bending emt by hand.

On 1/14/2005 4:49 PM US(ET), snipped-for-privacy@intertainia.com took fingers to keys, and typed the following:

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Reply to
willshak
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I'm not experienced enough to teach you how, especially long-distance, text only. But I have done it, and I discovered a trick that made it easier for me. And this is Usenet, after all, where any idiot can pose as an expert. :)

There are 2 bends to make, of course. I make the one closer to the end of the tubing first. How much do I bend it? I don't really know. A little. Then I turn the tubing around, putting it about as far into the bender as it will go.

Here's the trick. I put it on the floor at the threshold of my garage. There's a drop-off of about an inch and a half in the floor level there, which allows the bent part of the conduit to face "down" while still allowing the bender to touch the ground. I suspect that this could be done on a 2x4 if your topography isn't suitable.

I bend it until the previously "bent" part is now parallel to the ground again. A fair percentage of the time I get it right. Buy extra tubing and START with the offset end. If you screw it up, cut it off and do it again.

There's another reason besides cost to bend your own offsets. In my experience, wire pulls through tubing a lot more easily than through any kind of connector, so the fewer of them you use the better.

Greg Guarino

Reply to
Greg G

Well, actually there is a way to do it, but this is not a "hand tool". Take a circular saw and buy a abrasive steel cutting blade. Make a cut halfway thru the EMT every 1/4 inch or so the entire distance of the bend. You should then be able to bend the pipe with both hands, as long as it is bent toward the cuts. However, I would not run wires thru it due to all the sharp burrs inside, and it definately wont hold water or other liquids. Actually, it's aint worth anything, but it did make a bend.

Reply to
handyman

Thank you so much, but I've seen this. The level of detail is weak, for me, and even the chart's smallest offest is like 2" and for 1/2" emt, it think the offset is very small to pop into a box.

Thank you,

tom

Reply to
newsgroups01REMOVEME

Guys we need to listen louder. The bender that he did not want to buy is called a "little kicker". It is manufactured by Greenlee and sells for about $160.00. He has a regular bender. He is asking for good technique for making box offsets with a regular bender. He would like to avoid buying offset fittings or a single purpose box offset bender.

-- Tom H

Reply to
Takoma Park Volunteer Fire Dep

Yes there is a simple way to do offsets with a normal wheel bender. I say this to differentiate from a hickey bender. They are not the same tool. Offsets have been made for years with wheel benders. The offset benders are a fairly new development. They are efficient but I know many electricians who did not buy them when they came out and stayed with the old fashioned method. Most won't get it out for 1 or 2 offsets. You can see several here: http://198.247.193.8/wwwroot/greenlee/bending.pdf

Several people have told you to go to a couple of different sites to see how it is done. If you are going to buy a new wheel bender, they usually come with a small booklet or drawing showing you how to use it.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Keep the whole world singing . . . . DanG (remove the sevens) snipped-for-privacy@7cox.net

Reply to
DanG

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to Bend Conduit With a Hand Bender pretty good instructions for offsets on a pdf download there.

some handy multipliers for depth of offset with angle of bends, example;

30degree bend 3/4 offset would be 3/4 x 2 mark seperation = 1.5"
Reply to
bumtracks

The pdf explained how to do a quick 'box offset' what I'm guessing I need to pop emt into handy boxes. Sounds quick and easy, no mulitpliers(which was confusing the heck out of me for such a small offset). Just two 10degree bends bend-to-bend.

Thanks!

later,

tom @

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Reply to
newsgroups01REMOVEME

Subject: Re: bending emt by hand. Newsgroup: alt.home.repair => snipped-for-privacy@intertainia.com So my question was there a simple way to do offsets with the simple

Man it's easy. Just put the bender on the end of the emt and bend about an inch up. Then flip the emt over, slide it back about 3" and bend again. Buy an extra stick so you can practice- on second thought you better get a few extra sticks, because one you master the offset you're going to need prictice with sweeps.

Reply to
G. Morgan

Subject: Re: bending emt by hand. Newsgroup: alt.home.repair => Takoma Park Volunteer Fire Department Postmaster Guys we need to listen louder.

I understood him just fine.

Reply to
G. Morgan

Guess you'll hate me for this, but I bought a pair of Greenlee kickers on Ebay, 1/2" and 3/4", and the finished work looks so good I cream my jeans just looking at it.

And yes, these bends can be made with a hand bender - when an accomplished pro does them they look good. Practice, practice, practice.

Reply to
FarmerJim

Ugggg, better get some new jeans off ebay too!

thanks.

later,

tom @

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Reply to
newsgroups01REMOVEME

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