Pipe Viper PVC Bender

[youstaycool]

Anyone have any experience with this bender?

Thumbs up, down, or otherwise?

http://www.thepipeviper.com/index.html

[DeltaT]

I'm getting one of those. But someone get one first and let me know if it really works.

[hvaceric]

3/4" version for $37? How could you go wrong? Order three and send one to me :D

[amickracing]

They had one at one of our supply house BBQ's...

Pretty nifty gadget! They said the one thing you have to watch out for is to not try bending PVC when it's cold (like below freezing), seems kinda obvious.

If I ran PVC anymore, I'd probably get one too

[youstaycool]

Thanks Amick.

[Wheelbaron]

Haven't used one yet, but we used to make slight bends of 30 deg. or less on stuff up to about 2 1/2 inch using a heat gun and filling the pipe with sand first so it would not buckle. This was on drain and vent only.

[coolmist]

Does anyone no how often the pvc shatters? I wonder if heating up the bend
area first with a heat gun would make bending easier and less hazardous? Looks
like it could have a lot of good applications if it works well.

[sodd81927]

Hundred years ago when I did underground service installs I heated and bent PVC by heating it with my truck exaust. NOT the best way to go but it worked till I could buy an electric bender.

[itsiceman]

Why is that dude looking around suspiciously before the bend and lighting changes.
And why is there a jitter in the video at 42 seconds right before he bends the pipe :confused:
Video cuts before he gets the thing out of the pipe and when they cut back in amazingly there is two bends in the pipe.

Looks like a bad Bewitched episode :p

You can buy a lot of 3/4" 90°'s for $37 and probably get the job done faster without this thing.

I bet the thing probably bends 1 good bend out of 5 tries if you get good at it. The pipe viper could be full of snake oil :rolleyes:

[phosgene]

well said Itsiceman, I noticed that camera stutter at the 42 second mark. something seems fishy

[Wheelbaron]

Would work good for small degree offset to get around other pipes or stuff, but I can't see you using it much for 90. what happens when you want that bend right out at the end? Now if I can use it to make drain traps....:cool:

[DeltaT]

If this thing really works wouldn't it make more sense to bend it around something the size of a coffee can for a long radius in place of using a knee? And, if you make the bend far away into the pipe can you really get the insert out at all or easy if it's way down the pipe?

[itsiceman]

If it was easy they probably would have showed the whole video ;)
You might start using less 90° with this thing but, your going to start using more couplers ;)

[sparky05]

I agree it is a nice idea, but if that were electrical conduit the bends would be very hard to pull wire through, and the first thing I thought of after watching it was just how easy will it be to retrieve the spring after you have bent the pipe?
I remember the spring benders that went over the copper pipes, sometimes they were a drag to get back off after you had bent the pipe. I use to use a heat gun on smaller PVC pipe, then I bought a heat blanket, that worked great.:D

[DeltaT]

I ordered the kit of 3 sizes. I'm going to use the one inch on a replacement dehumidifier I'm doing in a couple of weeks. I'll let you guys know.

[coolmist]

sparky05 - where do you get the heating blankets from to bend the tubing?

[wolfdog]

A blanket or a hot box if you do a lot of PVC.

http://www.toolup.com/CategorySearchxaxNodexbx19476.html

http://www.mytoolstore.com/gardnerb/conbend6.html

[coolmist]

thanks wolfdog

[sparky05]

I purchased mine from an electrical wholesaler, do not remember the brand off hand, but it was much cheaper in price than the ones listed in the thread below, if you have an electrical wholesaler near you, look and see what they have, I believe I paid less than 100 for mine.:confused: