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boattail71 10-05-16 01:52 PM

Padding for seat
 
1 Attachment(s)
Has anyone recovered a vintage seat? I have used the light colored, upholstery foam padding you find at a crafts store but I am not satisfied with the cushioning - it seems too soft. Does anyone have a suggestion on where to look for a firmer padding?

The Bunch O Bikes site has a detailed DIY on seat recovering which is a very good step-by-step instruction. It shows the kind of foam that I'd like to replace with something firmer.

Thanks for any suggestions.

fietsbob 10-05-16 02:07 PM

I found some dense but rebound memory foam, then after gluing* the rubber down Glued some Sheepskin 'chamois'

from the auto care department over it... Cinelli Volare.. their version of the Concor..

* Barge 'vinyl stic'

the rubber came from a Brick and Mortar shop selling such materials, in Eugene , where I lived at the time.




'/,

boattail71 10-05-16 02:45 PM


Originally Posted by fietsbob (Post 19103885)
I found some dense but rebound memory foam,


'/,

Where did you find the foam?

fietsbob 10-05-16 02:48 PM

Rubber specialty store , In the Industrial end of town.. Try Denver.

FNS32 10-06-16 10:16 AM

I have had good luck with the dense foam pad found in the garden center for kneeling on. it comes in approximately 2" thick, so I slice it down the middle into two 1" thick pieces. I buy mine localy at Menards, but I am sure most "big box" centers would have something similar

SloButWide 10-06-16 10:51 AM

Try calling upholstery shops, especially ones that do motorcycles, cars, or boats. They'll have a variety of cushioning material; if you're lucky they may give you a scrap.

The Golden Boy 10-06-16 11:48 AM

No idea what it would cost, but you might want to try Foamation- the company that invented and manufactures "Cheesehead" hats.


Custom Products






(I could have sworn I posted this earlier- I even recall the address resolving to "custom products." If it got yanked for something- I don't know why- it's a legitimate answer with a legitimate vendor with a legitimate product.)

boattail71 10-06-16 02:36 PM


Originally Posted by FNS32 (Post 19105583)
I have had good luck with the dense foam pad found in the garden center for kneeling on.

Great idea FNS.

boattail71 10-06-16 02:37 PM


Originally Posted by SloButWide (Post 19105674)
Try calling upholstery shops, especially ones that do motorcycles, cars, or boats. They'll have a variety of cushioning material; if you're lucky they may give you a scrap.

Another good idea. I had thought about that too. Thanks SloBut

boattail71 10-06-16 02:40 PM

[QUOTE=The Golden Boy;19105838]No idea what it would cost, but you might want to try Foamation- the company that invented and manufactures "Cheesehead" hats.

I wonder if our local plastics shop has something similar that I could pour myself. Hmmm... Thanks Golden.

unworthy1 10-06-16 04:52 PM

the kneeling garden pads are "ensolite" a closed cell foam that can be made from (at least) 3 different compositions: EPDM, Neoprene, or a combo of PVC/NBR/CR(code for vinyl, nitrile and neoprene).
Common yellow foam is PU (polyurethane) and so is the so-called "memory foam" it's just a lot denser PU with perhaps some modifiers, and it's generally OPEN cell foam.
The liquid stuff you pour into a form to make a self-skinned foam solid is also PU, AFAIK, but there may be others...

rootboy 10-06-16 07:05 PM

Somewhere around here I have a 3/8 inch thick gel seat pad that looks almost the exact shape as that saddle. Maybe not as wde. Bought it a long time ago, and used it once. Haven't seen it in a couple of years but I think I know where it is.
PM me if any interest.

boattail71 10-10-16 12:25 PM


Originally Posted by unworthy1 (Post 19106520)
the kneeling garden pads are "ensolite" a closed cell foam that can be made from (at least) 3 different compositions: EPDM, Neoprene, or a combo of PVC/NBR/CR(code for vinyl, nitrile and neoprene).
Common yellow foam is PU (polyurethane) and so is the so-called "memory foam" it's just a lot denser PU with perhaps some modifiers, and it's generally OPEN cell foam.
The liquid stuff you pour into a form to make a self-skinned foam solid is also PU, AFAIK, but there may be others...

OMG that's a log acronyms! FWIW, IMO, it's better to have TMI than not enough. KWIM?

Thanks Un but I might not be Worthy of understanding lots of this but I might try pouring my own and might drop some of these acronyms and an open/closed comment at my plastics guy.

unworthy1 10-10-16 07:52 PM

acronyms never fail to impress! Especially when you are trying to cut a deal with a Military Contractor, they love this stuff....:)


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