More on the Mathematics of the Offset Bend

I again revised, revised and revised again the article on the offset bend shrinkage math. It has become an algorithm unto itself now and no longer bears resemblance to the real world. The math checks out, but I wonder how a field verification test will hold out. I should go get a 555 Greenlee bender and at least try it out, but it is 20 below zero and I am not going to do it in the house. There are also so many field variables such as the type of bender and the wear and tear on the shoes. Does the pipe stretch or does it compress or do all pipes have the same malleability? Then there is the case of the oiled shoe. My partner and I had a problem with 3 inch pipe flattening using a one shot Enterpac at Pump Station 7 in about 1981. The hydraulic fluid kept leaking and the shoe got oiled. It was years later that I learned that an oily shoe will cause the pipe to flatten. I learned that a shoe properly treated with vinegar is better.

I do think that the new electricians should make the big move to laptops. If the infantry soldiers can fight a war with them, perhaps electricians can do a better job of wiring. It is fact that almost every job shack in Alaska now has a computer with an Internet connection. Many as-builds are now required in Auto Cad format. So why not!