New Guy, New Seat

[billymac814]

Hello everybody, Long time lurker first time poster. This is my first seat and first real project other than the starter kit things. Any comments good or bad welcome. I had a bit of trouble with the liquids on this, mainly on the back side (luckily). I used Tandy leather and Kangaroo Lace. I ordered some Wickett& Craig leather so I'm looking forward to using good stuff. I've only been working on leather for a couple months, I got into it to make a seat for my bike but now I can't stop. Thank you to everyone, I couldn't have completed this without this site and especially David T. for all the information he has shared on this forum. Hopefully my pictures work on this.

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well looks like my pictures are too big. I'll have to see about fixing that

Heres the back side.

[billymac814]

Hello everybody, Long time lurker first time poster. This is my first seat and first real project other than the starter kit things. Any comments good or bad welcome. I had a bit of trouble with the liquids on this, mainly on the back side (luckily). I used Tandy leather and Kangaroo Lace. I ordered some Wickett& Craig leather so I'm looking forward to using good stuff. I've only been working on leather for a couple months, I got into it to make a seat for my bike but now I can't stop. Thank you to everyone, I couldn't have completed this without this site and especially David T. for all the information he has shared on this forum. Hopefully my pictures work on this.

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well looks like my pictures are too big. I'll have to see about fixing that

Heres the back side.

[MADMAX22]

Looks like a really good start. Atleast you only took a couple months before making what got you started, took me allmost two years before I finally made myself a seat which was why I started in the first place.

Lacing looks very good, overall seat construction looks really good also. Im not a seat guru though so wait for others for a definite answer.

I think your tooling although for your experience looks pretty darn good can use some improvement still looks far better then mine did after a couple of months. The WandC will help some, its so nice to tool on. If you have not allready take a read thru the pdf's paul barnett loaded in his sub sections and study that. Print it off if you can so you can have it by ya while you tool and practice the techniques that he shows in them. This will really help your tooling pop alot.

Still I think you did really great work so far. Keep going.

EDIT" forgot Paul has just uploaded one lesson so far. There are far more infos on his website, some free stuff and some you gotta pay for but honestly it is well worth it in the long run if you plan on continuing playing with your leather work.

Edited April 10, 2010 by MADMAX22

[billymac814]

Thanks for the info, I'll check out Paul's website, I definately need work on the tooling. I made this seat for practice so it's not going on my bike, it very well could take me two years to get one. I really thought Id screw it up more than I did so as a whole I was pleased it got finished. I'm excited to get the W&C, I was going to get H.O. Until I found out W&C is about 30 min away from me. Maybe I'll use up some more of the Tandy leather and practice tooling this weekend while I wait for more supplies to come.

[MADMAX22]

Why not throw it on your bike, may as well until you get ready to do another one. Get a feel for it on the bike. Plus then you can start showing off what youve done, maybe some of your buddies or passerbuyers are looking for there seats to get redone.

[billymac814]

Why not throw it on your bike, may as well until you get ready to do another one. Get a feel for it on the bike. Plus then you can start showing off what youve done, maybe some of your buddies or passerbuyers are looking for there seats to get redone.

I really thought about it since it is nicer than the cheap eBay seat I have now, but i made it for practice and the skull really isn't what I want on mine. I ordered another pan and the new leather so I'll make another one. Id also like to do a little more decorative lacing on mine. I also spent most of the day reading Paul Burnetts site and hopefully learned a lot about carving and tooling. I think I learned I need more tools too.

I read somewhere on here that Christian from Xian leather only bevels his work, is that the case? Or did I mis understand. I checked out his site and that's what it kinda looks like and it looks great even though it's a different style than most.

[MADMAX22]

I think (I dont know for sure) that Christian uses bevels and modeling tools to get the effect that he is after. He is very good at it to lol.

David is also another self taught carving guru and he is here on this site. You could maybe pm him if you have specific questions or need help.

As far as the paul barnett stuff just if anything kind of keep it as a foundation of a way to do it. You dont necessarily have to do it that way but it may help some. Good practice is the key though. Im sure your next one will look even better then this one did. Dont forget to post it up when you get it done.

[TomSwede]

Welcome to the board!!

Seat looks great and what Madmax say, a little more practice on carving and tooling will make you tool very nice designs in short time and studying Paul Burnett is very helpful

Also very good choice on using the mexican roundbraid, very tideous but gorgeous.

Tom

[dscott]

nice seat

[billymac814]

Thanks guys. I've read and reread everything on paul's site, and should be starting another as soon as my stuff comes in. The Mexican round braid is time consuming but it really does look good. I read that Dave doesn't use a needle, I went through about 6 of the split kind ones, Id like to find a better way than that but I don't see how it could be done without??