Pattern for Corbin seat:

[Lucky]

here is the pattern for the Corbin seat, courtisey of Brian Moffet (thanks Brian, if your still around)
http://www.xz550.com/seat.html
I have a spare seat & hopefully will accomplish this this summer...
--Lucky

[nvdranger]

Now thats what I wanted to do with my seat I was talking about in the swap shop.  I probably wont be trying the piping the first time around.  Good drawings Lucky.

Ken

[rick_nowak]

now Lucky, if you could just post the pictures!

[Brian Moffet]

Of course I'm still around!

I was part of the CROV tour (look for the grey hair...)

Brian

[Lucky]

Duhh, there's that altzhiemers kicking in again, lol

[Lucky]

Rick, do you mean you can't see the drawings on the page, or that you want to see pics when it's done?

[nvdranger]

I think he means he cant see the pics on the page.  I have red Xs to and have to click on each individually to see them.

Ken

[Lucky]

ok, I think what I did was ref the pics to the file on my pc as well as the server, i'll have to correct the code.

[rick_nowak]

yea, i think it's a code thing.  
i have 10+ years in the sewn products business.  nice seat.  is there an existing flat pattern set?  corbin would not be too happy about it but that's the nature of the business.  the pattern is actually the hardest part.  any upholstery shop with the proper machine could sew one of these up in under a half hour.  could be made on a home machine but would not be any fun.  the commercial equipment keeps the various layers from slipping against each other.

[Lucky]

Ok, I think I have it fixed, NOTE: the URL has changed (I changed it above too)
http://www.xz550.com/seat.html

on doing the sewing, I'm going to give it a shot anyway, I've sewed things before, and although I'm not great at it, as long as all the stiches are hidden I can do a decent job. the question will be can my wifes sewing machine handle the layers.  I'll be sure to buy some new sharp needles, & upholstry thread.

[rick_nowak]

the important thing with the pattern here is that the actual seamlines be of identical length.  professional, trained patternmakers measure or walk-off this stuff all the time to get it right.  the seam allowances must be the same on both pieces or whover is sewing the piece will not know where they are.  patterns are usually made to a centerline so that they will be actually symmetrical.  just flop it over to get the other side and make sure that the line is square to the center line at the edge.  if your pattern and cutting are right there is not ever a need to buy double the material and to do the job twice.  i suppose it's like a good paint job-all in the prep.
i don't think that it will be possible to get a good job on this with a home sew machine due to your desire to have piping.  not with vinyl anyway.  too thick and too slippery.  i think that your boat cover guy gave you easy advice for him, not good advice.  he probably has the right machine, something called a compound feed or walking foot machine but i would beware his quality. you want some pretty nice workmanship on a thing like this, and you only get one shot at it as the needle holes in vinyl are permanent, not like cloth where you can rip out bad work and give it another go.

[Lucky]

Understood, and thanks for the advice, I do have a customer who is a seamstress, and will ask her about the things you have mentioned.  if the materials are cheap enough, I might still give it a shot just to see how close I can come...

I am wondering about building up the seat pan. I'm thinking that since I want the whole seat taller, all that foam may have a tendency to be wobbly, or want to move to one side under my weight.

Anyone have any thoughts on weather this might be a good idea, and how i'd go about it? (I'm thinking laminated, or at least sealed, wood layers...?)

[rick_nowak]

use a horizontal sandwich of different density foams-the most dense stuff on the base, medium in the middle, and lightest on the top.  this will give you the stiffness you need for good support yet will still be yielding enough to be comfortable.  i can't give you numbers to work from but foam is sold by the pound in commercial quantities, the densest stuff being the heaviest and stiffest.  also, look into latex foams as well as the usual stuff.  another trick is to drill holes in the foam where you want more give

[Lucky]

define "horizontal sandwich" please.

the foam the shop has comes in blocks large enough to cover the whole pan in one shot.  I understand layering it heaviest on the bottom (and this would make up the bulk of the hight, correct?)  I was thinking as a final touch, to have a gel insert under my tush

[rick_nowak]

sorry.  i have added confusion to probable clarity.  like a regular sandwich laying on a plate, flat side down, not on edge.  if you need to have a uniform top layer for technical reasons, go for it, but there may be some advantage to not doing it that way
i've done the gell thing myself, but wasn't happy with it.  i think a nice dense sheepskin is way more comfy.

[Kenny]

   Last year I had a local guy do up a seat for our 83, It didn't turn out the way I wanted it but it looks great. In 84 we had a Corbin gunfighter saddle on my 82 (special order) it was a solo seat although you could sit on the back as it was all foam but shaped to fit the tail of the bike. I couldn't use it as it made my knee joint to tight,Dorothy used it on her 83 and loved it.
    I gave all the measurements and a few photo's of the original to the guy as well as the tail section of the bike. It's good as he put a gel pad in it and finished the fwd section with a black basket weave material, the rest of the seat is red and compliments the cdn 83 colours well. I wanted him to copy the corbin's shape and mold the back to the bike. Ah well next time!    

[Lucky]

Well, the seat is finaly done after a year (not a priority)
I though the grey would be a little darker from the swatch I saw, but that's ok, it matches my GSX Air jacket, it looks & feels great!

Pics are here at the bottom.
http://www.xz550.com/seat.html
(anyone need a stock seat in very good condition?)
--Lucky

[silicon_toad2000]

damn Lucky, you have been busy, the oil cooler now you have the seat finished... You're an inspiration to slackers like me!

[h2olawyer]

Looks great, Lucky.  The grey appears almost white on my monitor.  Have you finally gotten a chance to get out for a ride between snowstorms?

H2O

[Lucky]

Only a few short rides around town so far, but i'll take 'em! it really is grey, and and darker than it looks in the pics, just not quite as dark as i thought it would be, but it's fine, i'm happy.

Also, I wanted to say "Thanks!" again to Brian.