EMT bender stub distance?

[PoorOwner]

When the bender says 5" to stub what does it mean?

Does that mean if mark it at the little triangle mark, and do a 90 degree bend, the mark to the vertical part of the conduit will be 5"? is that to the center of the conduit or the outside of it?

 

[alfredeneuman]

When the bender says 5" to stub what does it mean?

Does that mean if mark it at the little triangle mark, and do a 90 degree bend, the mark to the vertical part of the conduit will be 5"? is that to the center of the conduit or the outside of it?

The stub length will indicate the measurement to the outside of the conduit.

 

[teamextreme]

When you finish bending your 90, the distance from the floor to the arrow at the shoe will be 5". I've heard there's lots of good instructional videos on youtube for conduit bending, you might check some of those.

 

[LXCam]

It means that’s how much you deduct from your finished measurement. So let’s say you want a 24” stub. You’d subtract that value from the stub length, put a mark at 19” and with you facing the stub place the arrow on the bender at that mark then bend your 90.

 

[alfredeneuman]

THE most comprehensive info source on conduit bending is this book
https://www.scribd.com/document/264807271/Jack-Benfield-Benfield-Conduit-Bending-Manual

It tells you anything you need to know, from novice to professional

 

[tonyprovo723]

LX probably gave the needed answer. I have fumbled through a few bends and cut and coupled to make them work. Watching videos lately, I learned the benders are not all the same. When you start the bend and have the handle vertical. Ideal is 30 degrees. GardnerBender is 45. According to Shadon HKW. Bending 90s and dealing with stub lengths, this means nothing. Dealing with other bend combinations this will and may held troubleshoot down the road.

Sent from my SM-G965U using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[ford33]

It appears you live in California by your profile. Maybe it is Canada. Why are you using EMT?

I live in the Chicago area and we use EMT everywhere in electrical installations. I recommend watching a few videos and buying 2x more conduit than you need. Return what you don't use.

I like working with EMT and enjoy the challenge of calculating the distances and bending angles. I make lots of mistakes but when I am finished with the job it looks great.

Recommend buying a tubing cutter. I use cheap wheel type cutters meant for copper tubing. If I am not certain of a finished length of EMT, I will make the piece longer than needed and then test fit it. It's going to be too long so I use the tubing cutter to cut the end to finished length. It saves me time since the bending part is time consuming but the cutting part is not.

 

[ford33]

It appears you live in California by your profile. Maybe it is Canada. Why are you using EMT?

I live in the Chicago area and we use EMT everywhere in electrical installations. I recommend watching a few videos and buying 2x more conduit than you need. Return what you don't use.

I like working with EMT and enjoy the challenge of calculating the distances and bending angles. I make lots of mistakes but when I am finished with the job it looks great.

Recommend buying a tubing cutter. I use cheap wheel type cutters meant for copper tubing. If I am not certain of a finished length of EMT, I will make the piece longer than needed and then test fit it. It's going to be too long so I use the tubing cutter to cut the end to finished length. It saves me time since the bending part is time consuming but the cutting part is not.

 

[alfredeneuman]

Recommend buying a tubing cutter. I use cheap wheel type cutters meant for copper tubing.

If you use a tubing cutter be sure to deburr the ends thoroughly.
Special tubing cutters that are meant for EMT are available from Greenlee but they're a PITA to use and really not worth the trouble.

 

[Jim greengo]

Look into a Jack benfield conduit bending book.

 

[teamextreme]

Recommend buying a tubing cutter.

I highly discourage using a tubing cutter. They leave a massive ridge that needs to be deburred. It's usually much larger than normal deburring methods can handle. Years ago I remember tales of inspectors failing conduit installations if a tubing cutter was used because of the burrs left behind. I can easily cut a piece of 1/2" EMT with a hacksaw faster than a tubing cutter anyway.

 

[MattT]

I highly discourage using a tubing cutter. They leave a massive ridge that needs to be deburred. It's usually much larger than normal deburring methods can handle. Years ago I remember tales of inspectors failing conduit installations if a tubing cutter was used because of the burrs left behind. I can easily cut a piece of 1/2" EMT with a hacksaw faster than a tubing cutter anyway.

If you must use a tubing cutter a unibit in a cordless drill is the quickest way to remove the ridge/burr. I know one guy who cuts EMT with an M12 tubing cutter then deburrs with the drill.

Fine tooth blade in a sawzall is faster than a hacksaw. And those cordless mini portabands look like they'd be good for EMT though I've never tried one.

 

[Jim greengo]

I highly discourage using a tubing cutter. They leave a massive ridge that needs to be deburred. It's usually much larger than normal deburring methods can handle. Years ago I remember tales of inspectors failing conduit installations if a tubing cutter was used because of the burrs left behind. I can easily cut a piece of 1/2" EMT with a hacksaw faster than a tubing cutter anyway.

Yes,that's what hack saws are for.

 

[alfredeneuman]

Look into a Jack benfield conduit bending book.

A free link to the Benfield book is given in Post #5

 

[BFBOB]

Did you buy your bender new? Mine came lashed to a piece of cardboard that included bending directions with dimensioned drawings. All the instruction I've ever needed. It's getting beat up and harder to read, but I seldom need to refer to it any more.

 

[Norcal]

A cut made by a hacksaw, Sawzall, or portaband saw, will be deburred/ reamed a lot quicker then a cut made buy a tubing cutter. Cuts faster too.

 

[MadMechMaster]

Just a DIYer here, but I find that scoring with the tubing cutter and snapping leaves less of a burr, if you can get the leverage. Naturally, a hack saw is best to trim off a few inches at a time.

 

[Jim greengo]

A free link to the Benfield book is given in Post #5

 

[engineer2]

The IBEW electricians use a hacksaw. I use my battery-powered jigsaw.
As said, you can use a tubing cutter but the trick is to score it just enough to snap and deburr. You won't be able to snap stubbies though.

 

[Bert_]

Circular saw with a metal cutting blade is my favorite although a portaband would be pretty nice. I do have the greenlee tubing cutter for EMT and use it occasionally.

The tubing cutter is nice when you don't want to make a mess such as if you're on carpet or a finished floor. Sure beats going outside to make cuts. It's also handy when your working on at heights, hacksaw is good for that scenario too. No reason to carry heavy tools up a hundred feet of ladder.

 

[rburke65]

ford33.....why did you ask ‘Why are you using EMT?”.

 

[PoorOwner]

Thanks guys, I have bend some before (but just cut off the ends if it doesn't fit) but
now I have to make 2 90s and must understand this stub thing.

calculator did not tell me, I found the shoe won't fit to make the second bend, if the bends are too close together. So I think have to reverse the approach direction for the second bend.

I use hacksaw and a round file, check with finger to make sure it is smooth.

 

[alfredeneuman]

The Benfield Manual in post #5 tells you exactly how to back to back 90s

 

[egdede]

ford33.....why did you ask ‘Why are you using EMT?”.

He has to in his jurisdiction, but in CA where the OP is, most just pull romex.

 

[rtz]

This is a good video that might or might not help. It's still a good video:

 

[alfredeneuman]

He has to in his jurisdiction, but in CA where the OP is, most just pull romex.

What do you base this upon?

 

[engineer2]

All depends on local building codes. EMT can be use if desired, and almost all industrial buildings I've seen use it. So much better than romex for future upgrades.
Don't know CA specifics, but...
https://www.dir.ca.gov/title8/2760.html

 

[alfredeneuman]

The California Electrical Code is the NEC 2014 verbatim along with the California Energy Code requirements and cannot be amended in any way without special approval from the State.

 

[mc4life27]

What do you base this upon?

Pull romex? I live in ca you can't run romex in emt in less your run s less then 10 feet.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[alfredeneuman]

Pull romex? I live in ca you can't run romex in emt in less your run s less then 10 feet.

I live CA too, and that rule doesn't exist. (I'm a retired Elec. Contractor)
Where has the OP said he was going to run NM in conduit anyway?
He was just asking how to bend it.

 

[egdede]

I didn't say pull Romex through conduit. User Ford 33 lives in Chicago where local codes require wire be pulled through conduit. In CA, in houses, we usually 'pull' NMC through holes drilled in studs. Maybe people don't say 'pull' when talking about installing NMC in other areas?

I said "Romex" for NMC the way people say "band-aids" for bandages and "kleenex" for tissue.

In Southern CA, in the early 80's, we had to use conduit and wire when working in Burbank CA. I believe a homeowner can now pull NMC in Burbank.

 

[Zeke]

I didn't say pull Romex through conduit. User Ford 33 lives in Chicago where local codes require wire be pulled through conduit. In CA, in houses, we usually 'pull' NMC through holes drilled in studs. Maybe people don't say 'pull' when talking about installing NMC in other areas?

I said "Romex" for NMC the way people say "band-aids" for bandages and "kleenex" for tissue.

In Southern CA, in the early 80's, we had to use conduit and wire when working in Burbank CA. I believe a homeowner can now pull NMC in Burbank. Had my fused panel replaced in Glendale CA 5 years ago.

Early residential development in Newport Beach CA had EMT construction. It's all corroded now.

Romex or NM-B is used selectively in commercial structures. Not at all in industrial that I know of. IDK if anyone pointed that out, I didn't read every post.

 

[Norcal]

Early residential development in Newport Beach CA had EMT construction. It's all corroded now.

Romex or NM-B is used selectively in commercial structures. Not at all in industrial that I know of. IDK if anyone pointed that out, I didn't read every post.

Because NM is now prohibited above suspended ceilings in non residential occupancies , does not make much sense to use NM cable there & have to change wiring methods. A MA electrician posted that they use NM in supermarkets, even for 480 volts, they have code amendments allowing it.

 

[alfredeneuman]

Early residential development in Newport Beach CA had EMT construction. It's all corroded now.

I worked on a house built in the '50s in NB, and couldn't even pull 2-#12s w/TW insulation out of 20' (with no bends) run of EMT under the roof eaves.

 

[egdede]

another reason to love GJ; now, assuming I buy a beach house, I'll know not to use EMT. Never having lived sea-side, I wouldn't have realized that. I always considered emt to be the gold standard (assuming you don't need rigid).

 

[AntonLargiader]

I see a lot of PVC on beach houses at the OBX.

 

[alfredeneuman]

Huntington Beach, the city next to NB, requires any metal conduit outdoors to be painted with marine grade paint ($$$), or the use of Sch80 PVC.
They also require stainless steel ground rods because of the salt content in the soil

 

[walrus]

Because NM is now prohibited above suspended ceilings in non residential occupancies , does not make much sense to use NM cable there & have to change wiring methods. A MA electrician posted that they use NM in supermarkets, even for 480 volts, they have code amendments allowing it.

I see NM above suspended ceilings all the time in Maine

 

[Norcal]

I see NM above suspended ceilings all the time in Maine

Residential? It's still allowed but the NEC no longer allows it for non residential, but then there could be local amendments allowing it, thing can vary depending where one is.

 

[IBEW702]

The IBEW electricians use a hacksaw. I use my battery-powered jigsaw.
As said, you can use a tubing cutter but the trick is to score it just enough to snap and deburr. You won't be able to snap stubbies though.

I have not used a hack saw in over 15 years. All we use now are 18 volt Milwaukee bandsaws. I am going on 18 years in the trade with the IBEW.