Dude how do you not have an oxyacetylene rig. 1/4" plate with a hole saw? FUCK EVERYTHING ABOUT THAT. Brazing tip, 5 lb sledge and a drift and that shit woulda been donezo. f'n boilerplate gets downright submissive when you turn that shit cherry red. And since you're getting medieval on it anyway, you don't even need to worry about the temper.
I've been hesitant to spend $500 on that, but I've got some brazing to do in the near future, so I'm watching Craigslist for one now. Also, look back at one of the pictures with the press in it. See all those holes? I drilled every damn one of those with a hole saw on an even shittier drill press. I think it took me a whole day, plus to make sure I had them all lined up I was actually drilling through four 1/4" pieces stacked up. Compared to that, a couple holes through some 3/8" plate just flies right by.
Shoot. You should have just mounted a massive 2x4 on there, say it's a bumper, and called it a day. ;) Seriously though, how long did all of this take you? That seems a hell of a lot of work when going to a pull and pay for a new bumper might have been easier. Not that I mind though, cause your write up is fantastic.
A 2x4 you say? Too rich for my blood; I'll just chain a piece of this tree I cut down on there! I think this took me about a day all said and done. Going to a pull and pay would have been a lot easier, but where's the fun in that? It doesn't hurt that I'm only out about $8 for that angle iron.