3-Point Saddle Calculator: Center & Outer Marks for Conduit

Updated 2026-09-29

Short answer: measure to the center of the obstruction and add the shrink (45° saddle: 3/16" per inch of depth) to get the center mark. Put the outer marks depth × 2.5 on either side. Bend 45° on the center, then 22.5° on each outer mark back toward level.

What a 3-point saddle is

A 3-point saddle lifts the conduit over a small round obstruction, usually another pipe crossing the run, and brings it back down to the same line. It is three bends: one center bend over the obstruction and one on each side at half the angle.

The center bend sits over the middle of the obstruction; each outer bend is half the center angle, the same distance either side.

How to bend a 3-point saddle

Measure the depth: the outside diameter of the obstruction plus the clearance you want over it.
Measure to the center of the obstruction from the end of the conduit, and add the shrink to get the center mark.
Mark the outer bends depth × multiplier on each side of the center mark.
Bend the center with the notch (teardrop) on the center mark to the center angle.
Flip the bender, arrow on the first outer mark, and bend half the angle back toward level. Repeat on the other outer mark, keeping all bends in one plane.

3-point saddle multiplier and shrink chart

Center / outer	Multiplier (center to outer mark)	Shrink per inch of depth
45° / 22.5°	2.5	3/16"
60° / 30°	2.0	1/4"
90° / 45°	1.4	3/8"

Outer mark distance and center shift by depth

Depth	45° saddle	60° saddle	90° saddle
1"	± 2-1/2" / +3/16"	± 2" / +1/4"	± 1-3/8" / +3/8"
1-1/2"	± 3-3/4" / +5/16"	± 3" / +3/8"	± 2-1/8" / +9/16"
2"	± 5" / +3/8"	± 4" / +1/2"	± 2-13/16" / +3/4"
2-1/2"	± 6-1/4" / +1/2"	± 5" / +5/8"	± 3-1/2" / +15/16"
3"	± 7-1/2" / +9/16"	± 6" / +3/4"	± 4-3/16" / +1-1/8"
4"	± 10" / +3/4"	± 8" / +1"	± 5-5/8" / +1-1/2"
5"	± 12-1/2" / +15/16"	± 10" / +1-1/4"	± 7" / +1-7/8"
6"	± 15" / +1-1/8"	± 12" / +1-1/2"	± 8-3/8" / +2-1/4"

First number: distance from the center mark to each outer mark. Second: how far the center mark moves out for shrink.

Worked example: 2" pipe, 36" from the end

A 2" pipe (2-3/8" outside diameter) crosses your run 36" from the end of the stick, and you want about 5/8" clearance: saddle depth 3".

Shrink: 3 × 3/16" = 9/16". Center mark: 36" + 9/16" = 36-9/16".
Outer spacing: 3 × 2.5 = 7-1/2". Outer marks: 29-1/16" and 44-1/16".
Bend 45° on 36-9/16", then 22.5° on 29-1/16" and 44-1/16".

Measuring saddle depth

Depth is how far the bottom of your conduit must rise: the obstruction's height above the surface your conduit runs on, plus clearance. For a pipe lying on the same surface, that is its outside diameter. Remember that nominal pipe size is not the outside diameter: 2" rigid is about 2-3/8" OD, 1" EMT about 1-3/16".

Mistakes

Putting the center bend on the obstruction measurement without adding shrink: the hump lands short of the pipe.
Using the arrow for the center bend. The center bend uses the notch or center mark so the middle of the bend lands on the mark.
Letting the conduit roll between bends, which twists the saddle.
Using a 3-point saddle over something wide like a duct. Use a 4-point saddle for flat-topped obstructions.

Questions electricians ask

What is the multiplier for a 3-point saddle?

For a 45° center bend with 22.5° outer bends the multiplier is 2.5: the outer marks go 2.5 × the saddle depth either side of the center mark. For a 60° center it is 2.0, and for a 90° center it is 1.4.

How much shrink does a 3-point saddle have?

With a 45° center bend, move the center mark 3/16" farther out for each inch of saddle depth. A 3" saddle moves the center mark 9/16". The total conduit shrink is twice that.

Which mark do I bend first on a 3-point saddle?

The center bend first, using the rim notch (teardrop) or the center-of-bend mark on the bender, then flip the bender and make the two outer bends with the arrow, each at half the center angle.

Why use 45° and 22.5° for a saddle?

It keeps the hump low and the wire pull easy, and the multiplier of 2.5 is simple. A 60°/30° saddle is shorter end to end but pulls harder; a 90°/45° saddle is for tight spots only.

Does a 3-point saddle count toward the 360° limit?

Yes, every degree counts. A 45° saddle adds 45 + 22.5 + 22.5 = 90° to the run, the same as one 90.