Skills Forms

Beginner

Not Bad

Good

Great

Welding (Give us examples of the types of welding you can do)

I can gob something together with a stick welder and I'm okay with a hot wrench and a coat hanger.

Cutting

I can handle a hot wrench okay.

Grinding

I have worn out more grinders that didn't belong to me than I care to remember.

Sawing

My favorite hand tool is my sawzall. Saws through metal, wood, plastic, live electrical cables; I love it! Proficient with all types of hand or power saws.

Joining

You are referring to the use of zip ties and duct tape aren't you?

Drilling

I have drilled holes to depths in excess of 500 ft through bedrock using a drilling rig that stood three stories tall. How's that for drilling experience.

Turning

It's been a long time since I've used an lathe but I am familiar with their operation.

General Mechanics

If it's a machine I can fix. Have Technical Tap Certificate from BBC. 

General Electrics

Have learned from personal experience it's best (but not completely necessary) to disconnect the power source first. But seriously, I can wire anything from a car to computer.

Panel work (metal)

I'm not very fond of panel work although I did make a lunch box in shop class once.

Familiarity with engines

My father was a mechanic. It was a requirement to be able to maintain as well as diagnose and repair any engine. I grew up thinking holidays were for major overhauls.

Other (please specify - including professional skills and qualifications)

Professional Skills: Professional Geologist, Certified Impoundment (Earthen Dam) Inspector, Certified in use of nuclear density gauges, Visual Basic Programming, and administration of Local Area (Computer) Networks.
Other: Master of all things related to plumbing, sweating pipes, pipe fitting, valves, etc. Taught myself computer trouble shooting and repair.

What would be you ideal challenge to build? Why?

I build a gas turbine engine from a large truck turbocharger, a leaf blower, some scrap tubing, and mount it to a go-kart chassis. Why? I like the sound a turbine engine makes and who doesn't like things that shoot flames out the back? Besides, the idea of a go-kart turning a 6-second quarter mile sounds too cool! Blackwell has to drive though.

Mike Blackwell Application

Name:

Michael Blackwell

Occupation / Job title:

Environmental Scientist

Nickname(s) (go on, even the bad ones):

Papa (or Grumpy) Smurf, DAD

Address (inc. post code):

Email(s):

mblack6880@aol.com Mblackwell@earthtech.com

Daytime/work 'phone number:

Evening/home 'phone number:

Fax number(s):

Mobile 'phone:

NA

Unusual hobbies:

Restoring Musical Instruments

Unusual skills/talents:

Mind reading and second-guessing, X-ray vision

Interests/passions:

Movies, Sports Cars and 4 wheel drive Trucks, Toy trains, Science Fiction, Military History

Amazing facts about you:

Do not have a 3 lb. Key ring but mine is louder!
Brain is an amazing repository of facts and information some is actually useful.
Lived through the Sixties, Seventies and the Reagan years and still have brain cells (I think! {that proves my point![at least in my own mind!]}).

Team Name

Toxic Avengers:

Team Bond (How do you know each other? Are you a family team? A team of sisters? A team of doctors?)

We all work in the environmental field. We have worked at environmental cleanup sites across the United States and internationally. I have spent time working in Guam and Hawaii

Team Interests (Have you ever built anything together, or do you belong to the same clubs, etc.):

Getting together to watch Junkyard Wars. Last winter we replaced several clutches and other stuff in family, friends, and co-worker's vehicles

Skills Forms

Beginner

Not Bad

Good

Great

Welding (Give us examples of the types of welding you can do)

I have limited but fairly extensive experience with a wire welder and once replaced the entire floors in Triumph Spitfire

Cutting

Have limited experience with a torch.

Grinding

Good with angle grinder and various other implements of destruction. Charlie Daniels of the bench grinder

Sawing

Familiar with sawsall, chainsaw, skill saw, hack saw, etc.

Joining

Can solder almost anything

Drilling

Good with Drill Press and hand drill even brace and bit

Turning

Limited lathe experience

.

General Mechanics

I owned several MGs I wish I didn't. However, this allowed me accumulate a vast knowledge of the internal workings (or rather non-workings) of engines.

General Electrics

Wiring is therapy

Panel work (metal)

Not great at automotive bodywork. Able to make functional stuff parts etc. with sheet metal and bending brake.

Familiarity with engines

Suck, squish, and bang blow. What else is there?

Other (please specify - including professional skills and qualifications)

I Hold a BA degree in Anthropology specializing in Archaeology
Trained for hazardous waste operations 29 CFR 1910 and as Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) operator.

What would be you ideal challenge to build? Why?

I like the idea of building a train or a tractor, or a piece of ancient artillery. Also perhaps a rocket.

Michael Blizzard Application

Personal Info

Name:

Michael Blizzard

Occupation / Job title:

Environmental Scientist

Nickname(s) (go on, even the bad ones):

The Blizz, McGyver, Mad Maxx, Mr. Gadget

Address (inc. post code):

Email(s):

michael.blizzard@theitgroup.com, Mikblizz@aol.com

Daytime/work 'phone number:

Evening/home 'phone number

Fax number(s):

Mobile 'phone:

Unusual hobbies:

Collecting things no one else sees a use for. Preparing for events that will never happen. Gathering with friends to complete various tasks, car repairs, building, and demolition of structures

Unusual skills/talents:

Able to carry on complete conversations in "movie quotes" with team members.
Uncanny conception ability.
Able to get into new situation and understand what is happening in record time and contribute to the success of the project.
Frightening ability to work with Sam and Mike and know what they are going to do next or what tool to hand him. Really quite impressive.
Unusual ability to eat almost anything in massive quantities.
Consume body weight in beer.

Interests/passions:

Movies, Cars, Military History, Humane treatment of animals, 4 wheel drive trucks

Amazing facts about you:

Have a 3 lb. Key ring.
Most people know that I can be a complete ass at times but they respect (or ignore) it based on the results I produce when given a project.
Known for always having a back up plan for all situations. Some are developed in advance.
Always driven to win. I play well with others but I hate to lose.

Team Name (And reason, if not obvious):

Toxic Avengers We are suppose to be environmental professionals but when we get together to do some work there are many hazards to avoid.

Team Bond (How do you know each other? Are you a family team? A team of sisters? A team of doctors?)

Our team bond is that we have all worked together for more than 10 years in the environmental field. Sometimes it has been at different companies but we have always kept in touch and continued to work on various projects.
We have worked at environmental cleanup sites across the United States and internationally. I have spent extended periods working in Alaska and internationally.

Team Interests (Have you ever built anything together, or do you belong to the same clubs, etc.):

We often get together to complete various projects.
Replace a clutch in Mike Blackwells Ford Escort.
Replace the heads on Sam's Bronco.
Welding doors on Sams Omni.
Replacing motor mounts in Mike Blackwells Pontiac 6000 (front wheel drive ouch).
Complete weekend tasks using the other teammates as slave labor.
We also work together on field projects for work. These projects always require the interaction of the team members and they typically require the development of plans in the field to complete the required tasks. We also get together every week to watch Junkyard Wars and discuss what we would do differently.

Skills Forms

Beginner

Not Bad

Good

Great

Welding (Give us examples of the types of welding you can do)

None of the work I have completed would pass as pretty! But I have welded cars together, structural steel, repaired equipment, and completed welding required for recasting diesel heads in my father's shop. We are talking Heavy Metal! No structural failures reported. Have experience with stick and MIG welding.

Cutting

At some point, most projects require a slight adjustment. Give me a hot torch and lots of oxygen and it will come apart.

Grinding

If it spins, throws sparks, and is obnoxiously loud then I want the next size up!

Sawing

Still have 9.75 fingers. The 1/4 missing was not removed by a sawing accident!
Familiar with band, chainsaw, scroll saw, hack saw, etc

Joining

Duct Tape Rules in most quick fix cases. But I have extensive experience with working with wood and metal.

Drilling

I have operated drill presses, milling machines, and my favorite Makita cordless drill for more hours than I care to remember.

Turning

Limited lathe experience mostly turning brake drums or pulleys for inventions (compressor pulleys for supercharger installed on a Porsche 914. It did not run long but it was a blast! Really, it blew up).

General Mechanics

As a general rule if it has any moving parts (i.e. not electronic) I can fix, repair, or hide the real cause for failure in a mask of duct tape, zip ties, and explanations that would confuse experts as to why it wont work now!

General Electrics

Basic working knowledge; red=hot, black=ground,
AC and DC are not interchangeable.
Smoke from electronics is bad!

Panel work (metal)

I have a lot of experience working with metal. I have repaired wrecked cars and replaced complete body panels.

Familiarity with engines

I have rebuilt and repaired cars since the age of 12. In high school I would often take my engine out of my car over the weekend to rebuild it or repair what I broke the previous week or to make it a little faster. Most of my friends come to me for consultation concerning engine repair. It usually ends with me fixing their car.

Other (please specify - including professional skills and qualifications)

I am a master of implementing "Percussive Maintenance Routines" on malfunctioning devices.
Operation of heavy equipment. Backhoes, bulldozers, etc.
Hold a BS degree in Microbiology & Chemistry
Environmental regulatory specialist
Trained for hazardous waste operations and confined space entries OSHA 29 CFR 1910
Worked in my father's machine shop remanufacturing diesel engines during high school and college.
Would rebuild engines for extra money in high school
Have a dynamic personality that drives all aspects of my life and generally generates success in all things I attempt.

What would be you ideal challenge to build? Why?

My ideal challenge would involve using your brain to construct, build, race, and the best part of applying what you have learned; seeing what it will take to destroy what you have built.
The challenge would be to build an armored car. Of course, that would only be a part of the challenge. The cars built by the teams would have to run an obstacle course. There would be a weight limit to the vehicle. Exceeding the weight limit would result in a penalty. The completion of all obstacles and the speed of completion of the course would reduce any penalties.
Since we have built a an armored car we have to test it (no passengers) to see if it can survive a frontal hit from a 20 mm cannon! The penalties would obviously be granted in the form of moving the car closer or further from the cannon.