90° stub-up calculator and take-up chart

To bend a 90° stub to an exact height, subtract the bender's take-up (some makers call it the deduct) from the height you want, mark that distance from the end, line the mark up with the bender's arrow and bend to 90°. Take-up is bender-dependent — use your shoe's number.

Last reviewed Nov 14, 2026 · Sources at the end of the page

The stub-up formula

Bend mark (from the end) = finished stub height − take-up

EMT take-up / deduct by size

Take-up is the length the bend "uses" between your mark and the back of the finished 90. It depends on the shoe's radius, which is why two 1-1/4″ benders disagree. If your bender has the number cast into the head, that number wins. If not, bend a test 90 on scrap: mark at a known distance, bend, measure the stub, and the difference is your take-up.

Worked examples

• 14″ stub in 1/2″ EMT: 14 − 5 = 9″ from the end.
• 14″ stub in 3/4″ EMT: 14 − 6 = 8″.
• 14″ stub in 1-1/4″ EMT: 14 − 11 = 3″ on a Greenlee 843, or 14 − 12 = 2″ on a Gardner Bender 933.

Back-to-back 90s

For the second 90 on the same stick, Gardner Bender's guide measures from the back of the first 90 to the back of the second and lines that mark up with the star (or "B") on the shoe rather than the arrow. Your bender's markings decide which symbol to use — check the head.