Visa Gift Card Winner!

We have a winner of the $100 Visa Gift Card!  We sent out the Photo request, and you responded.  Now the drawing, and the winner.  It just so happens that even with the random drawing, he was also the first person to submit a photo and short story for our give-away.  Now he has $100 to go buy tools for his next fun project.

A big THANK YOU to all who submitted project photos.  There weren’t too many, so competition for the Visa Gift Card gave pretty good odds, and the project show are definitely good ones.  View the page of Customer Project Stories with project photos and short blurbs about Do-It-Yourself projects, then get inspiration to build and submit your own.  We’ll grow this page over time with customer photos and stories, so send us yours!

Now back to the task at hand . . .

And The Visa Gift Card Winner Is:

donjarsi
DIY Crane Project Wins

“My Dad taught me welding:  Arc, Spot and Oxy Acetylene.  So, when retired, I decided to get my certificate at Trade College.  I made a crane.  I was awarded Student of the Year!  Love working with metal.”

Looks like he won yet again!  Thanks for submitting the photo and the story.  This submission as well as others are posted on the page of Customer Project Stories.

Customize Your Project

For those of you looking closely, you can see some modifications done on the crane to meet his specific needs.  Customized projects are where it’s at!  Great job with the crane, and congratulations on both the “Student of the Year” and the Visa Gift Card.

I’d like to especially point out that donjarsi has been welding for years, but still decided to take a class.  There is always more to learn, so keep the education coming.  As in this article about choosing Which Welder to Buy, I always recommend taking a class to learn more and become better.

We want to see your customization.  We also want to share your good ideas and project success with others that may be thinking along the same lines.  You never know who may also want to follow what you’ve done, so submit your project photos and some words about what you’ve done.  We’ll include them with the other Customer Project Stories as inspiration.

Thank You All !!

We Found These For You . . .

Article
Walking Beam Trailer Suspension With Twin Torsion Axles
Plans are now available for the Twin Torsion Axle Walking Beam Trailer Suspension.  Please see the early build in 2018, with a couple articles (links below) about the trailer including a video of the suspension in action.  Plans are now…
Product
Canoe or Kayak Rack

A great way to both store and transport hard body boats like canoes or kayaks.  It’s a simple, scalable rack that disassembles for storage, or opens to hold boats -- for storage or secure trailer transport.

Article
What Do You Want for 2020
A new day, A new Year, and a new Decade!  We don’t get to say that very often, so it’s kind of cool.  Anyway, as we look to the near future for Mechanical Elements, we want to know what you…
Article
Cost and DIY Project Economics
“I want to build a new trailer.”  That’s an awesome thing to say, and it’s even better to do.  Yet, many such adventures don’t launch because of project economics?  What does it cost to build? 
Article
Stainless Steel Bolts
In the previous articles in our Bolts 101 series, we spoke briefly about Stainless Steel Bolts, but we did not discuss specifics.  With typical alloy steel bolts, there are grades (like Grade 5, Grade 8, etc.), but with Stainless Steel,…
Article
Dies
While the Tap & Die go hand in hand as threading tools, they are very different in the way they work.  They seem very similar, just inside out, but that makes it so there are different tricks for success.  So,…
Article
Review of the Folding Trailer Tongue
On a recent trailer, I experimented with a new folding tongue design.  Now it is time to review – What do I like?  What would I do different if building another?
Product
Tilt Top Trailer Conversion

Build a Tilt Trailer by "Converting" one of our standard, single axle Utility Trailer Plans.  Works with our 6' and 6'10" width, 3500# Trailer Plans, and is compatible with both leaf springs and torsion axles.

Article
Nuts and Bolts Project Fasteners
Ever wonder why fasteners like nuts and bolts are so expensive?  You would think something so standard and manufactured in such high volumes would be cheap, but in most places, they are actually pretty expensive.  Why?
Article
Trailer Wheel Bolts
A friend asked me this question, along with the companion of “How Tight?”  The last thing we want is to lose a wheel — because it will not only delay our trip, but a wheel coming loose can do serious…