Introducing our new forum manager: Ken Balch

Just wanted to introduce our new forum manager Ken Balch (kbalch), who will be helping out in the forum as we continue to grow our membership on HomemadeTools.net. Ken is an experimental aircraft homebuilder with a strong background in aviation, computers, and technical writing. A more detailed bio follows; feel free to ask Ken any questions you may have about HomemadeTools.net or homemade tools in general.


Ken was born in NY more years ago than he cares to contemplate. He has, since earliest memory, been completely obsessed with all things mechanical. Airplanes, cars, motorcycles, cameras, guns, watches, pens, etc. Any context whatsoever in which the mind of man is applied to solving problems through physical devices. The simpler and more elegant the solution, the better.


Ken worked in the computer networking field for many years, eventually becoming Director of Operations for a dot com company in the late nineties. Retired from the IT world at the end of '99 and, having been a long-time pilot and flight instructor, he spent the next five years or so playing with airplanes. During this time, he built a plane, flew it all over the country, wrote for some aviation magazines, and eventually moved on.


Ken’s looking forward to a flight on Burt Rutan's new ship, SpaceShipTwo (or, hopefully, its orbital successor), as soon as the price comes down a bit in a few years. If he wins the Powerball, he'd love to book a Soyuz seat for a flight to the space station. He is absolutely determined to see the black sky and our big, blue marble for himself - someday, some way.


Having promised his wife to forswear air racing, Ken currently enjoys riding his motorcycles, driving Skip Barber formula cars, and is always on the lookout for new and interesting tools & gadgets.

Thanks, Jon, for the kind introduction.

Guys, anything at all I can do to assist in any way, you have but to ask. You've all helped to get HomemadeTools.net to where it is today and I'm really looking forward to making a positive contribution.

In addition to tool and forum issues or questions, I'm always available to talk about any or all of my mechanical passions. Don't be shy; fire away! :)

Ken