Make your own seat Bobber style.....

Well Grunt, You got to start with Veg-tanned leather 3-4 ounce then Tool it with a pear shape stamp and beat the hell out of it. Cool thing is, that it is truely a one of a kind project. Wait til this thing is done. I left the best for last.

 

What is the "best" adhesive for gluing the leather down???

skillet
BTW did a nice job lacing and making the tooling look random...

 

@skillet, I used wedge wood glue. I think you can buy at Homedepot. I buy it from my upholstery supplier by the 5 gal. Spray both sides and let sit about 10 minutes and slap those suckers together. yep, the tooling was very time consuming. Thanks for looking...

 

I was thinking the same thing. The tooling must have taken a long long time. Still waiting to get some dyes and stuff to finish my seat up. I am on hold right now. Waiting for Piper to call me back. lol

 

Mine is in no way as professional as yours but I just thought I would show you the one that I did for my bobber based off of your thread and instruction. I started with a flat piece of 12 guage steel and cut out a pattern and used a three pound hammer to round the metal into a whale tail and then just followed the instructions on how you explained. I just have to figure out how to make the leather less pliable and water proof.

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dirticops, ya' done GOOD!!!

skillet

 

Skillets right, dude good job. If you lace the opposite direction, you'll have a base ball stitch pattern. It would look like a cross pattern. Way to go dirticops!!!!!

 

I dont think I left enough room in my holes but I am gonna make one for my buddy now and I will stitch his that way. I will say it is addicting, I was wondering how I could waterproof the leather? I should have bought thicker leather, this is soft deer skin, it looks good but man is it soft.

 

@ dirticops the only thing I could suggest is to use mink oil to seal and saddle soap to clean it. On your next seat, start off with veg-tanned leather. Your right, doing this leather work is alot of fun and not hard. Also, there are Tandy Leather stores all across the U.S. that give classes on how to tool leather for FREE. Just an FYI. Thanks!!!!

 

heres the front. Time to move on to the back. My shop will be closed this weekend. Reserve duty stuff. here is what I had in mind. Now comes the leather and lacing.

 

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.

 

Love the seat....
The fender.... I guess it could grow on you

 

Well got the rear fender done. Still along way to go...Thanks for looking

 

You sure do some NICE work!!!

skillet

 

Thanks Skillet. I can't wait til the whole bike is done. I have a long-long way to go.Wait til you see what I'm doing on the tank. That is Bad- AS$.

 

The process is very easy. You start off with veg-tanned leather, which you could buy on e-bay. find an image on the computer. Transfer the image to paper than to the leather. The colors are painted on with a very fine brush ( cost me 23.00) for 9 thin hairs. Lacing can be found on the computer. Punch in Mexican basket weave lacing. There is a step by step diagram. Hope this helps, if not PM me and I'll walk you through the process. Be careful, once you start you won't stop.......... Here is an exaple

 

Easier said than done (like most things)! The REAL key is practice :wink: !!!

skillet

 

I have some goot patterns on bascket weaving lace. the links are on my other computer that is not hooked up at the moment, but when I get around to it I will post the links to them. I am wanting to do a pin up skull on the next one I carve. I just have nothing to put it on at the moment. I am about to draw up the next peice.

I am trying to figure out what I can tool to sell on ebay so I can obtain more tools, or dyes. At the moment I have collected a good amount of tools, dyes and lace, but would like more. I need to get some small buckles for tool bags, and I was wanting to make my dog a new collar. It will be a while before I can get a new seat pan to build to sell. If you have any ideas let me know. I would even be willing to sell just my tooled leather as a patch or seat cover.

 

I may be making a friend of mine a new seat for his road king. I am just wondering what everyone is using for there ass padding. I have been using a yoga mat. It works really good, but my friend is wanting a very soft seat. Anyone have somthing they are using that is very soft?

 

HHmmm I have a video I will post of me making it in a few minutes as well. Just a video of the entire make of it. about 3 hours of work cut, and speed up to 10 minutes of video. If anyone is interested in the processes. I am no expert, and my methods are rudimentary to say the least, but I enjoy my work.

a2zcustomupholstery add this to your list of things you need to make for your bike lol

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXWcsmQh9mE

 

Way to go man. That came out very cool. Great video.......

 

Liked the vid!!!

skillet
BTW sure wish I could move that fast :roll: !!!

 

got the grip covers done....

 

Again, NICE work!!!

skillet

 

Thanks Skillet!!!!!Was very easy....

 

Just wondering, is that the natural leathers color or a light tan dye?

 

Started with veg-tanned leather and added Canyon red dye. You like that idea?

 

I like the color, almost a tan its nice.