40 inch extended hitch and BBQ bumper mount

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Broke Boater

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Posts
286
Location
Brentwood, Northern Kookafonia
I've been busy the last couple days getting things dialed in for this season camping and fishing with the new to us 992 Artic Fox camper. I welded up a 40 inch extended hitch so I can pull the Skipjack with the camper on the truck. Next I welded up a swing out bracket for a BBQ that will ride on the bumper of the camper. It swings out and swivels. I made it so I can grill behind the camper or if there's some wind, I can swing it around the side of the camper for a little protection. There's a propane quick connect plumbed to the campers propane system at the bumper next to the BBQ, no more little green PITA propane bottles,,,gregg
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0973.JPG
    IMG_0973.JPG
    297.6 KB · Views: 120
  • IMG_0977.JPG
    IMG_0977.JPG
    334.9 KB · Views: 106
  • IMG_0978.JPG
    IMG_0978.JPG
    207.1 KB · Views: 106
  • IMG_0979.JPG
    IMG_0979.JPG
    299.6 KB · Views: 99
  • IMG_0981.JPG
    IMG_0981.JPG
    310 KB · Views: 104
I had a Miller Thunderbolt. Great machine, but just didn't use it enough. A guy offered me more than I paid for it, so on his truck it went. I have welders at work if I need to use one that bad. I liked the Thunderbolt over the comparable Lincoln because the amperage was infinitely adjustable on the Miller, where the Lincoln had like 20 amp steps on their selector. Either of those machines are really more machine than you would probably need though.
 
I would suggest to go with a MIG 240v welder, over a stick welder. Longer duty cycle over the 110v models and opens up a little more versatility. Mig is easier to learn with and if you got hooked on welding you'd buy a mig anyways. Get some 1/8" thick flat stock and start laying beads, not trying to weld plates together. Play with settings and tip angles, once you have some nice looking beads layed down, weld some plate together and start again with laying beads in the joint. Once your doing good with the flat position, start practicing vertical, this will take much longer. Overhead is easier then vertical, and that will have to be practiced also. Seems a bit intimidating, and there's more then to it,  but it's all fun learning and a rewarding feeling to accomplish the craft,,,gregg
Miller and Lincoln 240v mig welders are good for anyone's garage
 
Good advice on the mig. Very versatile, and one can use solid core wire with gas, or gasless with flux core wire.
 
Very innovative thinking on the BBQ mount - I like.

Be careful when shopping for any type of wire welders.

"MIG" welders use a solid core wire with a shielding gas, and most have the capability to use fluxcore wire.

A "wire" welder uses a fluxcore wire, and doesn't have the capability to use solid core wire. There are some wire welders that you can add a regulator, and gas, but not all machines have that ability. The wire welders are usually the type that you see in the big box stores.

People tend to think less of the fluxcore welders for some reason, but they do have their place in the welding world, especially outdoors in any kind of windy environment, they shine there.

Corky

 
I really didn't think too highly about flux core wire after my first bout using it in a Harry Homeowner machine. Once I tried it in a real welder, I liked it. As Corky said, flux core has it's place.
 
My bacon has been saved several times with a fluxcore machine. The last thing you want is the shielding gas being blown off the base when you're dangling off some sort of sort of elevated platform. Or when you can't get job close enough to your MIG setup and the customer is breathing down your back. That little Lincoln saved my nerves that day, and elevated it's stature several rungs too.

Not all wire welders are MIG is the point I was trying to make, so know what you need and what you're looking at.

Corky
 
I have a couple Lincoln 180 MIG 240v. Not my favorite machine, but they will get the job done, and I have a spool gun from Lincoln, it's a piece of crap. I keep promising myself a new/better machine. But don't under estimate what can be accomplished with these. Here is the before and after of my last boat project I did a 4 years ago. Took this boat and did a total rebuild from the stringers up, removed the windshield and welded a Pilothouse out of Aluminum. All was welded with the spool gun, I have used much better ones. The welder did fine. This is what I'll tow with the extended hitch,,,Gregg
 

Attachments

  • Skippy 1.jpg
    Skippy 1.jpg
    151.4 KB · Views: 48
  • Skippy 2.jpg
    Skippy 2.jpg
    46.4 KB · Views: 45
  • Skippy 3.jpg
    Skippy 3.jpg
    38.6 KB · Views: 41
  • Skippy 4.jpg
    Skippy 4.jpg
    59 KB · Views: 43
  • Skippy 5.jpg
    Skippy 5.jpg
    41.8 KB · Views: 47
I have this discussion several times a year. Yes Lincoln or Miller are better machines than a Chinese clone or similar but WHAT IF you spend some serious coin on a machine then quickly decide welding is not for you or after a year you realize you never used it. Odds are you wasted your money or will take a significant loss on your investment. I recommend starting with the cheapy Harbor Freight flux machine since it costs about $100 and can weld most of what you'll work with. OR- find your local welding supply store and ask if they'll sell you lessons, then you can learn on their machines and find out if its something you want to pursue- while also learning proper technique. If the local store wont, reach out to your community college- that's exactly what I did and it was beyond worth it. Finally if the store or community college wont help you, find a local weldor and ask, he/she will be glad to make a little side money teaching you their craft. This is not so different from getting in to motorcycles, you'd be insane to buy a brand new Road Glide or Street Glide before you learned how to ride through a rider safety class or started on a little 600cc import like a Honda Shadow. I'm not even going to get in to a debate about the HF flux welder but I'll say this, I'm on my second one which I purchased after getting a Lincoln Tombstone, 210 MP, and SW200. And when welding flux core, you wouldn't be able to tell which bead I laid with the HF versus the 210MP- that comes from practice. I match the machine to the work. When I'm on the go, or welding something thin outside, or welding for a friend- I take the 110amp HF machine every time, I'm not going to use up and lug around my shielding gas from my higher end machines.

Oldgator73 said:
Really nice setup. I think being able to weld is a great thing. I've been thinking of getting a welding machine. What would be a good one for a rookie to learn with?
 
supermanotorious said:
I have this discussion several times a year. Yes Lincoln or Miller are better machines than a Chinese clone or similar but WHAT IF you spend some serious coin on a machine then quickly decide welding is not for you or after a year you realize you never used it. Odds are you wasted your money or will take a significant loss on your investment. I recommend starting with the cheapy Harbor Freight flux machine since it costs about $100 and can weld most of what you'll work with. OR- find your local welding supply store and ask if they'll sell you lessons, then you can learn on their machines and find out if its something you want to pursue- while also learning proper technique. If the local store wont, reach out to your community college- that's exactly what I did and it was beyond worth it. Finally if the store or community college wont help you, find a local weldor and ask, he/she will be glad to make a little side money teaching you their craft. This is not so different from getting in to motorcycles, you'd be insane to buy a brand new Road Glide or Street Glide before you learned how to ride through a rider safety class or started on a little 600cc import like a Honda Shadow. I'm not even going to get in to a debate about the HF flux welder but I'll say this, I'm on my second one which I purchased after getting a Lincoln Tombstone, 210 MP, and SW200. And when welding flux core, you wouldn't be able to tell which bead I laid with the HF versus the 210MP- that comes from practice. I match the machine to the work. When I'm on the go, or welding something thin outside, or welding for a friend- I take the 110amp HF machine every time, I'm not going to use up and lug around my shielding gas from my higher end machines.

I agree to a point on what entry level machine one should buy. I know that any learning process is filled with a certain amount of stress, and a lot of frustration. If a machine of such low operating efficiency injects any of those to factors it could be enough to cause the newb to throw in the towel. I've been on that learning curve many times and I think my sanity was purchased when I purchased equipment one or two steps from be basement level. At present there 6 welding machines in my shop and my little Lincoln wire welder is a life saver.

With regard to folks jumping right onto a large Harley, I remember the times that there was a year waiting list for bikes due to the burst in popularity partly because of 1st time riders & buyers. We supported the riders program at our HD dealer for a couple of years, and I waited 6 months to purchase my '97 bagger.

Corky
 
Thanks for the advise. I have toyed with the idea of enrolling in a welding course at the Adult Ed Center.  And I did buy a Harley for two reasons;?my wife went to a home show and came home with a $28,000 swim spa so in retaliation imsaud I was buying a Harley. We have neither now. Second reason, our son got out of the AF and came to live with us. He had a Harley.
As far as the welder, I think I might enjoy it more than I did the Harley. Especially if I learn to weld half as good as the OP.
 
Oldgator73 said:
Thanks for the advise. I have toyed with the idea of enrolling in a welding course at the Adult Ed Center.

Ask them if they will focus your training on the type of welder/welding that you are interested in. Their answer may determine if you hang out, or go elsewhere. There is no sense learning stick (or any other form of welding) if you have no desire, nor need. For me I have never owned a stick welder, and that is not a slam it just isn't something I need nor care to have.

Corky
 
Nice work, looks great and very functional.  Enjoy your travels and the fruits of your labors.
 
agreed! I didn't mean to shift the topic of the thread, I love the BBQ rack, been thinking of making one very similar for my boat, and on that note, I applaud your conversion on that runabout!

Gizmo said:
Nice work, looks great and very functional.  Enjoy your travels and the fruits of your labors.

NOW, if you want a nicer welder I can not recommend the 210 MP enough, it's multi process, so in one machine, you get flux core, MIG, stick in the box, you can easily add DC TIG and aluminum spool gun. Just yesterday I was welding one of my winches and the DW wanted a hanger for her hummingbird feeder, I grabbed some bits out of the scrap pile and welded them with stick for 2 reasons- the parts were rusted and or painted AND thicker than what I was MIG welding, so I think stick is a critical discipline to have especially if you want to learn welding theory, also, when we're in the zombie apocalypse, you can stick weld from a bank of car batteries, but you'd really struggle if you didn't have a foundation in place prior

Corky said:
Ask them if they will focus your training on the type of welder/welding that you are interested in. Their answer may determine if you hang out, or go elsewhere. There is no sense learning stick (or any other form of welding) if you have no desire, nor need. For me I have never owned a stick welder, and that is not a slam it just isn't something I need nor care to have.

Corky
 
Got things finished up today, extended the wiring and new trailer plug, new safety chains and hooks. Road ready and fish will die,,,gregg
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0984.JPG
    IMG_0984.JPG
    206.5 KB · Views: 35
  • IMG_0985.JPG
    IMG_0985.JPG
    234.3 KB · Views: 37
Back
Top Bottom