best way to cut/shape seat foam

[Davey Crocket]

I do what Big K does, give it to my trimmer [I have trained him over many years]....NB....a lot of auto trimmers have NO idea how to trim a MX seat.....some bikes need soft....some need medium....some need hard and some need a combination....it takes years to work it out....if you want to buy foam, then go to the horses mouth..ie...the supplier the trimmers get there gear from.....going to Clark rubber is like going to McDonalds for a decent hamburger....it might look like one, it may even smell like one but you know your stomach is going to disagree with you very quickly. Seat vinyl is the same, or rather not the same. I hope I haven't confused you too much....BTW, in South Aus you have Eldorado seats.....probably one of the best motorcycle trimmers around...look him up

[shelpi]

I do what Big K does, give it to my trimmer [I have trained him over many years]....NB....a lot of auto trimmers have NO idea how to trim a MX seat.....some bikes need soft....some need medium....some need hard and some need a combination....it takes years to work it out....if you want to buy foam, then go to the horses mouth..ie...the supplier the trimmers get there gear from.....going to Clark rubber is like going to McDonalds for a decent hamburger....it might look like one, it may even smell like one but you know your stomach is going to disagree with you very quickly. Seat vinyl is the same, or rather not the same. I hope I haven't confused you too much....BTW, in South Aus you have Eldorado seats.....probably one of the best motorcycle trimmers around...look him up
[/quote
Ah gay lord you are right, rite, write, wright  again but for me... for starters Im a tight arse, time poor, sick off running in a new guy and way back in my younger youth did do some upholstery and motor trim come lambs wool seat cover (sorry didnt mean to excite you kiwi's) to soon 
plus we live out bush and are used to kill and eat your own plus I'd make the seat covers out of rabbit skins if I had the time packed with top grade straw like in a horse colar, but modern times make things easier and smell better

[pecker]

Hi all I made this as per this chap on you tube but smaller much like a bread knife so good and many use's ,can use a direct hook up to 12volt car battery as well works as a pro . go see (how to make a hotwire foam cutter at home . I saw a shop use this years ago to cut cylinders of foam when I was concrete pumping "blow out balls" Merry xmas 

[shelpi]

onya Pecker merry christmas

[firko]

Can I ask where to get good firm foam from ?
Clarke rubber perhaps ?

.....going to Clark rubber is like going to McDonalds for a decent hamburger

Sadly Davy's right. Even though Clark Rubber reckon they've got foam for nearly all situations, motorbike seats isn't one of them. Bike seats need a fairly high density foam and Clarks hardest, highest density foam rubber is still way too soft. Years ago I thought I'd be "Mr DIY" and use Clark 'green' foam and a Vintage Iron cover to reupholster my Maico seat. It looked sensational and I thought I was a genius until I sat on the bugger. The seat sagged so much my fat arse went right to the frame rails. I now do what the pro's do and go to a proper motor trimmer for both foam and cover. I use Unique Marine & Auto Upholstery, 4 Cawarra St, Eastern Creek, NSW 2766..........9832 1987. These blokes specialise in boats, hot rods and street machines and have some great vinyl and leather styles and have access to all of the correct  foams. They recently did the tricky little seat on my flat tracker and without me requesting it, lined the bottom (underneath) with marine carpet. Even though it can't be seen its a neat touch that was much appreciated.

[shelpi]

Can I ask where to get good firm foam from ?
Clarke rubber perhaps ?

.....going to Clark rubber is like going to McDonalds for a decent hamburger

Sadly Davy's right. Even though Clark Rubber reckon they've got foam for nearly all situations, motorbike seats isn't one of them. Bike seats need a fairly high density foam and Clarks hardest, highest density foam rubber is still way too soft. Years ago I thought I'd be "Mr DIY" and use Clark 'green' foam and a Vintage Iron cover to reupholster my Maico seat. It looked sensational and I thought I was a genius until I sat on the bugger. The seat sagged so much my fat arse went right to the frame rails. I now do what the pro's do and go to a proper motor trimmer for both foam and cover. I use Unique Marine & Auto Upholstery, 4 Cawarra St, Eastern Creek, NSW 2766..........9832 1987. These blokes specialise in boats, hot rods and street machines and have some great vinyl and leather styles and have access to all of the correct  foams. They recently did the tricky little seat on my flat tracker and without me requesting it, lined the bottom (underneath) with marine carpet. Even though it can't be seen its a neat touch that was much appreciated.

Thanx Firko yep makes sence , the bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price. Merry Christmas

[GT43]

Thanks Davey for the info, and Firko.  -  Appreciate it.
Sounds the go.

I had the same problem to Firko.
The early nineties, I sculpted a safety seat for an RM500.
Think the Foam came from a packaging type manufacturer.
The foam was to soft as well, but it also lacked the spring back quickness.

When I got off the bike, the seat still kept the shape of my arse. lol.
Embarrassing to. 

[GT43]

Can I ask where to get good firm foam from ?
Clarke rubber perhaps ?

Sorry to deviate your thread a little Shelpi.

ah dont be sorry GT43 its all in the name of us all getting the perfect seat for our sorry arses
in the past Iv'e managed to do a passble job but just knew the guru's here would supply perfection

Cheers.
And Merry Christmas to you and all VMXers.

[FourstrokeForever]

I have to agree with going to a "proper" auto trimmer to get a seat made. It is the easiest way. The problem is, I live in the middle of Victoria and there are no motor trimmers anywhere near me. I don't trust sending anything to anyone without being able to explain exactly what I want. I have seen some pretty ordinary jobs done in the past.... So far I've been lucky enough to have a decent supply of good seat foam left over from wrecking bikes to complete other projects so I haven't needed to investigate where to get real "high density" foam from. I did try Clarkes but they didn't have any foam good enough for building bike seats. I also went to several general upholsterers in Ballarat but they couldn't help me either. So in the end, I bit the bullet and cut up left over seat foams to form a basic block. I glued several slabs together using spray on contact adhesive....just like motor trimmers do. Then I shape the foam as I explained in my prior post. I get my covers from the net for the particular model bike I'm building. I have an electric staple gun for fixing the cover to the base. It's just something else I can do myself and I get exactly the seat I want. At the end of the day, If it turns out no good, I have no one to blame but me....hasn't happened yet though. Getting on the piss with my upholsterer mate when he was my neighbor came in good for learning a little of the craft of upholstery.  Cheers one and all. 

[firko]

I just had a bit of a squiz on You Tube and found a shitload of vids explaining how to upholster a bike seat. Most are for road bikes or modern 'banana' style dirt bike seats but the theory's there. You Tube can be a wondrous thing, I'm just now discovering that there's a lot of DIY stuff that's relevant to our old bikes.
I might spend the day on the couch alternating between watching the Boxing Day Test on the telly and searching You Tube for useful stuff on the I-Pad.......Ah, life in the Lucky Country .

Here's a vid to kick off the search
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMrBU2IboPE 

[shelpi]

Good onya TBN  Im pretty much in the same boat and yes have got seats here that I have had done by a pro did a great job sort of just not how I said  :'(  so in the time it takes to drop it off and pick it up I can do about the same quality plus on the std jobs say a RM, OEM REPLICA seat covers make it feel like your cheating on the seating, price, comes with decals, quality and fit well 
Some times I wish I could do everything on a rebirth and other times would like someone else to do everything, like being a fully sponsored rider (well more like I am a lazy bastard thats worn down by life) but on average when all is well I luv to put my hand to all aspects of the rebirth and yes even upholstery

[shelpi]

Thanx Firko, Im inspired

[bazza]

electric bread knife,cover thin layer foam rubber,then seat cover

[Slakewell]

Ive had success with Clarke rubber and I buy a very dense blue foam that comes in 40mm sheet I make the seat up in layers with spray on glue then shape it, last I cover it with a 5mm soft foam that really only hides the joins and mistakes. This is the method used on my Kato as the seat is far from standard being 50mm longer for one, plus taller. Its firm with my arse on it and hasn't lost any shape.

[ozktm]

I have ridden slakes bike, and can confim he did a bloody good job with this one!