I also have one of "those" pipe benders, at the risk of labouring a point, it is a PIPE bender and you shouldn't expect it do be able to deal with tube. There are some sizes that do seem to cross over but wall thickness will make or break it. Valley Gas are agents for Speedway and have their tube bender in stock, about £800 for the bender and a full set of dies, it's the dies that cost. Tubella are the UK agents for the JD3 bender, very good but expensive. I keep looking at them but never seem to be able to justify the cost for a plaything.
T.I.G., the only machine I have ever owned is the butters set that I have now.
http://www.rotecweldingequipment.co.uk/acatalog/butters_ACDC_160_240v_tig_inverter.html A great little budget AC/Dc machine, with hindsight I wish I had taken advantage of the reduced price offer on a pedal control when I bought it , but I will survive without it. On top of this you will need a good flow meter and gauge set, rods can be expensive and so is argon. Paul (with the Mustang) has a small scratch start machine which he seems to get on with, DC only so no alloy work and I have to say that the HF start on mine is a far better system, I'll get some details off of him tomorrow.
Plasma, brilliant, just for the mess and noise and fire and molten metal spraying everywhere. I have a Cebora unit that we got at auction cheap, it then cost another £150 to replace the circuit board, not so cheap. A good tool but needs a fair air supply and that needs to be dry, blowing wet air over high amperage electrodes aint good for you or it, I know ! Consumables can be expensive and services always are. Maybe not top of the list of wanted tools but fun if you score one cheap enough.