Calculators / 3-point saddle

3-point saddle calculator

For crossing a pipe or other obstruction. Enter its height and how far its center is from the end of your conduit; you get all three marks.

A 3-point saddle bent over a round pipe
For a pipe, use its outside diameter, in inches
Measured from the end of your conduit, in inches

Marks from the conduit end

First outer mark
–
Center mark
–
Second outer mark
–
Shrink
–
  1. Bend the center mark to –.
  2. Roll the conduit 180° and bend each outer mark to –.
  3. The center of the saddle lands over the center of the obstruction.

iBend Pipe does 3- and 4-bend saddles with your bender's real dimensions. Get the app.

How the 3-point saddle formula works

A 3-point saddle has a center bend and two outer bends at half that angle. Because the conduit gets shorter as it climbs over the obstruction, you add the shrink to the distance to the obstruction's center. That's your center mark.

The outer marks go on each side of the center mark, at the obstruction height times the multiplier: 2.5 for a 45°/22.5° saddle, or 2 for a 60°/30° saddle.

Shrink is 3/16″ per inch of height for 45°/22.5°, and 1/4″ per inch for 60°/30°.

These are the standard field values. Results can differ slightly from your bender's marks.