Go get you a nice mid-range 220V MIG and just start practicing on scrap steel. MIG is NOT hard at all, you could have yourself welding with a wire feed welder with a couple of hours practice good enough to do an exhaust or simple repairs. Hell, a 110v MIG will do a good job for 90% of the tasks you'd do, especially one that came with the bottled gas option...

When I first used a MIG, compared to stick welding it was so easy I considered it "cheating"...

 

dont wanna be the bearer of bad news, but be careful with that hitch, it looks strong, but if for any reason it breaks and causes an accident, your insurance will leave you high and dry and lets not forget the law suits and all the criminal charges...

 

Yeah I was going to mention this earlier but there are some things that you should just spend money on that way there is always some one else to blame in the event that something goes bad. RH this is by no means a diss of your work as it looks very professional just keep in mind if something does happen there is that risk...

 

I have REAL good insurance fellas on the truck and camper . no worries .
besides its reinforced by stabilizers and safety chains .

 

Forgot about them chains. Lol.

 

I need me a drop hitch. My dad and I were just talking about it and you are right, they are priced insanely.

 

Yeah, I dunno what the difference would be if you had a shop custom make one, other than the fact that you would have recourse to sue the shop if it failed. Is it a difference if his failed or one he bought commercially failed due to a crappy weld? Is there a certification for hitches? I dunno, but I've never seen one.

Insurance companies have entire divisions of employees who pour over claims looking for legal ways to NOT pay them, especially large claims. I got a cousin who was a para legal for a few years and got a job with a major insurance company for over $100k a year. All she does is sit in a small office and looks for legal ways to use the fine print in contracts to get out of paying claims. You wouldn't believe how many times her and her husband have gotten free vacations to Hawaii or the Bahamas for saving the company money by beating honest hard working people who pay through the nose for premiums out of a claim due to some damn fine print.

You might have GREAT insurance RH, but it's all about the $$$, if they can beat you out of a big claim, you better believe they'll do it...

 

The difference between a shop making one and DIY is that the guy at the shop welds all day, every day. He has years of experience and knows where to set his equipment for that particular thickness and type of metal. He knows where to use cold rolled, and where to use hot rolled. He knows the difference between the two (WITHOUT doing a quick google search...).

Personally, I never weld anything that can effect the lives of others. I have great insurance, but it doesn't bring people back to life.

 

wow this went down hill fast .... even if it busted witch im sure it wont their are safety chains fellas "for that reason " .

 

It's not downhill. Just a little sidetracked!