Bender hook digging in to pipe

[Mgrant]

The hook on my Irvin Hilmor bender is slightly digging in to the pipe when pulling a bend. If I put insulation tape on the hook it stops this. Any one had this problem before?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

any marks/ damage on hook and does it move easy?

 

[joni os]

Make sure there is a gap between hook and backing iron, this to ensure hook can centre itself square on pipe.

 

[Mgrant]

Thanks, by backing iron do you mean the guide?

 

[Mgrant]

The hook just seems to be digging in as with a strip on insulation tape on it, it makes no mark. No obvious sign of damage on the hook though I could try filling down?

 

[Best]

The hook just seems to be digging in as with a strip on insulation tape on it, it makes no mark. No obvious sign of damage on the hook though I could try filling down?

Maybe take a good close look at the hook with a cutting of copper pipe against it to see if there is a high spot on the hook. If there is you could file that part, but I think you should use a round file on the edges of the hook to round them off

 

[Mgrant]

Thanks have you ever had to do this before?

 

[Best]

Thanks have you ever had to do this before?

No, never had to file the "hook" part. Had to file the formers and obviously had to use emery and steel wool on rest of parts.
I have a hand bender (Record) which I have to be careful to keep the hook in proper position or if it isn't flat to the the pipe it would leave a line. It is an excellent hand bender though.
Other benders I have are stand benders - both old proper British Hilmor and the hook is the removeable alloy lump type and has well rounded edges with age and use. Must be 50 years old :smile:
Benditnow are still the original what was the British Hilmor company and apparently the best

 

[oz-plumber]

You may just have to lubricate the guide and the former.

Could be that the former is pulling the pipe through the guide slightly and causing the pipe to jagg on the hook.

Rub some soap or candlewax over the guide and former

 

[Mgrant]

You may just have to lubricate the guide and the former.

Could be that the former is pulling the pipe through the guide slightly and causing the pipe to jagg on the hook.

Rub some soap or candlewax over the guide and former

Would silicone grease do?

 

[oz-plumber]

Would silicone grease do?

Yes, anything to reduce grabbing of the hook on the pipe being bent.

 

[Jay The Plumber]

mine does it if im not careful how the hook is onto the pipe when i start the bend.. it can easily just rest on the pipe with one edge touching.

 

[Mgrant]

mine does it if im not careful how the hook is onto the pipe when i start the bend.. it can easily just rest on the pipe with one edge touching.

it is just one edge that is touching the pipe how do I solve this?

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

Hilmor are now utter pants,bend it now on ebay do the original GLM Hilmor bender

 

[Jay The Plumber]

it is just one edge that is touching the pipe how do I solve this?

I just make sure that the tube is contacting the hook all the way along its length, the only time I cant get it to not dink the tubing is when im having to bend with the hook right on the very end of the tube itself so I just avoid doing that if I can

 

[Mgrant]

Thanks slightly filed the hook with a round file and made it a bit better. But I tried a bend with the hook from my old bender and it is still making a slight mark. So like you say it must be dragging some how. Strange how a strip of insulation tape on the hook stops it. Are hilmors now not the same as they were say 5 years ago then?

 

[Best]

Thanks slightly filed the hook with a round file and made it a bit better. But I tried a bend with the hook from my old bender and it is still making a slight mark. So like you say it must be dragging some how. Strange how a strip of insulation tape on the hook stops it. Are hilmors now not the same as they were say 5 years ago then?

No, apparently Hilmor moved production of their benders to the far east and therefore Himor might look the same, but machining maybe not the same it appears.
But the original British Hilmor factory still makes same quality benders as they used to and spares but now under the name of Benditnow

 

[Best]

http://www.benditnow.co.uk/

 

[Mgrant]

I just make sure that the tube is contacting the hook all the way along its length, the only time I cant get it to not dink the tubing is when im having to bend with the hook right on the very end of the tube itself so I just avoid doing that if I can

What bender do you use?

 

[Mgrant]

May look in to getting one from bend it now. If I manage to stay off the beer for a weekend

 

[Mgrant]

Any one use hilmors that are made in the far east and not had problems?

 

[Mgrant]

It does pull a perfect bend with a piece of tape on the hook, guess this stops it bending in. Any one had this before? I think it is because the hook won't sit square on the pipe. Though I can't find a way of making it sit square.

 

[Best]

The hook will need freedom of movement so that it pulls into position square with the pipe.
Maybe something could be slightly altered on the hook arm by filing it a tad to allow extra movement?

 

[Mgrant]

Thanks, the opening of the hook arm looks too narrow were it connects to the bender to allow it to sit back on the pipe square. Not sure of a way to fix this

 

[Best]

You will need to put a piece of copper into position in the bender and sit and study it to see how it is faulty.
Maybe a side on photo of that set up would help for anyone here to offer modification ideas?

 

[Mgrant]

 

[Mgrant]

Thats the problem the hook not setting flat so digs in when I pull a bend. Unless I put tape on the hook. Any ideas of how to improve or fix?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

you sure you hook is not damaged as it looks way different to mine (looks like a hook)

 

[Best]

It looks just as you had described. One thing I notice is the hook is too high, if you know what I mean? If the pipe was to be positioned parallel with the hook, the pipe would actually be lower.
I have a spare new Hilmor bender that looks identical, still in box, that was given to me. Not sure if is the older British built or newer foreign bender, but I will examine it and get back to you.

 

[Mgrant]

you sure you hook is not damaged as it looks way different to mine (looks like a hook)

does the hook sit flat on yours?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

does the hook sit flat on yours?

will take a pic tomorrow

 

[PlumbBobBob]

I think you have the guide too far forward, in my training the tutor marked my benders I think about an inch or so back from the end of the former. I will get mine out in the morning and take a pic.

 

[Mgrant]

Thank you are yours the old british hilmors?

 

[ShaunCorbs]

yes for me

 

[PlumbBobBob]

yes for me too

 

[Best]

If you look at the photo, the bottom of the hook (where it attaches to bender) seems to have virtually no movement space side to side in photo.
So to me it looks like the hook needs lower, as it can't move sideways to parallel with the pipe.
I could be wrong though. I will definitely look at my "new" Hilmor hand bender and check

 

[Best]

All my other benders I use are British thankfully and excellent. (2 Hilmor frame benders, 1 Record hand bender). Not sure about the new in its box Hilmor hand bender until I look at it

 

[Mgrant]

Thanks for all the replys. There doesnt seem to be an obvious cure for the problem then?

 

[PlumbBobBob]

I haven't done that pic yet, but try moving the former back a bit so it isn't right at the end

 

[Best]

I decided to take a look at the "new" Hilmor bender I have still in its original box. Thankfully it is the old British Hilmor! :smile:
But I notice the hook on it is a bit off also, although a test bend showed no mark from the hook.
As I had previously guessed, the hook is slightly too far from the bender.
Looks to me if the hole in the yellow frame was slightly lower that would bring the hook closer and parallel with pipe

 

[Best]

Here is my normal hand bender, - see the difference, - nice quality Record bender with no problems and must be about 30 years old now. Hook is nice and parallel.


Also found this, - my tin of lead tools and tallow when looking for the Hilmor bender! :grin:

 

[ShaunCorbs]

And here's mine

 

[Best]

Shaun, your Hilmor hook also looks like it isn't flat against the pipe, same as mine.
Maybe because ours are the British made old Hilmors, they are slightly better.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Shaun, your Hilmor hook also looks like it isn't flat against the pipe, same as mine.
Maybe because ours are the British made old Hilmors, they are slightly better.

once you start to pull a bend it sits flat and yea would think the op has the new type cheap cack

 

[Best]

once you start to pull a bend it sits flat and yea would think the op has the new type cheap cack

My Hilmor is just a spare and almost unused as was given to me free still in its cardboard box.
I did a test bend using 15mm and noticed the hook wasn't exactly parallel, but it didn't mark the pipe.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

the only other thing i can think of is rubbish copper used to get a few lengths that was from spain and wouldnt do anything past a 45 ripple kink snap do everything but bend

 

[Subby]

it happens on my old benders, sometime the hook catches on the moving arm and doesnt go all the way over the pipe. if i dont check, the end of the hook will dig into the pipe leaving a nice dent. i have to close the benders slightly then push the hook all the way over the pipe to prevent this from happening.

 

[Mgrant]

Its not a huge dent I'll take a picture tomorrow. A piece of tape in the hook does stop it. Stops the metal on metal digging in? I have an old brittish hilmor that was marking the pipe but it turns out this was because of wear on the guide. I have purchased a new 15mm guide, for bend it, online and it pulls a perfect bend.