Average Dude. Average Tools. Awesome Builds!

BUILD SOMETHING AWESOME

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Average Dude. Average Tools. Awesome Builds!

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• Articles on Builds • How-To's • Videos • Blog Posts • Tips & Tricks • Answers to FAQ's

GET THEM HOOKED YOUNG!

Getting kids involved in your builds isn’t just about turning wrenches—it’s about building something a lot bigger. When they’re out there with you, learning how things come apart and go back together, they’re gaining real skills that stick for life. More than that, they’re building confidence—figuring things out, making mistakes, and seeing firsthand that they can create something with their own hands.Those moments in the garage turn into memories they’ll carry forever. The conversations, the laughs, even the small wins—like tightening their first bolt or hearing an engine fire up—mean more than we realize in the moment.Start them young, keep it simple, and let them be part of it. You’re not just teaching them how to build—you’re showing them how to think, how to solve problems, and how to take pride in what they create.And once that spark hits? They’re hooked for life.

From Junkyard to Joyride

What if we told you one of the most overlooked parts sitting in a junkyard could become the heart of your next build?We’re talking about converting a 2-wire alternator into a usable motor and making it run off a simple battery setup and a cheap controller and using it to actually move something… not just spin on a bench.No hard-to-find parts.
No crazy budget.
Just real, hands-on ingenuity.This is the kind of build that proves you don’t need a full machine shop to create something cool — just a little knowledge and the willingness to dig in.This one’s for all the guys in the garage figuring it out as they go.
The ones building with what they’ve got.Because “average” doesn’t mean limited!Full step-by-step breakdown coming soon.

MUST-HAVE TOOLS FOR THE AVERAGE DUDE BUILDS

We wanted to highlight some of the tools the Average Dude should have to create some really cool builds. Of course, we all wish we could walk into a store or log into our favorite tool website with an unlimited budget and just click “order.” But for most of us Average Dudes, that’s just not reality.So, we wanted to showcase a few must-haves. The obvious basics like sockets and wrenches go without saying. What we are going to discuss are the specific tools that make life easier and help you perform the kinds of tasks that come with building cool stuff.The brands you like and the tools you choose are up to you. We definitely want a decent tool for the money, but we also want to stay budget friendly. The pics shown are for reference only.Let’s start the list with a couple hand tools:

A QUALITY DRILL

This one cannot be overstated. A good drill (and sharp drill bit) can make life easier in so many ways. In almost any build, you will need to create holes for bolts and hardware, wires and tubing to pass through, and even install screws and fasteners. A quality drill is essential.They come in both corded and cordless options. Brand names are not always everything, but keep in mind—you usually get what you pay for. Some decent corded 3/8 keyless chuck drills start around $60.

Bench Vice

Although with all the different style vice grips and C clamps out there - a bench vice isn’t always necessary, but sometimes they just make things easier.They aren’t all that pricey and you don’t really need the biggest one you can get. A decent 4”- 6” model will only set you back about $30 bucks.

CUT-OFF WHEEL

(ANGLE GRINDER)Right behind the drill, a good cut-off wheel (angle grinder) is a game changer. This tool allows you to cut, grind, and shape metal with ease. Whether you're trimming brackets, cutting bolts, or cleaning up rough edges, this tool gets used constantly.Paired with a drill, these two tools alone make basic metal fabrication possible—without needing a plasma cutter or an oxy-acetylene torch. That’s a big deal for the Average Dude working out of a garage.You can find solid entry-level grinders for $40–$80, and they will handle most beginner to intermediate projects without issue.

Angle Finder

Finding the correct angles is important! Otherwise you’re guessing and that's not good. We want our builds to be fun (and just a little dangerous - not a lot). You can find solid manual magnetic style like the one here for around $10-$15 and thanks to Amazon you can even find a digital style one for about the same price.

AIR COMPRESSOR (MINIMUM 20-GALLON, 110V)

Now let’s step into some basic shop tools that take things to the next level:An air compressor opens the door to a whole new level of capability. Even a smaller 110-volt unit with at least a 20-gallon tank will get the job done for most home builds. These can be had new about the size shown for a couple hundred bucks and it pays for itself fast!With a compressor, you can run air tools, blow out parts, clean surfaces, and even handle basic painting tasks. It also makes general shop work faster and easier—something you’ll appreciate quickly once you have one.

MIG WELDER (FLUX CORE, 110V)

If you really want to start building—not just assembling—a welder is where things get serious.A 110-volt MIG welder, even a budget-friendly flux-core version, is more than enough to get started. You don’t need a high-end setup to begin learning and creating solid, functional welds. This is one of the easiest styles of welding to learn. You could pick one up for a couple hundred bucks - even less if you buy it used.This allows you to fabricate brackets, frames, mounts, and all the custom pieces that take a project from “bolted together” to “built.”

THE BOTTOM LINEWith just these core tools—a drill, a cut-off wheel, a compressor, and a basic welder—you’ve officially crossed the line from “working on stuff” to actually building things.

Average Dude. Average Tools. Awesome Builds!

FIND WHAT YOU NEED TO FINISH YOUR PROJECT

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Average Dude. Average Tools. Awesome Builds!

Let us help you plan your next build,
with Average Dude's AI intergartion plan builder!

GET SOME PLANS AND GET STARTED >

NEW** AI BLUEPRINT TOOL

THE AVERAGE DUDE AI INTEGRATED BLUEPRINT BUILDER

Now we can help you take that project stuck in your head and put it in a blueprint for you to finally build! Using AI Integration you can create, edit and save your own build plans.Customize the AI rendering until you love it then follow the plan. The only limit is your imagination! Check out the link below and see what you can build!

BUILD YOUR NEXT PROJECT RIGHT HERE!

BOONIE BUG

DOES ANYONE REMEMBER
"THE BOONIE BUG"?

Volkswagen Bugs and Buses are the most customized vehicle platforms out there. The Boonie Bug was a VW bus platform turned into this AWESOME BUILD. They have been in a few movies (like Total Recall), and there are a couple survivors out there. Now you can build your own, with the ORIGINAL plans from the March 1974 issue of Popular Mechanics.
26 Pages

Instant PDF Download
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AVERAGE DUDE KART

THE AVERAGE DUDE KART FRAME BLUEPRINTS

These prints are built and modeled after a racing kart - however can be modified any way you would need them to be to fit your cooler cruiser, little red wagon, wheelbarrow T Bucket "Tot-Rod" or whatever else you are building. The PDF file was built with the average dude in mind with some of the basic hand and shop tools, this can be an awesome build!

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Average Dude. Average Tools. Awesome Builds!

WHAT AVERAGE DUDE BUILDS IS ALL ABOUT

We’re here to encourage the average dude (or dudette) to get out there and build something cool, with whatever you have. Willingness, maybe some ingenuity, and some inexpensive shop and hand tools are all you really need!We all know when scrolling through YouTube videos, it feels like everyone has an unlimited budget, fully stocked machine shops, lathes, plasma tables, and every tool imaginable. And Yeah — they build some really awesome powder coated, chrome plated, candy painted stuff!But here’s the truth: You don’t need all that to build something FUN & REALLY COOL!Average Dude Builds is about using what you’ve got — basic tools, real-world skills, and motivation.If necessity is truly the mother of invention, then let motivation be the father of AWESOME BUILDS!Hopefully showing off builds here will motivate you to build something awesome for yourself.The build doesn't always have to be a car or truck. Small engine motorsports are making a comeback, and they’re the perfect affordable proving ground:Minibike Racing • Drift Trikes • Powered Wagons • Mini Choppers • Go-Karts • Barstool Racing • Racing MowersAnd whatever else you can dream up and get running. Small engine toys are cool looking, fun to tinker with, and just fast enough to get hurt on! Besides, you know you will have more fun the kids your building it for!Just remember - it doesn't have to cost a million bucks to make you feel like a million bucks!Primer IS Paint!Rust IS Beautiful!Now, get out there and build something awesome! Let's GO!No machine shop required.

Cool Random Build Submissions

CHECK OUT YOUR BUILDS!

To submit pics or videos of your build or just anything cool you would like to share - click the form icon below.NOTE: the builds shown here are the collective property of their owners/builders. Some images are ours personally, some are yours that were submitted, and some we found online and wanted to share for inspiration because that is the whole point of the Average Dude Builds site. To inspire you to build something cool of your own! If you claim an image is yours and would like it removed, please hit the form button below and let us know. Enjoy!

If you want to submit your build to display here on the Average Dude Builds site, just say that in the message box and some dude will send back an email to send it to!

UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
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