Gardner Bender Hot Tube

[StreamlineGT]

Who has one, how do you like it, and where did you get it. I don't have a supplier near me that is an authorized dealer for them other than Orange Box, and they don't stock it.

[Mr.Sparkle]

I have no experience with the hot tube but have you ever seen the Hotbend (http://www.hotbend.com/index.html)?

I leaned about it from a link posted on here, I never used one but it looks awesome.

[GilbeSpark]

WOW for $700+ for a propane heat gun it better work good http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m63/angelgrl281/Smilies/40bd1dd1.gif!

[charlie]

WOW for $700+ for a propane heat gun it better work good http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m63/angelgrl281/Smilies/40bd1dd1.gif!
From the sales pitch, it looks like the payback would be quick if you have a lot of PVC to install. :)

[StreamlineGT]

From the sales pitch, it looks like the payback would be quick if you have a lot of PVC to install. :)

The Hot Tube is mid 700's also, but I already carry a generator on the van anyway, so the propane gun is no good.

[Fulthrotl]

From the sales pitch, it looks like the payback would be quick if you have a lot of PVC to install. :)

yeah... it'll bend up to 8" sch 80 pvc without burning, so they say.
uses a superheated air stream instead of open flame.

price is now $825. if it does what it says, it'd be worth every penny.

[StreamlineGT]

yeah... it'll bend up to 8" sch 80 pvc without burning, so they say.
uses a superheated air stream instead of open flame.

price is now $825. if it does what it says, it'd be worth every penny.

I need it mostly for service upgrades on ranches and capes that don't conform to the 45 degree prebent sweep. I've been doing them with a torch, and it sucks. The nice thing about the hot tube is no rotating, and no burning. You can leave it in the tube as long as you want, and not worry.

[peter d]

I need it mostly for service upgrades on ranches and capes that don't conform to the 45 degree prebent sweep. I've been doing them with a torch, and it sucks. The nice thing about the hot tube is no rotating, and no burning. You can leave it in the tube as long as you want, and not worry.


You're not a service cable guy, are you? ;)

[StreamlineGT]

You're not a service cable guy, are you? ;)

yeah, um, no.... how did you know??

[peter d]

yeah, um, no.... how did you know??

Because a service cable guy doesn't need a PVC bender for a service upgrade. :D

[Fulthrotl]

I need it mostly for service upgrades on ranches and capes that don't conform to the 45 degree prebent sweep. I've been doing them with a torch, and it sucks. The nice thing about the hot tube is no rotating, and no burning. You can leave it in the tube as long as you want, and not worry.

my experience with something like that is that if you heat up the end of the
conduit until plastic deformation occurs, you're gonna have a problem with
couplings. also, it may not matter for your application, but you are limited to
2". a blanket is cheaper. GB's hot tube costs the same as the hot torch....

and it has a 15 day money back guarantee..... no likee, no payee.... in my not
so humble opinion, you owe it to us to buy one of these slick torches, and let
us all know how it works.... :wink:

[StreamlineGT]

my experience with something like that is that if you heat up the end of the
conduit until plastic deformation occurs, you're gonna have a problem with
couplings. also, it may not matter for your application, but you are limited to
2". a blanket is cheaper. GB's hot tube costs the same as the hot torch....

and it has a 15 day money back guarantee..... no likee, no payee.... in my not
so humble opinion, you owe it to us to buy one of these slick torches, and let
us all know how it works.... :wink:

haha, I've bought way too many tools this month to warrant a purchase anytime soon, but I think the hot tube is on my list. I'm not feeling carrying around a propane tank. I'm running out of room in the van pretty fast. I just bought a honda generator, which has come in handy more often than not lately, and a Milwaukee band saw, which I haven't used yet, that was an impulse buy.

[nunu161]

ive used both the hot bend torches and the hot boxes and my opinion on both is that the box is nice for new installs with smoother and cleaner bends, while the torch is nice after its already in the ditch and you've got to alter your bends and when the concrete guys shift your pipes coming through the floor. I was just on a job me and my foreman put in 10,000 of underground pvc for pipes under 2" we would usually use the torch because its more conveinent. but for 2" and up i'd take the hot box.