[sugar13free]

Ok, so here is where I am at - I made my first ever fiberglass seat, which was a great learning experience. I like the shape and am almost finished shaping it, bondo coming soon. I have a delima though, I have noticed some flex where the bumpstop and the seat area attached. I may have made it a little too small of an area on the sides. I think it should be fine, but am looking for some re-assurance from people who know. My other option is to use an old tank I have laying around. So here is my question(s) - will the seat with a little flex in that spot be o.k.? AND what is the differences in seat designs? rounded back, squared back, seat cover with snaps, etc... was there any ryme or reason to them or just personal choice? I will try and post a pic of what I have so far a little later today. Thanks.

 

[emtcustoms]

Once you post a pic it will be a little easier to say whether or not you'll be OK with the seat. I do have some flexing in my seat, but it is minimal and only flexes with a heavy twisting from side to side. If it flexes fairly easy, then you probably should reinforce the area. How many layers of glass did you use and what type of matting did you use?

 

[sugar13free]

should be able to take a pic and post it later today. lotsa other junk to do first. I don't remember how much material I used, I just went to walmart and filled my cart with stuff. I think it was 2 or 3 packages of the material, i didn't use it all but almost. I believe the flexing only happens when I pull it up from the hump to take it on and off the frame during the shaping of it. I am allot more comfortable with metal, but don't want to give up on something new yet.

 

[emtcustoms]

If you aren't planning on using the extra space under the seat, you can always fill it with "great stuff" or any expanding foam. It will give it a little added ridgitity. Otherwise, you can always rough sand the inside and add a few layers of glass. But mine flexes about the same as it would if I made it out of metal. Turn the lights down and shine a light through the seat pan. You should be able to see any spots that are thinner or missing some matting. I will say though that with mine I can make it flex, but i still feel very confident that it won't break.

 

[sugar13free]

Thanks for the tip on the flashlight thing. I'm pretty sure it will be ok, just wanna be safe. I am going to use the space under the seat for all the electrical, so that space is spoken for. Still gonna get pics up later, just busy doing house stuff.

 

[NIEDS]

one problem with flex that you might want to consider is when u got o paint the damn thing, if it flexes to much the paint in that area will always crack and get messed up

just something to think about





nieds

 

[philbrewer]

I reenforced the underside of my "hump" with foam ribs. With fiberglass, the strength is in the curves. I'm in the same boat as EMT, I can flex mine if I try, but when it is secured to the frame not much is moving.





Post pics.



Oh, and I still had room for my battery and stuff under the tail.

 

[sugar13free]

Thanks for all the input guys. As you can see I need to quite a bit more sanding before bondo, but I wanted to get my shape down first. I plan on having it finished sanded tomorrow and ready for the bondo. Its ruff, but its my first attempt at fiberglass. I have found a few areas I will go back over and reinforce while shaping it, but overall I'm pretty happy. Also, it sits snug on the fame and I don't feel any movement in it at all while its on the bike.

 

[philbrewer]

Can't see the pic.



An HTTP error occurred while getting:



http://i1223.photobucket.com/albums/dd514/sugar13free/cx500 build/cx500025.jpg



Details: "connect timed out to /209.17.73.8:80".:

 

[philbrewer]

While waiting on the pic ill give some advice for bondo work:



1. The "bondo" brand bondo sucks. Get some good stuff like rage gold.

2. I used dynaglass first, it has more strength, after that I used normal bondo and finally finished up with evercoat.

3. Block sand.

4. Do work.

 

[sugar13free]

While waiting on the pic ill give some advice for bondo work:



1. The "bondo" brand bondo sucks. Get some good stuff like rage gold.

2. I used dynaglass first, it has more strength, after that I used normal bondo and finally finished up with evercoat.

3. Block sand.

4. Do work.

I've never seen anything other than bondo brand in a normal store. I'll have to try and look next time at autoparts store. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Blindstitch]

I've never seen anything other than bondo brand in a normal store. I'll have to try and look next time at autoparts store. Thanks for the heads up.

Go to an auto parts store.

 

[philbrewer]

I've never seen anything other than bondo brand in a normal store. I'll have to try and look next time at autoparts store. Thanks for the heads up.

I bought mine at an auto body supply store. Ask around someone will have to know. The evercoat poly putty is bad ass. If you want you can even mix the two together and have a bondo orgasm. The poly putty really smooths out the bondo.



Rage Gold: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0STEG6TM3JXZPFXDN1SM



This stuff is amazing: http://www.amazon.com/Fibreglass-Ev...R2UO/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1306291966&sr=8-6





A good deal of bondo/evercoat (and one primer coat):





1 more tip: Test your hardener before you mix a large batch and start spreading. It is not fun sanding off 1/4 hardened bondo.

 

[marnargulus]

Use some washers or a plate to distribute the stress from where your mounting holes are to the rest of the seat.

 

[philbrewer]

Use some washers or a plate to distribute the stress from where your mounting holes are to the rest of the seat.

Good tip.

 

[sugar13free]

Use some washers or a plate to distribute the stress from where your mounting holes are to the rest of the seat.

Thanks. I stll have to figure out exactly how I'm going to mount the back of the seat. The front I will mount with the stock mount that I removed from the old seat.

 

[emtcustoms]

Thanks. I stll have to figure out exactly how I'm going to mount the back of the seat. The front I will mount with the stock mount that I removed from the old seat.

When I built my seat, I layed the glass directly on the frame and then wrapped it around just a bit. Now, the seat snaps down onto the frame and is only bolted on with two 8mm bolts in the front. The back has to be "persuaded" to fit around the new frame rails that I made before I made the seat. It makes for a very clean look, but probably isn't that helpful since you already made your seat...

 

[sugar13free]

When I built my seat, I layed the glass directly on the frame and then wrapped it around just a bit. Now, the seat snaps down onto the frame and is only bolted on with two 8mm bolts in the front. The back has to be "persuaded" to fit around the new frame rails that I made before I made the seat. It makes for a very clean look, but probably isn't that helpful since you already made your seat...

Actually that's what I did as well. The back needs to be pushed slightly on then it fits snug around the frame rails. I already have the bolts in the holes in the front, nust haven't decided if I am going to add any bolts to the back area. I probably won't.