I've bent 1000's of PE parts and as I get older I look for an easier way. I looked at the Etch-Mate 3C and thought ok that will work, but at the same time I thought the cost was a little out of line.

Fact material cost for this item is not that high, even with the war, oil cost, inflation etc. There is just not that much material there to justify the cost. Machine cost after setup is not that high either, this is a Etch-Mate not a rocket part, pretty the tolerance aren't that tight.

So not wanting to drop $65 on the unknown, I read reviews etc and I had a friend with one that offered to loan me his as he's like to sell it as he wasn't impressed. He's bent his fair share too. So I used his, I found the bends less than quality and did not find it that amazing or useful and I definitely did not find it anything close to the cost of it.

Simple fact, for $65 you'd expect a better product it's worth about half as much. Sorry. I can make just as good of bends with a few cheap tools around the house.

Hi Dave,

Glad you read different reviews, and more importantly, had the opportunity to try out the product before purchasing to see if it was what you were looking for. Reviews can only guide so far, and a high (or low) rating does not necessarily mean that it's good (or not) for every individual.

It took me almost 8 months to purchase another brand, like you I stayed with my razor blades, tweezers, etc.. At first I was afraid to plunk down another $50-$60, but for about the price of a new kit I found something that suits me perfectly. Good luck in your search

Wow! While I read the article with considerable interest as I'm one of those people with the $60 tool that largely sits in a dark drawer, I really found the above comments even more useful! Thanks everyone, for your considerable and varied input. Still can't bend hinges worth a Damn, though...