Milton man restores gas tanks for a profit

Sara Myers, The Janesville Gazette, Wis.
·2 min read

Sep. 23—Some MILTON

Twenty years ago, a friend of Elton Duffy stopped by for help fixing a gas tank for an outboard motor. Duffy, of Milton, went online and researched how to return the tank to working order.

Until then, Duffy said, "I took things apart and learned how to restore them."

That wasn't always the best approach, he admitted. "The first time I took things apart, springs were flying every which way and I didn't know where it went back in the unit."

It wasn't until 2020 that Duffy started to restore gas tanks on a regular basis. He started listing them on Facebook Marketplace to see if they would interest anyone.

They did. This year alone, Duffy said he's restored and shipped 78 tanks across the country. He said he recently sent his 331st restored tank to a buyer in Des Moines, Iowa.

Duffy initially used paint remover to strip the exterior of the tanks clean. He then primed the tanks, spray painted and added decals to them. To be more efficient, Duffy started sandblasting and powder coating the tanks so they never rust again.

Duffy still sells most of his restored gas tanks on Facebook Marketplace. But he also has some for sale at Raven's Wish at 101 W Milwaukee St. in Janesville and the Rotary Botanical Gardens gift shop at 1455 Palmer Dr. in Janesville.

More recently he started collaborating with another friend, Clint Kramer, to make coolers out of old gas tanks. Soon after offering those on Facebook Marketplace he received more than 100 orders and had to take down the post.

Duffy has made gas tank coolers celebrating the Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin Badgers and John Deere. He said he design any style of tank a customer desires.

Because some gas tanks are too poor of a shape to be used as they were originally intended, Duffy said transforming them into coolers is a great way to give the items a new life.

"You can cut the tops off and then laser cut the sides" to make them into coolers," he said. "You can write, 'Welcome to our cabin' and have a light inside."

Before his gas tank venture, Duffy and his wife sold auto parts for 34 years. Now retired, he has the time to focus on his small business.

Though Duffy would like to fully retire and slow down on restoring gas tanks, he points out, "there aren't many out there doing what I do."