I can get an unemployed homeless person to sit in a chair for a few hours for minimum wage, but to get an ATPL to do the same thing I have to pay serious money. Clearly a total rip-off!
I have no idea what your foot of steel tube does on a 269, but if it's a structurally significant item there will be design costs, certification costs and manufacturing costs. It must be made from material of known provenance (which needs accounting paperwork, and that costs money) manufactured using a qualified and controlled process (which needs accounting paperwork, and that costs money) by suitably skilled, qualified and experienced people (who need accounting paperwork, which costs money). It must then be stored, shipped and installed in a "controlled environment" (which needs accounting paperwork, and that costs money). So it's not the same as popping down to home depot and getting them to saw you off a foot of scaffolding pole.
The same applies to electrical switchgear - if you want it for aircraft use then the FAA/EASA/Etc regulations require that it has additional certification processes, testing and paperwork over and above that for the same part number when sold for non-aircraft use. That costs money.
Having recently (OK, six years ago) been involved in bringing some military aircraft into compliance with the 8.33kHz requirement I most certainly don't recognise the claim that "a military frequency hopping radio cost less than an airborne 8.33 radio" - that's just twaddle.
If you wish to fly with unqualified, untested and mickey-mouse kit in your helicopter then by all means go ahead - just make sure you tell your passengers (any anyone on the ground beneath you) that you are risking their lives because you have a contempt for sound engineering, their safety and the law of the land.
PDR