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90° Stub-Up Calculator

Mark = stub height − take-up. For a 12" stub on 1/2" EMT (take-up 5"), mark 7" from the end, put the bender arrow on it and bend to 90°.

  • 1/2" to 1-1/4" EMT
  • Take-up 5 · 6 · 8 · 11
  • Arrow method

90° stub-up calculator

Take-up (deduct) method
Floor to the end of the pipe
Mark from the end
7"
Take-up used
5"
123456789101112131415161718A7"
Hook the tape on the end of the conduit. Arrow of the bender on the mark, hook toward the end you measured from.

12" stub − 5" take-up = 7" from the end.

Using a Greenlee, IDEAL, Milwaukee or Southwire shoe, rigid, or your own take-up? The app has 30+ benders and back-to-back 90s from the same mark.

Open in the app

Updated 2026-09-29

Short answer: subtract your bender's take-up from the stub height, mark that distance from the end, put the arrow on the mark with the hook facing the end, and bend to 90°. Take-up: 1/2" EMT 5", 3/4" EMT 6", 1" EMT 8", 1-1/4" EMT 11".

How to bend a 90° stub-up

  1. Measure the stub height from the floor (the back of the finished 90) to where the end of the pipe must be.
  2. Subtract the take-up for your bender and mark that distance from the end of the conduit.
  3. Set the bender with the hook toward the end and the arrow on the mark. Keep the conduit on a flat, hard floor.
  4. Bend with foot pressure on the heel of the bender, keeping the conduit on the floor, until the stub is plumb, then check it with a level.
floor / back of the 90stubAarrow mark = stub − take-upmeasured from the end
The stub is measured from the floor (the back of the 90) to the end. The mark goes the take-up less than that, from the end.

Take-up chart for hand benders

EMT sizeTake-upAlso bends rigidTypical radius
1/2"5"—4"
3/4"6"1/2"4-1/2"
1"8"3/4"5-3/4"
1-1/4"11"1"7-1/4"

These are the values cast into the common hand benders from the major makers. A 3/4" EMT shoe also bends 1/2" rigid with the same take-up, a 1" EMT shoe bends 3/4" rigid and a 1-1/4" EMT shoe bends 1" rigid. The bender deduct chart adds gain and setback.

Worked examples

  • 1/2" EMT, 12" stub: 12 − 5 = 7". Arrow on 7".
  • 3/4" EMT, 18" stub into a panel: 18 − 6 = 12".
  • 1" EMT, 24" stub: 24 − 8 = 16".
  • 1-1/4" EMT, 30" stub: 30 − 11 = 19".

The shortest stub you can bend

The bender needs a few inches of straight pipe past the mark to grip, so the shortest practical stub is roughly the take-up plus 2": about 7" on 1/2" EMT. For a shorter stub, bend a longer one and cut it to length.

Spring-back and checking for 90°

EMT springs back a degree or two when you release the handle, so bend slightly past 90° (about 2°) and check the stub with a torpedo level on the vertical leg. Checking the horizontal leg too catches a stub that leans. Rigid springs back more than EMT.

Common mistakes

  • Using the star or the notch instead of the arrow. Stubs use the arrow.
  • Hook facing the wrong way: the stub comes out the take-up too long (or short).
  • Measuring stub height to the top of the horizontal pipe instead of the floor.
  • Lifting the conduit off the floor while bending, which "kinks" the bend or changes the stub length.

Questions electricians ask

What is the take-up for 3/4 EMT?

The take-up (deduct) on a 3/4" EMT hand bender is 6". For a 14" stub, mark 8" from the end. 1/2" EMT is 5", 1" EMT is 8" and 1-1/4" EMT is 11". Always check the number cast into your shoe; some models differ.

Is take-up the same as deduct?

Yes. Take-up and deduct are two names for the same number: how much shorter than the stub height the mark goes, because the bend itself uses up conduit before the pipe turns vertical.

Which way does the hook face for a stub-up?

The hook faces the end you measured from, the end that will become the stub. The arrow goes on the mark, then you pull the handle to 90°.

What is the difference between take-up and gain?

Take-up is used for marking: stub height minus take-up is the mark. Gain is the conduit a 90 saves compared with two legs meeting at a sharp corner; you subtract it when working out how long a piece with 90s needs to be.

How short a stub can I bend?

Roughly the take-up plus a couple of inches for the shoe to grip: about 7" on 1/2" EMT, 8" on 3/4" and 10" on 1". Shorter stubs need an offset-and-cut trick, or bend long and cut the stub to length.

Bender picker in the Conduit Bending Calculator app with take-up and radius for each shoe

Every shoe you own, already set up

  • Klein, Greenlee, IDEAL, Milwaukee, Southwire and Gardner Bender shoes, EMT and rigid
  • Your own take-up and radius, pinned so the right shoe is always selected
  • Back-to-back 90s and the conduit length a U needs
  • Level screen that buzzes at 90°
Android appGet it on Google Play
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Back-to-Back 90s

Star-point and arrow marks for a U with an exact width.

Open →Bender Take-Up Chart

Take-up (deduct), gain and radius for EMT and rigid hand benders.

Open →Kick

Travel and shrink for a single bend, or the angle from rise and run.

Open →Offset

Distance between bends and shrink for any offset depth and angle.

Open →How to Bend Conduit

A complete hand-bender guide from the first 90 to saddles, with the marks for each.

Open →