# Damn cheap conduit!



## cdnelectrician (Mar 14, 2008)

I'm getting so tired of the cheap ass conduit they are making these days...was bending some 1 1/4 EMT today with a hand bender (couldn't find the 1 1/4 shoe for the 555.) And it's nearly impossible to bend without rippling or kinking! I'm not a big guy, but I haven't had a problem bending nice 90's in 1 1/4 EMT in the past! Anyone else have this problem?

Oh and not to mention fittings where the screw strips as soon as you try to tighten them! And they are steel too...:blink:


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## jwjrw (Jan 14, 2010)

cdnelectrician said:


> I'm getting so tired of the cheap ass conduit they are making these days...was bending some 1 1/4 EMT today with a hand bender (couldn't find the 1 1/4 shoe for the 555.) And it's nearly impossible to bend without rippling or kinking! I'm not a big guy, but I haven't had a problem bending nice 90's in 1 1/4 EMT in the past! Anyone else have this problem?
> 
> Oh and not to mention fittings where the screw strips as soon as you try to tighten them! And they are steel too...:blink:


Seems to me that 1/2 inch is so weak a fly landing on the bender will bend it.. It does seem to me that it isnt made a well as it used to be.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

Is it American made EMT by any chance?


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## cdnelectrician (Mar 14, 2008)

Yea, I have had some 1/2" split down the middle while trying to bend it. And sometimes its so soft the bends look like a dogs breakfast. And that stuff was made by wheatland conduit in the USA!


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## cdnelectrician (Mar 14, 2008)

Peter D said:


> Is it American made EMT by any chance?


It is! It's not wheatland, it's another MFG can't remember the name off the top of my head. Will check tomorrow. But it does say USA along the conduit.


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

cdnelectrician said:


> It is! It's not wheatland, it's another MFG can't remember the name off the top of my head. Will check tomorrow. But it does say USA along the conduit.


I don't run much EMT but I've never had problems like that with the major American brands. I wonder if it's just a bad batch?

There is also Mexican and Colombian made EMT out there too.


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## cdnelectrician (Mar 14, 2008)

Really? I have had this happen before. There is one company that makes decent EMT. It is a lot shinier than everyone elses product, and it always bends nicely. But no one ever stocks it lol I have had chinese conduit bend a lot better than this crap.


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## cdnelectrician (Mar 14, 2008)

However, I would much rather have a few ripples in a 90 than use chinese conduit!


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

cdnelectrician said:


> Really? I have had this happen before. There is one company that makes decent EMT. It is a lot shinier than everyone elses product, and it always bends nicely.


Off the top of my head there is: Wheatland, Electrunite, and Allied brands of EMT. Electrunite has a dull finish and has those useless inch markings on them. Wheatland and Allied both have a shinier galvanized finish on them. 

Like I said, I don't run much of the stuff. I'm sure the commercial guys probably run into this all the time.


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## cdnelectrician (Mar 14, 2008)

I think allied is the good stuff, there is one more MFG though...can't remember the name....


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Peter D said:


> .........Like I said, I don't run much of the stuff........


I figured you were the type that used the cardboard rolls left over from rolls of paper towels and toilet paper. :laughing:


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## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

480sparky said:


> I figured you were the type that used the cardboard rolls left over from rolls of paper towels and toilet paper. :laughing:


:furious:


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## cdnelectrician (Mar 14, 2008)

Little bit of skotch-kote to hold it all together and your laughing...


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## bobelectric (Feb 24, 2007)

Not enough foot pressure.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

The shiny conduit is the garbage.. the stuff that has blue marking on it always bends easily


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

Republic Silverslick is by far the best IMO. (The blue line with inch markings it.) The line is a good reference mark and it bends without kinking. I have had problems with Wheatland off and on over the years, maybe a quality control issue.


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## CFine (May 20, 2008)

Not enough foot pressure. never had EMT kink on me, I've had Some split but thats from my own stupidity(water inside conduit froze).


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## Ohmbre (Oct 8, 2009)

drsparky said:


> Republic Silverslick is by far the best IMO. (The blue line with inch markings it.) The line is a good reference mark and it bends without kinking. I have had problems with Wheatland off and on over the years, maybe a quality control issue.


Wheatland Tube located in Chicago has undergone some "changes" to stay competitive in todays market. It is not by any means what it used to be, but at least its made in the USA.


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## Greenblinker (Aug 4, 2008)

Now I know we are talking about cheap conduit here but when I was an apprentice my boss used to tell me that the bender head needed to be lubricated to prevent wrinkling like that. He would mark up the inside of a bender head with a pencil and it actually seemed to solve the problem.


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## bobelectric (Feb 24, 2007)

A little graphite,eh. Makes sense. I'll try vinegar,also on stainless.


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## Old Spark (Nov 18, 2008)

The only emt I've every had kink was 1 1/4". It was cold weather, never had a problem when it was warm. I don't know that the temp was the cause. I'd try some waxed paper or graffite. I think you can still buy rolls of waxed paper from the grocery. If it keeps doing it, try a different brand of emt. I always liked Allied.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

I never had to lube a pipe to bend it properly :no:


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## goose134 (Nov 12, 2007)

I use tons of conduit and have found Wheatland to be inconsistent in its quality. Allied has always put out a good product. It is worth noting that hand benders can get out of whack. Rough handling over the years can throw a bender through the wringer. I've had benders that kink and dog pipe no matter what brand you're using. If it's an old bender, it might be the problem. 

Not definitely the problem, just maybe.


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

Try lubbing up the shoe before you bend. And try to use the yellow stuff. It is a little more viscous and should stay in place while you bend. Good luck.


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## bobelectric (Feb 24, 2007)

1 1/4" conduit should be put to rest.Go to 1 1/2 "


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

bobelectric said:


> 1 1/4" conduit should be put to rest.Go to 1 1/2 "


Can't use a hand bender for 1 1/2 and thousands for a bender is not an option.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

*conduit*

1 1/4 inch is a task; you will always wrinkle it if you do not have enough weight on the foot with a hand bender. Once you let it slip you are screwed unless you slide it back. If those danged ironworkers are listening again, quit using the benders for re-bar, too.


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## jw0445 (Oct 9, 2009)

I was having the same problem this winter with 1 1/4". Sprayed some lube on the bend and the shoe and it worked like a charm.


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## rdr (Oct 25, 2009)

RIVETER said:


> 1 1/4 inch is a task; you will always wrinkle it if you do not have enough weight on the foot with a hand bender. Once you let it slip you are screwed unless you slide it back. If those danged ironworkers are listening again, quit using the benders for re-bar, too.


I've had 3/4" and 1" do the same exact thing.....ripple ripple ripple or even just snap. Never had one split down the middle though.


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## mattsilkwood (Sep 21, 2008)

The worst one is wheatland, I have had it kink,split, you name it. There for awhile last year I was getting stuff that you could hardly get wire through. The coating was real rough inside.


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

jw0445 said:


> I was having the same problem this winter with 1 1/4". Sprayed some lube on the bend and the shoe and it worked like a charm.


I will try that next time.....


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

Big blue carries this Silverslick stuff, it has the useless inch markings on it. That tubing bends wonderfully.

~Matt


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## pudge565 (Dec 8, 2007)

I am using Allied for my senior project (bought by the school.) It was not totally straight when delivered. Maybe not from factory but it was when I got it. It makes it a little harder to make nice bends, especially since I am not the best bender around.


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## cdnelectrician (Mar 14, 2008)

Well, I used some columbia MBF conduit today and it came out perfect! Was able to make all sorts of fancy bends in it without couplings lol 

1 1/4 still has it's place, as mentioned you do not need a power or mechanical bender to bend it (except with cheap conduit!). And, the radius of the 90's makes it easy to get into places where you need larger than 1" and 1 1/2 is just too big. Thank god I didn't need 1 1/2 because there is no way in hell it would have went in there. Tek cable would have been the only other option!


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## Jeff000 (Jun 18, 2008)

drsparky said:


> Republic Silverslick is by far the best IMO. (The blue line with inch markings it.) The line is a good reference mark and it bends without kinking. I have had problems with Wheatland off and on over the years, maybe a quality control issue.


Another vote for silver slick being the best. 

Wheatland is just bad in general with the odd good bundle.


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## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

you guys must be friggin Rembrandts, because i kink the sh!t out of pipe- all sizes, all brands, lube, no lube. 

Good thing it's Damn cheap conduit.


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## Old Spark (Nov 18, 2008)

Well I hate to bend 1 1/4" emt, so I get factory 90's and couplings and just bend when it's a 45o or an off set. I can do it, but it is faster to just throw in a factory 90o and keep going. Time is money.


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