# 3 point saddles



## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

marux said:


> Im new to pipe bending and was wondering if you guys had any tips when bending 3 point saddles. Specifically when making the two outer bends match either.
> 
> What im having trouble with is lets say the bends are 22.5 45 22.5. One of my bends might be like 23 degrees and the other 21. And when i go to put the saddle up it doesnt lay flat.


For small pipe, use the marks on the bender. Bend the first 22.5, push the pipe through, bend the 45, push the pipe through and bend the last 22.5.


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## marux (Mar 6, 2018)

Southeast Power said:


> marux said:
> 
> 
> > Im new to pipe bending and was wondering if you guys had any tips when bending 3 point saddles. Specifically when making the two outer bends match either.
> ...


Thats what i do, im just having trouble hitting the 22. 5 right on the money.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)




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## sburton224 (Feb 28, 2013)

You can try a digital angle locator...after you get more experience doing them you won’t need it. 

If you have a level surface to set the conduit on.


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## B-Nabs (Jun 4, 2014)

Southeast Power said:


> For small pipe, use the marks on the bender. Bend the first 22.5, push the pipe through, bend the 45, push the pipe through and bend the last 22.5.


I always bend the centre bend first, then the two outer ones. Centre bend I bend at a centre mark, outer bends I bend at the arrow, with the bender hook facing the centre bend for both. I also prefer to bend 10 - 22 - 10 saddles as they're easier to pull. I just mark my bender for the centre of a 22 bend for this purpose.

OP, I find I always have to tweak one of the bends once I've bent all three to make it lay flat, just goes with the territory, only takes a second, not a big deal. 

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## John Valdes (May 17, 2007)

Welcome to the forum marux. 
John


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## varmit (Apr 19, 2009)

Use trigonometry. 

For a 22.5 degree bend, the constant is 2.614. If you need a 3 inch saddle, mark the center bend (45 deg), then measure 7.842 (7 13/16") from the center mark each direction and mark the pipe.. These two marks are the center line of the first and third bends. [ You need to have your bender shoe marked for the center line of the bend degrees that you normally use.] 

Make the first bend, then lay the bender handle along the back of the bend. Measure from the bender handle to the center mark of the second bend. this measurement should, in the case of a 3 inch saddle, equal 3 inches. If the measurement is not 3 inches, add or lessen bend as needed. Bend center bend and check for dog leg. Bend third bend and check for dogleg. 

Note: The bender shoe is kept in the same orientation, toward the end where the first bend was made, for all three bends. 

Using the strait edge method, you can make accurate offsets with any random degree bend. This is where a stick ruler comes in really handy.


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## Incognito (Apr 14, 2019)

When is a bender company going to come out with a bender that is marked for the center of a bend? Center of 45 is great but what about center of 30 or center of 22.5?

When I was on a service van I marked all my hand benders (1/2” to 1”) with center of everything. Very helpful 


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## HertzHound (Jan 22, 2019)

Once I Patten my "Jersey Bender" you can throw all your hand benders and formulas in the trash!!!

Maybe "Balz On" Bender has a better ring? Once Ideal or Greenlee pays me for the patten, they can call it whatever they want.


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## marux (Mar 6, 2018)

Thanks to everyone for the tips, much appreciated


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

HertzHound said:


> Once I Patten my "Jersey Bender" you can throw all your hand benders and formulas in the trash!!!
> 
> Maybe "Balz On" Bender has a better ring? Once Ideal or Greenlee pays me for the patten, they can call it whatever they want.


It's "patent". 

Do yourself a favor and do a patent search for your new product.

https://patents.google.com/


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## TGGT (Oct 28, 2012)

Incognito said:


> When is a bender company going to come out with a bender that is marked for the center of a bend? Center of 45 is great but what about center of 30 or center of 22.5?
> 
> When I was on a service van I marked all my hand benders (1/2” to 1”) with center of everything. Very helpful
> 
> ...


I do the same thing if I'm bending a lot of pipe. 

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## freeagnt54 (Aug 6, 2008)

marux said:


> Thanks to everyone for the tips, much appreciated


When using a handbender for 3-point saddles your degrees are almost always going be a little off. As soon as you finish your 3-point you need to look down the pipe ( not literally inside the pipe) and make small adjustments until it's close to straight by your eye. Keep a straight piece of unbent pipe on the floor where you are bending to use as a straight edge to verify it is straight before trying to put it up in the ceiling.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

freeagnt54 said:


> When using a handbender for 3-point saddles your degrees are almost always going be a little off. As soon as you finish your 3-point you need to look down the pipe ( not literally inside the pipe) and make small adjustments until it's close to straight by your eye. Keep a straight piece of unbent pipe on the floor where you are bending to use as a straight edge to verify it is straight before trying to put it up in the ceiling.


I guess it's just me, but lately I don't see straight emt conduits no matter where I buy them from- big box or the various supply houses........... And the PVC is ridiculous.


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## freeagnt54 (Aug 6, 2008)

macmikeman said:


> I guess it's just me, but lately I don't see straight emt conduits no matter where I buy them from- big box or the various supply houses........... And the PVC is ridiculous.


Yeah that can be true.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

macmikeman said:


> I guess it's just me, but lately I don't see straight emt conduits no matter where I buy them from- big box or the various supply houses........... And the PVC is ridiculous.


Well we've all seen what the big box stores have done to the quality of lumber, I guess it was just a matter of time before they flushed pipe down the toilet too.


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

macmikeman said:


> I guess it's just me, but lately I don't see straight emt conduits no matter where I buy them from- big box or the various supply houses........... And the PVC is ridiculous.


So true.


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## manchestersparky (Mar 25, 2007)

forget 3 point bends - use a 4 point bend way easier to pull thru


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

manchestersparky said:


> forget 3 point bends - use a 4 point bend way easier to pull thru


I almost always do this, partly because it's easier for me to lay out, partly because it's easier to pull through, moreso because I prefer the way it looks.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

I usually make six point bends. This doesn't make it any easier to pull the wire thru though..............


Bend 1, 2, 3= standard 3 point saddle bends. Bend 4,5,6= trying to make it look like an electrician did the damn thing........ lol........


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## zac (May 11, 2009)

I just go with a from too and flex it!


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## Martine (Jan 26, 2018)

I lay it on something that I know for sure is flat, and then do my adjustments from there. If it's 3/4" I'll do it by hand (almost the same position as if i was holding a hockey stick?? Canadian as heck, I know), and if its bigger I'll do it with the bender.

also I had been doing 3 points for the last 4 months since I had no idea, but now that I'm actually having to do the pulls after, I do 4 points.


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## varmit (Apr 19, 2009)

A 15-30-15 degree saddle is way easier to pull through. It does spread the bend out more though.


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