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1-1/2" EMT bender deduct by bender

By Andrew ·

Quick answer

The 14 shoes in BendMate that bend 1-1/2" EMT deduct between 12 15/16" and 15 3/4", and the most common figure is 14 7/8". No hand bender takes this size, so the number comes from your mechanical, electric or hydraulic bender’s shoe. Mark the conduit at the stub length minus that deduct: a 30" stub on a 14 7/8" deduct is marked at 15 1/8".

1-1/2" EMT deduct by bender

14 shoes in BendMate bend 1-1/2" EMT. The most common deduct is 14 7/8".

Deduct and centerline radius of benders that bend 1-1/2" EMT
BenderDeduct (take-up)Centerline radius
Greenlee 1818 (Mechanical)12 15/16"8 5/16"
Greenlee 882 (Hydraulic, Flip-Top)13"8 1/16"
Gardner Bender B2000 Cyclone (Large combo shoe)13 1/2"8 3/8"
Current Tools 77 Series (Multi-shoe)13 7/8"8 5/16"
Gardner Bender Electric Sidewinder (Multiple 180° shoes)13 7/8"8 5/16"
Greenlee 555 (Multi-shoe)13 7/8"8 5/16"
iToolco B2 Rapid Fire (Large combo shoe)14"8 3/8"
Current Tools 747 Omni (Combo shoe)14 7/8"8 3/8"
Current Tools 77 Series (Single shoe)14 7/8"8 3/8"
Greenlee 555 (Combo shoe)14 7/8"8 3/8"
Greenlee 555 (Single shoe)14 7/8"8 3/8"
Greenlee 854DX (Large combo shoe)15 5/16"8 3/8"
Greenlee 855GX (Standard shoe)15 3/8"8 3/8"
Gardner Bender Sidewinder (Mechanical, Chicago-style)15 3/4"11 3/8"

What bends 1-1/2" EMT

Hand benders stop at 1-1/4" EMT, so every row in the table above belongs to a machine. The deduct is the distance from the machine’s benchmark, usually the front edge of the hook or a saddle, to the back of the finished 90, and each shoe has its own.

  • Mechanical: the Greenlee 1818 deducts 12 15/16" and the Gardner Bender Sidewinder 15 3/4".
  • Electric: the Greenlee 855GX deducts 15 3/8", the iToolco B2 14" and the Gardner Bender B2000 13 1/2". The Greenlee 555 depends on which shoe group is fitted (below).
  • Hydraulic: the Greenlee 882 deducts 13" on an 8 1/16" radius.
mark at = stub length − deduct
Measured from the end of the conduit that becomes the stub, with the mark on the benchmark.

Why the deducts spread over 2 13/16"

deduct = straight before the bend + centerline radius + OD ÷ 2
The OD of 1-1/2" EMT is 1.740", the same on every machine.

Here the radius and the straight both move. The radii run from 8 1/16" to 11 3/8", the largest on the Gardner Bender Sidewinder, whose 1-1/2" shoe has a bigger radius than its 2" shoe (9 7/16") because they are different designs. And each machine puts its benchmark a different distance ahead of the arc. The deducts end up 2 13/16" apart.

That is why a deduct cannot be carried from one machine to another. Mark a 30" stub with 12 15/16" on a shoe that really takes 15 3/4" and the stub comes out 2 13/16" long.

Same machine, different shoe group

The table lists shoe groups, not just machines. A Greenlee 555 deducts 13 7/8" for 1-1/2" EMT with the multi-shoe group and 14 7/8" with the single-shoe group, 1" apart on the same motor. The Current Tools 77 does the same: 13 7/8" multi-shoe, 14 7/8" single-shoe.

Marks for common 1-1/2" EMT stubs

Where to mark 1-1/2" EMT for a stub-up, measured from the end, at the smallest, most common and largest deduct in the table. A dash means the stub is no longer than the deduct.
Stub lengthDeduct 12 15/16"Deduct 14 7/8"Deduct 15 3/4"
24"11 1/16"9 1/8"8 1/4"
30"17 1/16"15 1/8"14 1/4"
36"23 1/16"21 1/8"20 1/4"
42"29 1/16"27 1/8"26 1/4"
48"35 1/16"33 1/8"32 1/4"
A 30" stub-up in 1-1/2" EMT
Stub length
30"
Deduct
14 7/8"
Mark at, from the end
15 1/8"

A mark very close to the end leaves the hook nothing to hold. Each manual gives a minimum distance from the end of the conduit, so the shortest stub a machine can make is its deduct plus that distance.

Confirm it on your machine

  1. Find the deduct for your shoe group in the manual or on the chart fixed to the machine.
  2. Bend a test 90 in a scrap of 1-1/2" EMT, marked at 15 1/8" for a 30" stub.
  3. Measure from the end to the back of the bend. Any difference from 30" is the correction to your deduct.

Get the marks for your bender

BendMate works this out from your bender’s radius and deduct, flags a bend that won’t work, and shows you every mark.

Free for offsets, saddles, 90s and kicks with a hand bender. No signup.

Common questions

What is the deduct for 1-1/2 inch EMT?

It depends on the machine: the 14 shoes in BendMate run from 12 15/16" to 15 3/4", and 14 7/8" is the most common. Use the figure for your own shoe group.

Can you bend 1-1/2 inch EMT with a hand bender?

No. Hand benders stop at 1-1/4" EMT, so 1-1/2" EMT is bent on a mechanical, electric or hydraulic bender.

How do I mark a 30 inch stub in 1-1/2 EMT?

Subtract your bender’s deduct from 30". With 14 7/8", the mark goes 15 1/8" from the end; line it up with the machine’s benchmark.

Why does the same bender show two deducts?

Many electric benders take more than one shoe group, and each group has its own shoes and its own deducts. The table lists each group separately.