A little plasma cutter/ welding project.

[BravoXray]

I inherited a transmission jack form my late BIL, but it only had a flat plate, no brackets to use to hold the transmission in place. So, since I'm soon going to use it to help a friend pull a Torque-Flite out of a Dodge pick he has, I decided to make a set of brackets to make it easier.
I used four pieces of 2" X 1/4" X 7" bar stock and used a new stencil kit to cut slots for adjusting the brackets to hold the transmission in place. The stencils work really well, and I have a couple of other sets to cut round and square holes.
I clamped the stencils to the bars and used the Hypertherm to cut the slots. I cleaned up the bars, ground off the mill scale and cut 3 inch long pieces of 1 1/2" angle to stand up and fit up against the pan rail of the transmission, bead blasted the paint and mill scale off them, I welded them up and painted them Kubota orange. I also made a pair of pieces I bolted to the sides of the base plate and made a chain to throw over the transmission to hold it in place with eye bolts and wing nuts.
I think they will make the job easier and safer.

 

[California]

Wow. I'm impressed!

 

[Runner]

Those are nice clean cuts. Love projects like this. Good job.

 

[jwmorris]

As you are already using templets, you might be interested in this simple machine I made.

Templets and speed control are a game changer. The circle above the torch with the hose clamp is for a plasma, have to remove the two bolts holding the torch stand offs.

When's the last time one of your cuts with a hand torch looked like this? You'll cut way back on your use of grinders/sanders too.

I wish I had made it 20 years before I did.