Build your own Linux from scratch
LFS has been around for a while, but it is still the best book to accomplish this awesome project. Are you having a hard time finding a Linux distribution that has everything you need without giving you everything you don't? Then this is for you. Following this book you can build a complete Linux operating system from the source code. Anyone with moderate Linux exposure should be able to follow along easily and complete his or her system. If any problems do arise, there are many online forums and help guide to check. Everything is covered in depth on this online book so you should be reviving your old machines with this fabulous distribution soon enough.
>> http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/lfs/view/stable/