Shade tree mechanic! Whatcha workin on.

[SwampDonkey]

One of our older Deere's was a 2950. Had no cab. Hydrostatic shift, so only needed the clutch to stop short. One of the best tractors made. 

[hardtailjohn]

Did a quick "prop swap" on a customer's Maule.  He wants off the ground a little quicker and this finally got approved.
John

[TimW]

Just a little more bite!  How long have you been an aircraft mechanic?

[Resonator]

Like the oversize bush tires, thinking it's setup for STOL?

[Magicman]

Yup, making STOL a bit shorter, on the STO anyway.  

[Ed_K]

 Does a 1953 J.D. R ,1947 A , 1937 and 1951 Bs count? The farm has a 4230 that's still running even tho the farm isn't. The R is going to stay original (it's the same yr as me) but the Bs were painted awhile ago so I will be working on them to pretty them up. The A is unstyled and needs a complete going through. But before all of that a 46 Massy Harris will go into the shed, the motor was done at the tech school by my chopper's grandson, the rest is up to me.

[hardtailjohn]

Just a little more bite!  How long have you been an aircraft mechanic?

Yikes...42 years!!! (usually it doesn't seem that long...)  I do mostly fabric work anymore, but still do enough annuals to keep my Inspection Authorization current.
Definitely set up for STOL. He dumps a pile of money in it every year, but had all that power and couldn't get it utilized. This prop STC was a welcomed modification!
JH

[Resonator]

Those look like monster truck tires compared to what my dad had on his 1947 Piper Supercruiser. We bounced in and out of farm fields many times in the 80's when I was a kid. Don't know how short a stretch he could take off in, but we'd always clear of the trees when he pulled the stick back.

[Magicman]

but we'd always clear of the trees when he pulled the stick back.

I had a good friend that was a bit overloaded on takeoff and he did not clear the trees.  He did not make it and neither did his wife nor son.  

[TimW]

I have 42 years hands on too.  Was trying to get to 50 years and get the Charles Taylor Award from the FAA.  But when covid came and early retirement bonus came out, I took it and ran.
Specialized in helicopter and aircraft structures (tin bender) and retired from SWA with 28 years.  I love rebuilding wrecked or wore out helicopters.  My barn shop reminder of my helicopter days....

[Resonator]

That was one thing my dad never did was crash, I think he was just as much lucky as he was a good pilot. That old taildragger had only manual hand-foot controls (you had to know how to use your feet on the pedals as much as your hands to fly). Also just a 2 way radio, no GPS or other computers like today, only navigated by map and a compass. 

[Jeff]

Previous post removed due to privacy concerns. If your post was removed, you know who you are. I'd suggest contacting the member that you would like to learn from in a P.M., and then they, if inclined can answer privately, or how ever they decide.. This really is not a public forum conversation unless both parties agreed. Thanks.

[hardtailjohn]

Tim W, I did a little helo work, but not that much. I worked on a seismic crew on the birds for a little while too. It was always interesting.  Never had any desire to go to heavies. I always had a passion for old stuff, and round engines. I'm still teaching classes for fabric and do quite a bit of cover work for a museum in the area.
I had the parts for a fan like that and let a friend talk me out of it... I always thought they were cool!  

[Old saw fixer]

I need to pull the 48" deck from under the WheelHorse 314-8 and see what is dragging the blade speed down. 
believe me, I'm not looking forward to dragging that heavy deck out.  I may need two Celebrex when I'm done.

[TimW]

Tim W, I did a little helo work, but not that much. I worked on a seismic crew on the birds for a little while too. It was always interesting.  Never had any desire to go to heavies. I always had a passion for old stuff, and round engines. I'm still teaching classes for fabric and do quite a bit of cover work for a museum in the area.
I had the parts for a fan like that and let a friend talk me out of it... I always thought they were cool! 

Round engines is what got my fire burning.  Right out of A&P school, the boss was putting a Stearman together. Beech 18 and a Cessna 195 came in regularly for MX.  Left general aviation to the airlines to provide for the family.  Only worked on helicopter structures.  Was so good doing that, boss wouldn't let me turn wrenches on them.  We had more work and overtime than mechanics too.  I miss those early days in aviation.  After 911, aviation lost it's glory.  Even the airlines with Pam Am and Braniff around were fun then.  I started A&P school at Braniff's school at Love Field.  Glad to see you are still living your dream.
Oh yeah, I did a little dope and fabric and loved doing that too.  Back then, we had the Goodyear blimp America based in Spring, just down the road.  It was flying over one day and the boss said he turned down a bid to recover it's control surfaces.

[Magicman]

Blimp, did someone mention blimp? 


I had the Chick-Fil-A blimp to fly over me at the Cabin a few years ago.  An hour or so later, Son, Marty called me.  He was passing through Baton Rouge and it flew over him.  I think that it was headed toward California.  Just neat that we were that far apart and both saw it.

[aigheadish]

Blimps are incredible to see in person. So big and weird. I saw the Goodyear blimp float by years ago, when they'd first come out (I think) with the giant screens on the side of it. Very strange, and my dog barked it's fool head off.

[TimW]

Goodyear blimps are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year.

So that makes you way older than Magic Man!

[aigheadish]

Ha! I didn't see them when the blimps first came out, I saw the blimps with the TV-ish screens when they first came out (but I'm also guessing it's when the screens were first added, or shortly thereafter).

[hardtailjohn]

I spent 3 years working for a round engine overhaul facility in WA. Started out in the cylinder shop and worked every position there, then became the field service and  tech rep for them for a couple years. It was an absolute dream job! Got to go all over the world and saw some pretty "interesting" sights. My favorites were always Canada and Alaska. That's the one job I do miss, and it opened up a lot of oppotunities for me, but I came home to take care of the ranch and my parents in 1996, and here I am still... and still not regretting it.
JH

[TimW]

Ha! I didn't see them when the blimps first came out, I saw the blimps with the TV-ish screens when they first came out (but I'm also guessing it's when the screens were first added, or shortly thereafter).

Well, I wasn't sure if you were talking about when the blimps came out or the screens on the blimps.

[TimW]

I spent 3 years working for a round engine overhaul facility in WA. Started out in the cylinder shop and worked every position there, then became the field service and  tech rep for them for a couple years. It was an absolute dream job! Got to go all over the world and saw some pretty "interesting" sights. My favorites were always Canada and Alaska. That's the one job I do miss, and it opened up a lot of oppotunities for me, but I came home to take care of the ranch and my parents in 1996, and here I am still... and still not regretting it.
JH

When I just got my license at 19, the boss would send me on parts runs, as I was the only one with a pickup.  One parts house at Hobby was a Mom and Pop shop.  They had a round motor overhaul shop in back.  I loved going in there.  It was like a kid in a candy store.  Went to a grass strip in Pearland once to pick up a Stearman prop.  The old barn tin building had enough Stearman parts to build 12 planes.  Again, kid in a candy store!  

[hardtailjohn]

I built the engine for this one, then travelled with it and took care of it for a few years. At that time, it was the only one of that model left flying in the world. 1929 Fairchild 71.  There's at least 2 in the air now.

[TimW]

Fairchild built great planes back then.  Did it have a super plush interior? The Cessna 195 did.