SoCal Jet Boats

Tech Talk => Interior => Topic started by: povertyjet on March 14, 2009, 06:10:06 AM

Title: bucket seats
Post by: povertyjet on March 14, 2009, 06:10:06 AM
Anyone here ever made or repaired plywood bucket seat backs?

thx
p-jet
Title: Re: bucket seats
Post by: Luckie Stiff on March 14, 2009, 07:15:13 AM
Are you talking about the barrel back style? If so they're fairly easy to make, just a pain in the ass.
Title: Re: bucket seats
Post by: 76 Bonneville on March 14, 2009, 08:05:01 AM
I built some similar to the school style of seats, wood wraped with glass.
Title: Re: bucket seats
Post by: povertyjet on March 14, 2009, 11:32:36 AM
exactly what I want to do!!  How'd you bend them Ron?

p-jet
Title: Re: bucket seats
Post by: GT Jets on March 14, 2009, 11:59:00 AM
The best way to bend plywood IMO, is to use a table saw with a 1/8" wide combo blade and cut several verticlal cuts about 3/4 of the way through the plywood on the inside about 1" apart (closer if a tight radius is preffered), then lay in some fiberglass resin mixed with some Cab O Sil in the cuts and bend them and lay some finish cloth over it saturated in more resin (finishing) then clamp them up until dry, makes them friggen bulletproof...

GT
Title: Re: bucket seats
Post by: 76 Bonneville on March 14, 2009, 12:12:55 PM
If you're just doing the back, try to salvage your old back as a template. I used 1/2" doug fir and put 1/8" kerfs in it every 1/8" down to the outside veneer. Run the kerfs past the ends of your bends a couple inches. Grain should be horizontal to bend, if it's verticle it will just split on you. Before you try to bend it soak it in water, I layed wet rags on the outer skin and poured water in the kerfs on the inside. Soak it for a couple hours. After it was glued and stapled in place, I used bondo to fill the saw cuts and give it some rigidity. After that came the resin and mat, inside and out. The upholsterer hated me cause I glassed the crap out of it.
Title: Re: bucket seats
Post by: povertyjet on March 14, 2009, 12:52:02 PM
you pullled the kerfs with a radial arm?...must be nice to have a cabinet shop at your disposal...
Title: Re: bucket seats
Post by: 76 Bonneville on March 14, 2009, 01:21:40 PM
I ran them on a table saw, but all you really need is a skill saw.

In the second pic, notice as the seat back comes around to the side it steps down so that you can attach it through the side and into the bottom.
Title: Re: bucket seats
Post by: povertyjet on March 15, 2009, 07:01:27 AM
thanks 76 and GT,
did you add a wood piece to complete the inside radii where it met the gunwale, or was it foam?  Any more pics from that point would be awesome.

thx again
p-jet
Title: Re: bucket seats
Post by: 76 Bonneville on March 15, 2009, 08:16:02 AM
Inside corners are foam
Title: Re: bucket seats
Post by: povertyjet on March 15, 2009, 10:10:43 AM
you wouldn't happen to have any of those patterns saved would ya?
Title: Re: bucket seats
Post by: 76 Bonneville on March 15, 2009, 10:23:31 AM
I'll check to see if they are still at the shop. I did trace the patterns on to a full sheet of 1/4" to save and then decided I would probably never need them. If the guys have not cut up that sheet i'll save it.
Title: Re: bucket seats
Post by: jet boat performance on March 15, 2009, 10:37:46 AM
Might save you some work I have a pair of seats similar to that that some one made (no foam or upholstry) there clean and the woods sealed and good ,They came from an Apache hull  we built as a two seat RR boat a few years back Tom
Title: Re: bucket seats
Post by: GT Jets on March 15, 2009, 12:09:15 PM
Did the last ones "square style", but we normally use the foam on the backside of the seat.

One word of advice, make sure to measure form the gunwale to the center of the steering wheel, this measurement will be half of the width of the seat, otherwise you could be sitting off center from the wheel and it'll piss you off every time you drive the boat.

Here is how we did the last one...

[attachimg=#]

GT
Title: Re: bucket seats
Post by: Beaveretriever on March 15, 2009, 08:35:36 PM
hey Ron ow muc to build 2 front seats for the new spectra i just picked up?


and Tom for you how much for the seats you have?

The ones that were in the boat are reallt water logged and fell apart today at the lake. PM me and let me know


Thanks

The Beav
Title: Re: bucket seats
Post by: 76 Bonneville on March 15, 2009, 09:29:44 PM
Dave, bring your boat down to the shop on a sat. or sun. and we'll knock a set out.
Title: Re: bucket seats
Post by: Beaveretriever on April 21, 2009, 07:51:22 PM
hey ron sorry i havent got back to you on the seats i have been working in gilroy for the last few weeks and weekends. if the offer is still there is there a way you can get me a list of the material i would need? like the wood and stuff? i might be home this weekend but no telling. i have moved to anaheim/.buena park area so im a little farther but the drive doesnt bother me. let me know if you have a minute. thanks ron


The Beav
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