# Chicago Bender



## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

I wouldn't get a Chicago for EMT, personally.

I used ours for rigid for years until we got a 555. Anytime I tried to use it for EMT it would always wrinkle. Always. I don't think I was ever able to even make ONE EMT bend with it over the years. I would always have to find a 555 to do custom EMT bends.

For reference, I'm referring to a Greenlee Chicago.


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

RENT a triple nickel.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

I just wanted to pick one up for small pipe 3/4" and 1" and save the guys from wandering the job carrying a piece of pipe.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

telsa said:


> RENT a triple nickel.


I looked into it and decided it was cheaper to buy one.


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

Southeast Power said:


> I just wanted to pick one up for small pipe 3/4" and 1" and save the guys from wandering the job carrying a piece of pipe.


Have them carry a foot bender instead.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

RePhase277 said:


> Have them carry a foot bender instead.


For 3/4" and 1" I agree 100%.


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## active1 (Dec 29, 2009)

3/4" & 1" get them a hand bender for remote areas.

What killed the Chicago bender is the price.
A Greenlee 1818 mechanical bender with all the EMT / RMC shoes is $5,200.
But it can only bend up to 1.5 RMC.
Plus it takes up more floor space.

The 555 is the same price range or less depending on shoe sets.
There are also Greenlee hydraulic options probability in that same price range.
The good about the hydraulic is they can be broken down into smaller pieces that can be carried by 1 person.

If you go used route they are a fraction of new. 
But you risk getting a piece of junk and shipping can be costly.

There is a Greenlee 1800 mechanical bender made for 1/2-1" RMC.
But for $1200 it only does 3 sizes and listed as RMC.
The Greenlee 1801 will do 1.25 & 1.5 RMC for $1525.

Not that I'm against old school methods. 
It's just some products have a very limited size / conduit type range, yet bulky, heavy, and still costly.


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## cabletie (Feb 12, 2011)

I always thought the 1818 would be the perfect bender in many situations. Most jobs I'm on are multiple floors with no elevator. The 1818 would be easier to move between floors, be able to keep the bender close by and always set up and ready to go. 

The least used is the flip top. That thing is slow, messy and always needs to be set up and broken down. 

In a few months we will be finishing up a job that had over 30,000 feet of 3/4" EMT. The order of bender preference for the branch conduit and wire crew were. 
1: hand bender
2: Evans bender
3: Erickson bender. (Thanks Tesla for turning me on to this bender)
4: Southwire's bend station pro. 

Personally I would build my own bendstation with the following parts from EBay. And mount it to the side of a baker scaffold.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/Enerpac-BF100...3Af36eade715d0ab4d811f068dfffb5b48%7Ciid%3A10

http://m.ebay.com/itm/Enerpac-Z1302...%3Afd6a28a315d0abc051bfd3b9fffc7727%7Ciid%3A1

I have a Enerpac mechanical bender that I have only made test bends with. I haven't seen any ripple in the EMT shoes. The nice thing is that it doesn't need follow bars with the 1-1/4" or 1-1/2" EMT Shoe. I only paid $100 dollars for it. I have the shoes up to 2" EMT


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