
Zachary Rukstela is an industrial artist, steam dork
and "Dad" of KSW. In August of 2008 KSW needed a new home,
so he used his contracting business,
Rukstela Heavy Industries LLC, to
secure a new steam shop and quality long term
industrial art production space in West Oakland. As a
wee lad, he attended countless agricultural shows
featuring steam engines and vintage steam technology.
For the
La Contessa, aka the Desert
Galleon, he designed the electrical layout,
implemented it, and maintained it for every year it
travelled on the dusty former sea of the Black Rock
Desert. He's a long time volunteer Firemen/Water
Tender on the
S.S. Jeremiah O'Brien, a steam
driven liberty-class ship first launched in 1943. He
also volunteers and works closely with
The Roots of Motive Power in
Willits, California. He is a member of the rock band
Rig for Red and plays drums around
the Bay Area. During the day, he's a freelance
Engineering Project Manager, and manages,
2525 Mandela Parkway, an industrial
arts production space located in sunny West Oakland.