Hand-bender values for offsets in EMT, IMC and rigid. An offset is two equal bends: the bend marks go depth × multiplier apart, measured along the conduit, where the multiplier is 1 ÷ sin of the bend angle. The bent conduit comes up shorter by depth × the shrink per inch, so add the shrink when you measure to an obstruction.
Shrink uses the per-inch values printed on bender charts, and take-ups are typical one-shot hand-bender values that vary by maker, so check the marks on your bender. The NEC allows no more than 360° of bends between pull points (358.26 for EMT, 342.26 for IMC, 344.26 for rigid), and every offset and saddle counts toward it.
Offset multiplier and shrink by bend angle
Multiplier and shrink per inch of offset depth| Bend angle | Multiplier | Shrink per inch of depth |
|---|
| 10° | 5.759 | 1/16" |
|---|
| 22½° | 2.613 | 3/16" |
|---|
| 30° | 2.000 | 1/4" |
|---|
| 45° | 1.414 | 3/8" |
|---|
| 60° | 1.155 | 1/2" |
|---|
Mark spacing and shrink for 2" to 12" offsets
Distance between the two bend marks and the total shrink, by offset depth. Example: a 6" offset with 30° bends puts the marks 6 × 2 = 12" apart and shrinks 6 × 1/4" = 1 1/2".
10° bends| Offset depth | Between marks | Shrink |
|---|
| 2" | 11 1/2" | 1/8" |
|---|
| 3" | 17 1/4" | 3/16" |
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| 4" | 23 1/16" | 1/4" |
|---|
| 5" | 28 13/16" (2' 4 13/16") | 5/16" |
|---|
| 6" | 34 9/16" (2' 10 9/16") | 3/8" |
|---|
| 7" | 40 5/16" (3' 4 5/16") | 7/16" |
|---|
| 8" | 46 1/16" (3' 10 1/16") | 1/2" |
|---|
| 9" | 51 13/16" (4' 3 13/16") | 9/16" |
|---|
| 10" | 57 9/16" (4' 9 9/16") | 5/8" |
|---|
| 11" | 63 3/8" (5' 3 3/8") | 11/16" |
|---|
| 12" | 69 1/8" (5' 9 1/8") | 3/4" |
|---|
22½° bends| Offset depth | Between marks | Shrink |
|---|
| 2" | 5 1/4" | 3/8" |
|---|
| 3" | 7 13/16" | 9/16" |
|---|
| 4" | 10 7/16" | 3/4" |
|---|
| 5" | 13 1/16" | 15/16" |
|---|
| 6" | 15 11/16" | 1 1/8" |
|---|
| 7" | 18 5/16" | 1 5/16" |
|---|
| 8" | 20 7/8" | 1 1/2" |
|---|
| 9" | 23 1/2" | 1 11/16" |
|---|
| 10" | 26 1/8" (2' 2 1/8") | 1 7/8" |
|---|
| 11" | 28 3/4" (2' 4 3/4") | 2 1/16" |
|---|
| 12" | 31 3/8" (2' 7 3/8") | 2 1/4" |
|---|
30° bends| Offset depth | Between marks | Shrink |
|---|
| 2" | 4" | 1/2" |
|---|
| 3" | 6" | 3/4" |
|---|
| 4" | 8" | 1" |
|---|
| 5" | 10" | 1 1/4" |
|---|
| 6" | 12" | 1 1/2" |
|---|
| 7" | 14" | 1 3/4" |
|---|
| 8" | 16" | 2" |
|---|
| 9" | 18" | 2 1/4" |
|---|
| 10" | 20" | 2 1/2" |
|---|
| 11" | 22" | 2 3/4" |
|---|
| 12" | 24" (2' 0") | 3" |
|---|
45° bends| Offset depth | Between marks | Shrink |
|---|
| 2" | 2 13/16" | 3/4" |
|---|
| 3" | 4 1/4" | 1 1/8" |
|---|
| 4" | 5 11/16" | 1 1/2" |
|---|
| 5" | 7 1/16" | 1 7/8" |
|---|
| 6" | 8 1/2" | 2 1/4" |
|---|
| 7" | 9 7/8" | 2 5/8" |
|---|
| 8" | 11 5/16" | 3" |
|---|
| 9" | 12 3/4" | 3 3/8" |
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| 10" | 14 1/8" | 3 3/4" |
|---|
| 11" | 15 9/16" | 4 1/8" |
|---|
| 12" | 17" | 4 1/2" |
|---|
60° bends| Offset depth | Between marks | Shrink |
|---|
| 2" | 2 5/16" | 1" |
|---|
| 3" | 3 7/16" | 1 1/2" |
|---|
| 4" | 4 5/8" | 2" |
|---|
| 5" | 5 3/4" | 2 1/2" |
|---|
| 6" | 6 15/16" | 3" |
|---|
| 7" | 8 1/16" | 3 1/2" |
|---|
| 8" | 9 1/4" | 4" |
|---|
| 9" | 10 3/8" | 4 1/2" |
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| 10" | 11 9/16" | 5" |
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| 11" | 12 11/16" | 5 1/2" |
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| 12" | 13 7/8" | 6" |
|---|
3-point saddle
A 45° bend in the center over the obstruction and 22½° bends at the outer marks, 2½" per inch of saddle height from the center mark. Move the center mark ahead by the shrink, 3/16" per inch of height.
3-point saddle, 45° center and 22½° outer bends| Saddle height | Center to each outer mark | Shrink |
|---|
| 1" | 2 1/2" | 3/16" |
|---|
| 2" | 5" | 3/8" |
|---|
| 3" | 7 1/2" | 9/16" |
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| 4" | 10" | 3/4" |
|---|
| 5" | 12 1/2" | 15/16" |
|---|
| 6" | 15" | 1 1/8" |
|---|
90° stub-up take-up for EMT
Mark = stub height − take-up, measured from the conduit end; put the bender's arrow on the mark. A 12" stub on 1/2" EMT: 12 − 5 = 7". Rigid and IMC usually go in the shoe one EMT size larger, so check your bender.
Typical hand-bender take-up, EMT| EMT size | Take-up |
|---|
| 1/2" | 5" |
|---|
| 3/4" | 6" |
|---|
| 1" | 8" |
|---|
| 1¼" | 11" |
|---|
Lengths are rounded to the nearest 1/16" (feet and inches in brackets from 2 ft) and multipliers to three decimals.
Estimates only. Check measurements, product labels and local building codes before you buy or build.