3-Point Saddle Calculator

A 3-point saddle jumps conduit over a small obstacle — another pipe, a piece of all-thread, a shallow beam — using three bends: one in the center and two on the sides. It is the fastest way to clear something in your path without cutting in a fitting.

The layout

Mark the center of the obstacle on the conduit — that is where the center bend goes. Bend 45° at the center mark. The two side bends are each 22.5°, bent in the opposite direction, placed at 2.5 × the obstruction height from the center mark on each side.

The 2.5H rule is the trade convention every journeyman learns; the pure geometry works out to about 2.61H. In practice, 2.5H lands saddles dead on, because the small difference hides inside normal bending tolerance.

Worked example

Obstacle 4" tall — measure the full height, including the pipe's own diameter. Center bend 45° at the middle. Side bends 22.5° at 4 × 2.5 = 10" on each side of center. Total span: 20".

How to bend a 3-point saddle, step by step

1. Mark the center at the obstacle's middle.
2. Measure 2.5H each way from center and mark the two side bends.
3. Bend the center mark to 45°.
4. Flip the bender and bend each side mark to 22.5° in the opposite direction.
5. Lay the saddle over the obstacle: the conduit should clear it with both ends back in line.

Tips

• The center bend takes most of the shrink — the calculator accounts for it, so check the total length before cutting.
• Keep all three bends in the same plane, or the saddle will twist and the run will dogleg past the obstacle.
• Measure the obstruction height generously. A saddle that is 1/4" too tall still fits; one that is 1/4" too short does not.
• For obstacles wider than about 6", switch to a 4-point saddle instead — three bends cannot span that cleanly.