Warbird Information Exchange

Thanks Rob:

Those are fair questions.




Naw, for the record, I've mentioned Lance and another example that I considered as bad. However, California Texans has very fair prices! So if I was really not happy about prices I would've mentioned Cal Texans as bad too. I compare all prices to theirs. Not sure how to answer those others questions, because I know the answers to all of them--all positive. If any were negative we wouldn't be talking about this right now.



Yes, that would be true.



Naw, tailwheels are easy.

As Jack said welcome to the Warbird Hobby
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I've been in the hobby, so I know. However it's very hard to communicate on the board. Well I can't complain about Cal Texans, and I've heard everybody with a T-6 complain about Lance..

One of the things to keep in mind about Lance is this: Over the years, they have bought a heckuva lot of surplus T-6 parts, thereby ensuring that the parts would be available for a long time to come. The costs they have incurred buying and holding that inventory have to be met. They are in business to make a profit, and if they didn't make a profit, they would go Tango Uniform...and probably there would be a lot of scrapped -6 parts.

One of the reasons that Walmart and other huge companies can sell stuff so cheap is that they buy from the suppliers on VERY favorable terms (to them) and don't pay for the stuff until they sell it. Thus they have no, or very little, cost of inventory. Lance, Cal Texans, and any other surplus parts dealer has to pay cash for the parts when they buy em, and hang on to them for years until someone needs that one obscure part.

I own Packards. There have been no new parts (except tuneup parts etc) made for Packards since 1958, when the marque died. There are guys who bought former dealer inventories and have held it for years. I just bought a clutch fork for my 38 Packard, and paid an ungodly amount for it. But, the guy had had that part on HIS shelf since 1960, God only knows how long the original dealer had it, prolly since before the war. The access to the parts costs, like it or not. As my buddy says, these ain't Cheby Cavaliers that AUto Zone and every salvage yard has parts for....

My point here, Chris, is be careful slamming Lance. Yeah, they are not the cheapest fellas in town, but they HAVE THE PARTS!!!!

_________________
Regards,

Jase
www.b26marauder.com
"I'm having a BLAST!!" 2007 CAF Wing Staff Conference

RIP Gary Austin..always in our hearts

Yes Jase:

I've bought good parts from them, have you tried Cal Texans?

Chris

okay, so sounds like you are disagreeing with economics Chris. way I see it is possibly a bit wierd but here goes. and am using a big chain store as an example, like Jase did.
big chain store buys 3000 items to be dispersed to 1000 stores at a reduced price due to buying so many
little guy buys 3 items and they cost him lots because so few bought.

big chain store has enough on stock even if scattered to be able to afford to not worry about having to hold everything in large quantities. so if they don't immediately sell they might have 1000 still left but they are spread out and costs for storage of that one particular part is offset because of being spread out and able to hide in a corner.
little guy has to have all his stock in one place, or in his house ( what price the marriage and kids? ), and pay for the storage of it all and no matter how well frequented his place is then if he has a chance to " corner the market " and doesn't take it his competitors will and possibly it'll break his business because he'll loose customers.

the big chains have the financial backing to be able to take a loss or a minimal profit on a marginal item or to wait 4, 5, 20 years to get their investment back plus a tiny profit with cheap storage paid.
little guys don't. they either turn the buck and pay for food or they starve. for them since they aren't hiring massive storage areas ( discount rates again ) they pay premium storage or have yards that look like the local tip and still have to work for the boss to pay the bills as well as find, organise, label, advertise and sell the items you are after.

as far as I am, concerned depending on the little guy I'd accept possibly 50% or maybe more extra mark up because you never know just how far that good will of paying that will go one day.
like buying $400 worth of opals ( valued back here at about $650 )at coober pedy was for me. because I was honest and handed back to the guy a $400 opal he'd overlooked when packing away the stuff I'd looked at but not bought then the next time I went in there the prices were about half what they'd been the first time. spent about the same and walked away with close to $1200 worth the next time. I can hardly wait to go see that old guy with his little tiny store again. I don't want to rip him off but if he's willing to show appreciation in dollars for the repeat business and the hints and tips on what to look for and how to treat it and what not to do with it and all the rest ( same as the parts dealers ought to know, not like the sales persons in the big chains ) then he can have most of my business anyday.

sorry it's so long but I like helping out little guys and understand the situation possibly better than most having been in that sort of situation but not in that field.

To get back to the original question about how to repair a hydraulic cylinder barrel, there is a process called brush nickel plating that electro-deposits nickel onto the surface. You have to thoroughly remove all of the corrosion and de-burr the edges of the rework area first. This process will yield a surface that will not bear much load, but will allow a seal to pass over it without being damaged, and it will also hold pressure. You can find plating shops on the internet that have the capability, and it is very simple and inexpensive to apply.

FYI, I run a landing gear actuator manufacturing company that makes most of Lockheeds and Boeing actuators, so I know that this works.

Hey Guys:

Great input! Glad to hear it.

Bryan:

You gave me the info that I needed. Thanks!

Chris,

I don't understand how you can diss guys like Mike and Rob and Jack, who are trying to help you! In fact, I am amazed at their resilience. Most guys who don't have that much experience, and I count myself in that category even though I have been flying T-6's since 1996, are just thankful to have the benefit of their experience. And real humble, too. Guys, I don't say thank you often enough: THANK YOU. If you don't agree with them, my suggestion would be either to reply in the kindest possible way, or just not reply at all. We'll all sleep better. I am only saying this because I want to benefit from their continued presence on this board. For example Mike's post about Lexan/Plexy was very helpful. Stuff I did not know even though I am one month away from taking my Airframe O&P.

Jeffrey, I don't think your Walmart analogy applies to Lance. Lance is run by some very shrewd business people who systematically bought up almost all of the worlds T-6 parts. You could make the analogy in a small town, perhaps, where Walmart has driven the competition out of business. Even then, though, Walmart keeps its prices low in order to prevent new competition from sprouting up. Lance does not have to worry about that, though.

_________________
Rob C

Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled. “

– Michael Crichton

Rob:

Don't know what you mean? Maybe you misunderstood how I responded to them. If you still think I'm wrong, pm me and we'll talk about it.

Thanks,

Chris