/4" EMT by hand.

Anytime I use a hydraulic or a mechanical bender, I use a no dog, it takes all the guesswork & judgement out of the equation.

The picture posted above combines the no dog with another of my favorites which is a 30 degree bubble for no brainer offsets.

Tom

I always use the anti dog with electric or hydraulic benders.
It sure beats the old way of strapping a piece of unistrut to the conduit and leveling that.

On smaller hand benders - try this:
http://www.markhellerelectric.com/bendernotches.pdf

I only use my greenlee level on larger stuff.

LOL, I meant to say that I only use a no dog on bigger pipe or mechanical benders

For panels that have many conduits going up or down, I still prefer unistrut. Looks great and is very easy and saves time.