Looking for input on bumper design
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Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Clarksburg WV
Looking for input on bumper design
Hey guys,
I'm drawing up some bumpers for my truck because I've wanted to put on some nice front & rear bumpers basically since I got the truck. A guy that we do a fair bit of business with at work runs a machine shop and has a CNC cutter, so basically anything I can draw in AutoCAD, he can cut out of sheet steel
I figure if I can have him cut it out for me, I can do the fitting and light welding (and maybe tack on other stuff) and then have him weld the important stuff.
So, this is my preliminary bumper design so far:
Main thing I'm wondering about is plate thickness...I was thinking 1/8" diamondplate steel for the top, ends, and angled bottom pieces. The main body is 4" Sch. 40 pipe, and the center step/license plate mount is 3/8" plate. Should I go with heavier plate? I don't have the frame mounts figured out yet, and I'm not sure what the best way to go about that is, BUT should I use 3/8" or 1/2" steel for those?
I'm working on a front bumper too but it's still in the works.
I'm drawing up some bumpers for my truck because I've wanted to put on some nice front & rear bumpers basically since I got the truck. A guy that we do a fair bit of business with at work runs a machine shop and has a CNC cutter, so basically anything I can draw in AutoCAD, he can cut out of sheet steel
I figure if I can have him cut it out for me, I can do the fitting and light welding (and maybe tack on other stuff) and then have him weld the important stuff.So, this is my preliminary bumper design so far:
Main thing I'm wondering about is plate thickness...I was thinking 1/8" diamondplate steel for the top, ends, and angled bottom pieces. The main body is 4" Sch. 40 pipe, and the center step/license plate mount is 3/8" plate. Should I go with heavier plate? I don't have the frame mounts figured out yet, and I'm not sure what the best way to go about that is, BUT should I use 3/8" or 1/2" steel for those?
I'm working on a front bumper too but it's still in the works.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2006
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The problem with A Cad is the lack of dimension. It is diffuclt to tell what you are trying to accomplish and to see where the structure comes from.
I mean is the pipe going to the a solid piece and your license plate stuff is just going to weld to it, or will you have a section of pipe missing from the center and the licens plate area will be wide open? If you leave it open, keeping it square while welding will become a task all by itself, and you will compromise structural strength.
Have you played with "Solidworks"? You may find this program to be superior.
On a side note, these pieces appear to be rather straight cuts, and you are not working with anything here that cant be cut with accuracy at home. You wuld be amazed at how straight you can make a cut with a 4" wheel and a grinder.
Draw the lines, use tape to create them, and cut along the tape. You can create super straight cuts, that your basic design requires, and use far less material.
This can also be done with a sheer, but I am not sure that I would waste the amount of material required to throw this onto a CNC table.
I mean is the pipe going to the a solid piece and your license plate stuff is just going to weld to it, or will you have a section of pipe missing from the center and the licens plate area will be wide open? If you leave it open, keeping it square while welding will become a task all by itself, and you will compromise structural strength.
Have you played with "Solidworks"? You may find this program to be superior.
On a side note, these pieces appear to be rather straight cuts, and you are not working with anything here that cant be cut with accuracy at home. You wuld be amazed at how straight you can make a cut with a 4" wheel and a grinder.
Draw the lines, use tape to create them, and cut along the tape. You can create super straight cuts, that your basic design requires, and use far less material.
This can also be done with a sheer, but I am not sure that I would waste the amount of material required to throw this onto a CNC table.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2007
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3/8 should be fine for the center section, although we cant really see the design for it and I dont know what kinda weight you plan to put on it. Seems that your drawing needs a little work. Do you mean to have the center section sticking out like the top view or would it be flush like the side view? Is the pipe supose to be positioned like you have it in the side view?
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Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Clarksburg WV
Well, what I wanted to do was cut a piece out of the pipe the size of the license plate bracket thing, about halfway back into the diameter of the pipe, and weld a plate in there to be the backing for the license plate panel...then weld on the sides, and bottom, and I figure that would put some strength back into the pipe from being cut.
And yes I mean for that part to be sticking out...as far as I can tell that's how Ranch Hand does their bumpers. But I can't tell from pics and I don't really know anyone that has one I could look at to see how they are actually put together.
Oh, and why would there be any more waste material from cutting the stuff out with a CNC cutter as opposed to doing it with a cutoff wheel? I end up with odds and ends either way. It'd be a lot faster and less of a chore to use a CNC cutter, and I'm gonna have to buy a full sheet anyway, and it's probably easier than cutting the stuff out in my garage.
And yes I mean for that part to be sticking out...as far as I can tell that's how Ranch Hand does their bumpers. But I can't tell from pics and I don't really know anyone that has one I could look at to see how they are actually put together.
Oh, and why would there be any more waste material from cutting the stuff out with a CNC cutter as opposed to doing it with a cutoff wheel? I end up with odds and ends either way. It'd be a lot faster and less of a chore to use a CNC cutter, and I'm gonna have to buy a full sheet anyway, and it's probably easier than cutting the stuff out in my garage.
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