Blind Mechanic Restores Tractors By Touch

Blind Mechanic Restores Tractors By Touch AG WORLD 32-1-21 Eyesight isn't absolutely necessary when restoring antique tractors, says 75-year-old blind mechanic Bob Sherrard. For most of his life he was able to see well enough to function normally, but a genetic condition caused the Winfield, Kansas, man's vision to deteriorate slowly but steadily, until he can now only sense the brightest of lights. "My memory, sense of touch, and even my hearing compensate for my lack of eyesight," he says. "It takes me longer to do things, so I've had to learn patience, but it hasn't stopped me from restoring many tractors." Sherrard has a system to make shop work easier. When he sets a tool or part aside for a moment, he must remember its location, so as not to trip over it later. He puts nuts, bolts, and small parts into cans, shallow cardboard boxes or his pockets as he removes them from a machine. His grandsons assist him by replacing his tools on the wall when he's finished using them, and thanks to white lines painted around each one above his work bench, they always go back to exactly the same spot. The determined Sherrard isn't afraid to tackle detailed jobs, such as taking a carburetor apart. He says the hardest part of a tractor overhaul is actually replacing the gaskets. "I know what needs to be done and how things are supposed to be," he points out. "I can hear whether an engine is running the way it should." Admittedly, Sherrard can't do every single aspect of a restoration. He gets help from his son-in-law Alan Brennan, for such things as gaskets, reading manuals, electrical work, and transporting tractors. He has restored a 1945 Deere model H, a 1936 International Harvester "F12", a 1928 Deere model D, a 1937 Deere model B, a 1950 MT with a single front tire and 3-pt. hitch, a 1950's era Deere R Diesel, and a Deere AR. Sherrard has also overhauled a 1945 Allis-Chalmers "C", a 1951 Massey-Harris Pony, a 1953 "DC" Case, a 1945 Dodge half-ton pickup, a 1941 Chevy 2-door sedan, a 1948 Studebaker 2-ton truck, and a 1958 International half-ton pickup. Most of these are rebuilt to good running condition. The engines of the "F12" and "H" were overhauled by this phenomenal man without sight. Sherrard's currently working on a 1947 Ford model "2N", and says he's looking for a Deere "L" to restore. "Restoring tractors is something I really enjoy. I know in my head what they look like when they're finished, and that's good enough for me," he comments. He says he's not going to stop until the sensitivity in his fingers is completely worn out, which he hopes isn't anytime soon. Sherrard belongs to the Kansas and Oklahoma Steam and Gas Engine Club and participates in its annual show in Winfield. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Bob Sherrard, 4008 S. Pike Rd., Winfield, Kansas 67156 (ph 620 221-9679).

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