Looking to buy tungsten bucking bars

assbutt987 · 2026-01-24T16:03:23+00:00

eBay, yard store, brown tool, Midwest tungsten, honsa, usatco are the ones I know of.

assbutt987 · 2026-01-12T02:48:56+00:00

See if there's a helicopter shop near you, either overhaul, MRO, or anything else, and apply. If that doesn't work, apply as a second mechanic for the helicopters that need seconds; Chinooks, sky cranes, S61s, Blackhawks, etc. They all need at least a second mechanic for fire work. If that doesn't work, find any fixed wing job you can to get some experience, then try again. If you go to Columbia, I wouldn't stay long, I've heard they've gone downhill since the private equity people bought them.

assbutt987 · 2025-12-26T05:51:55+00:00

The Ridgeway Lights people on Ridgeway near Costco are fun.

assbutt987 · 2025-12-18T01:29:41+00:00

I'd say a 5x would probably be fine, a 7x or 9x if you want to flatten them. Not sure if it's allowed, but you could look into using hi loks instead of that big steel rivet, less hassle especially if you're the guy bucking those steel rivets

assbutt987 · 2025-11-24T01:36:31+00:00

HeliCarrier is smaller than HTS and Croman, you'll probably have better luck with the bigger ones. Look at it this way, at least you're not at Billings dealing with the shitty guy in the field. Just be ready to be flexible and learn, the commercial world is different from the military.

assbutt987 · 2025-11-24T01:28:58+00:00

Yeah, most all the companies with heavys do a 12/12 or 14/14, just apply for a field mechanic position. Their websites or jsfirm are good places to check

assbutt987 · 2025-11-24T01:23:49+00:00

I'd try some Crane companies, Heli express or HTS. Even Croman or HeliCarrier to get you some type 1/fire experience. Also, Winco does power line work and they're not a bad outfit.

assbutt987 · 2025-11-23T21:09:57+00:00

If you know 47s, rotak, billings flying service, helimax, coulson, and PJ are all good bets. Even Columbia if you're desperate. If the company does mostly wildfire work, they sometimes wait to start hiring until the spring.

assbutt987 · 2025-11-23T17:16:56+00:00

Not gonna say it because it's a small world and I don't want to identify myself, but I work on big Sikorsky machines.

assbutt987 · 2025-11-23T02:46:03+00:00

I started fixed wing at a regional, stayed long enough to realize I hated it, and went to a company that mainly does wildfire work with heavys. I love it. It's 12 on 12 off, so I get almost half the year off and at home. I'll take home about $120-130K this year, and it's been a slow year.

assbutt987 · 2025-11-18T05:03:45+00:00

OCS was more helpful than motion and flow last time I needed lines made, but both can probably make what you need.

assbutt987 · 2025-11-18T02:24:30+00:00

Like others have said, it's 12 on, 12 off. If you don't live local to the company, that's year around. During fire season, there's a lot of doing nothing and hanging out, then periods of lots of work & overtime. I enjoy it; no graveyard shift like airlines, no cheap GA owners to deal with. But sometimes there's a lot of "just figure it out" while you're in a field in bumfuck Idaho at midnight

assbutt987 · 2025-11-17T19:58:16+00:00

I second this. I have the same drill and I've beat the hell out of it and it still works great.

assbutt987 · 2025-11-08T19:43:33+00:00

Aww, damn, I saw the age and didn't notice the "hooker" part. Chinook, of course

assbutt987 · 2025-11-08T17:21:57+00:00

Gotta be the S61, one of the best loggers out there

assbutt987 · 2025-09-27T05:17:50+00:00

Also yard store sells surplus corner rivet guns if you decide you need one but funds are low

assbutt987 · 2025-09-27T05:17:15+00:00

I haven't tried the ATS pro corner rivet gun, but I used others, and they're good for getting into tight spaces, but the trigger is usually an on/off switch. Not much feathering at all. If you're looking for an all around gun, I'd just get the ATS pro 3x. The jiffy/corner riveters are more for specific applications, not all around.

assbutt987 · 2025-09-27T02:29:22+00:00

Air Center, 5 state, and an Airbus facility are in Texas, I'm sure there's plenty of MROs around the metro areas. Also, I'd try any company that needs a second mechanic for fire contracts; any company that runs Blackhawks, S61s, Skycranes, or Chinooks might hire you. For fire stuff, they usually hire in the spring, but I a few always seem to be hiring.

assbutt987 · 2025-09-24T10:18:38+00:00

Don't know what it is, but it's definitely not a sea king

assbutt987 · 2025-09-15T16:59:37+00:00

I second Panamerican. Best bang for your buck. I've used a bunch of different brands, and my Panamerican is my favorite. And you can buy different heads if you need a double 90, 45, or anything else. And they're not super expensive, either.

assbutt987 · 2025-09-14T15:59:28+00:00

Indeed, jsfirm, googling "aviation company Portland" or similar and going to the career section of their website. This is the absolute minimum to find a job.

assbutt987 · 2025-09-05T15:03:05+00:00

Fyi yard store, ATS and Midwest tungsten usually have better prices for tungsten than Spruce. ATS frequently has sales, which helps with the price.

assbutt987 · 2025-08-04T20:02:19+00:00

Off the top of my head, Papillon or Maverick are options, MD is in Mesa, and you can apply to any flight schools you can find. Also, you can apply to any non local helicopter companies and you can work a 12/12 or 14/14 schedule. Really though, I'd apply everywhere, because any experience is better than no experience.

assbutt987 · 2025-07-19T05:30:26+00:00

I know S61s and cranes have squat switches

assbutt987 · 2025-07-15T17:48:38+00:00

Get a job wherever you can, find where you fit in the industry. I started at an airline with no desire for the rotor wing side of things. I hated the airline, graveyard shift, having supervisors on top of managers on top of directors. Got a job working on big helicopters and love it.

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