Are you a Mechanical Engineer in your own right........

[92Roadster]

.....a lot of "shade tree" Engineers have some really good
common sense skills with design and construction, some
of my friends were natural wonders on this.....

.....they didn't have those college degree's but there shit
didn't break either...

[Enginerd]

I'm working on both. When a bad work injury (construction) combined with this lovely economy, my career needed a change, so I decided to go get a degree in ME and move onto something easier on the back and knees.. I've been messing with this stuff since I was I kid, so I figured I may as well learn some more of the science behind it and get that piece of paper I can show future employers.

[monsolo2]

I'm a mechanical engineer with a BS from Purdue University and an MBA... but I also have nearly 25-years in industry so I'm finally old enough to know that I don't know squat!

I went from design into manufacturing engineering because I found out I love making things more than designing them! So, I spend my time visiting our suppliers and working with them to get our parts made cheaper/better/faster. I love it!

I'm also a shade-tree mechanic who is overhauling a 350cid SBC with my three boys with the intent of putting it into a hotrod.

[KennyGS]

I've always loved tearing into mechanisms and machines since I was a young kid. I took an aptitude test in junior high, and scored highest in my class on the mechanical portion.

Eventually I earned a bsme from Drexel University, and have been working in new product development since 1989. I love my job, and make a decent living.

I'm still a hands-on person, who knows my way around a machine shop. There's almost nothing that I won't tear into that needs fixing at home too.

[C5 Dude]

Originally Posted by KennyGS

I've always loved tearing into mechanisms and machines since I was a young kid. I took an aptitude test in junior high, and scored highest in my class on the mechanical portion.

Eventually I earned a bsme from Drexel University, and have been working in new product development since 1989. I love my job, and make a decent living.

I'm still a hands-on person, who knows my way around a machine shop. There's almost nothing that I won't tear into that needs fixing at home too.

This is me too. I don't have a degree in anything. I left High School and started working in the chemical plant where I lived, then went into the Army for 8 years where they too learned I was good at mechanical stuff and changed my MOS to something else from what I joined into quickly. 8 years later I was recruited out of the DOD by a branch of the DOJ and have been with them for 12 years and still build very special tools that are used all over the country.

Durring the break from the DOD and the DOJ I spent a year waiting for some specialized training and durring that time I self taught myself as a mechanik and got my Master Tech certification and worked for Brumos in Jacksonville FL on Mercedes and Porche including the race cars they ran. So i don't think you have to have a degree to excell but I know it will help and thats why I have pushed all my children to go to colledge.

It also would have helped with my non spelling ass!

[92Roadster]

....dam, I standing among the elite crowd..........

[HardcoreABN]

I am working towards a degree in ME, going to take a little while only doing 12-18 credits a year....and all thru distance learning. I figure with my love of performance and my desire to open my own shop, it would be a good education to have.

[C4forlife]

Went to tech school right out of high school I-CAR Platinum certified collision tech. Finding out my body is like a Chinese knock off of my dad so working on my degree fast as possible. Thinking about doing a double major in EE/ME. Did lots of suspension engineering for a few years working on SCCA formula cars making me want to get my ME first but EE is the thing in my area.

[advancedtool]

Hats off to all of you!

[Cal92Coupe]

My oldest son is a Mechanical Engineer does that count

[92Roadster]

Originally Posted by Cal92Coupe

My oldest son is a Mechanical Engineer does that count

....if he can do it, it certainly does....

...always had a passion to watch someone else skills......