- The conduit will not bend properly and/or will be damaged if a mismatch of bender and conduit size is used. Place the bender onto the tubing with the hook pointed towards the free end to be bent upwards. Make sure the conduit is resting properly in the bender’s hook and lineup the arrow symbolwith the mark you placed on the tubing.
- Blow torch One of the most common ways to bend pipes without a machine is by using a blow torch. Extreme heat is concentrated on the area you want to bend, making it malleable. There are a number of ways to use heat to bend pipes, which we outline below.
Conduit bending is truly one of the fundamental tasks of the electrical construction industry. Whether EMT, galvanized rigid steel conduit, or intermediate conduit, you will need to bend it. Bends will be required as part of your installation. Of course, factory-made elbows are available for feeder sizes (11/4-in. and higher). However, for branch circuit sizes, the trusty hickey is the tool of the day. Let's look at the following step-by-step approach.
Step 1: Remove cutting burrs from the cut conduit end. Before you begin your bend, use a conduit reamer to remove any cutting burrs left after you've made your cut. Some electricians use a knife to swipe the edge of the cut. Don't use a screwdriver; it's not meant for this task and really doesn't work as well.
If you need a quick fix and don't have a tubing bender or a compression spring on hand, pack the tube tightly with clean fine-grain sand. Bend the tube into the desired shape. Empty the sand out of the tube and rinse thoroughly. The sand has enough fluid property to be flexible under pressure while not being compressible enough to allow kinking. Okay let's talk some theory. Using this bender will require using your head a little. Most benders have a fixed center line radius die. But with this bender, the radius of any given bend is a giant variable. So for all intensive purposes when I refer to the bend radius from now on, it is actually the inner radius of the tube that I mean. Use a string to lower the spring to the bend point. Bend easily with your arms over your knee and then pull the spring back out with the string. Done 30 seconds worth of work. This method does not work on 1.25″ pipe or larger bout 1″-1/2″ is simple. Will need different size springs for each size pipe.
Step 2: Mark the distance at which the conduit must change direction. Determine where you want the conduit to start. This is usually where the conduit secures inside a fitting. Then, determine where you need the conduit to change directions. For example, if you need a horizontal conduit to run vertically 5 ft from its starting point, then you need the conduit to change directions at 5 ft. Thus, make a mark on the conduit 5 ft from its start point.
Step 3: Mark the middle of the bend. If you need a 90 degree bend 5 ft from the conduit's starting point, then the middle of your bend is going to be somewhat less than the 5-ft distance. Many hand benders have the difference number you need noted right on them. If there is no number, remember this difference equals the radius of your bender. Most benders will have a mark that says '90.' Simply measure from that mark to the mark '0.' Then subtract that distance from the 'change of direction' distance. This is the middle of your bend. Write this number, calling it 'bend.' Make the measurement near the bottom of the bending shoe, as close to the centerline of the conduit as possible. Mark the conduit to show the middle of the bend.
Step 4. Verify marks will make correct bend. Hold the conduit up to where you intend to install it. Do the 'change of direction' and 'middle of the bend' marks line up with the result you want? If not, measure again. Remember the motto: 'Measure twice, bend once.'
How To Use A Pipe Bender
Step 5. Make a second verification. Lay the conduit on the floor with the 'start' end against the wall. Measure from that end of the conduit until you reach a distance equal to the 'bend' number you calculated earlier. Does this line up with the earlier mark you made? If so, continue with the next step.
Step 6: At the middle of the bend, mark a line on the floor. Place the 'start' end of the conduit against a wall. Slip the hickey over the other end and line it up with the 'bend' mark. If the hickey has a mark that reads '0,' line up that mark with the 'bend' mark. Pull up on your bender handle until the conduit is vertical. If your bend isn't perfect, you can adjust it by moving the hickey a little to one side of the bend and pulling slightly.
How To Bend Conduit 90 Degrees Without A Bender
In Part Two, we'll look at how to make an end bend and an offset.