TomSwede Report post Posted May 13, 2009 I just received the seatpan for my first bikeseat. It's for a dragracingbike. I'm so glad it is not very complex and doesn't have a deadline in two weeks....NOT!!! Hm, with more experience on theese things I wouldn't be frustrated perhaps but this one gets to my nerves with that 2 week deadline, besides all this I have very little time to deal with it to start with. It is formshaped to match the bike exactly so I cant put any leather to the underside but will probably glue a thin strip around the edge. I've been looking at western style saddles for ideas around construction and have a plan. Just needed to vent a bit and show you this beast before I'll start with it for real. Isn't it funny that it looks like a toilet hmmm maybe a theme to work with for decorations... Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jbird Report post Posted May 13, 2009 Tom We here at LW know you will do a great job, but I don't think you should use the toilet theme LoL Know if you want to make it stand out and really make a statment then use every color you can think of in stripes all over it ? OK ok I guess not. I am out of ideas and good thing too, good luck Josh Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drusilla Report post Posted May 13, 2009 (edited) Hi Tom, cheer up. Sometimes to much thinking is not good. Don´t think just do. You rock that thing. 2 weeks are 336 hours or 20160 minutes, that sounds so much more but sadly it is the same . Diana P.S. my first impresssion was it is a bedpan. Edited May 13, 2009 by Drusilla Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomSwede Report post Posted May 13, 2009 I'm actually free from ordinary job next week so I should be able to get it done, depends on how many steps I have to repeat... Dropping the toilet theme...the coloured too...black is requested but the owner is crazy about grey. Normal sleep is about 7hrs per night (day;-) wich is 98 hours in 2 weeks, cutting it down to 5 is 70 hrs in 2 weeks wich is 28 hours saved for work. Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
David Report post Posted May 14, 2009 Black or Grey.... you gotta love those creative bikers..... Actually, I'm thrilled for you and especially glad that I didn't get asked to do that one! Not going to be an easy cover. I'll be interested to see how you accomplish it. Most drag bike guys don't even put leather on their seats because it adds too much weight; so I'm assuming that there will be minimal padding. Keep us posted Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drusilla Report post Posted May 14, 2009 Hey, the equation is good, less sleep more time to work What happen when you will not ready before deadline?? You have give off the seat for free?? Diana Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomSwede Report post Posted May 14, 2009 Black or Grey.... you gotta love those creative bikers.....Actually, I'm thrilled for you and especially glad that I didn't get asked to do that one! Not going to be an easy cover. I'll be interested to see how you accomplish it. Most drag bike guys don't even put leather on their seats because it adds too much weight; so I'm assuming that there will be minimal padding. Keep us posted Dave Yeah black is what it is to them but I do have the option to make it multiple colours if I want to. Maybe I use orange to go with the bikes orange reptilescales paint theme. The padding will be minimal but I don't have a weight limit because the bike is to light now. I do have a few ideas for it and working on patterns and padding right now. Worst part is to figure out how to fasten the leather to the pan since I can't go around the edges. I have three project now before this one laying unfinished because they were interrupted by next work so hope I can just get this one done before next thing pops up;-) Hey,the equation is good, less sleep more time to work What happen when you will not ready before deadline?? You have give off the seat for free?? Diana Actually this is a sponsor thing so I will have my own name and logotype somwhere on it and I can also use the bus he has to put stickers on. The bike is rideable without the seat so if I miss deadline it can still run but he has problems with sliding backwards to much without it. It's a fun challenge but I could do without this kinda tight deadline because I have lots of non leatherwork related stuff to deal with. Less sleep ha ha well in the planning and designing stage it is a good idea to sleep well so your head is ok but once everythings is planned and I got the details in my head I can cut back on sleep. Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sodapop Report post Posted May 15, 2009 brudda tom, thats a funky ass seat dude...that thing would give me headaches figurin out ...better you than me hehe...to parrot what dave said...be interesting to see how you tackle that goofy mother...like my sig says "imagination is more important than knowledge" ;0) darryl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomSwede Report post Posted May 15, 2009 Yeah, I have thousand other things on my mind so definetly not easy to figure out how to do it. Gunna clear my head with some good ol boozing tomorrow night and maybe things get moving after that...or not he he. Cheers!! Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spider Report post Posted May 18, 2009 Shoot with the look of that seat I won't be surprised if you do the job WHILE boozing...lol I'm sure you'll hook it up bro. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomSwede Report post Posted May 18, 2009 Aww ha ha I might consider a couple of beers and a cigar when it is done and hopefully I'm happy about it. Some tooling is to be done today. Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MADMAX22 Report post Posted May 18, 2009 Personally I would paint if possible the pan black. Then rivet the leather to the top edge. Or maybe use some of the black rivets that you hold leather together with (forgot there name lol). I think I would make the sides of the square back rest portion seperate pieces and lace or stitch them to the main piece. ORange with scales, oh man that sounds like you could come up with some cool ass solutions for that. Good luck man and looking forward to seeing the finished product. Yeah and you guys that seat design is probably for one of two things. The bike is shaped like that and or that back upright portion will actually keep the person in the seat when his bike is screaming down the track. If you were on a normal looking seat you would be getting dragged thru the air lol. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomSwede Report post Posted May 18, 2009 Personally I would paint if possible the pan black. Then rivet the leather to the top edge. Or maybe use some of the black rivets that you hold leather together with (forgot there name lol). I think I would make the sides of the square back rest portion seperate pieces and lace or stitch them to the main piece. ORange with scales, oh man that sounds like you could come up with some cool ass solutions for that. Good luck man and looking forward to seeing the finished product. Yeah and you guys that seat design is probably for one of two things. The bike is shaped like that and or that back upright portion will actually keep the person in the seat when his bike is screaming down the track. If you were on a normal looking seat you would be getting dragged thru the air lol. Fantastic conclusions Madmax!! I think you nailed every step of the process I work with, right now I am tooling designs onto the backpiece wich is separate and I will use rivets to attach it to the top edge and also around the other edges. Main middle piece will be separate, oversized and sewn onto separate riveted side pieces so that it will be covering the rivets. The main piece can't be riveted down because there will be a padding beneath it. I think with the separate pieces it will be easier to shape it to the pan.... probably ha ha. Lots of guesswork on this one. Prolly gunna skip the orange scales because I think the bike is a bit messy in the paintscheme. The painter obviously wanted to show his best and got a little overambitious and so am I, so I try to apply the less is more theory, still I got some killer carvings to perform. The mainpiece carving is giving me nightmares but if I can only work it out onto the transfer it'll be good I think. The raven I did was some drawinglessons for me and so will this detailed, draped grim reaper skull be. Thanks for comment, your thoughts on construction are valuable!! Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
McJeep Report post Posted May 19, 2009 Padding? Rider's only gonna be on it for 7 seconds at a time ... tell 'em to suck it up! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomSwede Report post Posted May 19, 2009 Padding? Rider's only gonna be on it for 7 seconds at a time ... tell 'em to suck it up! HA ha yeah I know but I like to work some with padding to smooth the pan underneath anyway so there will be a thin piece that I will shape a little and I really want this job to look it's best. Theese bikes spend most their time being looked at by lots of people at the races and hopefully it'll attract interest rather than look like just a piece of bolted on leather. Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
McJeep Report post Posted May 19, 2009 Ah hears ya ... just joshin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MADMAX22 Report post Posted May 19, 2009 Sounds great, dont forget to try and get some pics of it on the bike. That would be outstanding. Not that alot of us here are bike junkies or anything ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roger Report post Posted May 21, 2009 that one looks like a bit of a challenge to cover! i would go either buckskin or saddle tan color dye with an orange bike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomSwede Report post Posted May 21, 2009 It will be primarily black and sure has it's quirks. The thing that is annoying me a bit is that they had all winter to make the pan and comes up with it now!! This project was promise last summer and the bikes fiberglass shell has not changed since then. I'm gunna be mad if they need to change things for next summer when they rebuild the engine to use methanol (wich I belive will increase dimensions of everything fuel related, hoses, carbs, air intakes, fuelpumps etc). Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Roger Report post Posted May 21, 2009 It will be primarily black and sure has it's quirks. The thing that is annoying me a bit is that they had all winter to make the pan and comes up with it now!! This project was promise last summer and the bikes fiberglass shell has not changed since then. I'm gunna be mad if they need to change things for next summer when they rebuild the engine to use methanol (wich I belive will increase dimensions of everything fuel related, hoses, carbs, air intakes, fuelpumps etc).Tom LOL!! it always seems to work that way... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
