badjustice

Sweet! Now you need to cover that seat for'em. Can he actually ride around with a gun attached to his bike in Alabama?

I made this for my son he love Super Mario. I havent posted in a LOOOONG time. Merry Christmas Matt Justice

Dale, It's nice to see another Michigander, I'm in Farmington Hills. Welcome to the forum. Matt

I do all my design in Adobe Illustrator and then plot it out on my vinyl cutter with a sharpie placed in it instead of the cutter blade. I use that plastic roll stuff you buy from Tandy. I know most people don't have a plotter but you could use a Cricut cutter used for scrapbook die cutting. I hacked my wife's using a software called Sure Cuts a lot and it made the Cricut able to use your own fonts and shapes. There is also a program called Inkscape (free) that allows you to make the vector graphics without shelling out the money for the Adobe Illustrator. If you do this I wouldn't use the markers that you can buy from Cricut, they don't stick to plastic very well sharpie works the best and they sell a small sharpie that I think will fit. I scan out a hand drawn pic or a photo then trace it out in Illustrator. I like doing it this way so that I can put my drawings with computer fonts. Hope this helps. Matt I did this one on paper first to test it out on my plotter.

I myself like it too. But I'll tell you no one can read the dang thing. I have to tell everyone and then they say"OH, I see it now!". Matt

I like this one. Matt

Gary, cool looking seat! Is that for a bicycle or a motorcycle? Matt

No, I think I just don't like paint on leather. I like the look of oil dyes. Paint in my opinion takes away from the tooling. At least not on something small like this. Larger projects I think look good painted especially with large untooled (I think I'm making a word here) areas. Like this mask. But I'll try just about anything, I'm not afraid to screw it up. I'll just make another one and give this one to my son who likes it.

I Don't think I like it. Making a new one in the morning. It will be brown. :-( Matt

OK, I'm going for it. Matt

I think I'm going to leave it alone. I like that no one can see it. I might make another one and put something rude on it. ;-) Matt

You know it's funny, everyone asks me that. Don't look at the black and it will say JUSTICE CUSTOMS. Matt

Thank's Ken and Tom. Yes, it is my design. I'm glad you like it! I like the white idea for the web but would the acrylic paint be tough enough for a wallet? I've painted some projects before and they looked great but never something that was going in my pocket and getting used as much as a wallet. Do you guy's have any tips to make this work? I can paint it no problem. Should I hot set it with a heat gun? Matt

I needed a new wallet to go with my new belt. Not sure what color to go with. Matt

Thank you Roger, that is some good info. I never know how to space the dang things and just wing it the best I can. I like how tight that lace looks. I'm going for the X pattern look only using the basket weave. I wanted some space between the lace. That is one killer seat! I really like that shaider too. Is that from Hide Crafter? Matt

I needed a new belt and tried something new. I wanted to see what it would look like if I didn't use a swivel knife just a beveler tool. I don't think I will do it again but it still looks OK. Plus I did this in an actual color and not in black (I like black). Matt

Thanks Roger, I'm going with the 3/16 lace. I did a test run on on some scrap, it turned out good. I was wondering how you determine spacing. Matt

The seat has been wet molded and I am ready to start work on the sides. You guy's have been a lot of help, this seat has been a lot fun to do. Matt

Tina, I checked out your etsy store. You got some skills. I like the Medusa purse. I see you are from Michigan is there a local leather group or club that get together that you know of? I'm in Farmington. Matt

Thank you Tina. That looks like an easier way than the way I was going to do it. Matt

The POW seat is coming along good. I think I'm going to try the "Mexican Basket Weave" as I've never done that on a seat or on anything for that matter. Does anyone have any tips for the weave or is there a good tutorial anyone knows about? Matt

Thank you Ian, That info will help a lot. It looks like you made the pattern for the sides after you made the top, I think I'll try that too. I sometimes I think about how I'm going to make it all fit together way too far into the process. I've only made two seats and have been happy with how they turned out. But now want to learn to do them smarter and better. You looked like the right guy to ask. Matt P.S. This was my first seat. I pounded that background tool on here for hours.

So what's the trick to molding it so nicely? Do you vacuum bag it? Tell me, PLEASE! I'm always fighting it. Is there a tutorial on here somewhere? Matt

Here is an idea I have for a seat I am making. The back is going to have skirting that will say POW-MIA. I altered the logo so that it would fit better on the seat. but I don't want to offend any Vet's out there. So, what do you think? I don't want someone to go all "Rambo" on me for the layout. I do all my layout in Illustrator and plot it out on that transfer stuff you buy from Tandy (it saves me a boatload of time). Matt

Man, I know you were pounding on that for days. Great job! It look real clean. Matt