If you are going to build a simple, plain jane bar or cage that looks like one of the kits they sell and has few bends, then a manual machine will work - after you clear an area in the shop, drill holes in your floor, get the thing mounted and then unbolt it when you are done and throw it in the corner so you can use the space. But if you are going to do more than one, do it to make money, want to do something custom that fits the car nice and doesn't look like a kit and don't have people hanging around to help support the material in the machine and pull the lever around, spend the money.


So, only a hydraulic bender will make that custom cage huh, get real dude, I have a 10 X 15 ft area and my bender is clamped in the vise, with braces, on my custom heavy duty bench (made from a 3x10 piece of bowling alley) attached to wall, easy up and down to store in a small place, not a large contraption that needs to be rolled around taking up space. It was well thought out before I bent my first piece, from the space I needed to knowing the leverage I needed to bend comfortably. If you're tired out after one bend, find some other hobby or take it to someone, it's called "work"for a reason. My bender plus the one die cost $795 because I got the heavy duty one. I'm 67 and when I get so I can't pick up heads, blocks, bend pipe or work then I'll quit.