A Trailer Light Project

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I'm new to welding, and even newer to fabrication. I am learning tons. The latest lesson: Fabricating something that doesn't exist and no pictures to copy from is hard. Not knowing much about fabrication or welding makes it even harder. But a fun project nonetheless.My neighbor wanted a tail light mount to hang over his John Boat while in transit. That was all I had to go on. I got to see his boat. I got an image of the motor. The mount needed to work around the motor and be able to be removed at launch. That's it. I thought about it and thought about it. I drew a picture. Since it was his welding stuff in my garage and he knows I'm eager to learn (I'm going to school to learn properly), I agreed to put something together.Here is the photo I drew: Attached Images
Reply:So I went to Westbrook Metals in Austin and bought some drop stuff from them. the first thing I did was stick the 1/8" flat into my tiny vice and bend it to make the hooks to go over the top of the boat. From there I used my chop saw to cut the miters. I have learned that this saw makes terrible 45 degree miters. I'm now learning to welding 14 guage steel that has gaps. It's hard.I had everything dead nuts square at first.I also cut some pieces to make the top angles closed in. Attached Images
Reply:Here are some pics of my attempt at welding thin metal that had less than perfect miters. I couldn't just run the MIG gun non-stop across the 1.5" surface. Since there was a gap I was burning holes. I had to do a series of tacks basically to allow the metal to cool for a second between bursts.This really irritated me because my little 125 MIG does poorly at the first tack. It's like the gas lags for a split second and so I get a porous piece of crap weld.I ended up grind much of the crap. That only allowed me to see the flaws even more. Attached Images
Reply:Next was to put the 1/8" bent flat stock onto the base frame. My machine pretty much maxes out at 1/8". The first side I forgot to turn up the heat. That pic is first. Then I checked my settings and as ZAP says: I turned my box up to Kill (max heat) in order to get better penetration on the second side.The last pic is the process as it is now. I still have to fab the light brackets and clear it for rust purposes.Also, on the last pic..... because I welded the braces on just on one side. I managed to let the dead nuts square metal get pulled in by damn near 3". So far I'm less than 60% happy with this project. I need lots of practice yet. Probably another 10 years or so of practice I'd say.And one question: Why does my wire suck back into the gun every single time I release the trigger? I have to keep a pair of dikes handy always. WTF am I doing wrong? Attached Images
Reply:What's to prevent it from sliding all the way off? And what is going to hold the taillights on? Looks good thus far.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:The hooks that I bent into the 1/8" run all the way down on the inside of the boat about 6". It's heavy enough that it won't bounce up and off. I placed the hooks as far away as possible so that the boat sides would be flush with them.For the light mounts I am thinking of running some more square tube out about 5" on each side so the lights hang over the side of the boat.The lights will be powered off the Jeep with wires that run over the boat.Basically this project exists because the enclosure he has for the boat is too small to have lights mounted on the trailer. So he needed something that could be hung and removed as needed.
Reply:Could have maybe just did 2 separate lite boxes with thumb screw retainers. What was the reasoning for connecting them? Looks good. Just wondering? I am thinking he is going to hang this boat of the a pickup bed since you would have done this mod to the trailer instead of hanging it off the boat. If that's the case, maybe you could include a loop on each side to run a tie down strap through. Sometimes those straps work their way down and get slack in them.
Reply:Maybe lining those hooks with a layer of rubber or dense foam rubber will keep the boat finish clean from the bouncing and scraping bar as you move down the road. Additionally, the bar can be held in place and prevented from sliding side to side with a couple of bungee cords or as MikeB suggests, a couple of thunbscrews to help hold it in place.When a welder tells you to "stick it", what do they really mean?"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." - George Orwell
Reply:do you have any pics of it on the boat?
Reply:We all like to do everything the best way possible and have every bead look like a piece of art. But the truth is that being that piece what it is (just a support for some lights on a boat, not load bearing at all or anything) there is no need to have everything perfect everytime. I think you did very well with that project. Looks good.Mikel
Reply:Originally Posted by FexalThe hooks that I bent into the 1/8" run all the way down on the inside of the boat about 6". It's heavy enough that it won't bounce up and off.
Reply:Not sure if you're refering to my comments, Mikel, but I don't think you would appreciate a light bar flying through your windshield when it goes flying through the air ejected by a decent sized bump or hole in the road, plenty of those around here. And don't forget Murphy. When a welder tells you to "stick it", what do they really mean?"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." - George Orwell
Reply:I do like the idea of having tie down points. I know I wouldn't want to be the recipient of 35 lbs of steel coming at me from the boat in front of me.The rubber padding idea might be a winner too to prevent scratching of the aluminum surface.My daughter has been sick so i have been super limited on the time for the project. I am working on fabricating the mounts for the lights now. I hope to have it done in a week or so and then I can take some finished photos.Could have maybe just did 2 separate lite boxes with thumb screw retainers. What was the reasoning for connecting them? Looks good. Just wondering?
Reply:Looks interesting as far, as the hold down I always ask myself "what are they gonna ask me at the inquest?" Now to avoid that I must....Miller thunderbolt 250Decastar 135ERecovering tool-o-holic ESAB OAI have been interested or involved in Electrical, Fire Alarm, Auto, Marine, Welding, Electronics ETC to name a just a few. So YES you can own too many tools.
Reply:I finally had an opportunity to finish this boat light project today. I took into consideration the recommendation on this thread to make some tie down points on the mount. With that, I wrapped up the project today as I envisioned it originally. Here is a couple photos of the tie down points as recommended in this thread. I bent the 1/8" round I had, then I tacked them and them welded them on. (My SP 125 MIG makes much more splatter than I realized). Attached Images
Reply:I had some 1/8" flat stock that I bent and used for the actual light mounts. Here are some photos of those welded on. I did not tie them in together at all for some reason. I meant to, but stopped short on the weld every time before they tied in together.I need more practice. And I ground off the brown stuff afterward. Attached Images
Reply:Here are a couple final shots of the whole thing. The first one is before I put the lights on it, and then last couple are what it looks like on the boat. I made it too low, which is a design flaw on my part. Other than that, I'm remotely happy with it. Attached Images
Reply:If he doesnt want it yesterday, then I would take it back and shorten up those uprights. The tiedown points seem next to useless if they are on a horizontal plane with where they attach to the trailer. I would think there has to be SOME angle from the connection point to the trailer / boat (preferrably downward towards the trailer) to make sure the bar cant jump. Please note that this is not based on any engineering data or trailer fabrication experience. Right or wrong, Its just things that I would think about when making something similar. Nicely done though! How does that saying go? Necessity is the mother of invention, assumption is the mother of all kcufups?
Reply:I am thinking the same thing. I might grab it back from him and chop 5 or 6 inches from the middle and put it back together. The more I think about the more I am unhappy with how low it goes.
Reply:why can't he mount the lights on the trailer ?There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:The lights were mounted on the trailer at first, but the enclosure for the boat is so tight that he broke one of them off on the gas meter that goes to the house (just out of the photo). So since he knows I'm looking for projects to practice and learn on he gave me this project to do. It was a fun project that let me experiment for the very  first time with fabrication of something that didn't exist anywhere before. It's just one of those projects that will probably never get used since the boat has never been launched since he got it 2 years ago. I think he wants to sell the boat anyway.There are definitely easier and cheaper ways to put lights on something in tow.
Reply:Originally Posted by FexalI am thinking the same thing. I might grab it back from him and chop 5 or 6 inches from the middle and put it back together. The more I think about the more I am unhappy with how low it goes.
Reply:If the only tool you have is a hammer (welder)....you see every problem yada yadaBolt each light to one of these.  Problem solved.  It works.
Reply:welcome to the process. if you go back and fix the things you dont like they will stop bothering you.