bike logo and tribal flames on the seat

[Don101]

well im jumping in at the deep end, my work college came around yesterday with the bike, we decided to go with the theme on the bike and do the bike logo and tribal flames on the seat, i tried to talk him into something along the lines of the fantastique seats that are displayed here, (i love the pin up art,) but he wasnt having it,

so the first question to the experts is, he wants to rip of the foam padding and use the original hard seat thats made out of some sort of hard plastique and cover it with a thinner foam and then leather so that the seat is lower, is that a good idea or does it have to be a metall seat?

second question what thickness leather would you guys and ladys recomend, as im not sure if its to thick that it would be uncomfortable or not?

any way ive got a week or so because he wants to go to a few biker meets and doesnt want to give me the seat just yet, ive worked out a rough desighn, let me know what you think. Don

[Cowboy Crafts Online]

I just want too ask, does he just want a thinner seat, is that why he wants the foam taken off and then have you put on thinner foam. If he just wants a thinner seat I would just remove the unwanted thickness with a die grinder. there is no need to take the old foam off and put on new foam, if you can just shape it down to what he wants. second does he want the design tooled in leather or just embossed. it he wants it tooled I would go with 5 - 7 oz carving leather, if he wants it underlayed (dont know proper term) I would use 3 -4 oz upolstry hide.

Ashley

[David Genadek]

I'm curiouse looking at all the bike seats I notice they are all laced. Is there a reason not to do a welted seam?

David Genadek

[Don101]

@ snakehorse, he wanted fast to no foam in the seat so ive got some thin pvc foam that wont absorve water from where i work and will keep it to a minimum of thickness, thankks for the thickness guide im going to use about a 9oz for the backing and as you sugest 5-7 for the front as it will be carved,

@ David ive noticed this as well and i can only think its to go with alot of the biker leathers as there is also on waistcoats and so on lacing, and its a lot less work to lace around the seat that to aline and stitch

[Don101]

UPDATE : well ive made the template and cut and formed the backing of the seat and rivited it, the next stage is to shape and fit the foam then ill cut out the front and carve it dye it and stitch it together then im finished, thanks for the responce and tips so far, Don

[Roger]

sorry i didn't see this already!

i have been use 5-6oz leather for the seat top.

that is an aftermarket seat and you should be able to re-shape it rather that replace it. that stuff is generally moulded right to the pan. keep in mind that you need to maintain the roundness up into the back area of the seat if you do re-foam it. it will be rather uncomfortable if you don't

[Roger]

I'm curiouse looking at all the bike seats I notice they are all laced. Is there a reason not to do a welted seam?

David Genadek

to be honest i'm not sure what a welted seam is.

i guess it's "the look" that everyone wants thier seats are either laced or saddle stitched

[Don101]

to be honest i'm not sure what a welted seam is.

i guess it's "the look" that everyone wants thier seats are either laced or saddle stitched

a welted seam is when you have two pieces of leather and put another in between (piping) and stitch the now three pieces together like on a gusset of a bag or boots and so on, Don

[Roger]

sounds like that would be too bulky for a motorcycle seat

[Art]

You do welting more with upholstery leather, you would have a helluva lump if you welted 5/6oz.

Pix attached where the top of seat meets the boxing there is a welted seam, around speakers etc and on edges of seats. On box cushons usually all around the box.

Art

sounds like that would be too bulky for a motorcycle seat

[Roger]

thanks art! that is sorta what i thought welting was.

that would be one stiff, hard seam for sure!

[Cowboy Crafts Online]

Don,

About your comment that lacing is faster than sewing, all I can say is lace one it is alot faster to sew one than lace.

Also Bezzachopper, hey this is leatherman from chopperweb I used a different name because everyone here is a leatherman or woman. How is the seat biz?

Ashley

[Don101]

Don,

About your comment that lacing is faster than sewing, all I can say is lace one it is alot faster to sew one than lace.

Also Bezzachopper, hey this is leatherman from chopperweb I used a different name because everyone here is a leatherman or woman. How is the seat biz?

Ashley

sorry if it came over wrong, i was saying its probbably easier to aline and not so much work than to stitch i was only going from holsters that i had laced and made then i stand corrected and appoligies if it came over wrong i wasnt trying to put lacing down as i know its an art to its self. Don

[Roger]

Don,

About your comment that lacing is faster than sewing, all I can say is lace one it is alot faster to sew one than lace.

Also Bezzachopper, hey this is leatherman from chopperweb I used a different name because everyone here is a leatherman or woman. How is the seat biz?

Ashley

HEY! good to see you here Ashley!

the seat business is great! i have been backed up for months with orders. i finally broke down and got myself a couple barry king swivel knifes and a set of bevelers. what a difference!

[Don101]

another update the front of the seat is finished and drying,

[abn]

Seriously --- WOW

[shirleyz]

Hi Don,

that's a really cool design. I like the colors. Did you use an airbrush?

shirley

[Don101]

thanks for the nice coments, no i didnt use airbrush, i wish i still had mine as i used to have a pasher airbrush when i did airbrush paintings but i gave it up years ago and now i could have used it, i aplied the bottom base colour fibings oil saddle tan all over the seat then just as it was nearly dry i applied tandy saddle tan which is slightly reder from the outside working inwards, i used a clean rag and worked it in circles so i didnt have any staight lines of dye, i then buffed over the two coulours with another clean rag working from the center lighter colour outwards, i thed applied the black with a rag using circular motion from the outsid wotking inwards and buffed again with another clean rag from the center outwards to blend the dyes, when it was nearly dry i then crispeled ( rolled the leather creasing it ) the leather to give it an antique used look,

[Don101]

Well im finished at last i suppose the first is always hard and they get better the more you do but its been a really great experience and i thoroughly enjoyed every moment making this seat because it was somthing tottaly different than i normally do im now bald on one side of my head because i was scratching so oftern thinking how the hell would the guys and not forgeting shirley do this and make such a wonderfull job believe me you all should be proud of what you do as its not as easy as you make it look and i take my hat of to you all and ill just stick to making gunleather, ah maybe now and then a seat or two, and i would like to thank every one for the responces and advice while i was making this project. Don

Edited May 6, 2007 by Don101

[Guest]

Very nice Don,

Nothing like jumping in there and tackling a really tough shape for your first seat! That is a very sharp bend in the seat pan and a real challenge for anyone. Much less someone working on their first seat. And stitched also! Brave man.

Well done,

Dave Theobald

[Roger]

not bad at all. it has a couple rough spots but, well done for a first. there are so many different shapes that there are constant challenges