is there really any difference between solo mining on your own pool and solo mining on places like solo.ckpool.org except for that 2% fee?
also, when pools claim they offer better results, is that actually true or is it just luck that varies across all pools? like nice hash saying they give you 5% better results, what's that based on?
If you have a system with enough computing power then you can run the solo mining, because in solo mining just as the name implies you'll be mining as an individual so if your system is not powerful enough you might end up not profiting from the mining due to other expenses but for pool mining, you're combining the computing power of your system to that of others and that increases the chances of you guys being able to mine more.
And another difference between solo and polo mining in pool mining you'll have to share the mined coin with those that were part of the pool while for solo you get to keep everything. Just look at it as owning a business and running a partnership business where solo is you owning the business so only get to receive both profits and losses while for partnership which is pool mining in this case you get to share with those you're partnering with.
Solo mining is no more profitable, I will not encourage anyone to go for it. If you are able to go for solo mining in a way that you have enough hash rate that can compete with other mining pool too, it would be good to do like others and let small miners to join you and you will become a mining pool and you will be the one that is controlling you mining pool.
What I can say now is that you should not mine solo if you do not have the capability. Just join a good mining pool if you are not able to create a mining pool because mining pools are the ones that are mining most blocks now, although there is a chance that some few solo miners with small but significant hash rate can still be able to mine blocks too, but this occurrence is not common at all.
I don't see any difference in mining with your own pool vs other solo pools what I see is that they take a small fee if you successfully mine a block and I think setting up a mining pool is time-consuming and it needs some technical knowledge to maintain a pool.
The advantage of mining in a solo pool you don't need to set up and maintain a pool but if you mine in your own pool the only advantage is you can save the 2% fee when you mine a block.