What does everybody use? Looking for something inexpensive.

 

That's not something I'd use often, so I went with a kit from Harbor Freight Tools.

 

Well, you have to realize the difference between tube and pipe. Harbor Freight has a really cheap "pipe" bender. Which is best used for electrical conduit bending, etc.

Some people use this device to bend "Tube" and its not the same.

Pipe is Inside Diameter... Tube is Outside Diameter. Pipe transports things...water, electricity. Tube is used to construct things. This means the dies used to bend each are different sizes and can harm the product.

Back to the $100 pipe bender at HF. As I said some people use it to bend tubing and are ok with the results, but if you look close it leaves indentions where the ends of the die marred it. And it dents the tube.

These same people claim to be able to "put sand" in the tube and prevent collapsing.

Now Harbor Freight also sells the correct bender to bend tube..to construct suspension/roll cages, etc.

But it is significantly higher in cost and manual to operate. A hydraulic bender is $$!

Just my $.02

 

This one is the one your talking about?

Hydraulic Pipe & Tube Bender - 12 Ton

 

Yes. Read the reviews. There isn't a universal one that does both. http://m.harborfreight.com/tubing-roller-99736.html?utm_referrer=direct/not provided I'd use this as a minimum.

 

Blue line54, which on did your buy? How'd you like it?

 

Bender....

I have a PT105HD. Converted to full hydro using farm store ram and a pump from my day job.
Here's a pic of it in the back of my mini.......

Pro-Tools 105 Heavy Duty
PRO-TOOLS Tube Benders | Pipe Benders | Tube and Pipe Bender | Pipe and Tube Benders

Like Xs5875 said.....Tube & Pipe are different.

 

When I saw "tubing", I was thinking of brake lines because that's what I'm working on now.