I made a 12" backhoe bucket.

[Gofast]

I just got a new plasma cutter and I wanted to make something that I have made before to see how different the project would be.
I made a 12" bucket and the plasma cutter was amazing.
Here are a couple pictures making the round bottom.
To get the last part closed up I use the tractors outriggers. This works well.



I have one more tooth coming for the 12" bucket.
This was made all with scrap yard steel. .21 cents a pound.
The bucket cost me $13.25 in steel but the bucket teeth/weld on teeth holders were $60 shipped.
Still $73.25 is not bad for good 12" backhoe bucket.



This is what I have made for my backhoe. Everything but the factory 10 bucket.
I now have 6", 10", 12", 16" Buckets a root ripper, a lifting tool and a quick attach.

I am done making things for the backhoe.

 

[TSO]

Nice work!

What plasma cutter did you go with? A plasma is on my wish list... Haven't been able to pull the trigger yet tho

 

[dragoneggs]

Very nice! I plan to make a trencher and a ripper tooth for my BH. My plasma cutter will definitely come in handy for the curved cuts and the teeth design for sure!

 

[Gofast]

Thanks.
I bought a Thermo Dynamics cutmaster 60i x. The new model will cut 3/4 and pierces 3/4.
I had a Chinese 50 amp and it would only cut thin stuff. I just sold it and bought this. A company had a 3 hour 25% off sale and there is a $100 rebate right now. That all helped.

What kind of trencher are you going to make?

 

[TSO]

Can you make clean "bolt" holes with a plasma cutter? (Instead of drilling holes)

 

[dragoneggs]

What kind of trencher are you going to make?

I cut 4 1/2in off each end of my 72in back blade to make it easier to manage with my BX using my PC. I figured I would use the pieces to make a couple of trenchers. Maybe weld the hard edge to the curved full blade and then weld to a piece of square tube. Crude but free material. Another unfinished project just sitting in my shop for longer than it should. The sandblasted parts are starting to rust again. :confused2:

 

[Gofast]

Can you make clean "bolt" holes with a plasma cutter? (Instead of drilling holes)

If you have a cnc plasma table you can cut clean holes. By hand I would have a hard time making a clean hole. But this is my first decent plasma cutter. I am learning how to use it. There people on here that could answer this much better than me.

I did have one issue on this project I was cutter 1/2 plate and it was not cutter like it had been. My welding ground clamp looks like the plasma cutter ground clamp.
Yes it had the wrong ground clamp and it messed up my tip. I changed tips used the correct ground and it cut good again. I did not do that again.

 

[texasranger556]

If you use a template such as a large washer you can clamp it down and get a decent hole, but it takes some practice.

 

[Gofast]

If you use a template such as a large washer you can clamp it down and get a decent hole, but it takes some practice.

Thanks for the advice I will give it a try.

 

[dragoneggs]

If you use a template such as a large washer you can clamp it down and get a decent hole, but it takes some practice.

Guides and templates are definitely your friend with plasma. The practice for a clean edge is cutting with proper and consistent speed. I find it extremely difficult to do freehand and a little easier with a guide. I want a CNC bad to eliminate the clean up of a hand cut.