Hey guys, still lurk here even if I dont post much

Things I have learned doing my own work:
1: Steel is damned expensive now. That could me a major factor in how involved you want to get into making your own stuff. Mistakes cost a lot more than they used to.

2: Wear disposable clothes. Mill scale is nasty stuff, gets everywhere and while it does wash out, it always seems to leave a residue.

3: Wear disposable clothes. Spatter is no fun when it burns a big hole through your favorite shirt or into your nicer levi pants.

4: Dont go cheep on your tools. Some stuff can be cheep, like my HF angle grinder, but others either wear out fast or dont perform like expected. A good saw and goodwelder are probably the most important.

5: Expect to make the same part at least two times (when you first start), because it will inevitably not fit the first time. Thats part of the added cost of DIY.

6: Its pricy to start, use as much scrap as you can to practice, use cardboard to cut out templates for parts, be patient and go with overkill on everything you make. Those really cool looking sliders are no good if they break or bend when you get a good drop on a big rock.

...and oh yeah, dont weld in a white t-shirt, or grind while wearing nylon warmups...

Kevin