Kicked 90° Calculator

A kicked 90° is a 90° bend with a short angled kick at one end — the bend you reach for when a stub has to enter a panel or box whose knockout is not directly above the run. It is one compound bend: a full 90° plus a second bend at a small kick angle κ, with a short straight section between them.

How the layout works

The calculator lays out two marks, measured as developed length along the conduit — the distance the tape actually travels, following the metal:

• Mark 1 — the tangent start of the 90° bend. This is your reference point: everything is measured from here.
• Mark 2 — the tangent start of the kick bend, located at Mark 1 + the 90° arc length + the straight section between the bends.

The 90° arc length is π/2 × the bender's centerline radius R. For a standard 1/2" EMT hand bender (R ≈ 4.31"), the arc is about 6.77".

Worked example

Kick angle κ = 15°, straight section 6", 1/2" EMT on a standard hand bender: Mark 2 sits at 6.77" + 6" = 12.77" (about 12-3/4") of developed length from Mark 1. The bend also gains conduit — the two bends together consume about 1-7/8" of developed length (total gain = G(90°) + G(κ)), so add that to your stick length before cutting.

Bending order

1. Mark both points on the straight conduit first, measuring developed length.
2. Bend the 90° at Mark 1, using the bender's degree scale — not feel.
3. Bend the kick at Mark 2 to angle κ, in the same plane as the 90°.
4. Test-fit against the panel before cutting the run to final length.

Mistakes to avoid

• Kicking out of plane. If the kick leaves the plane of the 90°, the run doglegs and the knockout will not line up. Sight down the conduit after the first bend.
• Forgetting gain. A kicked 90° eats nearly 2" of developed length on 1/2" EMT. The calculator reports total gain — use it.
• Measuring Mark 2 as straight-line distance. Marks are developed length along the conduit, which follows the 90° arc. A tape laid straight across the bend will read short.
• Picking a kick angle too steep for the knockout offset — 10° to 30° covers almost every panel entry.