Klein/Benfield, Ideal, and Greenlee all make hand conduit benders. Are they all pretty much the same, or is there one brand that's a lot better than the others?

I'm sure this won't be the popular reply, but I like GB for the level on it.

Dave

We have lots of benders, and I have never once looked at who made it before picking it up.

Some guys say that one of the certain metals is more prone to breaking, but I have never broken a bender except when using it for rigid.

Those levels are useless on an un-level floor, and its rare to find a surface thats level.

The most accurate method is this.
Although due for a re-design so you can read it from the side....

And, I have only one complaint about the Greenlee 1/2", the foot stop is too small, you can't get a steel toe in there for proper foot pressure.

Person favorite is Ideal cast iron.

I personally like Greenlee. It has the degree of bend marked on one side and the multiplier on the other. A seasoned veteran can remember the multipliers but it is very handy for a newer apprentice who is new to bending. Also, it seems like the Greenlee grips the pipe better. One of the guys has an older 3/4 emt Ideal iron hand bender that doesn't hold the pipe very well, the pipe has a lot of side to side movement making it hard not to dog leg it. Maybe the newer Ideals are better. e57, I have never used a magnetic angle finder, are you bending angles that aren't marked on the bender? Or just looking for more accuracy?

To "COW": A protractor is usually not needed whle bending EMT with a hand bender, but it is the only way to go if bending pipe on a "Chicago" bender or hydraulic.

As far as my preferences on hand benders, I always liked the Greenlee "site-rite" style that allows you to eyeball the angle of the bend with the pipe on the floor. This allowed me to use the offset multipliers without the need for a protractor. I never really figured out how to utilize the angle markers on the Ideal benders.

The one thing I find critical about benders is that you MUST know what bend you've made when the handle is vertical. On Ideal it is 30 degrees, on GB 45....

While I have NOT used it, the new black finish on the Ideal benders suggests that they might hold on to the pipe better.

My favorite bender tip: put a crutch tip on the end of the handle.

Cow, I was actauly saying... if you're gonna use levels while bending, that one is more accurate than, those two on a GB bender. However, I do use mine often for off-ests where it counts, and for larger pipe where hydraulics are involved.

Reno... whats the crutch tip for????

I do not care if the bender is made from aluminum or iron, I do not care who makes it.

All I care about is that a straight up handle results in a 30 degree bend.

30 degrees is the most common number I use for offsets, occasionally if it will be out of sight I go 15 degrees for easer pulling.

The only place I've ever used a magnetic angle finder is when bending pipe too big to easily remove a little bit of over bend or when trying to match existing bends from the previous electrician.
You never know if his bender was off by a degree or two and mine seem to almost always be a little off.
I think that after a bit of use, the jaw, if you want to call it that, will spread a little which leads to a slightly lesser angle of bend than the marks are telling you.
That angle finder does come in handy when bending 4" though.
couple that with a "no-dog" and you're good to go.
As for personal taste, I like Benfield for hand bending

I learned on my Dad's Benfield (now sold by Klein) Ductile Iron jobs... But my foreman had a Greenlee that really seemed to bend easier than any others.

Currently I've got a GB for 1/2 and an Ideal for 3/4.

I agree with renosteinke, the most infuriating thing I have run into is thinking that a vertical handle is 30, and finding out it is actually a 45. Add one to the trophy pile...

I have both Ideal and GB hand benders, and someday I will get mad enough to make sure I have a consistent collection of benders. I think a steel head will last longer than a die-cast (take more abuse without deforming or breaking), but other than that a bender is a bender is a bender.

As for the magnetic protractor, there is nothing better for matching the angles of either “the last guy” or building structure. Trying to get that 3/4” tucked into building steel, and it's not a multiple of 90? Slap it up there and then match that 55 degree angle with ease! And for any conduit not hand bent, it's a 10$ tool than makes you look like a magician.

E57...and those of you too timid to ask...the crutch tip helps keep the handle from sliding on the floor when you are using it "shoe up."
If you are using just any old pipe for a handle, you want the 1" tips. If yours are the fancy store-bought handles, then the 1 1/8 tips fit (for the two smallest benders).

I also use Loktite to keep the head from unscrewing.

I just got used to the Ideal and hate using another. Mostly like others said others will bend a 45 when the handel is strait up instead of a 30.

Thanks for all your replies. There seems to be a general concensus that it doesn't really matter much, but with a slight preference for the Ideal because of the "30 degrees at straight-up" design. So I've gone out a picked up an Ideal. Thanks again!

Reno', nice tip on the tip!

Anyway, some other bender notes...

I usually have all 3 of my 1/2" benders in the truck. (One regular use, one no handle, which I grap the 3/4 handle to hand to the App's. And my "Baby bender" which is a 2' handle for tight places like alleys, hallways and general production bending that I do all on the floor. Short handle, no need to stand... Also fits nicely in a hammer loop, and good for bending on the wall or in the air. Good for use on a lift as well.)

A handy trick I've used for tight back to back bends:

A couple of galvanized plumbing elbows with a nipple between them and a short nipple to go into the bender head can be used to offset the handle. It takes a little practice, but works.

(I once got a job with a contractor whose trick was to ask applicants to bend an 18" back to back 90°. I bent a full circle this way. He was amazed and hired me on the spot. )

I have : Ideal 1/2" Ideal 1" Ideal & Greenlee 3/4". The 1/2" has been hanging on the garage wall for years, I don't run 1/2". I use my Greenlee 3/4 the most I like the angle sites on it plus it's lighter then my Ideal. I find myself fine tuning emt while on a ladder so lighter is better. I like to keep the flared end on the handle open as opposed to putting tips on it. I use the flared end to adjust emt stubs coming out of the block walls.

i have ideal both 1/2 and 3/4 benders but instering twist with my i took a stainless steel pipe and threaded both end and presto i have two bender on one pipe it more heveyer but i dont have to drag two benders with me at all [ you may want to change the length of pipe to suit your need ] my pipe bender "handle" is little over 5 feet long so it make easier to bend the 3/4 pretty fast .

the other secret is get fine sand paper from time to time clean up the groove so you dont get any kink at all and once a while spray WD-40 will do the trick but for threaded area in the handle i used anti sezire compund stuff it work great


Merci , Marc

Reno' thougtht of you today as I slipped my foot behind my bender as I bent in the air... "Crutch tp.... Hmmm."

Anyway, Electure you mentioned a 'bender test' for hiring... This is an experiance I had years ago, and ends funny...

I go in for an interveiw, the guy wants me to sit for a short written test, just a few general knowledge questions etc. Then in the garage of the shop he has two boxes mounted to the wall and a low cieling... All of the KO's are out, and he says, "You can go in any direction you want, bend some 1/2" from there, to there. I'm gonna look over your test, and come see me when you're done." (All of anything you might need was sitting in a box, and there was plenty of pipe in a rack next to it.) So I do it, I get hired.... I'm working there for about a year, and one day, I show up at the shop, and there's a guy at the table nervously taking the test. So I tell him, "Hey don't worry, we all took that, and theres no trick questions..." And I go in to see the boss. He says, "Did you see that kid out there? This ones gonna be good! This guy wants $30 an hour... Just hang out while I get him set up..." He goes out, and comes back, and opens a cabinet in his office, and theres a CCTV monitor of the shop trained on where this guy is standing. I asked how long he had that there, he said he always had it there... "You didn't know... I watched you too. I guess you cant see the camera out there, its buried behind a lot of crap..." So we're watching this guy... He dogs a bx off-set badly, cuts it off, and looks for a place to stash it... Starts again, makes a 90, but not quite, tweeks it by hand, and kinks it. Folds that in half, looks around, stashes it under a truck! Starts back, realizing there may be only a certain number of sticks in the pipe, goes back to the bosses van, pulls out a new stick! (Leaves the carrier open!)Myself and the boss are rolling! Starts again, gets almost there 15 minutes later, and cuts too short to make it to the box. He drops the pipe, and walks out... Boss says as he's catching his breath... "Theres someone I don't have to fire down the road!"

Now that's too funny!

As for myself: I use Siterite II by Greenlee. I like their lower weight. I have bent some GRC with them, but EMT is my norm.

I like Benfield, in iron, almost as much.

I have no difficulties with the others; but I do like the Greenlee, Benfield, Ideal 30 degree scheme.

electure: that's a new one on me. I'm going to use it. Thanks.

My 1/2" and 3/4" are Klein/Benfield. My 1" is an old, old Appleton that I bought off of a retired EC who bought it off of an old sparky in the 50s. My 1-1/4" is a Greenlee I bought off Ebay for $35.00. It looks new. I've used it several times in the 3 years I've owned it. A fellow sparky I know has benders with the levels in them. He doesn't use that feature much since a level concrete floor is rare.

I've found over the years that I probably have bent more EMT with the shoe up than down. Thanx for the rubber tip tip.

(There is a radio station here with the call letters WRVQ. Their public sevice announcements start with "Here's a WRVQ-tip..."