I had a peeled 40FX and a peeled 65LA. They both had a lot of hours on them when their liners went bad, so I am not upset, and I continue to buy OS engines. I know from my work experience that plating is a fussy, demanding, hard-to-control process. Even the best military aerospace platers using the best processes occasionally have problems.
But I agree that OS/Tower Hobbies charged too much for replacement pistons and sleeves. It would have been a good gesture for them to sell piston and sleeves at their cost, given the problems we had.