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Old 22-09-07, 03:21 PM   #1
stewie
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Default Seat sculpting

Has anyone ever sculpted there seat to make it lower/narrower, Ive just had a quote to lower riders seat and recover both riders and pillions seat £85.00 plus vat, what does anyone think, Id have a go meself but dont want to mess it up
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Stew
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Old 22-09-07, 03:28 PM   #2
kwak zzr
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Default Re: Seat sculpting

my mate did his buell seat no problems, just had to get a heavy duty staple gun for the re covering.
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Old 22-09-07, 04:01 PM   #3
embee
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Default Re: Seat sculpting

Done it a few times on SV and Deauville seats.

Basically if you're handy with tools at all it's not a problem. There are a couple of tips/tricks to bear in mind.

You need a sturdy workbench.
As long as the base is plastic, simply prise out the old staples with a suitable flat screwdriver. Mind your fingers, always work away from your hands/body, never towards yourself.

A 12" hacksaw makes an ideal tool for cutting the foam. Alternatively electric bread knives are excellent. You can smooth foam surfaces with a small angle grinder, best done outside due to the dust generated!

Set the base up on the workbench, preferably at the correct angle as it is on the bike, and mark out horizontal lines on both sides (felt pen) as references.
Mark lines across the seat and then measure/draw your profile on each side to cut to. Make sure it's symmetrical.

Depending what shape you're aiming for, a possible trick is to take a top slice off the foam, to be replaced after shaping, then take a second slice off and refit the top piece. This way you can keep a smooth surface on the top. Fix loose foam in place with a few dots of silicone sealant.
You can slot the foam a couple of cm from edges and insert wedges to widen the seat etc. Various tricks.

I usually cover the foam with some upholstery cloth to smooth it before refitting the seat cover. Hold with a few staples.
Warm the cover with a hairdryer/fan heater etc.

Fit the cover loosely and decide where the centre at the front and back should be (useful to mark the cover and base before dismantling). Hold the seat firmly against the workbench and staple front and rear centres using a good quality staple-gun (Arrow, Rapesco etc). I use 8mm staples.

If you don't hold it firmly against a solid bench it will bounce and the staples won't go fully home.

Then ease the sides down and fix the middles first, and work forwards and backwards towards the ends. Don't pull the cover too tight, just enough to smooth out wrinkles.

Staples will tend to rust (unless you use stainless). Paint them with black enamel paint or I like to use polyurethane varnish.

First time you do it a second pair of hands can be useful at times, but when you get the hang of it you can do it single handed no problem.
It gets easier with practice!
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Old 22-09-07, 04:33 PM   #4
Sideshow#36
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Default Re: Seat sculpting

Must admit I did my Mrs's Monster with a breadknife and it was a lot easier than I thought. Then a bit of rough sandpaper to smooth it all off and re-cover with a staple gun. It took me a couple of hours and that was my first time.
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Old 22-09-07, 05:25 PM   #5
BILLY
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Default Re: Seat sculpting

Get a second hand seat off ebay and if you balls it up you can have another go
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Old 22-09-07, 05:43 PM   #6
stewie
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Default Re: Seat sculpting

Thanks guys have actually got a second seat coming pretty soon, so may well give it a go after all
Cheers
stew
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Old 23-09-07, 08:51 AM   #7
clodge
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Default Re: Seat sculpting

Not sure if it's too late, but we got our seat lowered (this was in London) but the bloke came to where I work and lowered the seat (I just took the seat into work) and it cost £45 so I would say £85 was a bit on the steep side.
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Old 26-09-07, 12:34 AM   #8
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Default Re: Seat sculpting

Use an electric carving knife...cuts the foam like a hot knife through butter.
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Old 26-09-07, 11:46 AM   #9
johnnyrod
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Default Re: Seat sculpting

Thisis my cut down one in profile, there is loads of foam in there at the front especially!

http://www.johnnyrod.co.uk/bike4.jpg
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