Lynn,
I'm quite sure ARE can make an excellent article and also that high profile guys in the US get a top notch product.
I am equally sure they knew this piece was a reject item and decided to offload it to some unknown sucker on the other side of the world!
The guys in question no doubt get the good stuff, and that's all that will concern them. I don't think my experiences will have any relevance for them.
Anyway, it's water under the bridge. Time to move along with the build. I'm sure as an additional cost and inconvenience this episode with the pan will pale into insignificance the first time I plant the '40 at high speed into the Armco!!
Cheers