Anyone have a way to cleanly cut 1/4" steel plate?

[Will]

1/4"--an angle grinder with a cut-off disk. A band saw is only good for cut-off work. And I only like it because you can set it up and let it work while you do something else. If you are in a rush, the chop saw or angle grinder are faster.
Metal work doesn't need much precision. Welds are FAT. When it exactly matters, like bolt holes, you bolt it to a jig before you weld it. Even a wooden jig works. I have a series of shotgun racks I built with a wooden jig and it is blackened, but still great. With 1/4", you need a 220amp stick welder. You don't need a TIG for a bumper. Grind a bevel if you are worried about penetration. Or even if you aren't.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Both front and back bumper were cut out with a 1/4" grinder with a zip disc. I cut and welded the rear, including hitch, and finish welded the front.

 

[Ranger850]

We must be talking about different types of bandsaws. I have fabbed a ton of 1/4 steel and aluminum off of a bandsaw. It's set up.like a table and you push the metal into the blade. I thing your talking about the chop saw type that makes large cuts over a long period of time. We have both at the Awning company I worked at but that one was barely used. A normal bandsaw can make some pretty accurate cuts. A hand-held unit is just as good set up on a vice.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Yeah, there is a vertical, and a horizontal bandsaw. I put a small table on the arm of my horizontal saw so it could be used in the vertical position too.

 

[Ranger850]

I could probably surprise you with what I can do with a Milwaukee Portable (hand held) band saw. some of the cleanest cuts I ever made were at the top of a 18' A-frame ladder cutting a 4"x4" aluminum post level, so a piece of flat bar can be welded to it

 

[Jim Oaks]

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Both front and back bumper were cut out with a 1/4" grinder with a zip disc. I cut and welded the rear, including hitch, and finish welded the front.

Impressive @alwaysFlOoReD

I've seen people cut steel plate with a cut off wheel on a grinder before. I always get this feeling like someone's going to end up in an Emergency Room.

I've also wondered if 3/16" would hold up well enough for a grill guard on a mid-size truck.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Impressive @alwaysFlOoReD

I've seen people cut steel plate with a cut off wheel on a grinder before. I always get this feeling like someone's going to end up in an Emergency Room.

I've also wondered if 3/16" would hold up well enough for a grill guard on a mid-size truck.

Yes, a grinder is one of the most dangerous tools to operate. Leather gloves, safety glasses as well as a full face mask are essential. Zip discs can explode if there is any side pressure on the blade.
I would plan the bumper to absorb any impact so the forces aren't transferred to the frame. Crumple zones. I would use 1/8".

 

[Bird76Mojo]

3/16" steel, if boxed/braced/gusseted correctly, would be more than enough for a grill guard.