A new, wet molded seat

[badjustice]

Matt, I do seats differntly than some guys.

If you take apart a stock seat, you'll see the pattern is not flat. I don't know how other seat makers make a flat panel fit a deep seat. Even with hours of wetting and stretching, I can't do it without wrinkles. So, I make the pattern as though I was going to do the cover in upholstery leather - just like a pattern for a stock seat. I do the top panel and mold it to the top, then attach the side panels, wet just the sides then stretch the sides around the bottom edges. I dye everything before I assemble. I swear, doing it this way, I can cover a bowling ball without a wrinkle.

Here's a picture I posted a few days ago of the top carved and shaped

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.