Seat recovering

[Euphman06]

I order some marine vinyl to replace that covering on my phantom seat. Local upholstery wants $150 to do this job...Naturally I said I can do this myself for MUCH less. What's the best adhesive to use for glueing down the marine vinyl? I was thinking about using Gorilla Glue or some sort of 3m product form the auto zone. Anyone have input on what would be best for me? I think I will glue it down and then replace the rivets with small nuts and bolts since I don't have experience or a way of doing rivets. This shouldn't cost me much this way and it will be usable for me again

 

[JJBones]

I hear automotive headliner adhesive works good,long open time so you can reposition it.The nuts and bolts would look bad ....Good luck.

 

[abe lugo]

The headliner stuff I used was called Dan-tack basically spray contact cement. I would used it over super 90 any day.
Also to get shape on the seat use black sponge foam about 1/2" and shape it with some sand paper or die grinder.

 

[Nightrider]

You can but snap together rivits at any leather supply store. They snap together and then you set them with a striking plate and a setter.

 

[gcrank1]

It is the wrong application for Gorilla Glue (but Ive seen people use it for a lot of wrong stuff anyway). Have you seen and felt the way it expands and hardens. Its virtue is it will expand and fill gaps, not exactly the kind of thing I would want to sit on.
The right kind of adhesive is readily available and reasonably priced, so rather than chinz out trying to use the wrong stuff, just anty up. I predict you will be ever so glad you did.

 

[big kountry]

I used hot glue on this 1

 

[Euphman06]

Thanks for the replies fellas! I think I will be using headliner adhesive and luckily I still have the original seat pad that was with the seat so I should be ok in that area.

 

[user 15387]

A timely topic- I'm looking at doing another one of these this summer. The last time it came out OK. I used some of that 3m spray glue. It worked fine but the tacky time to set up the piece was minimal and it was a rushed bit of work to try and get the covering on. I bought a sheet of scrap automotive leather from a factory in NC.

My question is, when you replace the padding, what are you using to do it? I used a piece of neoprene mat on the last one, but it's not as cushy as I had hoped. It certainly is durable, but it's not terribly comfortable. Where are you guys getting the pads for these saddles?

 

[abe lugo]

I used this stuff, I guess it's called ENSOLITE
http://foammart.com/closed-cell/ensolite/
It was the 29.99 a linear foot, you can do about 6 large seats with that much, so figure 5 bucks a seat isn't bad.
You can sand it with a die grinder to get the shape you want, if they had 5/8 instead of the 3/4 it would be much better.

 

[gcrank1]

Check the discount camping supplies for sleeping mats, the thin ones are Ensolite, or a similar dense foam. Also try a local hot-rod type upholstery place for scraps of something appropriate.

 

[user 15387]

Thanks- it turns out that Ensolite and Neoprene are apparently different things? I think my issue then may have been I used 1/8 foam like that instead of 1/4. The foam is good but I probably should have gone thicker on the last one. This time I'll go with 1/4 probably.

 

[Sorcerer]

If you want alittle more cush. use carpet pad then a layer of what the guys are talking about. Use a heat gun (hairdryer)when pulling the covering into place. If it's naugahide (SP)You will get less bunches going around corners. Patience is a vertue here.

SORCERER

 

[gcrank1]

Ensolite works to sleep on all night and does help soften a chunk under you, but you will still feel like you wanted more the next morning. I havent seen a piece of neoprene that Id want to sleep on for even half a night. These things are all like sponges, that is, they have their 'loft' by the air chambers, some are denser than others and hold up better, others feel nice a soft/comfy at first, but the foam compresses quickly and you are right down on the bottom, whatever it is shaped like.