bending plastic conduit - ?

[LukeScotty]

first thing comes to your head is, "use a bleeding bending spring"

Now, i was wondering as I havnt tried it yet,but has any one tried bending plastic conduit with a bending spring, on an actual bender tool thingi me bobs..... because I tried doing a double set in a length and it was quiet hard, to say i don't use it often. anyways, if anyone has any decent techniques, id love for you to share them, or whether you've tried a bending spring on a bender?

 

[Davey101]

Talk about raising the dead!

Not much point in using a bender for plastic, unless you have a lot of cables, or an FP etc, and need a slow bend. Nothing really wrong with using a bender, but the bends can end up looking a little large, wouldnt do it if its surface tube.

 

[Notsosmart]

Just make sure the springs aren't mixed up i.e a heavy gauge spring in standard gauge conduit....thats when the kinks start to appear.

The ends of the springs are colour coded, red or green I think.

I have attached colour coded singles, can get hairy pulling the spring out of a double set near the middle of a length though!

 

[Guest123]

I know what you mean.....I usually stand on the wire attached to the end of the spring and pull it out that way. When it gives up and shoots out at least then it only smashes into your steelie rather than smashing the bones in your fingers!!!!!!!!

 

[Notsosmart]

Yeh you only use your hands a couple of times before you learn that lesson

 

[lewlec]

The correct size spring and across the knee is the only way I've ever done it.

Just make sure the springs aren't mixed up i.e a heavy gauge spring in standard gauge conduit....thats when the kinks start to appear.

The ends of the springs are colour coded, red or green I think.

hi lenny

thanks for that, i wasnt aware of the different colours on the springs.. that explains the cursing of my new spring a few weeks ago!!!

regards
gary

 

[Guest123]

Extract from Centaur manufacturing....


"

Conduit Bending Springs
CHS 16 Heavy Gauge, Green 16mm 1
CHS 20 Heavy Gauge, Green 20mm 1
CHS 25 Heavy Gauge, Green 25mm 1
CHS 32 Heavy Gauge, Green 32mm 1
CLS 16 Light Gauge, Red 16mm 1
CLS 20 Light Gauge, Red 20mm 1
CLS 25 Light Gauge, Red 25mm 1​

CLS 32 Light Gauge, Red 32mm 1"


So heavy gauge - Green, and light gauge = Red.

 

[frecossais]

I worked in France for 7 years and found that I could bend PVC conduit no bother on my knee or between my arms no bother albeit with a bending spring but when I came back to Scotland to live the first time I tried it I kept putting kinks in it!! Then i seemed to remember that there are two different gauges here! Am I dreaming this or is it true? Can someone let me know as it's a long time since I have done domestic work here as before I went to France I was working in street lighting for 7 years

 

[Notsosmart]

See Lenny's post above Frecossais.

 

[frecossais]

In France though it's so easy. No need to worry about light or heavy gauge it's all the same standard. i think it's all geared to heavy gauge as then it all errs on the side of caution. I think!!

 

[gaffer]

All the wholesalers around here seem to only stock HG.

 

[lj.l]

when I started in the training center we put the former in the vice and used a spring,never seen a vice out on site though so its always been the knee

 

[wattsup]

On the knee! Practice first.
Make sure the conduit is warmish, like others say...double sets/dog legs are the hardest.....getting the spring out, knocks the set out sometimes.

But, the tip is, lubricate the spring with cooking oil then it pulls out easy...makes a bit of a mess so have wrags handy.

 

[Davey101]

Never thought of lubricating it before.
If the spring is tight to get out of the bend, just put the bend on the ground with the spring pointing up towards your head, foot on the bend, then pull on the spring and 'tap' the bend on the ground, letting your foot 'bounce' the conduit on the ground. Alternatively, pull the spring and bang the tube on the ground, stack of plasterboard etc. The key is to bounce or tap the spring on something, rather than just pulling as hard as you can.

 

[Bromd123]

I was taught that all you need is your knee a bending spring and a bit of grease........ of the elbow variety lol

 

[pennywise]

PVC bending taken to a new level


Greenlee Products - Greenlee A Textron Company