Leather coverd Hard saddle bags

[DonnieBlaze]

I am looking for any ideas in making leather covered hard saddle bags lik thoughs on harley roadking's they will be hard mounted and used on softails and dynas as well as dressers i make soft bags and want to make hardbags i saw i guy on tv make a set for a custom bike and i was wandering if any one has any idea how to do it. i don't want to just cover a set of hardbags but make my own custom designs.

Thanks

Bikerd

[dirtclod]

You might want to take a look at the Amour threads. It seems they want their leather to be hard and i bet their are some threads on the process they use to make it harder.

[BradB]

I am looking for any ideas in making leather covered hard saddle bags lik thoughs on harley roadking's they will be hard mounted and used on softails and dynas as well as dressers i make soft bags and want to make hardbags i saw i guy on tv make a set for a custom bike and i was wandering if any one has any idea how to do it. i don't want to just cover a set of hardbags but make my own custom designs.

Thanks

Bikerd

What tv show was it on?

[Timd]

One of the members here, I believe it was TroyS, did a set. Troy? You out there?

[azrider]

I am in the process of covering a pair of hard bags right now. I started with a junkyard set of Leatherlyke ABS bags so it isn't really the same thing. I talked to one of the SCA guys that makes armor, and he said that if you get one those plastic 55 gallon drums, cut it into smaller pieces, and heat them with a heat gun, you can mold the plastic. My plan before I found the bags I have was to make a wood form to bend the plastic around it. I was planning on moulding a lid, the sides, and the bottom piece, but using the leather to hold them together.

[TroyS]

Several months ago I wrapped a set of Harley hard bags... Heres a few pics...

However, if you're wanting to make your own designs and shapes, you may try Kydex for your panels then wrap them in your leather. You can heat mold your Kydex panels to the shape you are trying to achieve, then wrap them in leather with your own designs. Kydex is a Thermal Plastic that is rigid when cool, but add heat and it becomes VERY flexible and pliable. It can be molded into almost any shape with very little effort. Once the heat is removed, the Kydex hardens into the shape and becomes rigid again. People use it for gun holsters, knife sheaths and other things...

Hope this helps...

[DonnieBlaze]

Thanks for all your input your sugjestions will help me greatley

Bikerd

[hidepounder]

Troy...those look terrific. Looks like a lot of work! What do you use to seal the leather with and how often must it be re-sealed?

Bobby

[jamesg63]

Several months ago I wrapped a set of Harley hard bags... Heres a few pics...

However, if you're wanting to make your own designs and shapes, you may try Kydex for your panels then wrap them in your leather. You can heat mold your Kydex panels to the shape you are trying to achieve, then wrap them in leather with your own designs. Kydex is a Thermal Plastic that is rigid when cool, but add heat and it becomes VERY flexible and pliable. It can be molded into almost any shape with very little effort. Once the heat is removed, the Kydex hardens into the shape and becomes rigid again. People use it for gun holsters, knife sheaths and other things...

Hope this helps...

Those look awsome! Greaty Job. How did you secure the leather to the fiberglass bags? Spray adheasive? Once again great job

[TroyS]

Troy...those look terrific. Looks like a lot of work! What do you use to seal the leather with and how often must it be re-sealed?

Bobby

Thanks Bobby!

A compliment coming from you is a real notch in my belt! They were a LOT of work! Molding, re-molding, re-molding some more.... Not real hard to do, just time consuming. The bike shown belongs to a customer/friend. I sealed them with Atom Wax and told him he should bring them back to me about every 2/3 months so I can re-seal them. That was over a year ago and he hasn't brought them back yet... He's stopped by a few times and we just sit and gawk at it. I keep trying to re-seal them for him, but he likes the old, weather-beaten, distressed look. Which is the way he wants it... Well, he gets it! (quote from "Cool Hand Luke")

Those look awsome! Greaty Job. How did you secure the leather to the fiberglass bags? Spray adheasive? Once again great job

Thanks James!

I sprayed 3M-90 adhesive to a very small spot on one of the surfaces just to tack it into place, then I hand stitched it into it's final resting place. The stitching really tightened the leather into place. Then, the mounting bolts for the saddlebags assure the leather doesn't move, as well as the conchos on the outside panel hold it in place. The same goes for the lids, but I did use more adhesive with them. The hinges and latches ensure the lid panels don't go anywhere...

[MelissaBekkum]

Dear TroyS,

It appears to be witchcraft what you did. If you would be so kind, how did you pull the edges under/over to the inside of the bags and lids? Fabulous work, thanks for sharing!

 

Melissa