hey guys long time lurker first time poster. I have a 81 xs400 and I am trying to do a cafe seat for it, I have read many threads and bought some florist foam. I made a seat pan out of poster board and tried cutting out the foam and gluing it together. It is becoming a nightmare!! The florist foam just soaks up the glue and the thing falls apart when I try to cut it. This stuff is so soft that even a little pressure leaves indents. Also how do you get the general shape of it? I see a lot of people doing it free hand and I traced a hump on the foam but it looks really ugly and abnormal. help please?
florist foam pisses me off... need help!
- Thread starter kevshin21
- Start date
forcefanajd
Over 1,000 Posts
glue it together with hot glue.....cut with some sort of saw or knife to get a general shape then sand till you get your final desired shape
forcefanajd
Over 1,000 Posts
hot glue works perfect....just dont get it where your gonna be shaping the foam because its rubbery and hard to sand
HerrDeacon
Over 1,000 Posts
I used 3M Super 90 spray glue when I did mine. Didn't affect the florist foam at all.
alright guys the glue is holding which is good, but now the shape is coming out weird, almost torpedo like. Any pointers on making the speed bump rounder? Also since I am having huge problems with the uneven surface of the seat area. How do you guys make it completely flat? I tried the posterboard but it bends and makes a slanted surface.
forcefanajd
Over 1,000 Posts
post some pictures.....
Here is the hump I am struggling with.
I was trying to cut small foam blocks and glue them together but they keep crumbling when I sand them.
This is what it looks like so far. Excuse the tank it was a 5 min bomb job to see if the color scheme is good
I think its too square?
is the hump too far back?
I was trying to cut small foam blocks and glue them together but they keep crumbling when I sand them.
This is what it looks like so far. Excuse the tank it was a 5 min bomb job to see if the color scheme is good
I think its too square?
is the hump too far back?
forcefanajd
Over 1,000 Posts
first things first, id lob off that stamped steel part where the rear signals bolt up, then you need to get the foam to fit on the bike the way you want the seat to sit, it all has to be done on the bike if you ask me to achieve the best look.
paultsmith
Active Member
Just stay with it and it should work. I have an 81 XS400 too and did not want to cut anything off of the frame.
You can check out my seat build here.
http://dotheton.com/index.php?topic=9500.0
http://dotheton.com/index.php?topic=9500.0
I used florist foam and spray adhesive, butbet that the hot glue shoulld work even better.
What really helped was using some foam board (or cardboard) and placing this on the seat as a base for the foam, especially if you are not cutting metal off of the frame.
The key to working with the foam is too apply light pressure and use a sanding block. Dont try to take too much off at one.
Also it helps if you draw up the profile on a large sheet of paper (or tape some paper together). That way you can hold it up to the side of the foam and ensure that you are working the right spot and removing the proper material. Better yet make a profile cut out of cardboard.
You can check out my seat build here.
http://dotheton.com/index.php?topic=9500.0
http://dotheton.com/index.php?topic=9500.0
I used florist foam and spray adhesive, butbet that the hot glue shoulld work even better.
What really helped was using some foam board (or cardboard) and placing this on the seat as a base for the foam, especially if you are not cutting metal off of the frame.
The key to working with the foam is too apply light pressure and use a sanding block. Dont try to take too much off at one.
Also it helps if you draw up the profile on a large sheet of paper (or tape some paper together). That way you can hold it up to the side of the foam and ensure that you are working the right spot and removing the proper material. Better yet make a profile cut out of cardboard.
I'm with force here. It would make your life a lot easier if you could determine a way to get rid of that rear raised portion on the back of the frame...there are such pretty straight lines on that thing, and all I can see is hat mucked up part that held the factory seat!
You don't have to listen to me though, I like to cut things up for fun! :
I don't know how far you wanna go with this thing, but if it were flat you could use a piece of wood to make your initial base and then build off of that.
But honestly, if you keep at it, it will come together. Just be patient. You already did the hard part!
A sanding block is your friend!
You don't have to listen to me though, I like to cut things up for fun! :
I don't know how far you wanna go with this thing, but if it were flat you could use a piece of wood to make your initial base and then build off of that.
But honestly, if you keep at it, it will come together. Just be patient. You already did the hard part!
A sanding block is your friend!
where do you get STUFF? also I am planning to cut the raised portion away, but I am afraid it will compromise the frames integrity. Am I just worrying too much? Also what do you guys think of the paint scheme? I noticed my speed bump is a bit more square so I think ill shave off the sides. I am just afraid to shave too much off. Did all of you guys who made cafe seats finish the seat on the first try? Does anyone know any good shocks and tires for this bike?
Ok guys I bought some foam stuff and its curing as we speak. Here is what I did...
I have a dirty work area haha.
anyways since the issue was getting a stable flat seat pan, I wrapped the seat section in aluminum foil and cut out a shape I want for the bump
Now on to the foam part. It said to wear gloves..LISTEN TO THEM! I have sticky foamy fingers!
Hump looks uneven but I can fill it out later with the floral blocks
I put a floral block on the right side cause it did not cover that section.
Now the hard part...wait 8 hours before it fully cures and I can sand to my hearts content.
I have a dirty work area haha.
anyways since the issue was getting a stable flat seat pan, I wrapped the seat section in aluminum foil and cut out a shape I want for the bump
Now on to the foam part. It said to wear gloves..LISTEN TO THEM! I have sticky foamy fingers!
Hump looks uneven but I can fill it out later with the floral blocks
I put a floral block on the right side cause it did not cover that section.
Now the hard part...wait 8 hours before it fully cures and I can sand to my hearts content.
No offense, but try being a bit neater with your work.
i say start over... use more STUFF. make sure you spray it on evenly so that when you sand it you dont have any holes in your work. you dont need floral blocks if your using STUFF... one or the other.
take your time and itll work out great.
i say start over... use more STUFF. make sure you spray it on evenly so that when you sand it you dont have any holes in your work. you dont need floral blocks if your using STUFF... one or the other.
take your time and itll work out great.
Alrighty guys sorry for the long wait but here are the parts that came
The mirrors seem pretty damn solid, the clubman bars seem pretty cool but the rear sets are crap, they already have scratches on them even though they have a dull sheen and the mounting points (50mm distance) was suppose to mount without problems but the mounting holes on the rearsets have excess metal on them and they are spaced about 51mm or something.
Now here is the seat
any comments? The seat section was replaced with a cereal box since sanding the foam would take forever, also I got a friend who helped me out.
The mirrors seem pretty damn solid, the clubman bars seem pretty cool but the rear sets are crap, they already have scratches on them even though they have a dull sheen and the mounting points (50mm distance) was suppose to mount without problems but the mounting holes on the rearsets have excess metal on them and they are spaced about 51mm or something.
Now here is the seat
any comments? The seat section was replaced with a cereal box since sanding the foam would take forever, also I got a friend who helped me out.
jay_kent
1979 cb650
I'm coming into this a little late but I use that pink insulation foam that you find at home depot. Buy a sheet, layer it up with either 3M super 77 or 90 spray adhesive. Then you can take a serrated knife, a surform (looks like a cheese grater, find it in the autobody section) then finally sandpaper. If you are careful enough with the sandpaper you can get it so that the foam is very smooth.
Now you can do a couple of things once the foam buck is made. Aircraft epoxy resins won't eat the foam like the polyester stuff will. If you don't have access to epoxy you can tape, foil or I've even painted the buck with latex paint. Don't spray bomb the paint on, the propellant will eat your foam. Ask me how I know.
Then go about your business as usual with the fiberglass. Rockcity had a buildup for his Magni Agusta fairing that was along these lines.
good luck with the rest
Jay
Now you can do a couple of things once the foam buck is made. Aircraft epoxy resins won't eat the foam like the polyester stuff will. If you don't have access to epoxy you can tape, foil or I've even painted the buck with latex paint. Don't spray bomb the paint on, the propellant will eat your foam. Ask me how I know.
Then go about your business as usual with the fiberglass. Rockcity had a buildup for his Magni Agusta fairing that was along these lines.
good luck with the rest
Jay
rockcitycafe
I make things.
well... if you're gonna do it...
anyway, yeah, best bet is to get the foam that is compatible with the resin you're planning on using. If you're using epoxy, get a very fine cloth, maybe 3oz at most, epoxy doesn't grab cloth the way polyester will, it's not as sticky. if you're using polyester... work outside with fans and a respirator... and you can use cloth or mat, I like to use a sheet of tin foil and wet out the mat before applying to my part, and tear the edges, don't cut. also, whatever you're doing as far as foam, get it right BEFORE you start putting down glass, you can sand and level foam 100 times faster than you can bondo or fiberglass. so here's what i'd do if i were you... get some foam (2" pink foam from home despot) and a can of spray 77 adhesive, get some cutting tools and 80-120-220 sandpaper. do not buy the hardware store fiberglass junk. go to uscomposites.com and get some epoxy and cloth. now that you have a week to wait for your glass, work on the foam immediately, this will keep you from rushing into glassing the part. so start with some cardboard templates, and cut your foam to rough shape and stack it up with the spray77, you might want to use some bricks or weight to keep the sheets together while it dries, then go at sanding and what not... I think you'll do alright getting it good, you'll have 5 or so days to keep looking at it until its perfect, then you can start on the glass when it arrives
i have some threads on here relating to this, just search for "plug building 101" i think
anyway, yeah, best bet is to get the foam that is compatible with the resin you're planning on using. If you're using epoxy, get a very fine cloth, maybe 3oz at most, epoxy doesn't grab cloth the way polyester will, it's not as sticky. if you're using polyester... work outside with fans and a respirator... and you can use cloth or mat, I like to use a sheet of tin foil and wet out the mat before applying to my part, and tear the edges, don't cut. also, whatever you're doing as far as foam, get it right BEFORE you start putting down glass, you can sand and level foam 100 times faster than you can bondo or fiberglass. so here's what i'd do if i were you... get some foam (2" pink foam from home despot) and a can of spray 77 adhesive, get some cutting tools and 80-120-220 sandpaper. do not buy the hardware store fiberglass junk. go to uscomposites.com and get some epoxy and cloth. now that you have a week to wait for your glass, work on the foam immediately, this will keep you from rushing into glassing the part. so start with some cardboard templates, and cut your foam to rough shape and stack it up with the spray77, you might want to use some bricks or weight to keep the sheets together while it dries, then go at sanding and what not... I think you'll do alright getting it good, you'll have 5 or so days to keep looking at it until its perfect, then you can start on the glass when it arrives
i have some threads on here relating to this, just search for "plug building 101" i think
