Old master electrician showed me something on a service call back in 2015

I was working with this guy named Frank on a panel swap in an old house over in Oak Park. He must have been 65 and had been doing the trade since the 70s. He showed me how he bends conduit using nothing but his knee and a tape measure, no bender at all for small offsets. I thought he was messing with me until he did a perfect 30 degree bend in 10 seconds flat. He just said 'the book tells you one way, but your hands know another way.' It stuck with me because I still use that trick on tight attic jobs where you can't fit a bender. Any of you guys have an old timer show you a weird trick that actually works great?

3 comments

3 Comments

hall.joel28d ago

Frank sounds like my guy Larry. @lilyp37 would appreciate how he wired a whole panel with his eyes closed once.

wade87129d ago

Man that knee bend trick saves so much time in tight spots.

lilyp3729d ago

Been using that trick for years now, @wade871. Saves your lower back a ton of wear and tear too when you're crawling under sinks or into crawl spaces. Just gotta make sure you don't lock your knee all the way or you'll regret it the next morning. Works way better than trying to crouch or squat the whole time honestly.