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.

 

[Gofast]

I made this simple guide for cutting straight. It was just a builders square.


Team it up with this stand off guide it worked pretty good.


I cut these brackets free hand they cleaned up well. This is the first thing I have cutout free hand.



CNC plasma tables are amazing.

 

[dragoneggs]

I have drag cutting bits on my Hypotherm... no need to worry about height but the friction on the metal, especially if rusty makes for a jittery cut.

 

[Gofast]

What model Hypertherm do you have?

Shopping for a plasma cutter I was down to two companies Hypertherm and thermodynamics.

When Zoro had 3 hour 25% off sale they only carry thermodynamics. I really liked the new features cut master 60i x I have a project that I need to Pierce cut 3/4 plate. I won't normally work with 3/4" plate. Then there was a $100 rebate on top of it. They have a 100 day satisfaction guaranteed and a 4 year warranty.

This is just a hobby cutter it was hard to justify the extra cost on the Hypertherm unit. I had never used either unit but I did watch alot of reviews.

Before I bought this one I had a Chinese plasma cutter 50 amp it was cheap but a a disappointment in every way. But I got a really good deal on Ebay so I actually sold it for more than I paid for it.

 

[dragoneggs]

What model Hypertherm do you have?

Shopping for a plasma cutter I was down to two companies Hypertherm and thermodynamics.

When Zoro had 3 hour 25% off sale they only carry thermodynamics. I really liked the new features cut master 60i x I have a project that I need to Pierce cut 3/4 plate. I won't normally work with 3/4" plate. Then there was a $100 rebate on top of it. They have a 100 day satisfaction guaranteed and a 4 year warranty.

This is just a hobby cutter it was hard to justify the extra cost on the Hypertherm unit. I had never used either unit but I did watch alot of reviews.

Before I bought this one I had a Chinese plasma cutter 50 amp it was cheap but a a disappointment in every way. But I got a really good deal on Ebay so I actually sold it for more than I paid for it.

45XP. Just for hobby too but wanted enough power in case I got a small CNC set up.

 

[hawkeye08]

My son in law wants a 12" bucket for their volvo backhoe. He missed one at auction recently, but it went for too much anyway.

 

[4570Man]

My son in law wants a 12" bucket for their volvo backhoe. He missed one at auction recently, but it went for too much anyway.

I gave up looking for a used bucket and bought a new one. Most people want 3/4 price for a 3/4 worn out bucket.

 

[texasranger556]

I have a Hypertherm as well, Powermax 45 bought used several years ago and has been great. It has cut a lot of scabby old 5/8 plate which is a little bit much for it...much happier with 1/2 and smaller. If you haven't already, get a gouge tip. It works like a weld eraser.

Clean dry air is another big thing, which is on my list of things to improve.

Nice job on the buckets by the way.

 

[Gofast]

@dragoneggs The two I narrowed it down to was Hypertherm 45 XP and cutmaster 60i x. I also wanted something I could use in a CNC table down the road. I have a 3D printer and a plasma table seems like the next step. I did not think I could go wrong with either of these. I could not find any deals on 45 Xp. I ended up paying 1,596.96 shipped it came with a consumable kit about $125 value and a $100 rebate. In the end after rebate 1,496.96 plus consumable kit

@hawkeye08 How much did it go for?

@4670Man how much did you have to give for a new one?

I priced a 16” one before I made one but I did not price a 12” one.

 

[4570Man]

It cost me about $1000 for a 36” bucket for my John Deere 310. I looked into building one but it was AR-400 steel and weighs about 600 pounds plus having it plasma cut so I gave up and just bought one.

 

[Gofast]

It cost me about $1000 for a 36” bucket for my John Deere 310. I looked into building one but it was AR-400 steel and weighs about 600 pounds plus having it plasma cut so I gave up and just bought one.

That is alot bigger bucket than I made my bucket is like 63 pounds. The front and back are 1/2 plate. This is not in the same league as your bucket. I looked up 310 it said 93 HP mine is 22.5 hp.