Bending Calculator
Kick 90 Calculator
Calculate both marks for a kick 90: the 90-degree stub mark and the kick mark, with kick travel, shrink per inch of kick, and an interactive SVG diagram. For 1/2" through 1-1/4" EMT.
Kick Multiplier and Shrink by Angle
A kick uses the same trigonometry as an offset, applied to a single bend. Kick travel (distance from the 90° mark to the kick mark) = kick height × multiplier, where the multiplier is the exact 1 / sin(kick angle): no bender manufacturer we hold prints a kick table, so the kick is worked from geometry, while the offset charts round the same factor to 6.0, 2.6 and 2.0 for offsets. Shrink = kick height × shrink per inch.
The kick is in the run, not in the stub. Both marks are measured from the stub end: the 90° mark at stub height minus take-up, and the kick mark one kick travel farther along. That puts the kick past the 90, so the stub stands its full height and the run is what kicks over. Both pictures draw the kick in the plane of the 90, lifting the run. Both are built in developed stations: the 90's corner sits the take-up less half an OD past its arrow (the stub is measured to the back of the 90) and the kick's corner at the kick mark, so the drawn pipe is the pipe the marks lay out, and a kick mark the finished 90 would consume is refused rather than drawn. That floor is this site's own model at the Table 2 radius, the two arcs just touching; a bender with a tighter shoe may lay a kick closer. The marks fix neither the plane nor the direction, so roll the pipe in the bender to put the kick toward the box.
| Kick Angle | Multiplier | Shrink per Inch of Kick |
|---|---|---|
| 10° | 5.76 | 1/16" |
| 15° | 3.86 | not published |
| 22.5° | 2.61 | 3/16" |
| 30° | 2.00 | 1/4" |
Kick Travel by Kick Height and Angle
Pre-computed kick travel (kick height / sin(angle)) for common kick heights. Add this distance to your 90° mark to find the kick mark. Past its arrow the finished 90 consumes the take-up less half an OD, minus the radius of straight, and then the quarter arc at the size's NEC Chapter 9, Table 2 bend radius (6.93" in 1/2" EMT), so a short kick at a steeper angle puts the kick mark where the 90's curve is still finishing. Rows the engine refuses say so and name the smallest kick height that works.
| Kick Height | @ 10° | @ 15° | @ 22.5° | @ 30° |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1" | not bendable in any EMT size this calculator carries (smallest kick height that works: 1-5/16" in 1/2", 2-5/8" in 1-1/4") | not bendable in any EMT size this calculator carries (smallest kick height that works: 1-15/16" in 1/2", 4" in 1-1/4") | not bendable in any EMT size this calculator carries (smallest kick height that works: 3" in 1/2", 6-1/16" in 1-1/4") | not bendable in any EMT size this calculator carries (smallest kick height that works: 4-1/16" in 1/2", 8-3/16" in 1-1/4") |
| 2" | 11.52" | 7.73" | not bendable in any EMT size this calculator carries (smallest kick height that works: 3" in 1/2", 6-1/16" in 1-1/4") | not bendable in any EMT size this calculator carries (smallest kick height that works: 4-1/16" in 1/2", 8-3/16" in 1-1/4") |
| 3" | 17.28" | 11.59" | 7.84" | not bendable in any EMT size this calculator carries (smallest kick height that works: 4-1/16" in 1/2", 8-3/16" in 1-1/4") |
| 4" | 23.04" | 15.45" | 10.45" | not bendable in any EMT size this calculator carries (smallest kick height that works: 4-1/16" in 1/2", 8-3/16" in 1-1/4") |
| 6" | 34.55" | 23.18" | 15.68" | 12" |
| 8" | 46.07" | 30.91" | 20.91" | 16" |
| 12" | 69.11" | 46.36" | 31.36" | 24" |
Worked Example: 12-Inch Stub with a 4-Inch Kick at 15 Degrees
Given: A 3/4" EMT run stubs up 12 inches out of a deck and needs a 4-inch kick to line up with a panel. You choose a 15-degree kick. The 3/4" bender take-up is 6 inches.
Step 1: The 90° mark. Mark = 12 − 6 = 6 inches from the end of the conduit.
Step 2: Kick travel. Travel = 4 / sin(15°) = 4 × 3.8637 = 15.45 inches.
Step 3: The kick mark. Kick mark = 6 + 15.45 = 21.45 inches from the same end of the conduit.
Step 4: Shrink. No bender manufacturer publishes a 15° shrink constant, so this one is derived from the bend geometry: shrink = 4 × 0.132 = about 0.53 inch. The kicked leg ends up about 0.53 inch short of where the unbent conduit would reach, so allow for it on the leg past the kick if the final position is critical.
Step 5: Bend in order. Bend the 15-degree kick first at the 21.45" mark, sight the plane, then flip the conduit and pull the 90 at the 6" mark.
Result: A 12-inch stub whose run, past the 90, sits 4 inches off its original line, dead on the panel knockout.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a kick in conduit bending?
A kick is a single small-angle bend, usually 10 to 30 degrees, that pushes the conduit off its original line. A kick 90 combines a standard 90 degree stub with a second, small-angle bend laid out kick travel past the 90 mark, so the run past the 90 angles over to line up with a box, panel, or rack that is not directly in line with the run. It is the most common advanced bend in commercial work.
How much shrink per inch of kick?
Shrink per inch of kick height depends on the kick angle: 1/16 inch at 10 degrees, 3/16 inch at 22.5 degrees, and 1/4 inch at 30 degrees. Multiply the kick height by the constant for your angle. An 8-inch kick at 22.5 degrees shrinks the run 8 x 3/16 = 1.5 inches. At the shallow angles typically used for kicks, shrink per inch is small but still worth accounting for on precise layouts.
How do I calculate the marks for a kick 90?
Treat the two bends independently. The 90 degree mark = stub height minus the bender take-up (5 inches for 1/2 inch EMT, 6 inches for 3/4 inch). The kick mark = 90 degree mark + kick travel, where kick travel = kick height / sin(kick angle), both measured from the same end of the conduit. Example in 1/2 inch EMT: a 12-inch stub with an 8-inch kick at 22.5 degrees gives a 90 mark at 12 - 5 = 7 inches and a kick mark at 7 + 20.91 = 27.91 inches from the end. Past its arrow the finished 90 consumes 6.93 inches of pipe (the take-up less half an OD, minus the radius of straight, then the quarter arc), so the kick mark must sit at least that plus the kick arc's own lead-in past the 90 mark, and a shorter kick is refused naming the smallest kick height that works.
Do I bend the kick or the 90 first?
Bend the kick first, then flip the conduit and make the 90. The kick is a small bend that still fits through the bender shoe easily; once the 90 is made, orienting the conduit to put a kick in the correct plane is awkward and error-prone. Make the kick, sight down the conduit to confirm the plane, then bend the 90 at the mark nearer the stub end.
What angle should I use for a kick?
Use the smallest angle that clears the obstruction in the space you have. 10 and 15 degrees give the gentlest wire pull and the least shrink but need the most room: an 8-inch kick takes about 46 inches of travel at 10 degrees versus 16 inches at 30 degrees. 22.5 degrees is a common field choice because most bender heads have a dedicated 22.5 degree mark. Whatever you choose, the kick angle adds to the run's total degrees between pull points.
Does a kick count toward the NEC 360 degree limit?
Yes. NEC 358.26 counts every bend between pull points, in any direction. A kick 90 with a 22.5 degree kick uses 112.5 degrees of the 360 degree budget (90 + 22.5). A run with three kick 90s at 22.5 degrees would be at 337.5 degrees, leaving no room for even a small offset before a pull box is required.
More Bending References
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Every bending constant on one page. Print, save the PDF, or download the image for your phone.
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Multipliers and shrink per inch for 10° through 60° offset bends.
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