Do you guys recommend any good small tubing benders?

[abadsvt]

I am looking for a good small tubing bender to bend 1/4" stainless steel air lines. Do you guys recommend any specific bender? I haven't ran any tubing yet because i wanted to get a good bender first. I am not a shop so I don't need a production one or hydraulic one. Thanks

[Mick Mc]

Swagelok, is the best, but get a pillow to protect your jaw from hitting the ground when you see the price. It's an investment but the ease of use, non-marred tubing and smooth curves will make you proud.

Check Egay.

Swagelok has a two rollers compared to any other benders with a sliding surface and yes it makes a difference.

I own both a ridgid and several Swagelok benders. Spend the money, buy Swagelok your lines will look great.

If you don't buy the Swagelok you can be like the rest of us with a tool box full of benders of all brands and contraptions and things that were promised to work for my cousin. And then buy the Swagelok last.
I just bought a 1/2 Swagelok bender and it felt like a house payment. Look at the high end cars, all of the tubing was not bent with a spring bender or something from harbor freight.

I would sell my unused 1/4 Ridgid bender, new in the box...i guess I should not have told you to buy the Swegelok if I wanted to sell my Ridgid.

Mick

[abadsvt]

So you are recommending the swagelok but not there hand benders. I am guessing that you are talking about there hydraulic one? I couldn't find prices for anything except there hand benders. Right now i am looking into what is the best route. I will hopefully build 1 car a year or year and half so the amount i will use it will be little. I want professional looking bends just not the professional price . Any help would be much appreciated.

[7TSS]

Originally Posted by abadsvt

So you are recommending the swagelok but not there hand benders. I am guessing that you are talking about there hydraulic one? I couldn't find prices for anything except there hand benders. Right now i am looking into what is the best route. I will hopefully build 1 car a year or year and half so the amount i will use it will be little. I want professional looking bends just not the professional price . Any help would be much appreciated.

Their hand benders are what he's referring to. They have rolling dies that push on the tubing as it's being bent instead of a sliding block.

[Mick Mc]

Yes, the hand benders.
I just finished using mine for bending the hard lines for the trany cooler, the power steering cooler and a couple of vacuum lines, on my 67 C10 project driver, commonly refered to as the 'Junk Yard Dog'.
A/C hard lines are next, that should be a fun.

Mick