Conduit size and material pick the bender, not the job. Hand benders cover 1/2 in to 1 in EMT and cost a few dollars a day at a counter. Mechanical benders take EMT, IMC and rigid to about 1 1/4 in for roughly $40 to $75, and hydraulic benders handle 2 in and above nearer $90 to $150, usually with a separate shoe for each size.
The shoe is sized to the conduit, not the bender
A bender frame is useless without the right shoe or die for the diameter and the wall thickness you are running. EMT, IMC and rigid of the same nominal size are not interchangeable in every shoe. List the sizes and the material when you book, and count the shoes back into the case on return, because a missing one is charged at replacement.
One shot bends against segmented bends
A hydraulic bender makes a ninety in a single stroke on large conduit, which is fast and repeatable. A mechanical bender walks a large radius round in a series of small pulls, which takes layout and patience but needs less machine. For a handful of large sweeps the hydraulic hire pays for itself in an afternoon.
Take the layout tools with the machine
Benders are only as good as the marks on the conduit. A tape, a level, a permanent marker and a reamer for the cut ends belong in the same trip. Counters usually have the reamer and the deburring tool on the shelf beside the benders, and it is the item people go back for.
Power, and where the bender is standing
Electric hydraulic benders draw a serious current and want a proper supply or a generator rather than a long light cord. Federal wiring rules govern the temporary supply on a construction site, including ground fault protection for cord and plug equipment. Manual hydraulic pumps avoid the question entirely and are what most short hires end up using.
Questions people ask about conduit bender rental
Which bender do I need for 2 in rigid conduit?
A hydraulic bender with a shoe matched to 2 in rigid. Mechanical benders stop short of that size in most fleets, and hand benders are nowhere near it. Confirm whether the branch supplies a manual pump or an electric one, since that changes both the price and the power you need on site.
Are the shoes included in the rental?
Usually a set travels with the frame, but not always every size, and larger shoes are sometimes an extra line. Give the counter every diameter on the drawing rather than the biggest one, and check the case contents against the ticket before you leave the yard.
Can I rent a bender for a single day?
Yes, and a half day rate is common at the tool counter. Bending is layout heavy work, though, so people who book a day for a four hour job are usually right. Cut and ream everything first, then bend the whole run in one session while the machine is set up.