💥🚧 The Untold Truth of Matt Stetar: How a Small-Town Mechanic Built Diesel Creek and Became a YouTube Legend 💪🔥

At one of the largest antique equipment gatherings in the world, machines from a bygone era roared back to life, drawing enthusiasts from every corner of the globe.

Among them was Matt Stetar, a familiar name to anyone who follows the restoration of heavy equipment.

 

 

Hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Matt has earned a loyal audience through his Diesel Creek YouTube channel, where he brings old machines back from the brink with care and skill.

At the event, he arrived with his classic Caterpillar 977K—no cab, no frills, just raw machinery.

But beyond the grease and gears, people have started asking a different kind of question: What has become of the once-rising lifestyle behind Diesel Creek? The polished tools, growing channel, and passionate projects once hinted at luxury, but where does Matt Stetar stand today on the tough road to building a career?

Over the last decade, the internet has introduced new ideas and methods to help people rediscover their enthusiasm for watching shows.

One of those online shows that had been growing in recent years was Diesel Creek.

The series followed Matt Stetar as he showed viewers what it was like to work with heavy machines and diesel-powered vehicles, sharing helpful advice about construction and fabrication.

 

 

Matt Stetar grew up in Bergettstown, Pennsylvania, developing an interest in mechanical work despite no one in his household sharing the same passion.

His father had only a mild connection to machinery, and the one family member who had worked as a mechanic, his grandfather, passed away before Matt could learn anything from him.

His two older sisters did not take to tools or engines, so Matt’s curiosity grew on its own.

He humorously referred to himself as the “oops baby,” as his parents had not planned on having another child.

As a child, Matt spent long hours with lawnmowers, hand tools, and toys that he would disassemble and attempt to rebuild.

Lacking a mentor, he relied on his own hands and mistakes to learn.

In a 2022 interview with the Essential Craftsman podcast, he recalled that he always wanted to figure out how things worked.

Despite limited tools and access to equipment in his hometown, he made use of whatever he could find, learning by doing in the family’s garage.

During high school, Matt’s interest in mechanics intensified, but many around him believed that mechanical trades were less respectable than office jobs.

Teachers and classmates encouraged him to pursue careers that required college degrees and involved indoor work.

Nonetheless, Matt continued to work on dirt bikes and other vehicles with friends, using those experiences to sharpen his mechanical skills.

He began recording videos of his dirt bike experiments and other projects, with some of these videos appearing on YouTube as early as 2011.

However, he had not yet considered it a serious plan.

After finishing high school, Matt decided to work toward a welding certificate, a step that allowed him to focus on a skill he already enjoyed.

His first job was at a landscaping company, where he started with basic construction tasks like building retaining walls.

As the company expanded into excavation and related services, he bought his first piece of heavy machinery, marking an important moment in his journey.

However, the hard labor demanded by the job did not feel like the final destination for him.

 

 

Matt briefly worked in a machine shop, which provided a steady paycheck and benefits, but he felt restless.

He knew he wanted something more engaging—work that kept him close to machines and the kind of tasks he valued.

He spent time in various plants and construction sites, learning and utilizing his mechanical skills.

He often employed a method he called the “sledgehammer and torch” approach to disassemble machines and identify what needed repair.

During these years, Matt faced numerous challenges.

There was no one to guide him, and many people around him continued to doubt the value of the work he cared about.

But every task, from operating equipment to fixing engines, added to his experience.

Those early jobs laid the groundwork for the knowledge and skills that later helped him create Diesel Creek.

His past shaped someone who did not need praise or permission to keep going; he followed his direction and learned by doing.

Matt Stetar began his YouTube journey in 2011, sharing videos of dirt bikes and extreme vehicles from his high school years in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania.

These initial uploads lacked a formal channel name and were simple clips of him and his friends working on off-road machines.

The videos earned about $5 each month, which was not much but enough to make him consider the idea of earning money from content.

In 2013, he stepped away from YouTube to focus on work in landscaping, machining, and pipeline repair.

These jobs helped him build mechanical skills but left little time for filming videos.

However, in 2020, during the pandemic, Matt was laid off.

With more free time, he returned to YouTube, starting the Diesel Creek channel, focusing on heavy equipment construction and restoration.

His first important video under the Diesel Creek name was released in 2019 and featured him repairing heavy equipment.

Initially, the channel grew slowly, but timing was beneficial as many people stayed home and looked for content.

Matt’s straightforward videos began to draw interest.

He filmed alone using basic tools, often placing the camera on a tripod.

His early work showed real repairs without editing or polish, which viewers appreciated.

 

 

By 2020, he was gaining thousands of subscribers, posting almost every week, and starting to make money from YouTube ads, sales of Diesel Creek merchandise, and company sponsorships.

By 2021, YouTube had become his full-time job.

One of his most watched videos, “Will it Start? Abandoned Excavator Left for Years,” showcased his ability to revive a long-abandoned machine, garnering over 10 million views by September 2023.

Matt’s videos stood out for several reasons: they were useful, showing viewers how to weld, fix engines, and diagnose problems without special effects or music, focusing solely on the work.

This honesty built trust with his audience, making him relatable.

His commitment to restoring old machines attracted a dedicated following, and by 2023, Diesel Creek had nearly 700,000 subscribers and over 150 million views.

As Matt continued to grow his channel, he began new projects, including renovating an old church, which added variety while maintaining the same focus on machines and restoration.

His steady growth stemmed from loyal viewers who recognized the real value in what he did.

Unlike other content creators who branch into different businesses, Matt has made it clear that he wants to stay on his current path.

In a talk on the podcast “A Few Points from Perfect” in February 2022, he expressed his intention to keep making YouTube videos for many years.

He values his audience, referring to them as “amazing,” and their support has helped him take on bigger tasks.

Matt started work on building his shop, which will serve as the primary location for his repairs and allow him to handle larger and more complex machines.

He plans to showcase parts of this shop in future videos, further demonstrating his commitment to growing Diesel Creek while remaining connected to mechanical work.

In addition to YouTube, Matt has an online store where he sells merchandise like shirts and hats, matching the hardworking style of his channel.

This store, found at dieselcreek.

com, is made for his loyal fans and is slowly growing.

His social media presence, with more than 30,000 followers on Instagram and Facebook, helps share his work and personal moments, such as time spent with his three dogs and outdoor moments with his wife, Ava Simone.

 

 

Matt’s plans for Diesel Creek include continuing series such as “Building a Homestead from Nothing” and “Abandoned Church Renovation,” alongside various repairs like the Alice Chalmers forklift and Kamasu excavator.

His main skills, including welding, part fabrication, and machine repair, will remain central to his videos, which aim to educate and inspire viewers.

As of 2025, Matt’s net worth is estimated at $1.

8 million, primarily from his YouTube channel and merchandise sales.

His journey reflects a dedication to skill and craftsmanship rather than a pursuit of wealth.

Matt’s work demonstrates sheer will and persistence, transforming his passion into a learning platform for mechanical enthusiasts.

With his new shop being built and ongoing projects, Diesel Creek is likely to continue thriving as a valuable resource for those who appreciate hands-on work.

The future looks bright for Matt Stetar, as he remains committed to his craft, inspiring viewers one machine at a time.

Will he hit a million subscribers soon? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: his journey is far from over.