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.

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.

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.

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.

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).]

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?

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.

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!"

... 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

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.

I'm feelin good now, I thought I was the only guy who struggled so much bending 1-1/4" emt. I too have to have my bags on to get the bender handle to come uphill. 1 weigh 145 pounds when I am soaking wet. Helps to own a 555 bender, but that thing usually stays back in my shop until a big job comes along.

One of theproblems with being a man of your size is people expect you to be able to muscle things around that they cannot.

Do you back a favor and get a mechanical bender for anything over 1" EMT. You'll last a lot longer in the trade.

two hints:
1) Big helper
2) Young helper

Did a Gondola job once, the millwrights saw our predicament and made us a solid handle 4' long. It weighed about 75 lbs but boy did it ever make 90's easy.

I too think its a two man job!

However, BS'ing around the supply house I heard about this gem.... (I have not tried it, but will next time a real op arises for lots of it.) 10,000Lbs ratheting cargo strap, and 2 vise grips! This guy was telling me about, and says he's been doing it for years? Lock one vise grip to the bender, and the other to the pipe so the strap wont slide, and crank up the strap. Disclaimer, not sure how well it would work, but sounds like it would.

I can actually bend the 1 1/4 in the air with out stepping on the bender. Did a 4 point saddle that way not long ago. Now mind you it was a struggle.

I only have the buck-eighty for mass, but a 6'4" frame. I'm never intimididated by 1-1/4". Good balance and being able to throw your weight around goes a long way.

great upper body strength, too

I second some of the previous comments. Why waste time, your back and energy that could be used eleswhere to making 90s? Premade ones work great. Nobody thinks twice about buying 1 1/2 or 2" premade 90s.

Now,for the other side of the coin.
*My hat is off to you sir for bending your own tubeing,and not short-cutting the craftmanship in your 1.25 raceway(s).

I have always believed in the bending of 1.25 tubeing, in lew of the pre-fab.I didn't purchase my 1.25 bender for show-in tell,but to utilize in the tubeing.Gentlemen,I just don't believe in short-cutting raceway(s)presentation.

*A much more neater,professional installation.In light of the ameturish looking raceway(s) with a hideous looking slew of couplings.

~a senario~
Put the (2)two racked methods side-by-side.And in all honesty, which do you really believe is going to make sale, in presentation(s) of the professional installation.




[This message has been edited by dillon3c (edited 10-30-2005).]

Well said dillon.

We hand bend the 1 1/4. But we don't do too much of it.

Trouble is it does not seem like many outside the trade know or care about the difference. Prebent pipe does seem to go up faster.

Here is trick that was taught to me by a 125 lb journeyman. Anyone can bend stub 90's on 1 1/4 using it.

-Find a solid corner where 2 walls meet.

-Place the far end of the conduit(opposite the bender) up against one wall and parallel to the other.

-The hardest part is getting the bend started.

-Steady yourself with your arm on the wall and then let go while thrusting and pushing down on the foot pedal.

-Once you get the bend to 30 degrees it gets a lot easier.

-Now....forget bending it like a piece of 1/2 inch and try the unconventional way.

-Turn your body around(not the conduit)180 degrees with the bender handle between your legs.

-Again steady yourself on the wall then let go a push DOWN on the handle while pushing on the pedal with BOTH feet.(It will look like you are standing on a pogo stick)

-I promise with ALL your body weight plus the push from your arms the 90 will appear in no time.

This method also saves energy on stub 1 inches as well.


Hope this all made sense.

Mark, Inventor of the 'Human Crossbow!'

"Hey, was that Sparky that just flew past?"
"Sparky!? Fly!? Do me a favor!!"

Alan

Dillon.... Like many here, we take great pride in our workmanship and quality. However, on several of our projects, the 90 degree bends are hidden in drop ceilings or other concealed, out of the way locations. For us, prebent is the way to go. IF, the location is an easily visible one, or an area where presentation is important, then we will go with the onsite bend. I'd rather we not waste valuable time and energy bending the stuff.

[This message has been edited by Sandro (edited 10-30-2005).]

My limit for hand bending is 3/4" HW or 1" emt. Last week I did some minor bends in 1.25" HW using a hole in concrete block. I used my legs, not my back. I also bent a 3' piece of 1.25" HW a few degrees with a 2X4 and a sledge. We tried using a backhoe, but it put a pretty bad crimp in it.

Dave

I gave up hand-bending 90's on 1 1/4" when the conduit started kinking on me.....now I buy manufactured 90's, but will do offsets when required.

We try to get the new guys to bend 1" rigid with a handbender just for the experence. We might not use the bend (cut and thread for a pre-bent), but it makes bending 1/2" and 3/4" seem like bending cooked pasta!

It's also worth the look on the guys face when he try's to start the bend

Posted by Elektrikguy:
"-Again steady yourself on the wall then let go a push DOWN on the handle while pushing on the pedal with BOTH feet.(It will look like you are standing on a pogo stick)"

Why do I picture rotating around the conduit and landing on my side?

straddle the handle between your legs.

And then what?

I think just reading this thread will make your workers comp rate go up.



[This message has been edited by Amazingmg (edited 11-03-2005).]