Make your own seat Bobber style.....

Waiting on dyes. It shrank up I little bit, but it will works.

 

Lookin' GOOD!!!

skillet

 

yea, all of my dyes came in today, but black.. Of course the first one I need dosen't show up lol.

 

How 'bout a how-to on using dyes :wink: ???

skillet

 

I would love some tips. My current seat is in the photo below. Right now, there is a rubber tube "glued" around the edges as trim. It comes off when riding because the heat melts the glue. I would love to see some directions on your stitch patterns and what material you use for stitching.

Also, I know that I asked in the past, but I still don't quite understand how to go about making the mount to attach to the bolt on the fuel tank. I would really like to add springs to my seat, because as you can see it is a real hard tail. If someone could make one for me (I would pay) or send me clear directions including parts, I would appreciate that.

Thanks.

 

My seat isn't mounted onto the tank. I have a separate mount that I have made. a2zcustomupholstery has a mount that bolts to the tank, but Not sure if it would work with your setup. It would raise your seat up probably and inch and a half. As for stitching most of the leather seats posted on this thread have been laced. There are some good how to videos on youtube for stitching. For this seat I am going to keep the lacing pattern simple. Next one I may do a basket weave.

I would love to do a tutorial on how to dye. I have the process down, but not sure which dyes work with which. I am doing a black dye, then I am doing a resist on the skull to try and keep the natural leather color. I am not sure if my resist technique is going to work or not. Apparently not all Sheens resist all dyes.. So It is a trial and error right now. So as far as it stands I am cleaning the leather, dyeing the black areas, resisting the skull and checkard flag, and finally dyeing entire thing light brown. Then using my finish coat on it, and buffing a little.

 

I am thinking of using a door hinge at the tank and a 2 inch springs in the back. If I don't like it, I'll just go back.

 

Seems like (in my case) "trial and error" usually ends up with too much of the latter. Keep us posted. THANKS...

skillet

 

I have a few minor errors. One is the fact that I cut the leather before it was done drying. So you can see where it shrank on the left side and a few other spots. But I plan on making more seats for friends and on those bikes I will be spot on. This is on my personal bike so I can handle a few errors of my own. Unfortunately I tend to point out my own flaws, so the list of flaws are growing on my bike lol. I am going to make an actual list so that when the random people that approach me to compliment my bike I can just hand them a copy of it and say " You may like my bike now, but after reading this you may want to revoke your last statement about it."

 

New seat I have made almost done.



Learned A lot. Need to use different lace next time, and on the brown dye I ran it onto the chekardboard pattern. The resist didn't seem to be working so I stopped. Went with a base ball stitch?? if that is correct. My next seat I will not get dye where I want it, and will do a more interesting design.

 

Oh yea new house and garage, not unpacked yet.. Need to get that wiring in my ammo cans next.

 

Ammo can saddle bags. Hmmmm. interesting idea for the XJ owner on a budget

Thanks!

 

I think a few people have done it on here. Some use them as battery boxes, they are great since they are water proof. I like to leave mine a bit on the beat up and rusty side.

 

Too bad about the bleed-over, liked your graphics. Pretty sure that would be a baseball stitch. IMHO it would look better with holes closer to the edge (smaller and tighter lookin' stitch maybe). I hate movin' (everybody does though)!!!

skillet

 

I didn't want to get to fancy with this lacing job. Next one I will do a good round basket weave. I like the way It turned out. I love doing the tattoo art in the leather. I could do it all day if I had things to make. I still have a nice amount of leather. Not sure what to try and make right now though. Maybe go for a tool bag.. Idk, maybe just some patches. I could do some sik skulls.. Just need things to put them on.

 

@ Hasersys I have to agree with you. Tooling leather is alot of fun. I enjoy the leather work instead of sewing up seats. I just like the fact that you take a piece of leather, Bang the hell out of it, glue it to a piece of steel, sit on the couch and lace that sucker up. i have a few old school patterns that has a small tool bag if you want to try it. Let me know Bro......

 

I am just wondering if my bike needs a tool bag. My girlfriend brought up a good point that it may make it look a little cluttered so I am not sure If i am going to make one yet. Idk. The last few days I have been moving my stuff and unpacking, yard work, so much I am fried. We just bought a place in Vle, so I guess technically I live in Vero now. I can't wait to get all of our stuff unpacked from the garage so I can claim the second half of it my motorcycle space, and work shop area.

 

Oh, this is my current project. Restoring my old rc plane. While moving.. I have been thinking, what would need leather all over it when it comes to my rc plane stuff.. And I can't think of anything. Covering a flying brick with an O.s .40La engine wouldn't be a bright idea.

 

A nice leather cover for the controller would be cool. Do you have a tool box for it?

 

Nope never had a field box. I have always just brought my stuff with me in my truck box.