Conduit kick calculator

A kick is a single bend, usually just past a 90, that moves the run away from a wall or into a knockout. The math is the offset multiplier applied once: the kick amount times the multiplier, plus half the conduit's outside diameter, gives the center of the kick bend measured from the back of the 90.

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

The kick formula

Center of kick bend (from back of 90) = kick amount × multiplier + ½ outside diameter
Multiplier = 1 ÷ sin(kick angle)

This is the method in IBEW Local 903's Bending Book: multiply the cosecant of the bend angle by the amount of kick, add half the conduit's OD, and that's the center of the bend measured from the back of the 90. Their example: a 2″ kick at 30° → 2 × 2 = 4″, + ½″ = 4½″ to the center of the bend.

Worked example: 3″ kick at 30° in 1/2″ EMT

1. Kick × multiplier: 3 × 2.00 = 6″.
2. Half the OD of 1/2″ EMT (0.706″ per ANSI C80.3): 3/8″.
3. Center of the kick bend: 6 3/8″ from the back of the 90.

Shoe factor: where the arrow goes

The formula finds the center of the bend. Your bender's arrow isn't at the center of the bend it makes, so Local 903 has you find your shoe factor once: bend the angle on scrap and measure from the front of the shoe to the center of the bend. Subtract it from the center-of-bend measurement to place the front of the shoe. Do it once per bender and write it on the handle.

EMT outside diameters (for the ½ OD term)