NZ Technicians Honoured at 2026 John Deere Awards in Brisbane
Leading John Deere technicians and apprentices from New Zealand and Australians were recognised at the recent sixth annual JD Technician of the Year Awards, held in Brisbane.
Paul Spinks has moved on from air conditioning and multiple cup holders to incorporate a 600W microwave and a travel kettle into the linkage-mounted front weight block on his John Deere tractor.
Power for the project comes from a 1000W inverter, tucked under the operators seat, that also doubles up to provide power to tools such as grinders and drills, via a waterproof socket mounted at the front of the tractor.
The traditional looking weight block is split into three compartments, with concrete in the centre section, storage for tools and spares to the right and a double sealed, moisture proofed cabinet for the culinary hardware to the left.
The microwave is held in place by a frame a ratchet strap, making removal easy, although we have no reports on the likely lifetime of the microwave when subjected to long days in a rough paddock.
