Author Topic: Making a seat  (Read 1728 times)

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Offline ola_martin

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Making a seat
« on: September 04, 2012, 08:35:01 pm »
Has anyone here made their own seat?
I have a couple of bikes that doesn't have a OEM seat, and I don't want to be using something that doesn't fit the frame...

I made one for my Cheney XT this winter, using a fiberglass YZ125C base, wich I cut apart and removed/added fiberglass to make it follow the frame.
Then used a foam for the same bike, and added on and grinded off foam where it needed, then taped the whole seat tight with duct-tape, glued on a 3mm layer of stiffer foam to hide the tape. Then glued a soft wolly 4mm layer to the back of the cover to straighten things a bit more.

A lot of work, but turned out good.


I'm now starting on a seat for my Cheney XL, found that a RM125-78 foam looks about right.

Thinking of making a new base in alloy, but I probably need to modify the foam a bit here also.
So any tips on how to make a modded foam look good will be very welcome!! :)
 

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Re: Making a seat
« Reply #1 on: September 04, 2012, 08:43:48 pm »
The upholsterer who I've used to make seats for me in the past glues (with spray adhesive I think) layers of foam on top of one another then shapes them roughly with an electric carving knife before sanding them to shape with an orbital sander (air powered)

Offline Rod Rocket

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Re: Making a seat
« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2012, 06:57:55 am »
I moulded a new seat foam, I mocked up the old seat pan with styrene and clay and made a fiber glass mould and cast flexable foam seat from the mould. Then I did some final shaping with a angle grinder with a flap disk fitted it worked well and removed the excess foam with ease I also tried a belt sander seams any form of sander will do the job but you need to approach this task with care I found with the grinder using a wiping motion worked quite well and blended the foam easily.
Regards Rod.
I,m not very smart but I can lift heavy objects.(well I used to be able to.)

Offline Mike52

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Re: Making a seat
« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2012, 07:03:09 am »
cast flexable foam
Regards Rod.

Where did you buy the foam stuff Rod and was it any good.
Cheers
85/400WR,86/240WR,72/DKW125,Pe250c,TC90,TS100,XT250,86/SRX250,XR400r
Friend  struggling up a hill on a old bike at MTMee .http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjj6E2MP9xU.

Offline Rod Rocket

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Re: Making a seat
« Reply #4 on: September 05, 2012, 07:18:13 am »
Hi ola_martin,
This is from a previous post
Hi maimline & MICK-DE,
I test rode the bike with a piece of fabric as cover to check shape before we cover it with gripper vinyl and it feels good even the gear change has a better feel with the way my foot sits on the peg due to the changed angle to my knee's. The product I used was flexable polyurathane foam 130Kg per M/3 there are various densitys in this foam I chose the highest density.
 The supplier is Barnes  Products Pty Ltd
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I,m not very smart but I can lift heavy objects.(well I used to be able to.)

Offline ola_martin

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Re: Making a seat
« Reply #5 on: September 06, 2012, 04:52:24 pm »
Thanks guys! :)

Offline grouty

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Re: Making a seat
« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2012, 05:47:10 am »
I have just had the CCM foam replaced. The upholsterer uses foam in layers, but where you want it a little stiffer he stretches and glues on a layer of muslin. Works a treat, I now have a seat that won't let my arse hit the fibreglass base !
The shaping is done as above.
The Cheney is looking good  :)
Thumpers Rule !

Offline ola_martin

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Re: Making a seat
« Reply #7 on: September 10, 2012, 06:44:40 am »
Thanks, but please explain to me what muslin is......??

Offline David Lahey

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Re: Making a seat
« Reply #8 on: September 10, 2012, 07:23:43 am »
muslin is a type of lightweight woven fabric
one thing about the electric carving knife is that be prepared to buy another one after you have shaped a seat foam. I only got one foam cutting session out of my wife's electric knife and it was worn out. Maybe there is some sort of lube I should have used between the blades?
previous pseudonym feetupfun