I have used this place for "electroless nickel" plating of critical machine parts at work. Very gun friendly.... http://frankeplatingworks.com/plating-services/
Have a gen 1 M-rod with an extended Aluminum tube. have used OEM valves, WAR valves, JSAR balanced valves within it. Been used as a .177 , .22 & .25 cal with various breeches fitted.Nearly all my m-rod R&D has been done on the platform and much of the last 5 years with the alloy air tube.Just be noted .. The alloy tube is a "FOR LESS WEIGHT" issue only & outside that offers no advantage IMO over the factory steel air tube.
[You have done a lot, what hammers did you use or find most successful?
In my 10+ years of EXTENSIVE R&D on PCP air rifles, Making parts to try .. mix & match testing finding combinations that suited specific caliber or power requirements yielded a perspective that then as in now STOPPED me from providing custom self install parts That being few follow directions !! Most read all the Chit Chat of others findings or stated "Hot Part or Pieces"Then ... Proceed to make a self contrived combo of all best sounding parts and pieces into a custom build expecting the greatest air rifle ever put together !! Seldom is this the case and Much $$ and Time gets wasted and a sour taste that PCP's are a pain in the butt develops If you fiddle without required knowledge YES that is a very real reality.Now I'm not wanting to appear atop my soapbox preaching to the masses here ... It is a strong case for learning "Whats others before you" had learned by reading and UNDERSTANDING many of the finer points of the Why For the modern PCP operates beyond a simplistic basic understanding of how pneumatic weapons work, along with variants of how else it can be done. Not All Combinations work !!! Face palm ... I'm done & hope no one has taken offense.Scott S