jmcelhan
New Member
Thanks to the videos by Herm Narisco's at DCC, and all the posts here on DTT, I decided to try making my own seat. This is the first time I've tried anything like this so it promised to be an adventure.
First I got the foam blocks from Micheals. They also had a can of 3M spray adhesive right there on the shelf so I figured, "Hey, that's convenient. I'll use that stuff to glue the blocks together." Unfortunately the 3M product was crap so I had to head back out to Home Depot to get some LocTite.
Anyway, here's how it started:
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.staticflickr.com%2F3806%2F9327562375_24f91310b3.jpg&hash=726852f166cb897e70db8f0652edc196)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
My next step was to file out the bottom so It sat a little lower on the frame. After that I drew the rough shape with a marker and started carving. Here's what I ended up with:
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7322%2F9328388787_9261482b26.jpg&hash=a671236e30ddd4648742bc0c48fd74e3)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7312%2F9331184786_d4a3bd9937.jpg&hash=3bed6cd22734939b925a0788644741f9)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
Folowing the steps from Herm's video, I started taping and used some coax cable to form the outer ridge.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm3.staticflickr.com%2F2882%2F9337639199_8e63417c39.jpg&hash=1ef7d6d970f0ccfa04b16467d7a3413a)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm6.staticflickr.com%2F5469%2F9340426390_46cb89f2d0.jpg&hash=7ae6fe30365641996dc97439146c06e5)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
Now the fun part. I haven't done much with fiberglass, just enough to know that I hate the stuff. Still, after covering the mold with some turtle wax, I laid down a couple layers of the fiberglass cloth and resin.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm6.staticflickr.com%2F5523%2F9345476783_955ee2b026.jpg&hash=a4b353d7b71b50f112ccfe3ecd41871f)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
After letting it sit for a couple of hours, I cut it loose and pulled out the mold, which to my surprise, came out in one piece. Unfortunately, this is also where I made a bit of a mistake. First, I probably should have put at least on more layer of cloth or mat down on the initial shell. Second, I probably should have let it cure over night. Why? Because the initial shell was a little too flimsy and ended up bowing out a little on the bottom near the seat area and bowing in a little on the bottom near hump area. Not a huge deal, it'll just require some extra sanding and some extra bondo to get straightened out.
Anyway, here's what the she first looked like on the frame:
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7456%2F9348266878_7f0e83c50c.jpg&hash=bcb49af37e48aadc5c47061252a1d951)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7282%2F9348268344_c0f8bd046c.jpg&hash=9af86a4d857eddd7f12d0711b912d8c3)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
The next evening, I started beefing up the structure from the inside. I ended up putting about 3 more layers of matt and resin on the inside. After it cured for 24 hours, that thing was hard as a rock. So I started in on the initial sanding.
Here's what it looked like after the first round on 80 grit.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm6.staticflickr.com%2F5451%2F9359787517_62cbd343ab.jpg&hash=bf5a3f96be6053cefbba4461f27d6546)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
It's hard to see but the inside edge around outer ridge got filled in a little with resin so I had a hard time cleaning that out. I think I'll have to go back around it again with the dremmel to get it just right. Anyway, there's a lot more sanding to go. Ugh...
Finally, last night I trimmed up the bottom and mocked it up in the frame again. I'm going to have it sitting about a quarter inch to a half inch lower, but you get the idea:
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm3.staticflickr.com%2F2865%2F9373590776_502eee9e2d.jpg&hash=11d8c5e4cd8ea338c2d4d8be19c6d324)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
And here's one more with the vintage looking 6V brake light I'm going to eventually install. This is also the reason I went with a flat back hump rather than a more conical shape.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.staticflickr.com%2F3713%2F9370927688_2e5e05a011.jpg&hash=3901ead95910f177ee05f91af1c10864)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
So if you've made it this far, thanks for looking. I'm hoping some of you will have a little advice for me. For instance. how much sanding do you normally do before smoothing it out with the body filler? Any other tips are more than welcome. I see a lot more sanding in my future....
Thanks again!
First I got the foam blocks from Micheals. They also had a can of 3M spray adhesive right there on the shelf so I figured, "Hey, that's convenient. I'll use that stuff to glue the blocks together." Unfortunately the 3M product was crap so I had to head back out to Home Depot to get some LocTite.
Anyway, here's how it started:
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.staticflickr.com%2F3806%2F9327562375_24f91310b3.jpg&hash=726852f166cb897e70db8f0652edc196)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
My next step was to file out the bottom so It sat a little lower on the frame. After that I drew the rough shape with a marker and started carving. Here's what I ended up with:
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7322%2F9328388787_9261482b26.jpg&hash=a671236e30ddd4648742bc0c48fd74e3)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7312%2F9331184786_d4a3bd9937.jpg&hash=3bed6cd22734939b925a0788644741f9)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
Folowing the steps from Herm's video, I started taping and used some coax cable to form the outer ridge.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm3.staticflickr.com%2F2882%2F9337639199_8e63417c39.jpg&hash=1ef7d6d970f0ccfa04b16467d7a3413a)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm6.staticflickr.com%2F5469%2F9340426390_46cb89f2d0.jpg&hash=7ae6fe30365641996dc97439146c06e5)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
Now the fun part. I haven't done much with fiberglass, just enough to know that I hate the stuff. Still, after covering the mold with some turtle wax, I laid down a couple layers of the fiberglass cloth and resin.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm6.staticflickr.com%2F5523%2F9345476783_955ee2b026.jpg&hash=a4b353d7b71b50f112ccfe3ecd41871f)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
After letting it sit for a couple of hours, I cut it loose and pulled out the mold, which to my surprise, came out in one piece. Unfortunately, this is also where I made a bit of a mistake. First, I probably should have put at least on more layer of cloth or mat down on the initial shell. Second, I probably should have let it cure over night. Why? Because the initial shell was a little too flimsy and ended up bowing out a little on the bottom near the seat area and bowing in a little on the bottom near hump area. Not a huge deal, it'll just require some extra sanding and some extra bondo to get straightened out.
Anyway, here's what the she first looked like on the frame:
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7456%2F9348266878_7f0e83c50c.jpg&hash=bcb49af37e48aadc5c47061252a1d951)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm8.staticflickr.com%2F7282%2F9348268344_c0f8bd046c.jpg&hash=9af86a4d857eddd7f12d0711b912d8c3)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
The next evening, I started beefing up the structure from the inside. I ended up putting about 3 more layers of matt and resin on the inside. After it cured for 24 hours, that thing was hard as a rock. So I started in on the initial sanding.
Here's what it looked like after the first round on 80 grit.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm6.staticflickr.com%2F5451%2F9359787517_62cbd343ab.jpg&hash=bf5a3f96be6053cefbba4461f27d6546)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
It's hard to see but the inside edge around outer ridge got filled in a little with resin so I had a hard time cleaning that out. I think I'll have to go back around it again with the dremmel to get it just right. Anyway, there's a lot more sanding to go. Ugh...
Finally, last night I trimmed up the bottom and mocked it up in the frame again. I'm going to have it sitting about a quarter inch to a half inch lower, but you get the idea:
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm3.staticflickr.com%2F2865%2F9373590776_502eee9e2d.jpg&hash=11d8c5e4cd8ea338c2d4d8be19c6d324)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
And here's one more with the vintage looking 6V brake light I'm going to eventually install. This is also the reason I went with a flat back hump rather than a more conical shape.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm4.staticflickr.com%2F3713%2F9370927688_2e5e05a011.jpg&hash=3901ead95910f177ee05f91af1c10864)
Untitled by jmcelhan, on Flickr
So if you've made it this far, thanks for looking. I'm hoping some of you will have a little advice for me. For instance. how much sanding do you normally do before smoothing it out with the body filler? Any other tips are more than welcome. I see a lot more sanding in my future....
Thanks again!