I wish all this info was around (maybe it was and I didn't know it) when I attempted to do my first botched seat. Sounds pretty easy now hobot, didn't mean to scare you. So you have other motives for re-doing your seat, other than just doing something nice for your Norton?????
Seat cover fastening?
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DogT
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I did my seat with only the OB information and only thing I botched was I put the old foam back in and I didn't measure the sides of the old seat cover. So I had to unhook some clips, install some new foam and re-set the cover. Despite that, it turned out fine, I didn't use any glue, I used the new hooks that were fewer in number than what was originally on it. Like I say, when you take the old one apart, you will see immediately how it goes together. And I'm not a rocket scientist.
Dave
69S
Dave
69S
Onder
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New. Well there you are. The little clips are serious money. Now you,
as a seat pro, can tell us the Secret Source of clips ? Somebody makes
these little bits and then sells them to the trade Im sure. Id be happy
too to use new and plenty of them but not at ebay prices.
Any help here?
as a seat pro, can tell us the Secret Source of clips ? Somebody makes
these little bits and then sells them to the trade Im sure. Id be happy
too to use new and plenty of them but not at ebay prices.
Any help here?
Onder said:
Well, I checked with Rabers, in San Jose, CA and this is what I found. 6 to 7 bucks plus postage. I guess I might do better if I went to a Marine Supply or Auto Upholstery wholesale supply house, but I would probably just order from Rabers (I like them). I build wholesale custom beds and upholstered cornices, so I am somewhat out of the loop one these kinds of fasteners.
I got my new ones from them when I reupholstered my seat. They had plenty of temper. I hate spring clips that are weak and bend too easily.
http://www.rabers.com/search/doSearch.a ... &B1=Submit
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Well I was able to recover Trixie's seat cover from Old Brits who sent me their least wrong pattern of cross pleats instead of a basket weave texture I'd returned. I thought clips came with the side trim but was able to slip knife under the sharp prongs and bend trim to slide em off. Looks good as any factory brick seat and logo. I was surprised to see fatigue fractures in middle but no time to weld so beat even and tried to paint over rust. This is the funny part, almost full spray can quit spraying after a bit so with drying sun getting low just stabbed the bottom with knife and got the whole thing soaked in 2 sec flat, including my arm in over spray splash speckles that will just have to wear off. Now if the seat rubbers will stay in when I attempt them, then all set for another few decades. Thanks for hand holding to get me to take it on but lucked out nothing too bad to interfere as feared.
just read up above
Onder
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My seat pan on the 74 is as rusted as the one in the contact cement photo is. Commando pans are thinish and the paint
even thinner. Had to do some judicious brazing and then had it powdered. New cover kit on after that. Walridge.
However, on my T150 I scoured the pan with a wirewheel and then used POR15 on it. I sure looks good and it
is bullet proof paint. Cheaper than powder.
even thinner. Had to do some judicious brazing and then had it powdered. New cover kit on after that. Walridge.
However, on my T150 I scoured the pan with a wirewheel and then used POR15 on it. I sure looks good and it
is bullet proof paint. Cheaper than powder.
concours
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Diablouph said:I do upholstery for a living. I have never liked point attachment where there is a large space between attachment points. I also don't like to see attachment points doing double duty.
When I did my seat, I first scraped the paint off the inner bottom edge of the seat. I marked a line around the seat bottom about 1.5" deep. Then I fitted the seat right where I wanted it, using clamps. You have to slit the fabric so take your time, tightening up until you have it right. Laundry pins are usually not strong enough. I trimmed the cover a little, but left at least 3". Then I painted contact cement on the seat bottom down to the line and on the cover down about 2.5". I do about 6" at a time, and I use 2 coats, but I'm anal. While the cement is drying on one side, you can work on the other. When you have a section done, you can cut the fabric with a carpet knife along the line since the material will not stick beyond it with contact cement on only one side. The clips now only have one thing to do, keep the trim strip on. If it comes off, who cares, just reattach or buy a new one. The seat fabric is going nowhere.
There is nothing inherently wrong with using the clips to hold the fabric and the trim strip. Bike have been built for a long time that way. Best of luck with you seat Hobot, well, not your seat, your bikes seat,...............you know what I mean.
Great (professional) tips, thanks. My covering went smoothly, looks great!
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concours said:
I have reupholstered two seats now.... a roadster seat and an interstate. Both had very poor paint from factory. A coating of paint on the pan was all there was and it didn’t stick well. I have sandblasted and Powder coated the roadster and spray bombed as per the 2nd comment to this thread.... both worked and is a good idea before doing the seat cover fitment. That is if you want to keep the bike for many more years.
Those are my Five Canadian cents, as I don't have any more pennies to give. :mrgreen:
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