# Homemade bumper project



## crankin99 (May 25, 2011)

Hey all, Im fairly new to this forum thing, so please be patient if there are any hiccups along the way with my thread. I recently thought it was a good idea to purchase an old Lincoln arc welder and build a bumper for my Brute. There are a few issues with my plan. A- i dont know how to weld, B- i am on a strict budget and have very few "fabrication tools". Aside from that, hopefully i will be posting some pics to show my progress. Please be kind when judging my welds or cuts, but let me know what you think about the looks.

Thanks

if i did this right, there should be a pic of it mounted about 30%complete


----------



## crankin99 (May 25, 2011)

here is another pic of where im at right now. a little hard to see i think.


----------



## The Big Bad Wolf (Mar 8, 2011)

Thats gona look pretty mean! Just take your time and enjoy the process. I love building my own stuff. Makes you all warm inside ( though it could be the bourbon......or some bad gas!) I made my front bumper in diamond plate and the back in schedule 80 1 1/2 inch black pipe. There's a bumper thread w a few custom home made bumpers. Check them out. Here's mine



























Sent from my iPhone using tapatalk


----------



## crankin99 (May 25, 2011)

that looks really good man! im sure mine would turn out better if i had the right tools too. As you can see in the pic im in the process of building my garage while im building the bumper. not an ideal situation. I had that warm feeling while building this, but it was only a combo of the beer, a well earned flash burn and my sleeve on fire! Ill keep the post updated as I move forward, im hoping to have it ready for paint by Monday.


----------



## tmfisher57 (Aug 8, 2011)

The difference between a good welder and a bad one is a couple hundred pounds of rod!!!! As long as you get good penetration on your welds, then a grinder can clean them up. Like said above, just have fun and don't burn the place down.


----------



## redneckrancher420 (Jul 5, 2011)

you gotta start somewhere


----------



## brute for mud (Jul 15, 2010)

Not bad for no or little experience like said just take your time


----------



## crankin99 (May 25, 2011)

Well, quite a bit sooner than i thought, but its done. No more flash burns, no fires, no more beer but im pretty happy. Its not the most square thing or symmetric, but for my first time im please. Hope yall like it! 

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk


----------



## gav09 (Feb 1, 2012)

Looks pre good especially for first time welder. This is the rear bumper I made for my outlaw today


----------



## Polaris425 (Dec 16, 2004)

Looks good


Try Tapatalk!!


----------



## tmfisher57 (Aug 8, 2011)

Turned out pretty good! Don't think a small tree or a deer would stand a chance.

Sent from my PB99400 using Tapatalk


----------



## crankin99 (May 25, 2011)

Thanks guys. That chain bumper is sweet! I thought about doing somethin like that with a tow chain. Props to you man! Great idea.

Im sure ill get the chance to test it out on some small trees soon enough

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk


----------



## tmfisher57 (Aug 8, 2011)

Ya, first chain bumper I've seen. Cool idea! 

Sent from my PB99400 using Tapatalk


----------



## gav09 (Feb 1, 2012)

its my old motorcycle chain. I thought it turned out good


----------



## The Big Bad Wolf (Mar 8, 2011)

BEEFY!! :bigok: looks good...as far as the right tools go, finish building it (the garage) and the tools will make their way in there! I gotta keep diagrams of where which tools are in my garage . ive been stock piling tools for a long time. my wife calls me a pack rat but aren't tools exempt from that stigma? nice first try...keep welding!!


----------



## crankin99 (May 25, 2011)

Ive been collecting tools for a while, and they are spread all over the house since the garage aint done. Hopefully it will be complete before winter. Im pretty sure theres a man law somewhere that says your supposed to collect as many tools as possible

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk


----------



## crankin99 (May 25, 2011)

Big bad wolf- you have any pics of that rear bumper mounted? 

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk


----------



## crankin99 (May 25, 2011)

gav09 said:


> its my old motorcycle chain. I thought it turned out good


Did you weld each link individually?..... guess thats maybe a dumb question.lol. but what did you use? Arc mig tig?

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk


----------



## The Big Bad Wolf (Mar 8, 2011)

no I haven't mounted it i was about to last night and my drill died and it was too late to use my air drill. last thing i need is a cranky neighbor.... that and I needed somebody to hold it in place and my wife refuses to help w quad stuff. since it fits good and I just need to drill for u bolts now so ill put 2-3 coats of epoxy paint on it tomorrow and put it on.


----------



## bruteman19 (Jan 14, 2012)

Looks good!


----------



## walker (Apr 5, 2009)

might have to make a new show .. tool hoarders..lol.. nice job on all bumpers above thats 1 thing that not many companys make for brutes that look good and are durable to run over small woodland creatures and a small treethats in your way ..


----------



## gav09 (Feb 1, 2012)

crankin99 said:


> Did you weld each link individually?..... guess thats maybe a dumb question.lol. but what did you use? Arc mig tig?
> 
> Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk


Yea each one is tacked real good on the backside. I use a wire feed welder. Its easier. never tried tig before


----------



## crankin99 (May 25, 2011)

walker said:


> might have to make a new show .. tool hoarders..lol.. nice job on all bumpers above thats 1 thing that not many companys make for brutes that look good and are durable to run over small woodland creatures and a small treethats in your way ..



That very true about nobody making these bumpers. I really assumed that it was because of cost that they didnt manufacture good, solid bumpers. But doing this bumper only cost me $58 dollars in steel, $14 in welding rod and $16 for paint. I can only assume a company would get the materials cheaper in bulk, so I cant see where price would be an issue. There are enough people on here doing this, so we know there is a market. But, them not selling a variety of bumpers seems to spark our creativity, which has resulted in some pretty cool designs on here.


----------



## mossyoak54 (Jan 16, 2012)

Mine aren't as nice as yalls but here's mine on the prairie 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## crankin99 (May 25, 2011)

mossyoak54 said:


> Mine aren't as nice as yalls but here's mine on the prairie
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Is that roll on bed liner you painted those with?


----------



## mossyoak54 (Jan 16, 2012)

It sure is. It's ugly but da*n it's tuff stuff


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## crankin99 (May 25, 2011)

mossyoak54 said:


> It sure is. It's ugly but da*n it's tuff stuff
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Ya it sure is. I use that stuff on everything. I used the Plasticote spray can stuff this time though. not sure how i like it yet.


----------



## mossyoak54 (Jan 16, 2012)

My buddy used that plastikote in the floor of his jeep. It's over a year old and has held up nice. I usually use the spray on stuff because it looks better but I had the roll on sitting around and it's tough stuff


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## crankin99 (May 25, 2011)

mossyoak54 said:


> My buddy used that plastikote in the floor of his jeep. It's over a year old and has held up nice. I usually use the spray on stuff because it looks better but I had the roll on sitting around and it's tough stuff
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Im sure ill get to test its durability next week, headed to Hatfield-McCoys


----------

