What's everyone's background?

[Thingathority]

Bachelor of Fine Arts here. I have a background building a lot of things in a lot of materials, which along with some Industrial Design is my job now. Basically I have enough fabrication experience to get myself into trouble and enough design theory and western philosophy to know I can't blame anybody else for it

[ncnealncn]

I started my career as an automotive electrical parts rebuilder in 1986. Since then I have been…
Life insurance sales person
Power tool rebuilder
Office equipment repair tecknician
Chemical delivery truck driver
Commercial Credit analyst
I have built, and flown several model airplanes. Glow Fuel, and Electric

[HemiX2]

I started building/racing cars and Hydro-Stick transmissions at B $ M Automotive in the early 60's. After a couple years I joined the Air Force as an aircraft electrician. Later branched out into engine mechanic, QA specialist, and finally section chief. I also attended night school and obtained my Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration around this time. I was promoted to Senior Master Sergeant (E-8) at age 35, but soon thought I was too young to be so close to the top of the enlisted ranks, so I pursued a Commission. Became a Captain at age 36 (Special program let high ranking enlisted bypass 1st/2nd Lieutenant), and retired as a Major in a Colonel slot 10 years later after holding positions as Aircraft Maintenance Officer, Wing Logistics Officer and finally Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Commander. I then chose to retire rather than let the stress and politics kill me off. What really convinced me was when my Dad had passed away at age 82. I figured I was more than half way through the game IF I could live as long as he did. Great decision, at least for me. The wife and I have rental properties (4 houses [2 paid for] and 2 duplexes [1 paid for]) that keep us somewhat occupied. We were caregivers for our elderly parents, a neighbor, and one son (very rewarding experiences) who have all since passed away. Now we have a little more time to travel and I am getting back to one of my passions.....old classic Mercede Benz's (250S and 280C) and a Hemi Jeep Grand Cherokee and Hemi Dodge Magnum. The fuel economy (lack of) of the latter vehicles is what brought me here. I've done some semi extensive mods. and have increased the economy a fair amount on both. I'll do a thread on it when I get a chance. Glad I found this forum (I am a member of several other automotive forums too) and I look forward to the forum experience here. Thanks for having me.

[jousai7]

Senior Field Servie Engineer on uninterruptable power supplies.

B.S. in Nuclear Engineering Technology

[fauxpaws]

BS in Mechanical Engineering, nearly done with my MS in the same. Looking forward to taking full advantage of the resources on this site.

Fauxpaws

[Cd]

In the midst of greatness, i am but a simple minded worm here trying to absorb as much information as i can.
I have worked at a hardware store for over a decade, and now make $12 an hour.

I would love to have the intelligence that you guys have.

[mcshawnboy]

I'm a cheap ******* from way back! I'm not afraid to drive cars that folks don't find acceptable to get better fuel mileage than most folks concerned about their status. The first vehicle my folks let me drive was a 1969 Datsun 510 with a 4 speed & a slipping clutch. That made learning to drive a stick difficult. I had a big 1966 Dodge Coronet 440 with the old style 318 C.I.D., but fuel was less than $1.00 then! I got a 225 C.I.D. 1970 Dodge Dart that would've run forever, except I let a friend borrow it & he ran into a tree while drunk! A 1963 Corvair followed until the engine died. A girl at our local doughnut shop sold me a 1974 Chevy Vega (I put 5 used motors in that car!) in Red, White & Blue as a tribute to the upcoming Bicentennial, but I didn't like anything about it except 25 MPG 4 CYL & 4 SP so I blocked out the front fenders in flat black to resemble the Space Shuttle & put a plastic model of one on top wired to the center of the roof! I had a friend reach out to save the model while driving one night when one of the wires broke! Then an employer sold me their Renault sedan, but it took me a month to find the horn on the turn signal stalk by pushing it in! A counselor sold me a Accord W/O A/C 4 CYL & 5 SP that got 35 MPG. A neighbor gave me a 1981 Honda Civic CVCC that got close to 40 MPG. My best friend gave me a 1970 VW Auto-Stick that got close to 30 MPG. My sister's best friend sold me a Chevy Chevette w/ an Auto that barely got 25 MPG. I got another of these after being struck by a passing police car as I was making a left turn & he came over a dip in the road W/O lights or siren doing 120 MPH with a glancing blow cut off my fender, ripped off my bumper & bent the unibody! While in college a friend's husband gave me a 1971 Plymouth station wagon (About 25 feet long sides roller painted Dr. Pepper red with a baby blue hood with a white stripe & roof!) 360 C.I.D. Auto that barely got 15 MPG! My Dad gave me his Ford Tempo 4 CYL & 4 SP that got close to 40 MPG until smoke started coming out of the ignition switch. A friend from church gave me a 1989 Dodge Dynasty that barely got 20 MPG until it wouldn't start one day. My Dad didn't want me to miss work as a longhaul trucker gave me a 2000 Ford Windstar 3.6 Auto W/O cruise control that got 25 MPH & was absolute torture to drive!!! When the engine died it would cost more to install it than to buy a motor & I was car-less for two years looking for the perfect ride, but "Cash For Clunkers" stripped all the affordable vehicles until a former employer saw the type of car I was looking for (1983 300SD Mercedes Benz that many were converting to SVO) while avoiding a miles long backup on I-81 in Virginia which was closed when a load of straw & horse poop that'd gotten wet and spontaneously combusted. We picked it up on Halloween of 2011 & I got it on the road on Pearl Harbor Day & it just came back from a month at the mechanic costing $1,500.00 for a lift pump, new lines & hoses, motor mounts, fuel linkages were worn out, valves were too tight, the turbo clogged with oil & another local garage put exhaust hangers on wrong causing the whole exhaust to hang wrong. I'd like to put a Greasecar.com Co-Pilot & secondary tank on it in the near future to run SVO, but may look into making bio-diesel in an apple-seed processor from an old water heater.

[dodom123]

Im currently enrolled full time at Itt-tech Finished my a.s. degree in computers and electronic engineering In March, Now doing the B.S. in electrical engineering and communications technology. Got interested in the Electric Bicycle concept because that is what I did my capstone project on. I got the bug now, I have to admit my ears kinda perked up seeing this forum.

[dodom123]

Very interested in the controller design, I think this is a little overkill? At least for a bicycle project. Although, it would.....get in on! Hmmmmmm

[luv2spd]

Mechanical engineer, project manager for installing mechanical equipment in buildings such as pumps, air handling units, solar systems, etc. Hobbies: spend a lot of time reading, repairing and modifying motorcycles and sometimes racing them.