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Matching centers offset

When conduits with different offset heights run side by side, bending them all at one angle puts their bends at different places along the run. To keep the bends lined up, give every conduit the same run between its bend centers and let the calculator find the angle for each height.

What to measure

  • Run between bend centers: along the original line, from the center of the first bend to the center of the second. Use the same value for every conduit that has to line up.
  • Offset height: this conduit’s own offset, center to center.

How to bend it

  1. Enter the run and the first conduit’s height, then bend it as an offset to the Bend angle shown.
  2. Change the height for the next conduit, keep the run, and bend it to its own angle.
  3. Line the first bends up by their centers: with Place marks on set to Bend center, put each conduit’s first mark the same distance from its end, with the ends lined up.

Where the numbers come from

The run between bend centers is the Offset screen’s distance between bends less its shrink (its Adjacent). The calculator solves that for the angle, rounds it to 0.1°, and works everything else out from the rounded angle.

run between bend centers = height ÷ tan(angle) + g(angle)
g is the gain of one bend. With the multiplier method it is 0, and this is plain trigonometry.
Two offsets lined up on a 10" run, on a 1/2" EMT hand bender
Run between bend centers
10"
Offset heights
6" and 4"
6" offset
31.1°, 11 9/16" between bends, 1 9/16" shrink
4" offset
21.8°, 10 3/4" between bends, 3/4" shrink

If it turns orange or red

Red with no numbers means no angle up to 90° fits: the run is too short for that height. Otherwise the colors are the Offset screen’s at the solved angle. A tall offset on a short run needs a steep angle, which can leave too little straight between the bends; lengthen the run for every conduit if you can.

Open the calculator