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I was born the youngest of 5 to a potato farmer in
Caribou Maine. As many of you know, on a working farm, if it needs to
be fixed, you fix it. Self sufficiency is the key to survival. That was
the case throughout my childhood, and I learned many of my skills by
doing.
My father was a certified welder and taught me to Stick,
Gas, and Tig Weld at a very young age. We had a small machine shop on
the farm and dad also taught me how to run a 9" South Bend Lathe
(I now have that 1949 Lathe in my shop). At 9 I was working the fields,
and at 12, swaging hydraulic lines on the harvester. In High School I
studied Drafting, Mechanics in motion, Engine Theory, Electronics, and
other courses.
In the late 80's I went back to school at Harvard
Ellis Tech, an FAA FAR Part 147 school, and earned my A&P ( Airframe
and Powerplant ) mechanic's licence. Harvard Ellis Tech is also a Part
145 Repair Station where the students learn on operational aircraft performing
repairs, inspections, and modifications.
I graduated in the top 5% of my class and went on to
work for a Delta commuter Airline maintaining Saab SF 340 B turboprops.
I then moved to Corporate Aviation working on Canadair and Lear jet products
with Bombardier Aviation Services. This included overhauling hydraulic
pumps, cylinders, and struts before becoming a "return to service" inspector.
I left aviation after 9/11 and now design and build
prototype machinery for industry.
I have a 51 B that I pulled from the weeds and restored
completely and now regularly compete in Tractor Pulls with the Western
Massachusetts Tractor Pullers Association (WMTPA).
This is how I got involved with Powr-trol overhaul,
I just love this stuff.
Pulling With The Old John Deere
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