# Hickey benders



## dielectricunion (Nov 29, 2012)

I was thinking about picking up one just to play around with. I mostly end up bending 1/2 and 3/4 and I have no problems with the standard benders. Since I have never used one, I thought it would be fun to have around.

Does anyone have recommendation for a particular make that I might find, or opinions on hickey benders?


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## Black Dog (Oct 16, 2011)

dielectricunion said:


> I was thinking about picking up one just to play around with. I mostly end up bending 1/2 and 3/4 and I have no problems with the standard benders. Since I have never used one, I thought it would be fun to have around.
> 
> Does anyone have recommendation for a particular make that I might find, or opinions on hickey benders?


I don't have one myself, but if I needed one I would buy Ideal.


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## CADPoint (Jul 5, 2007)

Got a welder, know a good Welder?

You can buy steel 90 degree welded pressure fitting and cut it open and weld it to a piece of pipe. 

I've seem home made versions. Looking at a pipe end, if zero was left on the horizon the pipe was cut a total 
of ~60 degree's - 30 plus, 30 minus off of zero center. The handle was welded on to the short side of radius 
and offset forward to the front of the end.

Or just go spend some money. :thumbsup:


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

I've used a couple of different brands, and I don't remember the brand of the one I like the best. I do remember it was the only one that had a rounded edge on the back/top side of the bender. The other ones were just an end of the metal (picture what CADpoint was saying about the couplings). The rounded edge bender did not kink the pipe where the other one would if you were not careful.

I tried to find one (rounded back edge) years ago but never could. I actually bent a 3/4 hickey bender trying to bend some rigid that was made like fence posts.

Edit: Going and looking at some web images, I think Harry has it right, the ideal one, stay away from the greenlee.


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

Looking around on the web, I like this one.


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## Jhellwig (Jun 18, 2014)

Are you wanting to bend EMT or rigid or both?

I got some ideal ones at work for rigid because I needed some back to back 90s closer than the 555 or EMT bender could make them. I haven't played with them much on EMT but you cant take much of a bend without getting a dimple.


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## dielectricunion (Nov 29, 2012)

I've only worked with EMT, so I was assuming mess around with EMT (cheaper to screw up!) but I know it's used primarily for heavier wall. 

I'd love to work with rigid at some point but the guy I work for mostly uses EMT inside and schedule 80 pvc outside for these jobs


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

I have a half dozen hickey benders around, but inside gang boxes behind a pile of scrap and other mess. We be cleanin it up in Jan sometime so I will check the brands and send out some pics .


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## varmit (Apr 19, 2009)

A "hickey" bender is for rigid only. It will mangle EMT.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

varmit said:


> A "hickey" bender is for rigid only. It will mangle EMT.


Should we assume the OP is using a hickey on rigid?
We used to have a short radius bender for 1/2" EMT. I'm not so sure they are still being made.


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## CADPoint (Jul 5, 2007)

Come to think about it, I've even seen hammer/tool size that were used
to train large wires!


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## running dummy (Mar 19, 2009)

jrannis said:


> Should we assume the OP is using a hickey on rigid?
> We used to have a short radius bender for 1/2" EMT. I'm not so sure they are still being made.


Ideal still makes them, and I believe the reincarnated Klein - Benfield brand has some floating around. I've only personally seen 1/2" and 3/4"


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## dielectricunion (Nov 29, 2012)

Looking around online, I saw quite a few 1/2" rigid and 3/4" rigid hickeys... Maybe a few 1".

Im sure I would struggle with 3/4 or 1" rigid. The other week, I had a few simple bends in 1 1/4" EMT and my 145lbs could barely put any bend in it. 
I had to put the pipe end against the wall and get in a space where I could use my arms to push against another wall section to get a 90!


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

dielectricunion said:


> Looking around online, I saw quite a few 1/2" rigid and 3/4" rigid hickeys... Maybe a few 1".
> 
> Im sure I would struggle with 3/4 or 1" rigid. The other week, I had a few simple bends in 1 1/4" EMT and my 145lbs could barely put any bend in it.
> I had to put the pipe end against the wall and get in a space where I could use my arms to push against another wall section to get a 90!


LOL! I had you beat. As an apprentice, my first week I barely weighed 110 pounds. I could jump off a roof and land on the kick plate of a bender and nothing would happen!:laughing::laughing:


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## varmit (Apr 19, 2009)

jrannis said:


> Should we assume the OP is using a hickey on rigid?
> We used to have a short radius bender for 1/2" EMT. I'm not so sure they are still being made.


Yes, I remember the short radius EMT benders. They were still a full shoe EMT bender, not a true hickey.


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