HI steely,
Nice work going on there. Lots of good ole boys to help here. I would like a little more detail on those seats you made. They look Great! Ie; the radius curves, wood thickness etc.
Thanks
KC
Hey Kcassells,
I left my rocket science books up in Michigan when I moved so I had to go to refer to my "good e'nuff for dummies" book. don't recall the details on the seat but I can get measurements tomorrow. i will tell you how I made the design for it though. I warn you I am pooped and I run the risk at not making any sense. It would probably be better to make a video.
This is for the base:
1st: I measured my original seats and used those for the depth and width. I have lots and lots of painters paper on a roll so cut a piece a tad wider and deeper so I could account for the seat foam I will be adding. I'm guessing about 3 inches total.
2nd: I folded this piece of paper vertically.
3rd: I set a screw into my work bench and tied a string to it. I then wrapped a pen with the other end of the string. This is how I made the diameter for the rear of the seat base.
4th: I placed the paper on the bench and put the pen at a spot that would look good. Made a few practice runs then when I was happy with the pen strokes I made my mark.
5Th: I cut the template out and taped it to my 1/2 or 3/4 inch plywood and traced it with my pencil.
6th: I cut the wood out.
This is for the back.
1[SUP]st[/SUP]: I measured my original seat back and added 3 inches for foam when I install it.
2[SUP]nd[/SUP]: I measured the edge around the back of the seat base. This would tell me how long to cut my wood. U used a seamstress tape measure. (I LOVE this thing) You can measure any angle and any curve.
3[SUP]rd[/SUP]: I cut out the paper to height and length.
4[SUP]th[/SUP]: I had to tie a string to my motorcycle mirror because the diameter for the back of the seat was too large for my work bench.
5[SUP]th[/SUP]: I folded the paper vertically and tapped it to my work bench.
6[SUP]th[/SUP]: I wrapped the pen with the other end of the string.
7[SUP]th[/SUP]: I made a few test passes, made some adjustments by wrapping the pen more or less depending on how much bigger I wanted my circle.
8[SUP]th[/SUP]: I made my mark and cut it out.
9[SUP]th[/SUP]: I cut out my wood.
Now the fun part. Curving the back onto the base.
1[SUP]st[/SUP]: go to harbor freight and get their wood clamps. (I got the ones that were like 30? long) They work really well. Can?t beat them for the price.
2[SUP]nd[/SUP]: Measure where you want the back to start. I started my sides about 3 inches from the front.
4[SUP]th[/SUP]: tack a nail there just to hold it for now. It will be removed later.
5[SUP]th[/SUP]: Place wood clamp on the nail and clamp it to the other side of the base.
6[SUP]th[/SUP]: slowly bend it around the outside edge using some clamps to loosely hold in place. It is not necessary to clamp it directly to the base yet, it might crack. I left it like this for a day or two so it created a memory. Kind of like warping plywood.
7[SUP]th[/SUP]: I clamped it the rest of the way to the bottom of the base. I tacked it like that just so it wouldn?t move when I let it sit for another day or two.
Final fitment:
1[SUP]st[/SUP]: clamping it together should have given you a rough idea as to how and where it should sit (according to measurements taken from the front of the seat to where the sides start.) Measure again from the front and find out how much room you have left to play with. I had to slide the base around a half inch so I could make sure both sides started in the same spot.
2[SUP]nd[/SUP]: I made a mark where I wanted the sides to start.
3[SUP]rd[/SUP]: I pulled everything apart.
4[SUP]th[/SUP]: I coated the base with resin. I used epoxy for this because of the joint. If someone falls into the seat I want the joint to hold and epoxy is a better glue the poly.
5[SUP]th[/SUP]: I coated the bottom edge of the back rest so I could tack it in place and the epoxy would help hold it once it dried. You also have to work fast and make sure the back rest is still wet when tacking it in place so when it dries it will help hold the back rest to its shape.
6[SUP]th[/SUP]: I then put the clamps back on so again it wouldn?t pull the tack nails out. It also helped with bonding pressure and forming.
7[SUP]th[/SUP]: I coated the entire back rest with resin so again, when it dries it will help retain its shape.
Getting it ready for glass:
1[SUP]st[/SUP]: I will make a fillet with epoxy, ? chop strands and cabosil to bed my back rest to the base. I left a small crack in the back of the seat I will probably place some PVC pipe so it can drain water off and out of the seat. (Nothing like sitting in a bucket of water)
2[SUP]nd[/SUP]: I will probably glass it with 1208 due to the fact it will probably bend around the corners tighter than 1708. But I am not set in stone on that idea.
3[SUP]rd[/SUP]: I will wrap that with foam and vinyl.
I think that covers it. I'm sorry if i left a step or two out.
I would soak the sides I would be gluing to eachother with Epoxy and use thickened Epoxy to bond them together. I would then wrap them with 4 layers of 1708 and polyurethane resin. 
