Conduit bender not playing along

[Barx]

Something has been playing on my mind today.

Doing a little galv conduit job, something I don't get to do very often so the knowledge sometimes escapes me and I have to have a little revision time.

On the job I was trying to show a couplle of the lads how to do it properly without just chucking a bend in and chopping both ends off.

I mark up the tube, put into bender and square the mark to front of former expecting it to create a bend (90) with the measurement from the fixed end to the back of bend.

The ebd result was more towards the front of the bend. This doesn't seem right to me. I thought it was front of former for back of bend and inside former for front of bend??

Is this a sign of a worn bender? and other ideas of what is going wrong?

Maybe I just forgot how to do it lol.

My set worked out ok but they didn't rely on a fixed end so to speak. They just all had to be equal sets, which they were...

 

[Blue Duck]

maybe show it a good time & take it out to the blue oyster? 

 

[steptoe]

The back of the bend lines with the wheel.

 

[rapparee]

You have to allow an extra 20mm.

 

[Barx]

The back of the bend lines with the wheel.

That is what I was trying Steps. Your 'wheel' is my 'former'. It just wasn't working.

You have to allow an extra 20mm.

Why is this?

I looked over all my older revision stuff and that too all says mark and then line mark up with a square to front of former / wheel. No mention of adding 20mm....

 

[rapparee]

That is what I was trying Steps. Your 'wheel' is my 'former'. It just wasn't working.

Why is this?

I looked over all my older revision stuff and that too all says mark and then line mark up with a square to front of former / wheel. No mention of adding 20mm....

Was your bend 20mm too short? Mine usually are when i do it like you said so i allow the extra 20mm. If it's 25mm conduit then i add on 25mm.

I think it is because the bend doen't bite for the first 20mm.

 

[kerching]

See Mr Barrymore?

 

[steptoe]

If you line the mark up to the inside of the former then that will be to inside of the bend, but your mark is to the back of the bend,!!!

I think that's why @rapparee needs to add on his 20/25mm,

I have a PDF somewhere that I gave one of the apprentice of how to do it, 

 

[Sharpend]

Any help? 

http://www.easylifetools.co.uk/conduit bending guide.htm

 

[steptoe]

Any help? 

http://www.easylifetools.co.uk/conduit bending guide.htm

That's it, 

That's the one I had,

 

[Sharpend]

Glad to be of service sir!  

 

[revjames]

you can tell its friday. everyones on a bender

 

[steptoe]

you can tell its friday. everyones on a bender

I'd rather be on a Leyla,,,,,  

 

[kerching]

I'd rather be on a Yanet Garc...."....

 

[Evans Electric]

Do a couple of trial ones,  see how much is gained or lost ,    then put a hacksaw cut in the former to line up your measurement .   Aluminium formers can creep a bit sometimes  , the cast ones seem to hold the tube in place. 

 For centre of bend  ,    ( to fit between two fixed points )  put tube in the former , drop the handle on it ,    hold a short  ( 1 ft) piece upright in the  former to form a right angle in line with your mark , and pull the bend. 

And the bit of conduit between the two boxes for fluorescent fitting fixings is still 21"  . 

 

[Barx]

Thanks for all the replies peeps

I had seen that guide and it says same as all the other stuff I read. In the OP I was trying to explain that I had been doing the method laid out in the top of that guide but it still wrong. It's not quite 20mm out (for 20mm conduit) but it is clser to the inside of the bend than the back.

I guess it's just a garbage bender. It is a Hilmor and doesn't look in bad nick, but I have no idea how old it is.

I will have to play more and make mental adjustments

 

[Evans Electric]

I found the instructions for Hilmore benders and its in the office somewhere ...when I find it I'll post it in the Hints & Advice thread or whatever it's called.   Should be there tonight sometime ....when Mrs Deke is watching Come Dancing .

 

[apprentice87]

Wrong former for tube diameter i expect.. I have a record bender [UL233??] with the complete set of formers and you can get the bend exactly right everytime..

What size is written on the base of the "foot" of the former??

john..

 

[Evans Electric]

See  "Tips & Tricks of the Trade"   for Hilmor  instructions .