Best Paints To Use For Seats And Final Finish

[troy]

Have decided to carve my own seat and would like to paint it after wards (in preferance to dying) but considering the battering its gonna get I am wondering what paints are best to use, the usual acylics or something different and what is the best finish to cover it with to help with weather and my back side etc.

cheers for any pointers

Paul

[Sanch]

You may want to re think this if you're gonna ride I don't trust acrylics although I have had good luck with ETAC brand of airbrush.paint.

[GoldenKnight]

As a general rule, the dyes penetrate the leather vs. paints that stick to the surface of the leather.

If you are going to take the time and attention to detail to paint portions or parts of the seat, then why not simply do that with the colored leather dye? You will be investing just as much precision into the coloring process & you want it to last.

Just my $0.02

[Sanch]

As a general rule, the dyes penetrate the leather vs. paints that stick to the surface of the leather.

If you are going to take the time and attention to detail to paint portions or parts of the seat, then why not simply do that with the colored leather dye? You will be investing just as much precision into the coloring process & you want it to last.

Just my $0.02

what you said! any way the ETAC paints im talking about are heat set and water based but they would need a lac top coat ....see attached....

[Art]

E'TAC has good product for TNT (Teeshirts and Tagging). You might also want to explore urethane paint which is solvent based and a lot more durable for things like auto and bike apps. I use Xotic out of Minneapolis, but there are other brands.

But first, look into stains. Look at some of Peter Main's work, he has proven there is no need for paint.

Art

[troy]

after careful and deep thinking about this, I have come to the conclusion that if I am gonna go to all the trouble of making a fantastic carving, braiding the works then I'm better off letting someone else do it - no perhaps not, I feel alot of testing dyes on skraps of leather coming on - oh well here we go into another different venture.

cheers

[OdinUK]

Please can someone advise how to heatset on leather without damaging the leather. I was considering using a hot air gun but but Ive not tried it yet. I have some acrylic paint for textiles and leather and for textiles I hear that folk use an iron to heatset the paint. Thanks.

[Spinner]

Please can someone advise how to heatset on leather without damaging the leather. I was considering using a hot air gun but but Ive not tried it yet. I have some acrylic paint for textiles and leather and for textiles I hear that folk use an iron to heatset the paint. Thanks.

A hairdryer with a high heat setting will work with most and an automotive heat gun will definitely work but as you mentioned, you have to be careful not to burn the leather. Another trick is to lay a light thickness towel over the piece and iron over the towel. This keeps the iron off the leather but provides enough heat to heat set the paints. Experiment on scrap first to find the right setting for your area.

[David]

Here's my two cents also. It doesn't matter what brand of paint you use, what top coat you put on or what you use to set the paint. Eventually it is going to end up on the seat of someone's jeans.

Dave Theobald

[Art]

You can airbrush or hairbrush stain and get a little longer life, but even that is not long for the world if you really ride. My old pan was like sitting on a sander, the evo is a lot better. If it's for a show bike, there won't be a lot of wear, but for a go bike, everything wears out. Ain't it Grand!

Art

[David]

I would put the life expectancy of the paint on a seat at less than 3 months for below average use. But if the owner is a daily rider of his bike, with the bike sitting in the sun, a couple rainy days, etc. The paint will be looking pretty shabby in a month. My advice is stick to dyes and antiquing. This will show less wear and can be freshened up as needed....

JMHO

Dave Theobald

Edited September 26, 2012 by David

[OdinUK]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I probably wont attempt paints on seats but I have have some fabric/leather paint that needs heating to set, Ill be using that for other projects.

[Jimbob]

lets ride naked....so it wont stick to our jeans.....!!!!!!

[bustedlifter]

Bic permanent markers. They look great when you put it on and even better when they're wearing off.

[Jimbob]

Me using acrylic leather paint, very light super fine wet sanding and then several super fine coats of neat lac.....some of my buddies ride their arses off them seats and the paint is still on there....hmmmm...??!!

[FHL FERG]

lets ride naked....so it wont stick to our jeans.....!!!!!!

I'm in!

[David]

If the paint is still on there, they haven't worn through the neat lac yet.....it is coming.

[troy]

Finally got round to the carving and have decided to just dye it plain black and highlight the W and K in maroon, which would make it fit in with the bikes colours.

Encountered another problem thou. In the process of taking the old seat apart (plastic leather looking stuff over reformed foam on a thin steel sheet base)found that the steel plate has severe rust problems and that water must of got into the foam at some point, so before I can fit my new cover I have now to get new foam and possibly a new base - possibly I say, definetly really..was thinking of using aluminuim this time, any advice as to what should be used.

[Spincycle]

Man, that is sick carving! I can't wait to see it all together. I could only dream of being able to draw and carve like that. Nice!

[Spinner]

agreed, that is one hell of a nice carving.

[troy]

Finally finished the seat and I feel sooo glad its over.

ref's the placing of the leather, that was one hell of a task, cause did'nt help myself by using 3.5mm leather but to get the carving i wanted..........any how had to first re wet the sides of the leather, soaked em completly using warm water from a kettle leaving the carving area as untouched as possible. let is soak in a plastic bag while I had to run to town and do some important xmas stuff, then soaked again upon my return. The started the great task of moulding it around the foam and steel base. originally the foam was square cut but due to the ease a bevel would make and the fact that due to this square cut, it tended to cut into the legs over long distances, I bevelled the top edges which really shows to me on the finished seat, it did also make the moulding marginally easier. Way i did it was punch holes around the leather then used paracord to thread through them and pull the whole thing together. This I did again and again until after various cuts, swearing, panting and aching knockles I had the leather the sixe I needed. took it off punched holes for the lace and used an awl for those places that would be stitch underneath, then threaded the lace and (I used sinew) the thread loosly, replaced the leather onto the seat and tied them up. I had actually placed a plastic bag over the foam to stop it getting wet and due to the hordes of wet weather we get here, I decided to keep it on.

Dying it came next, and I started by covering it in black stain, rubbed it off then covered it with black dye, rubbed it off again, then coated in aussie conditioner and boot polish after that had all dried. As can be seen, there are a few faded area's, which is what I was after, I did'nt want solid black as...well I find that boring, plus I thought the different tones would match the colours of the bike. Due to using thick leather, it did want to be a pain putting it back on, but thats what happens when you play with things. Have sat on it and it feels really fine but have'nt ridden it yet and probably won'e while ourt usual scottish weather plays havak with everything.

Overall this task was different for me. Have moulded leather before over saddle forks but given the 2 inches of foam, this was slightly different in that their was only one solid side, the steel base. But in the end I think I'm gonna feel great crusing the roads on this and can't wait to see what the harley riders at our local gathering next year make of it. If someone wanted one done, I think I'd enjoy doing them, they are different and slightly reberious......

[mikesmith648]

Nice work on that seat....ride safe

[David8386]

Looks good on the bike. Nice job

David

[Cozee]

If you are still looking for paint, the Wicked line of airbrush paints work really well on leather vests and coats. I like it far better than Etac. SEM also has paints for automotive leather that works great also. SEM also has prepping materials that I recommend.