My buddy bought a JD2 last year and we have found that the only minor issue is keeping the die follower sprayed with lubricant for every bend.....as the tube is formed around the big heavy "die" there is a tearing/sliding motion with the follower as it glides around the OD of the tube. When the follower gets bad tear marks in it they in turn rough up future bends. The follower is a small piece....about the size of a pack of cigarettes. If somebody could supply some surface hardened followers then the tearing prob would go away. Other than that, the bender worked nicely. I bent my own exo with it.....getting them bends in the right spot is TIME COMSUMING. Measure twice bend once. I don't see any big deal about hydraulics.....unless production work is involved. It was about $450 for the bender and 1 die......(1.75x.120x5.5 I think)