By Blissom · Updated 2026-10-23
Layout values: check them against your own bender, on scrap first.
Download the 1" EMT chart as a one-page PDF
1" EMT and its bender
1" EMT is a common size for subpanel and equipment feeders and for runs that need room to grow; by fill area it takes twenty-six #12 THHN or four #4 THHN. The same shoe bends 3/4" rigid and IMC.
| Outside diameter | 1.163" |
| Inside diameter (from NEC internal area) | 1.049" |
| Internal area (NEC Chapter 9, Table 4) | 0.864 in² |
| Hand-bender take-up (deduct) | 8" |
| NEC minimum radius (Ch. 9, Table 2) | 5-3/4" |
| Greenlee 842AH centerline radius | 6-1/2" |
| Gain of a 90 (centerline) | 2-13/16" |
| Gain, legs to the back | 3-15/16" |
| Developed length of a 90 | 10-3/16" |
| Rigid / IMC that bends on this shoe | 3/4", if the shoe is rated for it (same 8" take-up) |
8" is the 1" EMT take-up in Klein's guides and carries over to 3/4" rigid where the shoe is marked for it. Confirm both the take-up and the 90 on a scrap.
Stub-up marks for 1" EMT
1" stubs usually feed subpanels and equipment. Subtract 8"; on stubs that land in a panel next to smaller conduit, mark each size with its own take-up so the stubs line up.
| Stub height | Arrow mark from end |
|---|---|
| 10" | 2" |
| 12" | 4" |
| 14" | 6" |
| 16" | 8" |
| 18" | 10" |
| 20" | 12" |
| 24" | 16" |
| 30" | 22" |
| 36" | 28" |
| 42" | 34" |
| 48" | 40" |
| 60" | 52" |
With an 8" take-up, stubs under about 10" are hard to make on a hand bender. For short stubs into a panel, bend long and cut, or use a factory elbow.
Back-to-back 90s on 1" EMT
The 1" shoe puts the arrow mark 8" inside the star mark. Because 1" is hard to bend in the air, make back-to-back 90s on the floor with the first 90 supported.
| Back-to-back distance | Star mark | Arrow mark |
|---|---|---|
| 24" | 24" | 16" |
| 30" | 30" | 22" |
| 36" | 36" | 28" |
| 42" | 42" | 34" |
| 48" | 48" | 40" |
| 60" | 60" | 52" |
| 72" | 72" | 64" |
| 84" | 84" | 76" |
Star column: 1" back-to-back distance from the back of the first 90, hook away from it. Arrow column: 8" less, hook toward the first 90; that leg swings toward you, so stand clear. Same plane for both 90s.
Cut lengths for pieces with 90s
On a Greenlee 842AH (6-1/2" centerline radius) a 1" 90 saves 3.953" (about 3-15/16") against its two legs measured to the back, about 7-7/8" on a piece with two 90s. Klein lists a larger radius for its 1" shoe, so read yours and use the gain-by-radius table. The table uses the unrounded gain.
| Piece | Legs added | Cut length |
|---|---|---|
| Stub 12" and a 36" leg | 48" | 44-1/16" |
| Stub 18" and a 48" leg | 66" | 62-1/16" |
| U: 12" + 30" + 12" | 54" | 46-1/8" |
| U: 24" + 48" + 24" | 96" | 88-1/8" |
Worked example on 1" EMT
1" piece: 18" stub, 60" leg (both to the back of the 90).
- Arrow mark: 18 − 8 = 10" from the stub end.
- Cut length: 78" of legs − 3.953" gain = 74-1/16".
Gain by shoe radius
Gain = 0.429 × your shoe's centerline radius, plus 1.163" to the back of the 90.
| Centerline radius | Gain (centerline) | Gain to back of 90 | Developed 90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-3/4" (NEC minimum) | 2-7/16" | 3-5/8" | 9-1/16" |
| 6-1/2" (Greenlee 842AH) | 2-13/16" | 3-15/16" | 10-3/16" |
| 7" | 3" | 4-3/16" | 11" |
| 7-1/2" | 3-1/4" | 4-3/8" | 11-3/4" |
| 8" | 3-7/16" | 4-5/8" | 12-9/16" |
| 8-1/2" | 3-5/8" | 4-13/16" | 13-3/8" |
Gain at each angle on a 6-1/2" radius 1" shoe
At a 6-1/2" radius, gain is noticeable: a little over 1/4" per bend at 45° and about 11/16" at 60°. On deep offsets in 1", stay at 30° when there is room.
| Bend angle | 10° | 22.5° | 30° | 45° | 60° | 90° |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gain (centerline) | 0.003" | 0.033" | 0.080" | 0.280" | 0.699" | 2.790" |
Offsets, saddles and kicks on a 6-1/2" 1" shoe
Theoretical minimum offset for two adjoining bends on this 6-1/2" 1" radius: 2 × radius × (1 − cos θ), rounded up. These are geometric lower bounds, not workable minimums: shoe length, hook clearance and the maker's instructions set the real limit, so check on your bender.
| Angle | Multiplier | Field shrink per inch | Theoretical minimum offset (6-1/2" radius) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10° | 6.0 | 1/16" | 1/4" |
| 22.5° | 2.6 | 3/16" | 1" |
| 30° | 2.0 | 1/4" | 1-3/4" |
| 45° | 1.4 | 3/8" | 3-13/16" |
Marks for a 1" saddle, kick or offset; every bend counts toward the 360° maximum between pull points (NEC 2023 358.24(B); the 2026 NEC adds 300.24 for mixed raceway types).
How many wires fit in 1" EMT
At 40% fill, 1" EMT holds twenty-six #12, sixteen #10 or four #4 THHN of a single size. Mixed wire sizes: conduit fill calculator.
| Wire | THHN / THWN | XHHW | THW |
|---|---|---|---|
| #14 | 35 | 25 | 16 |
| #12 | 26 | 19 | 13 |
| #10 | 16 | 14 | 10 |
| #8 | 9 | 8 | 6 |
| #6 | 7 | 6 | 4 |
| #4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
1" fill counts are not circuit capacity: grounds count toward fill, and over three current-carrying wires usually need ampacity adjustment (NEC 310.15(C)(1)).
Bending 1" EMT well
1" is the largest size most electricians bend by hand every day. Use a full-length handle, keep the conduit on solid flooring, and put your weight on the heel of the shoe; bending 1" in the air is rarely accurate. The 8" take-up and a radius of 6-1/2" or more on common 1" shoes make 1" bends visibly larger, which matters when stubs have to line up with smaller conduit beside them.
- Not accounting for the larger radius when 1" runs beside 1/2" or 3/4": the 1" 90 sweeps farther out, so the stubs line up only if each is marked with its own take-up.
- Kinking on the second bend of an offset when the first bend sits partly in the shoe; leave enough room between marks for the shoe; check the minimum spacing for your bender.
- Bending 3/4" rigid with the 3/4" EMT numbers: it goes on a 1" EMT shoe rated for it, with the 8" take-up.
Sources: NEC 2023 358.24 and Chapter 9, Table 2; Klein Tools Conduit Bender Guide (stub take-up, offset multipliers and shrink, saddles). Method.
Questions electricians ask
What is the take-up for 1 inch EMT?
8 inches per Klein; confirm it on the shoe you actually use. For an 18" stub the arrow goes 10" from the end.
Can you bend 3/4 rigid with a 1 inch EMT bender?
Yes. 3/4" rigid and IMC use the 1" EMT shoe and its 8" take-up.
How many #12 wires fit in 1 inch EMT?
Twenty-six #12 THHN at 40% fill.
Your 1" shoe, already loaded
- 1" EMT and 3/4" rigid on the same shoe
- Offsets corrected for the 5-3/4" radius, where the sticker method starts to drift
- Cut lengths for pieces with several 90s
- Mechanical and electric bender templates for the larger sizes
Android only. There is no iPhone version yet; the free calculators on this site work on any phone.
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