Bend times will vary based on ambient temperature, humidity, barometric pressure and other environmental factors, however, in our tests, we've found that bend times can be as fast as:

Series A:

2 minutes for 1/2"
4 minutes for 3/4"
5 minutes for 1"
6 minutes for 1 1/4"

Series B:  (Hotter)

5 minutes for 1 1/2"
6 minutes for 2"

We haven't done precise time tests on larger diameters, so it wouldn't be fair for us to throw any figures out at this point.  We're developing a Series C to bring us out to larger diameters with times comparable to what we're acheiving with Series A and B.  At that point, we'll update this section again to bring you the most accurate figures we can come up with.

Again, though, individual bend times will vary.  Summer bending in Arizona will be faster than winter bending in Alaska.

Yes.  We are more than happy to lend our knowledge to help you do what you set out to do.  If you're willing to foot the bill, we'll even fly out to your location and help first-hand.  If not, there are very few stupid questions, and we answer those, too.

Head on over to our Contact page, and send them to the e-mail address you see there.  It won't take more than a couple of days, and your entry will be published.  ALMOST no entry too weird.

Yes, we will.  Not only that, but you can send us your suggestions for what you'd like to see, and we'll make episodes to fit your needs.  Head on over to the Contact page to send in your ideas.

The Model A will heat pipes 1/2” to 1 1/4”. The B Series goes up to 3”. We have used two A Series in parallel with a larger metal sleeve to bend up to 4” and can do 3” in about 10 minutes heat time.

With a B Series and an extra sleeve, the heat time on a three inch pipe is about 6 minutes.

Some users are strictly utilitarian, and they're only going to need three feet of net bendable area to get the job done.  There a lot of cool things you can do when you bend PVC, though, and we want people to be able to develop new applications for this material.  One example is setting up self-watering greenhouse frames, where users need to bend very long sections of pipe in a single pass.  Another example is when an electrician needs to make a compound offset for conduit.  It is extremely useful to heat a long section of pipe, and no other bender on the market even approaches 9'.

YES you can.  If you heat below a certain point, "belling" will not occur at all, but when you bend PVC into tight shapes, you'll need to bring it to a higher temperature.  To prevent "belling" at ends, put fittings on the pipe before you make your bend.

Yes, you can.

Yes, you can, and it works beautifully.  If you're bending regular white PVC, colored PVC, clear PVC and the grey PVC, you'll notice they all have a slightly different consistency to the touch when they are ready to bend.  The actual performance of the materials, however, is almost identical.  Grey electrical conduit feels a little more like rubber when it is heated, and this has to do with some of the UV treatments that are in the material itself.  This in no way effects the outcome of the bend process.  The quality of your output depends almost entirely on the quality of your form or jig.

With PVC Bendit, you can bend almost any rigid thermoplastic pipe or tubing known to man.  Here at the shop, we've bent PVC pipe, acrylic tubing, ABS pipe and sheets, polycarbonate sheets (single and dual-walled), corrugated polyethylene and even plastics that we're not quite sure what they are.  In every case, the process worked wonderfully, though it should be noted that different materials have different bend times and softening temperatures.

Refer to our Videos section and watch the episodes titled "Minimum Inside Diameter" part 1 and 2.  It offers general guidelines for the aswers to these questions.  You can push the envelope further by combining internal and external support.  Beyond a certain point, though, you will compromise the integrity of the pipe.  This is a pipe bender, not a pipe transmogrifier.

Test the water.  You can successfully and consistently bend and shape PVC pipe into some VERY tight shapes, but once you go beyond a certain point, you'll have to use some form of internal support to keep the pipe wall from collapsing.  We offer different gauges of metal hose to slip into pipes when making tight bends.  Another way to prevent kinking is to press down on the area of the pipe that is trying to get wider.  As with any skill, practice makes perfect.  Again, refer to our Videos section, especially the episodes on minimum inside bend diameter, for the answers to almost any question you may have.

Yes, it will.  We have only tested residential pressure (~40psi) here at the shop, but the results were great.  Be EXTREMELY CAREFUL with high pressure applications.  Be sure to test any high pressure pipe applications in a very controlled environment.  We do not recommend compressed air applications beyond 100 psi in any PVC pipe under any conditions.

Yes and no.  If you are pressing the limitations of the material, you may or may not succeed.  The tool works perfectly, but you may be asking more than the material can offer.  After a few test bends, a little practice, and with a well-developed forming system, you can precisely duplicate whatever you are trying to make as many times as you may need to make it.  It's like riding a bike:  don't try the double back flip on the first day, and don't expect your bike to do what an airplane does.

Yes.   It releases less than 20% of the heat that box benders do.  In a direct comparison, a 3' box bender emits 1300 watts (at $700), while a 3' PVC Bendit runs at 169 watts (at $200).  It's not only safe to use, it's safe for your wallet as well.  When used properly, the PVC Bendit will not emit fumes or odors.  It is still not recommended to bend PVC or any other plastic with children.  It is also recommended that you use PVC Bendit in a well-ventillated area. 

YES!  PAY ATTENTION!  If you stay near the bender while it is in operation, there is little to no chance of ever burning a pipe.  If you walk away and get distracted, though, your odds are very high that you will forget what you're doing and burn the pipe.

Not really.  Not all bends take the same amount of time.  The perfect time at 9 a.m. may change by noon due to ambient conditions like temperature, barometric pressure and humidity.  On top of that, you should still rotate the pipe from time to time to insure that it heats evenly.

That all depends on what you mean.  We've had benders here in the shop that we're left plugged in for days on end.  You probably shouldn't do that.  We had ours set up in an aircraft aluminum Bendstation on a rubber-topped, non-flammable table.  If you mean, "Can I run my PVC Bendit 40 hours a week?"  oh, yes you can.  But if you mean, "Can I leave my PVC Bendit plugged in for the next 20 years?" then the answer is, "Not a good idea."  The heating element in a PVC Bendit is similar to the filament in an incandescent light bulb.  After a certain amount of run time, it will burn out.  The same thing will happen if you clamp down the trigger on a power drill and just spin the drill for weeks or months on end. The run time is extremely long, but it is still a finite amount.  In the name of extending the lifetime of your bender, and in the name of safety, unplug your bender when you're not using it.

The BendStation is insulation, that's all.  It keeps heat from escaping during the bend process, and it keeps the PVC Bendit tool from burning or melting your work surface.  You don't need it, but honestly, I use it.  Think of it like the blade guard on a miter saw - you don't NEED it, but it sure is safer when you use it.  The only applications where I could see a person not using the BendStation are in the field with electricians and plumbers, when they're working on concrete floors or doing underslab work before a pour.

Those are there to mark the "cold" zones of your bender. There is no heating element inside of them, so they will not get nearly as hot as the middle heat zone.  Be warned, though, that the metal hose that the entire tool is cased in is conductive, and heat may creep its way down toward the end, especially when the BendStation is closed with no pipe on the bender.  Always wear gloves when touching a plugged-in bender.

Actually, with two of them and an extra sleeve, you can.  However, if all you plan on bending is larger diameter pipe, you'll be better served with a dual-element Series B.  It is less expensive than 2 Series A's, and it packs exactly the same punch.  There is an advantage in having two Series A's in that you can bend anything from 1/2" all the way out to 4" PVC or other thermoplastic pipe, provided you have the sleeves for the larger diameters.  When using Series B, the smallest inside diameter you can bend is 1 1/4".  A 2" sleeve will help you bend all the way out to 4" with no difficulty, but the closer the outside diameter of your sleeve is to the inside diameter of your pipe, the shorter your bend times will be.

We hate to even have to answer this question, since it seems self-explanitory, but we get it enough, so here goes.  By heating up 9 linear feet of pipe instead of three, you are able to make larger bends.  You are also able to put multiple bends on the same pipe in a single pass.  Take a look in the Gallery and Video sections for examples that words will fail to illustrate.

There is no recharging. the Bender uses AC 110v or 220v power.

The bender runs off of 110v. We are willing to adapt to international standards, but again, these will be built to order and will take longer to recieve.

Your toaster draws more current than PVC Bendit.  It runs at less than an amp.

They are available here.

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