Posted by Ray at Helitool on July 11, 1999 at 12:48:38:
Concerning Jasons suggestion that we get someone to repro parts.
I have all the machinery and die forming presses for reproducing PW and M37 parts in quantity. The problem is that VPW probably bought the part that they are selling at $40.00 for 50 cents. If I reproduced it for $20.00 they would simply drop their price to $17.00 and still make a bag of money while I would go broke trying to compeat. If you guys can think of a part that is truely unobtainable, I will be happy to do a feasability study to see if it is worth reproducing. Axle shafts are a good candidate. I could make them from a better quality steel and have them properly heat treated so that they wouldn't break. They probably wouldn't cost much more than the used ones your currently getting. If rubber parts are a problem I can make the dies to mold or extrude them and farm the actual molding out to a rubber molding co. Just give me some ideas as to what is really needed.