How to fix your car exhaust, without welding or power tools.

Step 3: Inside or outside?

Unfortunately, my exhaust broke at an odd-shaped bit which meant I had to fix it from the inside out.

I used the snips to turn the can into a sheet of steel, then rolled it up to be small enough to fit into the exhaust (be careful of sharp edges, both on the cut can and on the broken ends of the exhaust - tetanus jabs hurt).

I slid the rolled can most of the way into the steadier part of the exhaust, with only half an inch (1cm) or so sticking out.

I then pushed the other part of the exhaust into place, and slid the rolled can into that section as well, shuffling it a little at a time by grasping the rolled can with a wide-open plumber's wrench.

• If the break had been at a straight section, I could have wrapped the can around the outside of break, locking it in place with a pair of jubilee clips.