I really wanted my seldom used (just because it was such a manual chore to bend anything over 1” manual tubing bender off my workbench an onto a mobile stand, so over the Christmas break, I bought a load of steel, took a couple of days, and welded a stand together.
Some time later, when the sun finally came back out, I added a little paint and converted it from manual to hydraulic with the SWAG Off Road conversion kit and an 8-ton air/hydraulic ram from harbor freight. Yes, you can buy it from the OEM with hydraulics already attached, but I didn’t have the need or funds at the time of purchase. I knew it was an add-on option, so I wet manual, did the couple of jobs that paid for the bender and then stuck some ducats back here and there for the upgrade.
It took a while, but wasn’t too painful. It took a little work and sweat equity, but I am very pleased with the result. My bender is now mobile, I have 10 sq’ of bench space back, the bender dies now all have a home, AND the SWAG conversion makes using the bender a breeze now! Very happy with that addition and should have done it 2 years ago. I guarantee that my bender will now see more use and I will accept/find more projects that I can use it on.
JD2 Model 32 Tubing Bender:
https://www.jd2.com/model-32-tube-bender-manual
SWAG Off Road Hydraulic Kit:
https://www.swagoffroad.com/SWAG-Machined-Tubing-Bender-AirHydraulic-Ram-Mount-_p_117.html
SWAG Printed Release Knob:
https://www.swagoffroad.com/SWAG-3-D-Printed-Thumb-Knob-For-Flared-or-Cast-Cross-Pin-Bottle-Jacks_p_153.html
8-ton Air/Hydraulic Ram:
https://www.harborfreight.com/8-ton-long-ram-airhydraulic-jack-56215.html?ccdenc=eyJjb2RlIjoiMzgxOTkwMDkiLCJza3UiOiI1NjIxNSIsImlzIjoiNzQuOTkyNDk5OTk5OTk5OTkifQ%3D%3D&cid=paid_google%7C%7C%7C56215&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&gclid=Cj0KCQiA88X_BRDUARIsACVMYD8OKgNKu3uI1pcv5kbGKY-79H8OSM-ZwKHnLSS6B7322sb711cCIyQaAi4rEALw_wcB