Vent: OEM sealant vs the generic stuff from the supply closet

Had to redo a wing root fairing on a 737 in Dallas last month because I used the store brand sealant the lead keeps buying. It cured fine in the hangar but cracked after 30 cycles, and the inspector flagged it on a walkaround. The OEM stuff costs double and takes the same amount of time to apply, but it held up on a bird strike repair I did in 2021 with zero issues. I get that the generic saves the company a few bucks per tube, but my Saturday got eaten resealing a panel that should have been done once. Anyone else fighting their shop over consumables quality, or is it just my line? What do you all use when the boss is not looking?

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hannah40028d ago

MAN, you nailed it! That generic stuff is false economy, plain and simple. If the lead keeps buying it, I'd just start hiding the OEM tubes in my toolbox and say the store brand is out of stock.