2" Emt dilemma

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I've personally used a garage wall with a nearby utility pole, Chicago alleys were always good that way. With aluminum it was MUCH easier than rigid hwg... one time when I was without my brother, I used the truck to help give the extra muscle by putting it in gear and very gently nudging the conduit which I had tied off into the ) of the bumper. That bend did turn out a little bumpy :(
 

Fulthrotl

~Autocorrect is My Worst Enema.~
Sooo....
Any of you old timers, err, I mean ' experienced' tradesmen, have any ideas on how to bend 2" EMT in a pinch without an actual bender? I know, I know, I am risking banishment for asking, but it's really in the interest of history, I feel the old ways can teach a valuable lesson on why we now use benders designed for the purpose. Really.

Thanks,
You may now commence my verbal beating
Charlie

there isn't much you can do to that pipe that won't look like it was ran
over by a truck.

don't tell nobody..... and it isn't legal... (below minimum radius)
but in an "EMERGENCY".... there is always the muffler shop.
you can get away with a kick or offset, but if you bend a full
90.... you probably aren't gonna like having to get anything
thru it other than the pull rope.

i've never been that desperate, but i heard it from a friend who,
heard it from a friend who, heard it from another... that it'll work.

now, if you need to bend tubing, and don't want it flattening out,
pack sand into the tube before you bend it... it has to be filled well,
and plugs stuck in the ends to keep it tamped, and wet sand does
work better than dry sand, but you can bend emt in a blackhawk
bender, and make amazingly tight bends..... and the tube won't flatten....

so, when you get the pipe between a rock and a hard place, and
have two oxen yoked to it, to make a segment bend, pack your
pipe first, vern....

and after it's finished, and a thing of glory, have fun getting all that
wet sand out of the pipe.... :D

randy
 

ceb58

Senior Member
Location
Raeford, NC
You bunch of sisseys. In my younger, drunker days I would put it on top of my head and bend 90's all day. What were we talking bout? Where am I? Who am I?:D

But on another note I saw a device in the supply house for bending 1/2'' and 3/4" pvc that was neat. It was a tightly wound spring about 3' long. You slide the spring in side the pipe and bend 90's over your knee. Would not kink the pipe.
 

blueheels2

Senior Member
Location
Raleigh, NC
Occupation
Electrical contractor
I work with a guy now who can put a pretty good offset in 2" off of his truck tire. THe job we are own now has 3 of these type bends. My boss is 2 cheap to buy the right stuff.
 

ctmike

Senior Member
You bunch of sisseys. In my younger, drunker days I would put it on top of my head and bend 90's all day. What were we talking bout? Where am I? Who am I?:D.
that explains a lot
B
But on another note I saw a device in the supply house for bending 1/2'' and 3/4" pvc that was neat. It was a tightly wound spring about 3' long. You slide the spring in side the pipe and bend 90's over your knee. Would not kink the pipe.

i have the tool you discibed not bad you have to over bend it a bit as it does like to spring back
 
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480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
Found this in my archives:

bending.jpg
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I have bent them over a tire, too.

I know this will sound like bs, but when I was a 4th year, My jw was an ox.
He could take a piece that was already bent and bend it some more or take some out by hand. By using his weight and standing on it.
I bet he could lie in a hammock by holding one end up if he could only find a single tree. :D
 

Power Tech

Senior Member
Looks like that will hurt. If I did that the board would break and I'de knock myself out.

Great idea about filling the conduit with sand. An friend said that is how they make stair rails.

About the truck tire and emt. you will kink it and it's a lesson in frustation.

Terry
Power Tech
 
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