By Tony K

A rusty oil pan is what started the partial rebuild of my diesel so I guess it would be prudent to tell you how I solved this dilemma.  The only replacement I could find was used and a bit on the expensive side so I decided I would make a new one.  All told the parts ran me less than a $100.   One of the great things about making a pan is that you can change anything about it.  You can make it deeper to hold more oil, you can make it out of thicker material and even paint it some oddball color….  Read more...

By Tony K

Don’t let anybody fool you, welding is not that hard to learn how to do.  Frequently all it takes is someone to show you the basics and get you started.  You don’t have to know all kinds of theory or go to a tech school , all you need is a little guidance to get started.   If you are hesitant to believe me, I taught my 70 year old mother to arc weld in less than an hour.  She had a piece of art she had always wanted to make and it was the perfect opportunity to learn.  I also taught her how to use a cutting torch which I happen to think is even harder to do than arc welding.  Read more...