Calculators / Kick
Kick bend calculator
A kick is a single bend that moves the end of the conduit out, like kicking it off a wall or into a box. Enter how high the kick needs to be and the angle. You get where to center the bend and the shrink.
Results
- Measure – back from the end of the conduit and mark the center of the bend.
- Line that mark up with your bender's center-of-bend mark.
- Bend to –. The end now sits – out from the run.
- The kick takes up – of run, so add that to measurements taken past the bend.
iBend Pipe does kicks too, plus the level to check your angle. Get the app.
This height at every angle
| Angle | Multiplier | Center of bend | Shrink |
|---|
How the kick formula works
A kick is half of an offset. The bent leg, the kick height and the run under it form a right triangle, with the bent leg as the long side. So the center of the bend sits the kick height × the multiplier (1 ÷ sin of the angle) back from the end. At 30° that's exactly 2, so a 10″ kick at 30° centers the bend 20″ from the end.
Shrink works the same way as in an offset: the bent leg is longer than the run it covers. It equals the height × (cosecant − cotangent) of the angle, about 1/4″ per inch of height at 30°. See the multiplier and shrink chart for every angle, or where multipliers come from for the math.
Which angle should I use?
A shallow angle needs a longer leg to reach the same height, but it's easier to pull wire through. A steep angle fits a short space. Pick the angle that puts the bend where you have room.
These numbers treat the bend as a sharp corner. Real conduit curves around the bender shoe, so check your result and adjust if needed.