Let's get to know who's who and what we do

Morning all, 
Just a bit of fun to see where we are all from and what we do, so I will start with myself. 

I am a EX Hastings fitter, done my time in a small mining town in northwest QLD, Mt Isa. Have been in the mining industry pretty much all my life, getting a bit old now (51) but still enjoy tinkering around. Currently living on the Qld coast in the Whitsundays now living the close to retirement life (8 yrs. and 365 days to go) Glass half full approach.  We got the D2 3J around 8 months ago with the intention of restoring it as close to original as possible but had the first hiccup when we found that it has a 6J arse end on it. but oh well shit happens. 

Always up for a chat so if I can help anyone just flick me a message. 

Birdie 

Welcome, Birdie!
This section of the BB is new, so I think many are not aware of it just yet, so do not feel like a stranger here just yet! Hah!
Since you started something I've always wished to initiate myself, THANK YOU for introducing yourself. I feel that each new member should stand up and say hello and provide an introduction to "break the ice". Myself, I think I sat back and studied the posters for a couple of years before I felt comfortable enough to get on here and say "hello". Now they can't get rid of me... LOL.
A little about myself; here goes:
I am a farm boy of 62, born and raised in Northern California; I am still engaged in agriculture industries with my transportation business; Not ready to retire yet, as I do not feel "old" yet, so I will continue on working, and some day, slow down enough to enjoy the tractor hobby which has been part of my life for only 8 quick years?
I have had the pleasure of meeting many people thru this club and happy to say I have nurtured many long lasting relationships, and hope to continue doing so whether it be via the BB or in person at some live event with dust and exhaust fumes.
My small collection is dwarfed by some others, and very addictive. I have asked many to intervene and get me to stop adding iron here, but some friends are not helpful at times! LOL.
Share some pictures of your gem please. JM

Hi Birdie, it’s always interesting to hear other peoples stories. My love affair with Caterpillar started in the late 1960s (I’m now 71) when I worked in the school holidays for a local farmer who also had a contracting business making school playing fields. As “low loader” (I think you call them floats) drivers mate I helped move the big tractors - D8H series 22A made in Glasgow UK among others. I went off to university where I studied natural sciences and shortly after leaving joined Mars, inc. the food company. During my 32 years at Mars, I did many jobs, research scientist, Quality manager, Customer service manager etc. but spent most of my time in IT. I even, in the mid 1990s spent 9 months living and working in Russia. After retiring at the end of 2006 I became a trustee of the Mars UK occupational pension scheme ( assets at that time of over $3bn).
it is quite common in the UK to find what appears to be a D2 tractor with a 4J or 6J back end, often re-engined with a 1S (I think) D3400 engine from a gen set.
Most D2 tractors in the UK are 3J and 5J tractors. Very few U series tractors here are original imports. Many D2s came to UK under “lease lend” and after ww2 the UK was broke and couldn’t afford to buy new ones. This is a stark contrast to Holland, where I have many friends. Very few J series tractors got to Holland as they were occupied during the war, but afterwards many U series tractors arrived there as part of the Marshall plan.
Maybe see you tomorrow evening if you can join the Asia Pacific “Town hall” meeting.

Im probably one of the younger guys on here (turn 33 tomorrow).  Im a welder and the lead hand of the Specialty Projects / Prototyping division of the hydrovac company, Badger Infrastructure Solutions (formerly Badger Daylighting).  In my down time I run my old D6C and Kobelco excavator doing local jobs for farmers etc.  However my love for old construction equipment started when my old man hauled me aboard his old gas pot Allis Chalmers H5 dozer before I was even able to walk.  Ive grown up on old crawlers like that.  I actually have my old man's Allis Chalmers diesel HD5 on my lawn with Christmas lights all over it at the moment, Ill have to get a picture up here...  He and I restored an old D69U almost from the ground up and added a bunch of upgrades etc and he is always helping me repair or upgrade the equipment that I have now.

Hi I am Bert, but go by BJ most of the time. I started collecting about 12 years ago. I generally don’t fully restore, I like to have them so they can be used. I like the history that is on the paint. The painted on decals of companies long lost. I spent 20 years with 2 different construction companies as a field mechanic. I am currently a service manager for the second one for the last 4 years. I have been with them for 12 years now. I am 41. I live in the Calgary area

 [attachment=69549]IMG_7156 (2).JPG[/attachment] Hi guys, Nice to meet you all, Sorry haven't been online for the last week things have been pretty full on here at work. Sorry John I missed the " Town Hall" meeting, pretty sure it would have been around 3.00am my time to dial in. The History on the UK D2 was interesting thanks, Juiceman I will share pictures of the old girl along the track when things progress a bit more, but I will share a few other projects which we have done this year. Still chasing a few parts for the pony motor ( std piston ) if anyone knows who might have one and a starter pinion collar, but most parts are still available from my local cat dealer.Been to Calgary Bert, very nice place, we went there for the Stampede, from memory we had all four seasons in the one day.

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Hi i am Colby. I run my own service truck doing field service work for a large contractor in southern utah. I love working on and operating old equipment. there is never a bad day running old equipment. Case 580ck. Massey ferguson 50d. Case VAI with loader. Ingersoll rand ecm250 and 600d rock drill and compressor. john deere 420. Case 850d track loader.

birdie my uncle worked underground for MIM back in the 80s got cuaght in a rock fall and then worked in the warehousing when they were setting up mimcoms the first computerised warehouse in australia. sir james the boss of MIM was asked once in a interview how many people work the company he glanced at his watch and said oh about half of em, it's a shift change at the moment. norm actually picked him up in brisbane once when he was driving cabs a couple yrs after leaving the mine.

name is chris, i'm a IT tech by training and currently do a bit of handy man stuff and fabrication work part time, i used to work for engineering shop building farm implements the company even made its own slasher blades from hardened and tempered spring steel the bloke who owned the place was a blacksmith in his 80s cantankerous old bugger but what he didnt know about working metal possibly didnt need to be known.

i'm 35 this year and have been mucking around with old machinery mainly aussie made stationary engines of the single cyl variety since i was 10 yr old i was around em younger but didn't really do anything with em till then. yellow iron was introduced a few yrs ago and we'll probably only ever have the one (mum wont let us have more) i'm a train and steam buff and if you can combine the two well that's heaven. i'm also into electronics, cars and video games.

Howdy, names Kai. I'm 20 and live on a walnut ranch in central California. I make my money doing mechanics / fabrication in a shop fixing 50-70's vehicles up for sale. I got into the old crawlers about a month ago when we got our old D2 running, now I'm playing with a D6 9U that retired 30 years ago after dredging up the neighbors pond and just about got it ready to do some work. Neat thing is both tractors are 1952. Guess my great grand dad started this all for me, He traded in his 22 for the D2 in 1953 and here we are. As he say's[center]"Cat built tractors really stand up"[/center]
Thanks to Juiceman for taking me into the fold. 

I attached photos below of the magazine he was included in. 4U4798 9U11838
https://youtube.com/shorts/Igf3PHh1qos?feature=share