Latest step by step seat build

[David]

I have not attempted one of these step by step posts for quite a while.

I've been getting some requests that I make a more complete post like this.

Please come back daily to see how its coming.

This seat is going on the premier build from a new bike shop here in Cincinnati. Some of you may recognize the name.... Hopefully it will make a magazine or two.

There is a time deadline on this one, So here we go.

Today, the artwork, and transfering it to leather. Many leather workers use that plastic film to trace their pattern on the leather. Since I usually only make a seat one time, I use plain old paper to trace to the leather.... so secrets here.

Hope you all enjoy this one

Dave

[Storm]

Beautiful start David! I love you design! The art is going to be great when you finish carving it all out. Look forward to seeing this bad boy as you go along.

Storm

[tab69pr]

do you glue your seat to the plastic to keep it from stretching?

[terrahyd]

LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS...........DOC....

[David]

Beautiful start David! I love you design! The art is going to be great when you finish carving it all out. Look forward to seeing this bad boy as you go along.

Storm

Thanks Storm,

This is pretty tedious cutting and tooling but that's the stuff I enjoy.

Keep checking back, it will eventually be finished.

Dave

do you glue your seat to the plastic to keep it from stretching?

I back the leather with packing tape and then rubber cement it to the wood tooling board. The board is 1.5" thick.

Dave

LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS...........DOC....

Thanks Doc,

It will eventually get finished. I know it doesn't look like much now.

Dave

[MADMAX22]

Great start David,

I was wondering since this obviously takes you a while do you let the leather dry out between tooling sessions or do you bag it or something.

[David]

Great start David,

I was wondering since this obviously takes you a while do you let the leather dry out between tooling sessions or do you bag it or something.

Thanks for the question MadMax. I hope this doesn't start some sort of firestorm.

One of the many things I've discovered that goes against conventional wisdom. I know I'll catch heck for this so I'll tell you now that I'm not trying to start an argument or even a discussion.

It has been my experience that whether the leather drys out or not makes very little difference. Tests have proven that the leather hardens with each drying.....by .003%. That isn't enough to be noticeable by carvers. This hardening accelerates after about a dozen dryings....but I'm finished long before then.

If I really want to keep the leather damp I simply turn the tooling board face down on my marble top workbench.

Try it.

Dave

Edited November 23, 2009 by David

[MADMAX22]

Thanks for the info. Ill probably start doing that also as my schedule doesnt allow for alot of things and keeping the leather wet inbetween casings is one of them. I usually end up trying to do all my tooling at one sitting and sometimes I just dont have the hours to sit and tool at one time period.

[David]

Thanks for the info. Ill probably start doing that also as my schedule doesnt allow for alot of things and keeping the leather wet inbetween casings is one of them. I usually end up trying to do all my tooling at one sitting and sometimes I just dont have the hours to sit and tool at one time period.

If you do decide to try it, turn your work upside down and place some weights on it. This will prevent the edges from curling up.

Dave

[David]

Today I had a few interruptions, The Bengals and the Colts..... So I didn't get quite as much finished as I had hoped.

The tooling continued as did the swivel knife work. I alternate back and forth to give my hands a rest.

Today the Phoenix was almost finished.

Thanks for taking a look.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Dave Theobald