Three Bend Saddles

Three bend saddles are often used to cross or saddle a small obstruction that would prevent the electrician from installing conduit in a straight line.  One of the obstructions that the electrician most often has to saddle is another run of electrical conduit or pipe that has been installed by a different trade.

Figure 1 is a picture of a three point saddle that crosses a conduit.

Most three bend saddles are bent using  22.5º for the two outside bends, and 45º for the center bend.

The steps to making a three bend saddle are:

1. Measure the height of the object to be saddled.
2. Measure the distance from the end of the conduit to be bent to the center of the object to saddle.
3. Place mark on conduit at distance to center of object.
4. Add 3/16" to the distance for each inch of saddle required.   This distance becomes the new center of the 45º bend.
5. Place marks on the conduit 2 1/2 time the height of the object to saddle each way from the center of the 45º bend.  These marks are where the bender will be placed to make the two 22 1/2º bends.
6. Place the conduit in the bender with the center mark on the 45º center mark on the bender.

 

Step 1.

Measure for the saddle.

Step 2.

Lay out the saddle on the conduit.

Step 3.

Place conduit in bender

 

Step 4.

Make bend number 1.

 

Step 5.

Make bend number 2

 

Step 6.

Make bend number 3