Within months of selling his machine shop and deciding to retire Dave Willcock opened Profile Waterjet Cutting and developed a new business manufacturing aviation components and specialty aviation tools. As a lifelong aviation enthusiast and owner of 10 aircraft, he foresaw endless opportunities for manufacturing aircraft parts with waterjet.
Willcock investigated three leading waterjet systems before deciding on buying a system from Jet Edge. He bought a Jet Edge AMC system in 2001, then upgraded to a Jet Edge Model 48 High Rail gantry system in 2004. His machine is powered by a 30-horsepower Jet Edge 55-30 intensifier pump, rated for 60,000 pounds of pressure per square inch (psi).
Willcock said he selected the Jet Edge system after determining that it processed code better than competitor models, and was very easy to operate. 'I was very fond of the interface,' he said. 'It's easy to learn. It's easy to teach and it's easy to follow. I also like the fact that the entire machine is made in one place, and I didn't like the idea of buying from offshore.' Waterjet cutting is ideal for making aviation parts, Willcock said, noting that aircraft are a compilation of flat, thin parts. He read a lengthy list of parts he had made for just one customer. It included 22 items ranging from gussets and flanges to power distribution panels and custom wine racks. 'There are hundreds or even thousands of parts,' he said. 'The number of parts you can make will just stagger you.' Willcock contends that home-built aviation enthusiasts could greatly increase their productivity by using waterjet instead of conventional cutting tools. 'Most of these parts are made with bandsaws, hacksaws and files,' he said. 'If you were building an aircraft from scratch, you would save months of work in constructing a project.' Aircraft enthusiasts also could save money by making their own specialty tools at a fraction of their retail cost, he added. In addition to making aircraft components, Profile Waterjet Cutting makes custom artwork, company logos, sign components, underwater rover parts, custom parts for cars and motorcycles, and numerous industrial components. 'I really get my money's worth out of my waterjet,' said Willcock, who noted that he has never regretted his decision to buy a Jet Edge system. 'I am very loyal to Jet Edge,' he said. Over the last four and a half years, I have known from one day to the next that I made the right decision. Jet Edge's technical support has been absolutely outstanding. They have looked after me like I am their only customer. It's never felt like I've made the wrong choice. Nothing has ever been backordered. Jet Edge's service is great, and the fact that I can get a hold of a living person who can answer technical questions 24 hours a day is worth gold. Jet Edge's product gives me very little trouble and it is easy to fix, it is easy to set up, it requires very little special fixturing of parts, and it is very predictable compared to conventional machining.'
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