At 23 years of age now I started out as summer help with the school janitors when I was 18 and worked there full time for about a year and at the same time I worked mornings at my distant familys butcher shop (I worked at the school in the afternoon/evening shift). In february 2014 I went to go work where im at now Cap America INC. In Fredericktown Missouri a cap factory I ran a embrodiory machine for a year or so now I do the building maintanence.

Cool old thread. Just read thru a lot of it, pretty diverse. I'm a retired fleet mechanic specializing in heavy truck, diesel, and hydraulics. I worked for Mack truck for 10 years and 31 years at the local power utility. We serviced and repaired everything from a chain saw to bulldozers to 120' aerial bucket trucks. Now I work out of my own shop doing vintage diesel and gear work for the antique truck hobbyist. I specialize in the drive-train repair of on-road trucks used in the 50's thru 80's. Cummins, Cat, Detroit, Roadranger, etc.

Out of high school I worked at NAPA for 6 years. Became Road Superintendent of a local township for 14 years. Moved on to a local city as a laborer for 3 years and got promoted to a Construction Coordinator. 3 years later promoted to Asst Superintendent responsible for day to day operations for roads, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, and filled in with water distribution. Added Fleet Maitenance in 2010. Retired in 2012 at 54. Also spent 20 years as a volunteer FF/EMT, 16 as Captain. On the side spent 15 years coaching little league baseball.

Don't remember if I have posted to this before or not.

I have been doing Auto Glass and Body and Paint for the last 30 years. Mostly glass, but have been doing more body work in the last few years than before.

I am hoping to make it to retirement! Already had a few joint replacements, may have to move to the office. :bash2:






Randy

:Morning: Retired, working in my own shop. Also holding down the recliner in the tv room. :American Flag 1:

I work for a soybean processing facility in NE Indiana. We are part of a worldwide organization. I work in the oil department, I get to do it all here from cooking oil with hydrogen, deodorizing the oil, loading trucks and rail cars, and the best part...driving a EMD switch engine. Never a dull moment around here!

I've been a heavy duty truck mechanic for 14 years. I worked for a kenworth dealer for a short time then I had 7 years at a Freightliner dealer. Now I work for a small trucking/logging company. Been really busy building glider kits.
First one is a w900 kenworth with a 1994 caterpillar 3406e

This is what I'm currently working on 4900 western star with a 1998 series 60 Detroit diesel.

I'm glad you guys found and drug up this thread. I had forgotten about it. Still think it's cool to see what people on here do, and it helps to know about past experience and abilities.

Stan and GSWF, I don't miss working on the big stuff much anymore. I loved it while I did it, and still don't mind..... but it's much more enjoyable to me to work on cars/trucks and my Cubs. That heavy duty stuff is hard work, and I'm really glad I don't do it anymore. Takes so much equipment, and time. Like I said, I still take a job on now and again.... but it's at my leisure. :biggrin2:


On another note, I no longer work for Republic if I haven't mentioned it before. That ended just over a year ago. Worked on my cousins farm from late summer, through the winter last year. I've settled in doing construction now with a friend of mine and his son in their business, and working some independently. Both mechanicing and carpentry. Spent most of this summer roofing. I'm an finding out that I'm about too old to roof for a living. Not that I'm old...... but I was the "old man" on the crew. 10 years older than the oldest nuckle head. My friends son is 24..... he is an animal. He told me one day he liked how I work. I asked how that was, he said: "Same pace all day long every day. I know I can count on you to consistently work all day long, unlike the other guys who bust a$$ in the morning and are tired by noon, or early afternoon." I told him that when you age, you learn to work smarter, not harder, LOL.

I've dabbled in and out of blow molding, injection molding, vacuum forming, rubber extrusion. I've finally found a career in fpvc, pvc, and dual extrusion of plastics. I'm responsible for tearing down a job, and setting up the next, achieve the profile, and make money for the business. It has been rewarding, and I have been at it for 5 years now. My travel to work is cut and dry- no driving all over the state, and home at night with my wife. I can see retiring from my company some day :biggrin2:

Now, I can still work a young man's game. But that's only if I'm doing it for my house or family. In the past, I hauled asphalt driving a Ford 9000 single axle, operated a John Deere 2100C for 9 years during the off season. A short time water proofing basements nearly made an old man out of me before my time- to heck with that! I always had a muscle car or truck to tinker with. I've now settled on working on my IH Cub Cadets, since I've been doing that since I was 11 or so!