Cutting seat foam, help

[One Dollar]

I'm cutting seat foam on my wifes ttr125L. After the cut how do you smooth out the foam without it chunking on you? The hardest area is in the curve up to the tank area of the foam.

Any tricks or something I should know? I tried a rasp(too harsh) and sandpaper (too light).

 

[EricGorr]

Apolstery guys use a hot-wire tool. I think that you could just heat up a piece of stainless steel wire and use it to cut the foam to whatever profil you want. Be carefull not to sniff the fumes:confused:

 

[biglou]

A hand-held belt sander will work also, if you don't try to take too big of a bite at one time. They work great for shaping. We use them in the furniture industry for forming prototype shapes out of foam blocks. Stand-mounted sanders work well too if you can manuever the seat around it to get the shape you want.

 

[One Dollar]

Thanks! I always wanted a good excuse to tell the wife why I need a belt sander :)

 

[MARK IT]

Saw a guy on TV use a electric knife, he makes street bike seats but it works.

 

[Jaybird]

A hacksaw does an OK job. I then use a few strips of duct tape.
I would think the electric knife to be the trick. My little bro can filet a fish slicker 'n a whistle with one! :confused:

 

[One Dollar]

Thanks!

Great tips guys!
80 grit sandpaper with a belt sander after the original cut with a hacksaw smoothed things out and worked great! Now my 5'-0" wife can get her toes on the ground!

 

[wizard69]

are you using the same seat cover as before?
are seat covers harder to put on after foam has been cut?
I didn't know if I should start a new thread for this if I should have sorry
later

 

[David Trustrum]

I've used an electric breadknife before but the main tip is pull it off the plastic base & cut the underneath.

When putting the seat cover on it takes an age with the step up the tank. Do a little at a time & it will eventually come right but they need a fair bit of stretching.