Any commercial sparkies here?

[basher13]

Wanting to know if a tripple nickel speed bender will work on DOM or HREW pipe for cages and bumpers. It has dies up to 2" for IMC, EMT and Ridgid.
Thanks

 

[SteveL]

I don't know about a tripple nickle speed bender. Most of us use greenlee stuff. If it works for rigid pipe it should work for dom or hrew. Where you run into problems is the radius of the bends. For most electrical applications the bend radius are larger. A 2" 90 is on a 15" radius so that you can pull wire through it. Most cages use a 5-6" radius for a 2" pipe. I have access to all types of electrical benders and ended up buying one of the m-tech benders with the right shoes to do my cages. Don't bother with the harbor freight benders either. They suck.

 

[PEELDOG]

we have a 555 at work and im sure it would bend the dom but as mentioned they have large radius ...how about IBEW sparkies out there.we are on the way back!!!!

 

[Madgyver]

Not a sparky but a pipefitter.
I have used a Greenlee to bend most of my 1 1/2" sch.40 A-53 or A-106 seamless tube.

 

[surfer-b]

As SteveL said.
PEELDOG, Yeah our local her is always been fairly strong, Chatt. TN, L.U. 175, but we also have a lot of TVA work here so that keeps a number members busy.

 

[blubuckaroo]

Conduit benders make the radius too big. The cage might end up stronger but it looks kinda funny.

 

[basher13]

Good to know, I was givin the bender from my work because they don't use it anymore. The IBEW here in Seattle seems pretty strong, not as strong as my UA though. It's always fun when you put sparkies and fitters in the same mech room, good trades to be in.

 

[77Bronco636]

The UA is strong here in Detroit (Pipefitters local 636) we just need some work. I would make a jig, heat it with a tourch, and bend it by hand. It's alot of work but you can make any bend you want and is a lot cheaper than buying a bender if you do not have one already.

 

[basher13]

I'm going to have to play with it a bit, I have cages in both my rigs just wanted to add to them. I'm also building a 53 stude to run at B-ville, thinking of a halo style cage for that one, we'll see.
Nice to see other UA brothers on here.

 

[RedLeg0811]

Basher, where in the seattle area are you? I might be able to help you out.

Martin

 

[Broncoloupy]

The triple nickel is the Greenlee model 555 and will do the job if you don't mind big radius' like stated above. They are great machines for electrical work.

Lou IBEW LU 24 Baltimore

You can get a chart for the bender to help tell you bend degrees and pipe shrinkage for what you are working with. Any Greenlee retailer should be able to get it for you. Most of them are pretty tore up on the older units. The bends may also tend to flatten a bit if not the same size as the conduit... Good luck.

 

[berdeman]

Plumbers and steamfittiers Local 582 So Cal, work is still strong

 

[744x4]

The Greenlee Benders are made here in SC about 2 miles from my house By a company called Current Tools.Thay are a account of mine but I havent been there in a few years.Not a big operation by any means.To build cages that allow max headroom and great looks you need a TUBING BENDER with tight radius dies not a conduit bender.You will break the dies eventually trying to bend thick walled stuff in them.

BTW I am a Low voltage guy myself and we have no union representation locally other than the teamstres in upstate SC.The Phone company (ATT) is the only local union workers.

 

[SteveL]

LA local 11 ibew here. Our work picture here in LA is good because we gave up some extra dues money for market recovery(bribing the politicians). It's sad but that's what the other side does and it's made a huge difference in the work picture.