# Harbor Freight Pipe bender



## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

Here's the next runner up...$185.

http://www.toolplanet.com/product/1...hg1hto8O62zhh5lnK6eklMssEPL_IVuzpMaAt3_8P8HAQ


Next cheapest thing looks to be several hundred dollars more


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

They're worthless... too slow... virtually impossible to measure your bend to the accuracy required.

Buy factory made elbows.

The time saved will be priceless.


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

For $175....as long as it gets the job done, I'll be happy.


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## dawgs (Dec 1, 2007)

Maybe if I only had to bend a kick or small offset a few times a year. Other than that my money goes to something in the named brand category.


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## 3D Electric (Mar 24, 2013)

I have one! ?dc4d All I ever needed it for was to bend offsets for a service riser. They charge $90 for every offset riser. I have one drag it out every once and a while to do an offset then stuff it back in the shop. It's paid for itself many times over the past 4 years.


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

It won't get the job done. After I had such great success with the Harbor Freight hydraulic knock out, I gave the 3" bender a go. It just crushes and kinks. The problem is the shoes aren't quite sized right. Don't bother.


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## 3D Electric (Mar 24, 2013)

InPhase277 said:


> It won't get the job done. After I had such great success with the Harbor Freight hydraulic knock out, I gave the 3" bender a go. It just crushes and kinks. The problem is the shoes aren't quite sized right. Don't bother.


How was the drive home? Are you back yet?


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## Nom Deplume (Jul 21, 2013)

MHElectric said:


> Anybody got one? For $175, I don't think you can get a better deal.
> 
> Read the reviews in the link. Looks legit.
> 
> ...


I hope you don't think you are going to bend EMT with that piece of crap. :laughing:


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

3D Electric said:


> I have one! ?dc4d All I ever needed it for was to bend offsets for a service riser. They charge $90 for every offset riser. I have one drag it out every once and a while to do an offset then stuff it back in the shop. It's paid for itself many times over the past 4 years.


That's what I wanted to hear. :thumbsup:

All I need it for is to offset a 2" rigid mast. If it does it's job 2 - 3 times a year, then that's what I'm looking for.

Good looking out buddy!


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## bobbarker (Aug 6, 2015)

Its crap just like all harbor freight tools. They are throw away tools made by some slave in China. 
A company I worked for needed to do some small runs of rigid pipe on a job and rigid was not very common for them so they bought a Harbor Freight threader, it lasted for 3 days-it just basically fell apart. Thankfully another electrical GC was on the job who let us use their Rigid threader.


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

3D Electric said:


> How was the drive home? Are you back yet?


Yep. About 3 pm. We stopped and visited a friend in Bentonville yesterday, where I accidentally passed out. We pulled this way at 4:10 AM. Next time I see you in Kansas, it will be at the airport!:laughing:


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## 3D Electric (Mar 24, 2013)

InPhase277 said:


> Yep. About 3 pm. We stopped and visited a friend in Bentonville yesterday, where I accidentally passed out. We pulled this way at 4:10 AM. Next time I see you in Kansas, it will be at the airport!:laughing:


How did she drive? Was it windy?


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

3D Electric said:


> How did she drive? Was it windy?


Drives and rides great. Wind wasn't too big of a problem. About 2 miles from my house, the left from brake started smoking like a beast. I'm too tired to figure it out right now. I think it's hilarious that I drove it 605 miles just today, and waits until the red light before my house to start smoking:laughing: I suppose that's a blessing because it could have done it somewhere in Backwater, Arkansas and left me doing a road side brake job!

On the plus side, I fixed the radio. There was a bundle of wires rubbed raw on a screw stud, causing a relay to stay energized and the speakers to crackle. I guess the energized relay was draining the battery. We'll see in the morning if my theory is right.


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## 3D Electric (Mar 24, 2013)

InPhase277 said:


> Drives and rides great. Wind wasn't too big of a problem. About 2 miles from my house, the left from brake started smoking like a beast. I'm too tired to figure it out right now. I think it's hilarious that I drove it 605 miles just today, and waits until the red light before my house to start smoking:laughing: I suppose that's a blessing because it could have done it somewhere in Backwater, Arkansas and left me doing a road side brake job!
> 
> On the plus side, I fixed the radio. There was a bundle of wires rubbed raw on a screw stud, causing a relay to stay energized and the speakers to crackle. I guess the energized relay was draining the battery. We'll see in the morning if my theory is right.


Let me know what you figure out.


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## lj973gm (Aug 30, 2012)

It will work with rigid, but if you try it with emt you will ripple and kink it due to improper shoes. 

It is meant for heavy wall round steel tubing for fabrication, not electrical conduits.


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## cagresham85 (Apr 28, 2016)

I didn't look into too deeply, but does it bend the proper radius?


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## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

i have one that i only used 4 times so far. as far as im concerned it already paid for itself in time saving! it is slow and takes practice, doesnt do 90s well, but just fine for anything less!


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

I have seen plenty of guys using these cheap benders for offsets and they seemed happy with the results. The local rental place we used to use had them out in use often.


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

Why not buy something halfway decent that is designed to bend actual conduit, like a greenlee 880. Even a used one will perform better than that piece of garbage. And eventually you can turn around and sell it for a little bit of money when you close your shop up or start using se cable. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## dawgs (Dec 1, 2007)

Biscuits said:


> Why not buy something halfway decent that is designed to bend actual conduit, like a greenlee 880. Even a used one will perform better than that piece of garbage. And eventually you can turn around and sell it for a little bit of money when you close your shop up or start using se cable. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


 I was just at an auction and the 885's were selling for under $400. I should have bought one. I already have an extra bending table. We have an 881ct with bending table. It's the Cadillac of big benders.


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

dawgs said:


> I was just at an auction and the 885's were selling for under $400. I should have bought one. I already have an extra bending table. We have an 881ct with bending table. It's the Cadillac of big benders.




The 881ct is legit. I lost out on a bid a couple years ago for a mint one and I'm still bitter about it. The guy got it for 2,000


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## dawgs (Dec 1, 2007)

Biscuits said:


> The 881ct is legit. I lost out on a bid a couple years ago for a mint one and I'm still bitter about it. The guy got it for 2,000


 for a CT? Or a standard 881? That's cheap either way. 

I got mine off eBay with bending table in excellent condition for $7500 and that was a great price. I had looked for a long time. It's a 20g bender new with table.


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

dawgs said:


> for a CT? Or a standard 881? That's cheap either way.
> 
> I got mine off eBay with bending table in excellent condition for $7500 and that was a great price. I had looked for a long time. It's a 20g bender new with table.




It was a 881ct and yeah that's beyond cheap. The contractor was closing his shop and basically giving stuff away.


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