Bobber Build by a total Newb

[dilbone]

boy I wish it would go together this fast

Took the motor out myself again this time...gonna need at least a couple extra hands to put it back in after paint...sheeesh

Now I get to finish up welding everything I couldn't get to before and clean it all up. Hopefully sandblasting and paint will be right around the corner.

 

[dilbone]

Well, to come in from the barn and do a little "inside work" I decided to work on the seat a bit. I first had to clean up the shape of the pan and once I brought it in I laid it out on the leather I have and gave myself about a 1/2" to 5/8" border for stitching room.

Then I traced the top with about 1 1/8" border and some exercise mat for the pad

Hopefully it turns out ok. I need to weld the bolts into the pan and paint it then I'll be ready to get this put together. I've got my waxed linen thread, needles and awl ready I just hope it turns out ok.

 

[dilbone]

I welded in the bolts in the seat pan and fired up the portable sand blaster for the first time the other day and decided to work on the seat pan since it won't actually be seen under the upholstery anyway. I didn't get all of the iron oxide off down to bare steel, but it took the rust off no problems.

I used some etching primer first

then regular primer followed by some duplicolor engine enamel with ceramic. I just don't want this pan to rust under the leather so hopefully it won't

I'm planning on using 3M spray adhesive to attach the leather and pad to the pan before I begin stitching it but I'm afraid the adhesive will eat through the paint and open up the pan to moisture under the leather...However, if I apply the spray directly to the leather and pad and not to the pan allowing it to dry and get tacky I don't think it will be and issue.

 

[Dieselchanic]

The 3m spray won't hurt your paint. You'll get a lot better adhesion if you spray both sides and let it tack up. Bikes looking good!

 

[dilbone]

The 3m spray won't hurt your paint. You'll get a lot better adhesion if you spray both sides and let it tack up. Bikes looking good!

Thanks Dieselchanic,

It's coming along. I hope my first attempt at leather upholstery works out ok!!

 

[dilbone]

Looky what the brown truck just dropped off(well not all of this...just the stuff on the right of the duplicolor from thecoatingstore.com

Looks like I'll be spraying pretty soon, but I've still got to find a place locally that will sandblast the frame at a reasonable cost. After doing the seat pan there's no way I'm doing the whole frame. I can do all the small bits no problem but the frame would take me forever. I'm heading up to a shop to drop off my wheels for re-lacing and truing/balancing.
In my mind it is $100 well spent...I know I could do it, I just don't want to spend the hours it would take me with all the paint here and ready to go I'm itching to get started.

I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel

 

[Johnt3]

Go man Go!

 

[dilbone]

Go man Go!

I'm trying buddy...I need your expertise here to paint it for me!!!!!

 

[Johnt3]

Awe, you can do it dilbone! Just take your time,read the instructions and pay attention to the details.
If you need any tips let me know.

 

[dilbone]

Yeah, upon my first look through the materials I dont see recoat windows listed...that's my major concern. Also how long to let the lacquer color coat gas off before clearing it.

 

[Johnt3]

I tried to look at the tech sheet on the primer you have ,but the link didn't work. I would contact the company. On the lacquer the more time the better.Lacquer dry's from the outside-in. Your shooting from a spray can so light coats with 10 minutes between. You could come back and start clearing after 30 minutes. Get comfortable by shooting something small first if you can.

 

[dilbone]

I tried to look at the tech sheet on the primer you have ,but the link didn't work. I would contact the company. On the lacquer the more time the better.Lacquer dry's from the outside-in. Your shooting from a spray can so light coats with 10 minutes between. You could come back and start clearing after 30 minutes. Get comfortable by shooting something small first if you can.

Yeah I plan on emailing the company today, the whole re-coat time thing is all new to me...having only sprayed acrylic and nitro clear lacquer from my gun there was obviously never a concern for that. I'm a little worried about de-lamination of the 2k clear from lacquer gassing off under it. I'll definitely try to keep those lacquer coats thin to help with that.

I will probably be bending your ear with questions as I go!!

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[dilbone]

After looking at the sheets again, there is some re-coat info but no info on progression timing from primer to base to clear or if that even matters.

The primer looks like 10-15min flash time between coats
The single stage black says to allow to flash dull between coats(a typical time range would be helpful for planning purposes though)
The clear also says 10-15min flash time, but if allowed to dry to tack free must wait 24 hours and scuff before additional coats.

I'm not sure it matters though how much time from one stage to the next. I'll probably wait several days though between the lacquer and clear just because I know some of the guitars I've sprayed with acrylic and then nitro clear lacquer have taken literally months to finish gassing off. Of course those were much heavier coats, especially of the nitro clear, than I'll be using here but still I will feel better if I give the lacquer a bit more time to gas off.

 

[dilbone]

Got the sandblaster out today and got a few things done...

and a few more


Then the sprinkles shut down the fun with the blaster so I decided to get to working on an inside job...the seat upholstery
I used the 3M high strength spray adhesive on both sides of each of the layers, bottom leather, seat pan, pad, and top leather...I stuck them all together and after starting the first couple of stitches I got this

Half way done...

That was a lot of stitches...

roughly trimmed the excess

hit the oscillating spindle sander and got it cleaned up a bit

It isn't perfect, but it turned out better than I thought it might. I'm happy with it. Not bad for less than $25 worth of materials

 

[Johnt3]

Dude! Great job on the seat man!

 

[dilbone]

Dude! Great job on the seat man!

Thanks John, I'm beyond stoked about how it turned out and I can hardly wait to try it out...but first...more sandblasting and paint!!!!

 

[dilbone]

here's a few pics in better light

 

[Airwolfie]

Nicely done!! You getting there bud!

 

[I am Carbon]

the hand made n hand stiched seat made at home I like it!
keep on truckin!

 

[dilbone]

Nicely done!! You getting there bud!

Thanks! my "need to sandblast" pile is getting smaller...I'm hoping to be spraying soon!!

Sounds like your clutch situation is sorting out well...fingers crossed

the hand made n hand stiched seat made at home I like it!
keep on truckin!

Thanks Carbon, I'm REALLY happy with it other than a few errant stitches here and there. This bike can't get done fast enough!!!