May 9, 2025 Benchmark Abrasives

Yaniv Evan (@powerplant)

Welcome to this week's #benchmarkspotlight (formerly the #weldershowcase) - we had the opportunity to sit down with Yaniv from @powerplant and talk a little shop.

If you would like to be featured in our weekly spotlight (100% FREE) and have a chance at winning one of our Grinder Hoods please send us an email to leo.benchmarkabrasives@gmail.com to get you scheduled in an upcoming week. And for those of you that take the time to share your story with us, we'd be happy to provide a free BA banner. These spotlights are intended to highlight your skill, your business, and your tips and tricks. Most of all it's to have a little fun!

Name: Yaniv Evan

Business Name: Powerplant Motorcycles

Location: Hollywood CA

Socials: IG: @powerplant TikTok: @powerplantmotorcycles

Website: p16garage.com

Specialties: Custom Choppers, and Fabrication/performance Motorcycles

Tell us about yourself - what inspired you to get into your trade? And how long?

I was always inspired by modifying vehicles such as vintage cars and motorcycles, my passion grew over the years which turned into a business

What keeps you motivated throughout the day?
Watching raw metals transform into working objects.

What is your favorite shop tool and why?
My favorite tool is the belt sander because that’s where I do most of my forming whether it’s round tubing or flat bar and or deburring my machine parts it’s the one that I’ve used the most.

What's your favorite piece that you've worked on?
I don’t have a favorite piece because every single day a new idea comes to my head and it’s usually better than the last one.

If you could have any job as it relates to question 1 what would it be and what would you do with that?
If I can have any job I would be a chef working at the best restaurant using the best cookware in the game

What BA product is your favorite and why?

It’s hard to say, which product is my favorite because I used all of them just as equal, the cutting discs to the flap wheels as well as the belt sanders are most commonly used,

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What BA product surprised you in terms of quality - what about it set it apart from the competition?

My favorite part about BA is how it made my life so much easier to get my hands on all these items that I used to have to go to three or four different places to be able to get, now I just log into my account and click on everything I need. I know the product and I know what I’m going to get and when I’m going to get it. That is efficiency.

What tips and tricks do you have for us that might be different or eye opening for others to try with BA product?

I have a small trick idea with the flap wheels. I cut three windows out of them that allows me to see through the blade as it’s cleaning the surface.

If there was one person you could collaborate with - who would it be and why?

That would be with an engraving master who does everything by hand and makes Metal look like sculptures Tay Herrera

Do you have any advice for the next generation that you wish you had when you first started?

I don’t have any advice for anyone in the new generation except you’re lucky as hell to have YouTube videos teach you the trades that we had to stand in line and clean up shop floors to learn

What are your future plans for your shop?

my future plans for my shop is too stop trying to do everything by myself and concentrate on what I do best which is build motorcycles

Thanks for sitting with us and sharing your story with the community - is there anything you'd like to add?

I’d like to add that the future looks scary when it comes to working with the hands, it seems like the robots are going to be doing our work for us and I hope that we will always have people still working with their hands and making really cool designs and ideas come to life without counting on computers and machines. That’s all folks.

A Note From Leo

Thanks for sharing your story with us, Yaniv! Pretty interesting tip you provided regarding the flap discs and I've seen some of your freehand metal engraving and it's pretty impressive. We're looking forward to seeing more of your work. Cheers!