What do Y'all use to bend large wire?

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Many moons ago I used to work for a contractor who had a greenlee hydraulic wire bender... bigger wire than 4/0 though.
 
Weak wire bender

Weak wire bender

I'm old too but I can still bend 4/0 and even 350MCM without a problem . They do make a nice hand bender about a foot long that will handle up to 500MCM . Graybar carries these although I don't know the name of the manufacturer .
 
What do you all use to bend large wire? A large electrician!:D

I used to use a Greenlee cable bender. Even for 4/0 cu when it was cold out. :wink:
 
hockeyoligist2 said:
I'm getting old and weak..... I find it harder to bend larger wire (4/0 etc.) in tight spaces. I need a tool!
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Greenlee ratchet cable bender. I used one once, but I don't and probably never will own one (which is by no way, in and of itself, an indication of performance).

http://www.mygreenlee.com/Products/...=showGreenleeProductTemplate&upc_number=22590

When faced with this situation, I usually slide a piece of the smallest diameter conduit that fit and I can find over the end of the cable to use for leverage. A bushing on the end of the conduit will help keep the cable from getting nicked up. Several slight flexes and sliding the conduit towards the end of the wire between flexes gives a better gradual bend in the wire. Just one full-flex bend seems to give too sharp a bend in the wire.
 
This might help????

This might help????

hockeyoligist2 said:
I'm getting old and weak..... I find it harder to bend larger wire (4/0 etc.) in tight spaces. I need a tool!
Click to expand...

I'm not old and week and I still get soar after a round with 6 parallel sets of 600kcmils.

One thing that I have done and others like it also is .....to spin the long handle off of your typical hand bender and attach a smaller piece of GRC. Now you have a small tool that is great for making identical radius's, and your hands don't feel like there going to fall off.

Obviously, one size doesn't fit all but you can fit some pretty big stuff in a 3/4'' shoe. Also, you know those "whole hawgs" that everyone takes the handles off of.......the handle is perfect size, with a comfortable grip, and spins right into the appropriate shoe.
 
wbalsam1 said:
What do you all use to bend large wire? A large electrician!:D

I used to use a Greenlee cable bender. Even for 4/0 cu when it was cold out. :wink:
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I am the Old Large Electrician! 6'5" :) But I'm the youngest of the bunch!

Most of the time I need to bend it, it is cold and/or raining/snowing/ice storm. Old stuff that has to be moved and a temp generator hooked up. After you get it bent out of the way and taped up in a safe place it is really hard to get it back on the lugs. Tight quarters, wire barely long enough.
 
ibew441dc said:
I'm not old and week and I still get soar after a round with 6 parallel sets of 600kcmils.

One thing that I have done and others like it also is .....to spin the long handle off of your typical hand bender and attach a smaller piece of GRC. Now you have a small tool that is great for making identical radius's, and your hands don't feel like there going to fall off.

Obviously, one size doesn't fit all but you can fit some pretty big stuff in a 3/4'' shoe. Also, you know those "whole hawgs" that everyone takes the handles off of.......the handle is perfect size, with a comfortable grip, and spins right into the appropriate shoe.
Click to expand...

Yes, the sore thing is the worse part of it, I most likely have arthritis, since my Dad does. After the 4rth or 5th one I'm in pain. I have took the handle off of an EMT bender and used it, but most of the time it is too small of a space.
 
I use a tool called "BendAll" from RackATiers. I cost about ~$30 if I recall correctly.
It's basically a chunk of aluminum about 1" by 5" by 5/16" and it has a 1/2" square hole in the middle and two 1/2" pins about 1 1/4" long sticking out at each end.
Actually I invented this device and then saw it advertised in one of the contractor magazines. So I got one. You need a 1/2" drive ratchet and also an extention bar.
~Peter
 
peter said:
I use a tool called "BendAll" from RackATiers. I cost about ~$30 if I recall correctly.
It's basically a chunk of aluminum about 1" by 5" by 5/16" and it has a 1/2" square hole in the middle and two 1/2" pins about 1 1/4" long sticking out at each end.
Actually I invented this device and then saw it advertised in one of the contractor magazines. So I got one. You need a 1/2" drive ratchet and also an extention bar.
~Peter
Click to expand...

Thanks Peter! That looks like what I need, googled it, and its the right price!
 
hockeyoligist2 said:
Yes, the sore thing is the worse part of it, I most likely have arthritis, since my Dad does. After the 4rth or 5th one I'm in pain. I have took the handle off of an EMT bender and used it, but most of the time it is too small of a space.
Click to expand...


I've never done this but I think I might give it a shot. The problem is like you said typically in tight areas.....even a small shoe may not fit. How about taking an old shoe under the knife and trim some of the excess , get rid of the handle attachment all together so it has a low profile and takes up less space. I think I will round up an old shoe and see if I can make something work. Besides its usually not the bending its getting leverage in the right spot.
 
I usually just use an Al.

DSCN0388.jpg
 
I still can't believe they make you feed your wires through CT donuts Chris.:roll: When are they going to go with bolt-in CT's like the rest of the world? Everytime I see one of your CT'ed service pics, I think what a PIA that must be...
 
Cow said:
I still can't believe they make you feed your wires through CT donuts Chris.:roll: When are they going to go with bolt-in CT's like the rest of the world? Everytime I see one of your CT'ed service pics, I think what a PIA that must be...
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Florida is a 3rd world country. Ask Florida Power and Light about Art. 690.:roll::mad:
 
Chris Kennedy,

Is that YOU in the photo. And is THAT the cable you bent with your HANDS ?
You are one STOUT man! And those are BIG cables!

I am way past senior status, but I still use my musclar arms/shoulders and hands for the first ones. Then I start using a handle from the Big Drills, along with both hands and shoulders. Don't think there is a good reason to get real sore joints over making a dollar.

Guys,
I like innovative tools and ideas. It is good to hear what others do!
:smile:
 
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