tips on bending awkard angles on steel conduit.

[Superspark23]

I have to bend some steel conduit as shown in the picture about how would you get the angles spot on? The picture isnt really accurate as i belive the 2 sets will be similar. doing it another way isnt an option as thats how the client wants it too look like. the black opject is a wall support. and the yellow squares are light fittings .

I haven't done much steel conduit work in the past. The guy i asked to help struggled doing this too and gave up lol. W'ere going to try again tomorrow.

 

[alarm man]

View attachment 9204

I have to bend some steel conduit as shown in the picture about how would you get the angles spot on? The picture isnt really accurate as i belive the 2 sets will be similar. doing it another way isnt an option as thats how the client wants it too look like. the black opject is a wall support. and the yellow squares are light fittings .

I haven't done much steel conduit work in the past. The guy i asked to help struggled doing this too and gave up lol. W'ere going to try again tomorrow.

everyone has their own tips and tricks,what i was taught is measure up what you need then draw the setup on the floor in chalk then you have an easy template to work at, under bend what you think is needed then back to the bender to tweak,if the bends work on the floor then its one visit up the steps to fix

 

[Superspark23]

Cheers thats a good way of doing things, but how do you ensure the bend is in the right place. Say i want the step 13cm. I will place an allread stepped piece of conduit against a wall and measure out 13cm and mark that, but how do i know where to place that mark on the machine?

 

[alarm man]

also practice makes perfect,even old hand sparks have been know to get the bend wrong,then its scrap,order a few extra lengths to practice with you'll be ok just take your time with it..check and double check before you bend

 

[bumcrack]

2 tips for stuff like this;Know exactly what the vice is doing, and make a dummy 90 deg bend. When you make this bend, mark exactly where the tube lines up with the back of the former, and also where it was in relation to the stop block. Make the bend, and before you remove the tube, see where the marks are, they will have pulled through slightly. Another thing for tubes with multiple sets all in the same direction, is to give yourself a datum to work to. Before you even start the complicated stuff, put a 90 bend of about 12" at the end of the tube. Leave some room from this bend to the next part of the finished job, but whenever forming a set ensure this bend is horizontally level with a spirit level. The bend will sit either side of the vice depending which part of the set you are forming, but always use the level. Once the masterpiece is done, the 90 deg bend gets cut off. It also helps when doing this to sit the vice on a flat level area.

 

[Engineer54]

Another thing to remember, is Don't over complicate your conduit run. From your sketch, that top arrangement after the box is a good example of how not to do it!! lol!!!

 

[bumcrack]

Is this for wall lights?If so it look a right mess. Just take the least amount of angles as possible and enter the fitting from the rear. You can loose alot of bends at the hidden through and stop end boxes.

 

[alarm man]

just practice if your rusty, every spark has his own way you will find yours,a well used machine will have a few hacksaw marks on the formers,probably done by a few different sparks who use their own method..as e54 says dont make it complicated depending on the site that first bend could be just one bend instead of 2 two

 

[tigerpaul]

You will undoubtadly have to sacrifice a few bits of conduit to get your marks on the former.
Dont be surprised if you cock it up a few times. Just keep practising and you'll get it.
bumcrack has explained pretty well what to do.

 

[vernam616]

Could you not manage it this way?



Ill openly admit im also not the best at steel conduit, plastic im fine, but steel has always ****ed me off, so i always try look for the easiest possible option

 

[SPARTYKUS]

also practice makes perfect,even old hand sparks have been know to get the bend wrong,then its scrap,order a few extra lengths to practice with you'll be ok just take your time with it..check and double check before you bend

...thats a good one....similar saying for chippies.... measure twice cut once!

 

[Guest123]

2 tools that I find very useful for out of the ordinary bends & sets etc are

1.

2.

 

[Superspark23]

I would prefer to enter in to the top of the fitting and bend down as i think that will look better, how ever the spark im working with wants it done this way, as "apparently" thats the way the engineers who's odering the work wants it done.

I'm trying to work out in my head how puting a 90 degree bend and check its completly level horizontal will show its straight, i just cant see it. i guess you may have a different vice to me. But none the less i'll try it tomorrow and see what happens

 

[alarm man]

I would prefer to enter in to the top of the fitting and bend down as i think that will look better, how ever the spark im working with wants it done this way, as "apparently" thats the way the engineers who's odering the work wants it done.

I'm trying to work out in my head how puting a 90 degree bend and check its completly level horizontal will show its straight, i just cant see it. i guess you may have a different vice to me. But none the less i'll try it tomorrow and see what happens

do the floor trick,then bend a bit at a time,you'll be ok dont worry about it,it might take 2 or 3 goes but you'll do it..

 

[tigerpaul]

Remember theres no point putting a level on the conduit if the bender is not level itself.