How'd you learn to wrench?

[Toecutter]

Just wanted to start a topic that can't possibly be derailed.

I kid... this is WG, everything gets derailed. Maybe it's just an experiment to see how long before it gets derailed.

Anyways, nobody was born with a wrench in their hands, although some folks in the moto-community love to pretend they were, so... how'd you learn? What got you started? How many bikes did you cock up before figuring things out? Did you have a mentor? Or did you do it the hard way? Let's hear it, and save the fishing stories for another thread.

My father was handy, but not much of a mechanic. He was a good carpenter, amazing outdoorsman, but beyond a "DIY" ethic, he didn't impart much in the way of grease-monkeyism. I got started riding bikes super young, but never began wrenching til much later. And I'm self taught. I bought a lot of old junkers, and took them apart to figure things out, selling them for parts (and usually a profit by doing so), trading up as I went along. Didn't have any "mentors", but started meeting friends that shared interests, and things started advancing quicker for me. Began to get really good at roadside fixes with roadside toolkits. Consider myself pretty good at wrenching now... but still shadetree, though shadetree with a well-stocked garage.

So, how'd you learn? Where are you now?

[Rough Edge racing]

  I always drive and ride junk and they need some fixing from time to time..

[Zoom Zoom]

Dad was always mechanically inclined. He taught me to work on my bicycles when I was a kid. When I was about 16, we rebuilt a 240 6 cyl. in a 67 Ford Custom 3 on the tree. New insides, clutch, pressure plate, etc. Things have always made sense to me regarding wrenching, although I have known a number of folks that regarded it as magic.

John Henry

[oldbike54]

 Purchased a Frankenstein 500 CC Triumph in early 1968 , $50.00 at a garage sale . The man who owned it had scattered it about the garage , wife said "it has to go" . Had been hanging around some older fellas who were into bikes , even a couple of fairly successful racers and race mechanics . It took about two months to put the Triumph together , mostly I watched and tried to learn . For those of you who cut your teeth on old Brit bikes , owning one either forced their owner into becoming some kind of a wrench , or spending lots of money to keep them running . Since I had no money ...

 Still , muddling thru , certainly no expert , but I know what questions to ask , and who to ask them of.

 Dusty

[Gliderjohn]

I never really have. I took the common at the time automotive vo-tech in high school in the early 70s. Learned how to rebuild engines of the time, but not really much else. No electric stuff or transmission work. Least learned some of the basics and got a nice Snap-On tool set cheap.
My problem is dealing with the unexpected. I am not a logical thinker in the mechanical sense. That's what always screws me up.
GliderJohn

[canuck750]

My dad was an autobody mechanic and a decent shade treat engine mechanic. I used to say everything we owned had been written off in a roll over except the house we grew up in.

We had every kind of car and truck you can think of growing up, my dad rebuilt 3 or 4 cars a year in the evenings, plus the travel trailers and boats we owned had all been in some kind of accident or fire. We once rebuilt a 68 Chrsyler New Yorker with the front half of one and the back half of another. My dad was a real perfectionist and not a big fan of bondo, lots of metal shrinking with oxy /acet, pick, file and a wee bit of lead.

I can't remember a time when I was not in the garage holding the torch, wrench or hammer while dad repaired a car. When I was 16 I started to buy insurance easy write offs and rebuild cars to sell, helped pay for school but mostly beer and more cars.  I got tired of lying under cars and the rust and grime of old vehicles so I moved towards motorcycles, so much cleaner and easier to work on.

[Wayne Orwig]

Just wanted to start a topic that can't possibly be derailed.

I use cheap dino oil and avoid synthetics.

[Lannis]

No help - my dad died young and wasn't much of a mechanic.  Learned myself, building trail bikes from pipe, kits, and motors, read the manuals for my first motorcycles, had to keep our Farmall tractor running.

Unfortunately, my lack of formal training shows.   Still learning by "experience" .... !

Lannis

[Guzzi Gal]

I use cheap dino oil and avoid synthetics.

I never really did.  I was my dad's bug maintenance helper but beyond learning to change oil, and changing a tire he didn't feel the need to teach me.  I'm mechanically inclined, don't mind getting dirty, and love learning/seeing how thing work so if anyone out there wants to teach me how to do valve/break/whathaveyou jobs, I'm down.

[Chuck in Indiana]

I use cheap dino oil and avoid synthetics.

Well, I use synthetics..except on old small blocks.
Thread drift.. my old man was the most unmechanical person ever invented. Farmed with horses until he absolutely *had* to get a tractor. Hired out all his mechanical work (!) until I told him I could fix that stuff when I was still a pup. He didn't believe me, of course.. but I could. Mostly. He had no tools, and I had to make do with an old "knuckle buster" and any rusty crap I could find on the farm. Totally frustrating.
It made me a "tool" guy. Since I got out on my own, if I need a tool, I just buy it or make it.

[John Croucher]

I did not learn from my Father.  Although He was a machinist in the Navy, We lived in Little Detroit-Connersville, Indiana, he was a tool and die engineer and We owned a machine shop my whole life.  He taught me very little.  I was forced to work at age 9 to help feed and cloth myself and the rest of Our family.   I visited the machine shop nearly everyday.  Many times barefoot.  Stood and watch the "milk machine" blanchard grinder face aluminum extrusion dies or pull red hot steel out of the heat treat ovens at midnight and drop in oil.  When I was 9 y.o. Off to the machine shop I went to work.  My mentors were fellow machinist that taught me many ways to use a tool for other purposes than they were meant to be use for.  Learning that precision machining sometimes required files and a hammer.  I had the fortunate privilege to visit many manufacturing facilities in America and see how thing work and don't work.  I worked with many engineers in designing, building and testing many types of tooling and manufacturing equipment.  The tool box at home consisted of pliers, vice grips, claw hammer and a couple of screw drivers.  My Father worked on everything at the Shop.  Leaving me and my brothers very little to work with at home. 

When I was 12 y.o. I wanted a mini bike.  I got the "when you can buy it, you can have it speech".  That was all I needed for motivation.  It was not much longer after that My Mother and I were at the local Lowes hardware store buying a $99.00 3 h.p. mini bike.  I was bitten by the motorcycle bug.  It was time to start working on my own bike and putting together my own tool box.   The irony is, I did not utilize the machine shop very often to do repairs.  It was not until I walked away from the machine shop world that I started building custom motorcycles.  I tell people that motorcycles are a replacement fix for my lack of mechanical infusion I got on a daily basis.  I sought out a couple of small motorcycle shop owners I had know for years and volunteered my time for their experience in working on motorcycles.  For several years I was partners in a shop.  Working on many types of motorcycles and scooters.  I quit working on other peoples stuff after My insurance company told me I was exposing them to risk and cancelled my policies.  I limit my work to my stuff and a couple of friends now.  I told my Wife I am ready to quit wrenching all together and find a new hobby.  She gave me "the look".   

It is sad that we grow old and all the experience we compile turns to worm food.  Pass it on while you can.  I love to mentor.

[RinkRat II]

 Started out early helping my dad work on the family cars and projects, asking a lot of questions that he never seemed to get tired of answering. Progressed to bicycles, lawnmowers and back to my brothers and sisters cars that my dad was too busy at work to do, so he'd get the parts and explain what he wanted me to do.  Went on to body and paint after hanging out with the bodyman at a  Ford dealership on my paper route.  In high school  I bought my first car from my brother and rebuilt the engine and trans so I could drive when I got my license. After High School I went to Arizona Automotive Institute and learned  all the theory and practical end of of cars, Engines, Transmissions, Chasis and Electrical systems. Found out I liked it too much to want to do it for a living so I started repairing industrial machinery and retired from that about a year ago. So now I have the time to get back to the mechanical projects I've stockpiled.
 Current project 1991 Ducati 907IE  front to back maintenance and comissioning.

    Paul B

[Testarossa]

Like a lot of folks here I'm self-taught. Ironically my grandfather owned a small trucking company and might have taught me a lot but we lived 900 miles away. My dad had been pushed away from the garage into academics and was a mechanical klutz.

Started of course by figuring out how to maintain my bicycles. After college I bought a clapped out Triumph TR4 and the appropriate Clymer or Haynes book. Rebuilt the SU carbs, adjusted valves, replaced tie rods, brake shoes, radiator and electrical bits. Then bought the Harley/Aermacchi which needed top end work including rings so I learned to do that. Never had the money to get stuff done professionally but I enjoyed the challenges of figuring stuff out and resolving problems. And buying or making tools.

I've learned a ton more from reading posts on Wildguzzi, and from Guzziology. And now that I can actually afford to have professional help, I'm 100 miles away from the nearest decent bike shop and 200 from the nearest Guzzi shop.

[LowRyter]

I know Dusty

[oldbike54]

I know Dusty

 Oh hell , we're all in trouble now 

 Dusty

[Ncdan]

Changing my own fluids is about the extent of my wrenching abilities. If a process has over 3 maybe 4 moves I had better start taking pictures and taking notes. I usually mess up more than I fix!
My best chance in getting something fixed is to PM one of the guys here and pester the heck out of them. I’m sure several will read this and just LOL.

[Sasquatch Jim]

 I don't really remember.  When I started riding motorcycles, they started breaking and since I couldn't afford a mechanic, I began fixing them slowly.  First was new rear end gears on my BMW R26, then pulling the heads on my 58
panhead, when I got a Yamaha 125 I taught myself to cut the rotary valve and build an expansion chamber for more power.  My flathead Harley taught me about front wheels, brakes and high compression heads, changing primary gear ratios etc.  My jaw 250 engine busted a con rod and crank and I couldn't get parts so I bought a junk 305 Honda and put that engine in it.  I gradually learned most ofvthe things I know by doing them. Like changing the ratios of that Honda engine by X patterning the 2nd and 3rd gear clusters from road type to dirt capable.  Honda road bikes had 1st and 2nd close together than a spread before 3rd and 4th were also close together.  By exchanging the position of the 2nd and 3rd gear clusters you got the gearbox of a CL type Honda in which all the gears were apron. the same percentage apart making it more compatible off road.  Things like that were my learning experiences.

[BrotherJim]

My maternal grandfather was an auto mechanic and taught me most of what I know today.  He always had the right tool (as long as it was SAE) and a nice workspace.  I worked as a VW technician for a bit, gathering more tools and learning to avoid Volkswagens.  Although my father is fairly mechanically adept, the only things he taught me were how to properly throw a wrench and swear at a project.  I call my garage "The Flying Wrench Garage" in his honor.  It's my room, dammit!  Mostly, I am doing all of the regular maintenance and minor repairs on my two vehicles, seven motorcycles and power equipment.  I'm certainly not above watching a few YouTube videos for a little inspiration, or gracing a fine forum such as this one, even though you'll run into those "If you have to ask..." type of folk on occasion. 

[LowRyter]

Oh hell , we're all in trouble now 

 Dusty

I was even in more trouble before. 

[Rebochi]

  I grew up with it, Dad gave us access to all his tools and didn't get too upset when we weren't able to get what ever we took apart back together, one Grandfather was a drilling supervisor on oil rigs, the other Grandfather was a Boiler operator/maintence guy, One uncle raced sprint cars and had the coolest stuff a kid would want to play around.
  My High school had a small engines class which immediately became the small motorcycle class.
  In the Army I was trained and worked as Generator mechanic. Afterwards I studied as and became a Marine Engineer.

[not-fishing]

I don't know Dusty ---well this one at least ---  is that a better mechanic thing or worse mechanic thing?

Self taught because I've always seemed to be to poor to pay for others to do the work. 

On bicycles I've done everything short of brazing up a frame myself.

Tore apart my first car, a 66 chevy impala, in 1970 to fix valves, then the tranny then the ........
Blew it up, put in a new short block which was bad then traded it in on a new VW Ghia I was tired of working on cars
Rebuilt a Honda 90 back in the '70's
Cafe'd a Honda 400f with rearset, clip ons, 1/2 fairing
Then I owned a FIAT X1/9 that I hot-rodded,
resurrected a 64 ford 500 wagon, a pickup that sat in a field for 5 years
then an Alfa Spider, then a pair of Peugeot 405 MI16

Then a divorce so I was really poor for two decades

Now I'm just to lazy and cheap to take the car/pickup/motorcycle/bicycle/washing machine/garage door & opener to the shop so I do all the easy work such as brakes, water pumps, spark plugs, sensors, new radiators -- myself.

All 4 or my kids keep me busy working on their cars/pickups/bicycles/houses.

Only my youngest does any real wrenching although they all know how to change a battery or starter.

Thank the Lord for the Internet!

I've always like working with my hands - when things go ok

[Guzzistajohn]

I was thrown into the lions den in my late 20's when hired at a new job as a service tech for a Japanese multi head industrial embroidery machine company. I figured if I could keep a machine stitching logos on a dozen garments at a time with 9 thread colors, I can damn sure keep a two cylinder motorsickle running.

Dad didn't teach me anything mechanical, he taught me more important things like do unto unto others yadda yadda yadda, respect your elders and NEVER take any wooden nickels.

[PeteS]

My Dad had a collision shop. When I was about 5 he would take me to his shop on Saturdays and hand me a piece of sandpaper and I would sand cars. Not very well as he and later his painter would have to redo everything.
I started into mechanics first with electric trains, then bicycles and then built a couple of go karts. The first with a 2x4 wood frame and door hinges for steering. The second had a frame made of water pipe welded together.  I did my own brake jobs, tune ups, etc but never really got into motors until I got my first 2 stroke bike. It was after I bought my Norton that I really had to learn how motors really worked. Either fix it myself or go broke paying a mechanic to do it. Still pretty much fix my own stuff.

Pete

[twowings]

Still learning after 60 years of helping my dad on the family car, trying to get go-karts and dirt bikes to run, fixing everyone's VW in high school and college, servicing my own and family vehicles, and building up '84 CJ-7, '90 XJ, and '04 KJ into competent offroaders...

[oldbike54]

I don't know Dusty ---well this one at least ---  is that a better mechanic thing or worse mechanic thing?

 Worser than you can imagine , well , unless you own a Meriden Triumph twin or an airhead , I know enough about those to get us all in trouble 

 Dusty

[Paul Brooking]

My father was a WW2 trained Radar Engineer, could fix any sort of valve radio or electronics. Not much chop on auto repairs and maintenance. He had the coolest toolbox ever, all of his tools were built by himself during his naval apprenticeship. Sadly that box disappeared years ago.

I gradually drifted into 'wrenching' as a poor student who couldn't afford to pay for repairs or servicing.
Bought my first complete Tool Kit, a Japaneses ETC Mechanics kit, on "Lay-by" and took three months to pay it off. I'm proud to say that 40 years later it is still complete and doing its job.

Over the years I've learnt by osmosis, watching others, reading and, recently, Internet Blogs and You Tube. My most important learning has been to research something new, wait, research it again and then 'give it a go'. Recognize early that you cant do everything, but with the right advice or mentoring you are usually capable of completing any major rebuild task.

Had my share of spectacular and expensive failures, a "race ready RD400" and a refurbished Renault 12 at the top of the list.

I lean towards "The right Tool for the Right Job" philosophy and I tend to purchase the best quality tools that I can afford.
I'm also proud to watch my 20 yo son and 17 yo daughter take responsibility for the mechanical work on their cars. My daughter shows great promise as a future bike builder.

[Muzz]

Dad was not mechanical but in his misspent youth he had motorcycles. I was just old enough to get a licence (and my first motorbike) when I left home. Fortunately for me, where I went to live had a motorcyclist next door, only a couple of years older than me who fixed other people's bikes. His father was an engineer so when Tubby got stuck there was always help on hand. Owning an old English motorcycle meant you had to learn to wrench, so for the two years I lived there I got a really good introduction in to the dark arts of wrenching.

[leroysch]

I was a broke college student with a bike being my only form of transportation. If it wasn't running, had to figure it out. Then go get the part...beg/borrow/buy the tool(s)...and fix the other stuff I broke fixing the original problem.

Today I still have to figure it out, might have the part and probably have the tool(s).....but still have to fix the unrelated stuff I break along the way to solving the original problem.

[flynguzzi]

My father was a machinist at Curtiss Wright Aircraft in Buffalo NY. before WW2. The attack on Pearl Harbor made him mad so he enlisted in the Navy and because of his previous trade, they figured he might be handy fixing things so they put him in the Seabee's and built, fixed, repaired whatever was needed to support the Marines. He fought in 2 island campaigns, he was an Iwo Jima survivor.

After the war he went to work for TWA, built the 3 houses we lived in and worked/tinkered on his cars, trucks, mowers etc.

After I graduated from college I became a machinist, much to his dismay as he thought it was a waste of a good education.
My younger brother and I built up a drag racing 1962 Chevy Nova. (single wall fenders on that cheap model)   Brother came across a Chevy 302 engine the had a broken crank and we built it up and raced it for a few years until he went into the Marines.

Around that time I married and on a whim, bought a Ducati 750 GT while working as a machinist, got bored and went to work for the local Moto Guzzi shop. (J&S Cycle in Emporia Kansas) Jack Schoeck and his wife ran the dealership for years and I did a lot of the repair work on Ducati's and Guzzi's.

I left there and worked as a Plant Engineer at Dolly Madison as well as other local employment.
I guess I always had a wrench in my hand and a weekly paycheck.

Now that I am retired I fix things for friends and family along with my stuff.....

jb

[Shorty]

I have proven again and again how little I know about being a mechanic.....But, I'm keeping the money...