Free · Offline PWA · EMT 1/2-1 inch
Conduit Bending Calculator
Mark offsets, 90° stub-ups, and saddles to the nearest 1/16 inch. Approximate multipliers, shrink constants, and take-up — on the phone, in the gang box, with no account.
Field card
Conduit offset calculator: distance between marks equals height × multiplier. Shrink is height × a reference constant. These are estimates; bend radius is not included.
Multiplier 2.00 · shrink 1/4" per inch of height. Tap a number to copy.
Print CSS keeps the result card only.
Results are estimates for reference only. Always verify measurements against your bender and local electrical code before cutting or bending conduit.
How to use this calculator
1. Pick the bend type
Choose Offset, 90° stub-up, or Saddle. All three modes live on this page so you do not bounce between URLs on the job.
2. Enter size and height
Select EMT trade size and type the offset height, stub length, or obstruction height. Fractions such as 6 1/2 are accepted.
3. Set the angle
For offsets, pick 10°, 15°, 22.5°, 30°, 45°, or 60°. 30° is the everyday shop angle; 45° is for tight boxes.
4. Read the marks
The card shows distance between marks, shrink, and take-up, rounded to the nearest 1/16 in. Switch to millimetres if you are on metric stick.
5. Transfer and verify
Mark the pipe from the end, line the arrow on your bender, and confirm on scrap before you cut production conduit. Take-up varies by shoe.
Offset reference constants
Distance between marks = offset height × multiplier. Shrink = offset height × shrink per inch. This table estimates 12 inches between marks for a 6-inch offset at 30°. It does not account for bend radius.
| Angle | Multiplier | Shrink / inch |
|---|---|---|
| 10° | 5.76 | 1/16" |
| 15° | 3.86 | 1/8" |
| 22.5° | 2.61 | 3/16" |
| 30° | 2.00 | 1/4" |
| 45° | 1.41 | 3/8" |
| 60° | 1.15 | 1/2" |
| EMT size | 90° take-up (typical) |
|---|---|
| 1/2" | 5" |
| 3/4" | 6" |
| 1" | 8" |
Take-up is adjustable in the 90° mode because bender model and shoe wear change the number. Verify on scrap.
Chart
Conduit bending cheat sheet
Full constant table, common offset heights, and mark diagrams.
Shrink
Conduit shrink chart
Why an offset comes up short, and the shrink constant for each angle.
Field questions
What is the 30° offset multiplier?
The 30° multiplier is 2.00 (the cosecant of 30°). Multiply offset height by 2.00 to get the distance between the two bend marks. A 6-inch offset at 30° needs marks 12 inches apart.
Why does shrink matter on an offset?
Shrink is the run length you lose because the conduit takes a longer path through the offset than a straight stick would. If you ignore shrink, the far end lands short of the box or coupling. At 30°, shrink is 1/4 inch per inch of offset height — 1-1/2 inches on a 6-inch offset.
How much take-up is there on a 90° stub-up?
On a typical hand bender the take-up (stub height minus the mark) is 5 inches for 1/2-inch EMT, 6 inches for 3/4-inch EMT, and 8 inches for 1-inch EMT. Always confirm on your shoe — Ideal, Klein, and Greenlee stamps are close but not identical, and worn shoes drift.
How do you bend a 3-point saddle?
Mark the center of the obstruction on the conduit. Measure out 2.5 times the obstruction height on each side for the outer marks. Bend 22.5° on the first outer mark (handle toward the center), 45° on the center mark in the opposite direction, then 22.5° on the remaining outer mark. Keep the conduit in the same plane.
Which conduit does this calculator support?
EMT only — 1/2-inch, 3/4-inch, and 1-inch trade sizes. The 90° take-up presets (5, 6, and 8 inches) are standard EMT hand-bender values. Other conduit types use different shoes and take-up, so this calculator does not ship presets for them.