What's your favorite bender!

[wawireguy]

I'm in the market for a 3/4 bender as my current employer doesn't supply them and we are getting out of the ground on this project. I've used Greenlee, Ideal, GB. Used this one that I liked but can't remember the name of it. Think it did 30 degree bends when the handle was straight up. Anyways, what do you like and why?

 

[nakulak]

I like to find a nice tree with two main trunks about 10" dia. near where I'm working. Sometimes this doesn't work out, however, and since my hand benders always seem to walk away in someone else's truck I just use whatever is convenient.

 

[nyerinfl]

I don't have one but I would be interested to try one of these: http://rack-a-tiers.com/prodCat11.htm

FWIW I use a greenlee bender, pretty standard, does the job.

 

[cadpoint]

I'm a GB man 30? straight up, Spring for a piece of rob-roy 3/4", and sell the other 1/2 of stick to a friend ... you can thank me later

 

[active1]

Ideal is one that the handle is straight up at 30 degrees. Think it was based on a benfield. Seems like many of the older ones were not 30 degrees, think they were more 45 deg straight up.
I think Klein is about the same as Ideal.

All I would suggest is keep all the benders your used to from the same make or a copy of. Otherwise it becomes more difficult going from one size to another. Or your used to a minimum 90 being one size and it's something elce.

I like the AL head for being lighter. We bent plenty of RMC with all sizes of AL head Ideals with out a problem (except a tweeked handle). I have seen AL head bent and broken but was told it was from doing something it was not made for.

 

[cadpoint]

Ideal is one that the handle is straight up at 30 degrees.

OK : ?

Reminds that I DON'T like GB, I think ... :smile:

 

[480sparky]

I like to find a nice tree with two main trunks about 10" dia. near where I'm working. Sometimes this doesn't work out, however, and since my hand benders always seem to walk away in someone else's truck I just use whatever is convenient.

This may interest you, then....

From Audels' New Electric Library, 1938.

 

[ultramegabob]

pretty much anything but a GB, other than that, a hand bender is a hand bender, they are all pretty much the same other than I prefer ductile iron over aluminum, the aluminum ones I have used kinda hang onto the conduit a little, and I find it annoying to have to unwedge the conduit from the bender head after each bend.

 

[brian john]

When I want go on a bender usually pint and a half of Jim Beam.

On a serious note the contractor does not supply benders. I'd get a new job not a bender

 

[ultramegabob]

I like to find a nice tree with two main trunks about 10" dia. near where I'm working. Sometimes this doesn't work out, however, and since my hand benders always seem to walk away in someone else's truck I just use whatever is convenient.

I have bent some offsets and kicks in 1 1/4" EMT between the tires on a bobcat before I bought a bender for it...

 

[frizbeedog]

I like the Ideal benders. I'm fond of blue.

But, when bending pipe, I carry the Tom Henry pocket refrence card. Fits in your back pocket, and no math.

Try one, they're awesome.

Pocket Refrence Card For Pipe Bending

 

[charlie b]

My favorite bender has a lot to do with a lot of bourbon. :grin:

 

[peter d]

Ideal, but only because they have the Benfield-style markings on them.

 

[frizbeedog]

My favorite bender has a lot to do with a lot of bourbon. :grin:

Spoken like a true engineer. :grin:

 

[wawireguy]

LOL, beer is good to : ) I got one of those GB Big Ben ones. Looks fancy! Seems all the new benders are 30 deg straight up. Greenlee ones looked kinda crude.. Ideal looks nice, used em before. This GB looks sweet. If looks bend conduit it's got the others beat hands down ; )

 

[George Stolz]

The other day at a supply house, a guy returned a Klien bender - it was actually defective, the shoe was malformed and flattened the 90?s. All the benders on the rack were the same way.

I like Ideals the best, though my 1/2" is a Greenlee and is all right. The Ideal has finer markings, for more accurate bending, IMO.

 

[ultramegabob]

I didnt know GB had a new design, they may be better now, I hated the ones with the levels built in.

 

[cadpoint]

I have bent some offsets and kicks in 1 1/4" EMT between the tires on a bobcat before I bought a bender for it...

I was going to say, I'd add a rack of kendurf to the back of the next construction table... as shown in the illustrations...

Better yet, the MC's angle iron ...

 

[cadpoint]

The "I" is showing up in the "Ideal", and not in the "Bender"

 

[ray cyr]

Everyone I know that has a GB is unhappy with it. Everyone I know that has an Ideal IS happy with it.