Installing conduit is a huge part of our job. A good conduit installation can be the difference between getting another job with the client or not being asked back. As with anything in the construction industry, advances in technology and new tool options allow electrical contractors to perform tasks with greater efficiency, safety and accuracy.

Handheld conduit bending tools

Installation of smaller branch-circuit conduits comprises the bulk of conduit-bending tasks, and bending offsets correctly can be challenging. Lining up the opposing bends accurately and to the same degrees on each leg can be tricky—especially on box offsets, where we don’t normally use a tape measure and mark conduit. 

The offset bender from Greenlee, Rockford, Ill., can quickly bend consistent box offsets. The bender relies on a series of two shoes that shape the conduit into the opposing bends of an offset at the same time, as opposed to having to rotate the conduit after the first bend as you would with a standard bender. In lieu of guessing where to put the opposing bends without marking them or being able to bend to a degree marked on the bender, simply put the conduit into the bender and pull the handle down. It bends a perfect 9/16-inch offset without being concerned about dog legs or different degrees of bend on either segment. If a smaller amount of offset is needed, just reduce the amount of handle actuation. It is available in ½- and ¾-inch EMT sizes.

While both of Klein Tools’, Lincolnshire, Ill., manually powered conduit reamers (those reaming ½-, ¾- and 1-inch EMT) have been on the market for quite some time, the company offers the powered conduit reamer that can be used with either a cordless drill or impact drill. By using a power tool to provide the turning force, it can ream EMT conduit almost effortlessly and much faster. The reamer has a couple of added benefits: it is impact-rated for use in impact-type drills, and it has a replaceable screwdriving tip in the front, which allows the user to carry fewer tools in their pouch.

Greenlee’s offset bender

Most of us use a bandsaw to cut conduit to size after the appropriate bends are made. Taking this into account, Milwaukee Tool, Brookfield, Wis., developed a conduit reamer that attaches directly onto the bottom of the band saw’s rear pulley wheel. As with any power tool, the idea is to use the tool’s powered capability to provide a speedier and more efficient process. Considering that we must ream the conduit after cutting, and that the bandsaw was already in our hands to do the cut, this will result in time saved from not having to change tools. It can ream the most common sizes of branch circuit conduits, including ½-, ¾- and 1-inch EMT.

Klein Tools’ conduit reamer

Conduit-bending equipment

Larger equipment has also benefited from advancements in design and technology. The Current Tools, Wellford, S.C., 754 Offset bender uses a design specifically geared toward bending offsets of varying sizes. It uses a single action with a two-shoe design to bend both offset segments at the same time, much like Greenlee’s tool. Bending both legs of the offset at the same time improves efficiency because the user does not have to move or rotate the conduit and perform a second bend. Standard capacity of the bender is ½-inch through 1-inch EMT conduit; also available is ½- and ¾-inch IMC or GRC conduit.

This bender also can be powered. Using a cordless drill—which electricians more than likely have readily available—to power the bender cuts down on time and user fatigue. Included with the tool is a gauge rod. Once set, it allows the user to produce consistent repeat bends. 

Klein Tools’ power conduit reamer

Finally, there are optional shoe groups that expand on the bender’s capacity. A group will bend four pieces of ½-inch EMT at one time, and one group will bend two pieces of ¾-inch EMT (or two pieces of ½-inch GRC/IMC). These optional shoe groups improve efficiency by allowing multiple matching offsets to be bent at the same time, in lieu of making multiple bending actions.

Southwire, Carrollton, Ga., makes the MB1000 BENDstation, another design packed with features based on efficiency and ergonomics. Using the most common conduit sizes (¾- and 1-inch EMT), it offers a double-­headed bending shoe, eliminating the need to carry around two different benders. The station’s bending area is raised to a comfortable 3-foot level, which curtails the need to stoop to perform the bending action. This greatly improves efficiency and reduces user fatigue. 

Other features include built-in rulers for measuring, casters for easy movement around the site, storage capacity of up to 1,000 feet of conduit, and a built-in vise for cutting and threading. Several other models are available, including a ½- and ¾-inch EMT, a 1 and 1¼-inch EMT, and a ¾- and 1-inch GRC/IMC.

Greenlee also has produced an attachment to improve its existing 555 series of benders. Its Shotgun shoe group bending tool is designed with efficiency and consistency in mind. Instead of loading and bending one piece of conduit at a time, it can produce four matching bends at once. This capability is great in a prefab shop or on a job site with multiple installations in the same dimensions.

Greenlee's Shotgun shoe group

The shoe grouping is also extremely versatile by being able to bend eight different conduit sizes and types. It can bend ½-inch through 1-inch GRC, ½-inch through 1-inch IMC, and ¾-inch through 1-inch EMT.

Conduit-bending electronics and references

Accessories are also available to improve bending accuracy and efficiency. Many of us have the Ugly’s Electrical References book or app to quickly look at commonly used formulas, wiring diagrams and more. Ugly’s, Burlington, Mass., also published the Ugly’s Conduit Bending reference book, which puts the frequently used formulas at our fingertips. Within its pages, one can find everything from how to perform simple conduit bends—90s, offsets and back-to-back bends—to some of the more challenging ones, such as three-point and four-point saddle bends. It even includes how-tos and examples of the most difficult bends, such as segmented and concentric ones.

Calculators are another necessity. This is especially true when performing some of the more complex bends where there is a consistent need for adding, subtracting, dividing or multiplying dimensions. The Construction Master Pro Trig Calculator from Calculated Industries, Carson City, Nev., is great for anyone working in the construction industry. Perhaps its most useful function is the ability to perform calculations in feet and inches without having to convert to decimal equivalents. It can convert standard feet/inches measurements to metric (and vice versa) with the push of a button, leading to much more accurate installations. This calculator model will also perform advanced trigonometry functions, such as sines, cosines and tangents. The calculator has a rigid plastic case for protection on the job site.

Milwaukee Tool’s compact band saw reamer

Southwire’s BENDstation

Working with angles is the crux of conduit bending. Klein Tools’ 935DAG digital angle gauge and level eliminates the inaccuracies of “eyeballing” bends. The unit is small (a bit over 2 inches by 2 inches by 1 inch), allowing users to easily carry it in tool pouches or toolboxes. It is also packed with features, including a surprisingly strong magnetic base with V-groove edges that securely mounts to any metallic object. This is an extremely important feature when working with metallic conduit, panelboards, boxes, etc. 

The high-visibility reverse contrast display is great for working in dimly lit job sites, as is the tool’s water and dust resistance. With a 0-to-180-degree range, this angle gauge/level is great when bending to 90 degrees or more, or when accounting for the kickback (or springback) found in conduit bending. Another great feature is the zeroing function that allows the tool to compensate for the sometimes unlevel flooring on a job site or bending equipment.

Klein Tools’ digital angle gauge and level

Conclusion

Conduit bending has always been, and always will be, a large part of our jobs as electricians. Advances in technology and available tools have left us with a vast array of options to help. These new items make it easier, faster and more efficient to bend conduit. New tools, materials and processes are being developed much faster than ever before, leaving us with an important question: What is next?

klein tools / greenlee / milwaukee tool / southwire