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Topic: How's This Pack-A-Seat |
William Liemandt
From:
New Mexico
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Posted 3 Feb 2015 8:48 pm |
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Sit down and grab yourself a cup of coffee. This might drag on a bit. If you can't be bothered by a long post, then just delete and move on.
A recent acquisition was an older well used Easy Rider pack-a-seat. It was originally covered with some red vinyl and a reddish sort of upholstery. I tore this to pieces and started from scratch. Rebuilt and reinforced the wood box to make it super stable. I polished all the backrest aluminum pieces to a mirror finish, then covered the lower box section with Fender tweed cloth and finished that with three coats of amber shellac. The tweed is now as smooth as a corrugated baby's butt, whatever that might be.
The previous pack-a-seats I've owned would bottom out in about one second when you sit down, leaving you with your butt on a plywood base, separated only by < 1/4" of remaining cushioning, most uncomfortable when sitting for an hour or more. So I used Confor foam, in heavy and medium density of one inch thickness each, for the seat and back cushions. It turned out that the backrest was way too thick, forcing me way too far forward on the front of the seat, so I removed the one inch thickness of the heavy density foam, providing a backrest that was most comfortable and then adjusted it to hit me square in the small of one's back. The seat cushion is almost unbelievable; I don't depress the foam more that 1/2 inch, but can sit on it all day and feel like I'm floating on air.
I covered the seat and backrest with some really good quality top grain upholstery leather. I could not sew this leather at home so had a pro do that for me. He told me that if I did not make provisions for the air to escape when sat upon that the leather seams he sewed would blow apart. So, I installed the half dozen air vents under the seat cushion. Works like a charm!
I added a ball bearing equipped lid stay, top quality stainless steel seat latches and locking hasp (why not while I was at it?), and back side bumper feet. Then, looking from the bottom up, I was concerned with the height of the seat, as I require an 18" seat height for ultimate comfort and control. I cut the legs to size, polished them with CC Deoxidizer and Purple Polish, and added some threaded inserts into the legs. They are now equipped with nylon feet glides and are adjustable from 18-20" total seat height.
My most liked guitar case ever is my Martin 000 acoustic case; it has a green upholstery material in it, so I bought some from the company that makes Martin cases. Under this I put about 1/8" of soft batting. Whatever I place in the box is now well protected. I had to re-size and re-partition the inside dividers so I could fit my Sho-Bud pedal in the front compartment. This pedal is wider than any Goodrich, Hilton, or Telonics pedal, so the seat is now ready to go with whatever pedal one carries about.
I wanted to put the original "Easy Rider" label back on this seat but it was too far gone. If anyone knows where I might find a really cool "Easy Rider" chromed script style emblem I would be interested. I'd be happy to advertise an Easy RIder seat since they built it.
Finally, I have enough left over of this nice leather to make a matching half-pad for an S10 Sho-Bud that is in the works. It has been a fun project and has turned out to be the best pack-a-seat I've ever sat on. Here are some photos.
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Rich Peterson
From:
Moorhead, MN
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Posted 3 Feb 2015 9:32 pm
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| A work of art. Beautiful. |
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William Liemandt
From:
New Mexico
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Posted 3 Feb 2015 9:50 pm
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| Thanks Rich - Maybe it takes an ol' Minnesotan to appreciate something like this (I'm from Brainerd). Other than your response I start to thinking that maybe I've wasted my time in putting up this post. I still like the seat - best I've ever sat on by far. Good luck for the winter and especially when the Red River of the North starts thawing out. |
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Justin Myers
From:
North Carolina, USA
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 4 Feb 2015 3:05 am
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| Nice job, however I don't like the leather for seating. I prefer cloth. |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 4 Feb 2015 3:56 am
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| William Liemandt wrote: |
| I start to thinking that maybe I've wasted my time in putting up this post. |
It's never a waste of time when someone has put this much thought and detailing into something.
The tweed is a really nice finish; the whole thing looks hell-for-stout, as they say. |
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Tommy Minniear
From:
Logansport, Indiana
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Posted 4 Feb 2015 4:27 am
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| Very impressive! |
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Scott Duckworth
From:
Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
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Posted 4 Feb 2015 5:04 am
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NICE!!!
_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it
I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus! |
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Donald Oakley
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 4 Feb 2015 7:01 am How' This Pack-A-Seat ?
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Great job William ! Makes me want to re-do mine. Could you tell me where you bought the adjustable nylon foot glides? Thanks for showing us your work !
Don |
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Johnie King
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 4 Feb 2015 7:25 am
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| Gerrrrrate!!!!!! Know will you build me a pedal steel too match that beautiful PAC a seat? |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 4 Feb 2015 7:33 am
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| Johnie King wrote: |
| will you build me a pedal steel too match that beautiful PAC a seat? |
A steel would look good in tweed, with the leather pad. |
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Jim Hinds
From:
Gallatin, TN USA
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Posted 4 Feb 2015 9:26 am
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| Nice job. |
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William Liemandt
From:
New Mexico
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Posted 4 Feb 2015 10:35 am
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Donald - I bought the adjustable feet from Prescott Supply out of Arlington, TX.
RDM11-16-18-516 threaded inserts $1.58 each
LFNB118-516-2 threaded feet $2.53 each
Those are the sizes needed for my alum tube legs. They have many more sizes available too. |
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Hal Braun
From:
Eustis, Florida, USA
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Posted 4 Feb 2015 10:57 am
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| You will have to be careful playing out... Someone will try and jack their tele into your seat bottom.. Put some silver fender knobs on there to really freak them out 😃 |
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 4 Feb 2015 3:11 pm
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yeah..really sharp!
of course, i guess you're not having to throw it in the back of someone's pickup truck to get to the gig in the rain.
i like the adjustable nylon feet too. |
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Donald Oakley
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 4 Feb 2015 6:51 pm
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| Thanks very much for looking up the numbers on the leg inserts, William. That should save me some time. Congrats again for the great job you did !-Don |
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Jim Lindsey (Louisiana)
From:
Greenwell Springs, Louisiana (deceased)
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Posted 4 Feb 2015 6:59 pm
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I think I like that pack seat better than any I've ever seen. Superb! Very nice work.
_________________
1986 Mullen D-10 with 8 & 7 (Dual Bill Lawrence 705 pickups each neck)
Two Peavey Nashville 400 Amps (with a Session 500 in reserve) - Yamaha SPX-90 II
Peavey ProFex II - Yamaha R-1000 Digital Reverb - Ross Time Machine Digital Delay - BBE Sonic Maximizer 422A
ProCo RAT R2DU Dual Distortion - Korg DT-1 Pro Tuner (Rack Mounted) - Furman PL-8 Power Bay
Goodrich Match-Bro by Buddy Emmons - BJS Steel Bar (Dunlop Finger Picks / Golden Gate Thumb Picks) |
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Dan Rollans
From:
Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
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Posted 4 Feb 2015 8:56 pm Great job!!!
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First of all may I say, good job. That seat was built in the early 1990's. We stopped drilling the four holes in the sides of the backrest in August 1996. I have another source for the leg insert adjusters through alliance-express. I have not tried them myself, so I can't really endorse them. Although, the few people that have used them, seem to like them fairly well.
We changed the name plate awhile back. If you still have the original badge, you can have it recreated at most trophy shops. Maybe even have your name added to the restoration!
I can custom build seats to fit the preferences of most any player. I enjoy being creative also. Once again, nice work, Dad would be proud.
Dan Rollans, Steelers Choice |
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Dan Rollans
From:
Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
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Posted 4 Feb 2015 9:10 pm Great job!!!
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First of all may I say, good job. That seat was built built in the early 1990's. We stopped drilling the four holes in the sides of the backrest in August 1996. I have another source for the leg insert adjusters through alliance-express. I have not tried them myself, so I can't really endorse them. Although, the few people that have used them, seem to like them fairly well.
We changed the name plate awhile back. If you still have the original badge, you can have it recreated at most trophy shops. Maybe even have your name added to the restoration!
I can custom build seats to fit the preferences of most any player. I enjoy being creative also. Once again, nice work, Dad would be proud.
Dan Rollans, Steelers Choice |
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Walter Jones
From:
Athens, Ohio USA
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Posted 5 Feb 2015 7:15 am
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William, let me add my 2 cents worth. A fantastic job and I would suggest that you complete the project with a cover for it during transport. Our son Greg has a couple of those seats and a cover was always needed when he was on the road.
I don't know if anyone is making a cover or not but I would invest in one with good heavy material to protect the great job you did. |
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Ernie Renn
From:
Brainerd, Minnesota USA
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Posted 5 Feb 2015 8:31 am
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Very nice, William! I love the tweed! I need to re-pad my seat. I'll follow your lead and use some Comfo foam. I redid it two years ago and it's already flattened out.
BTW: I live in Brainerd. 
_________________
My best,
Ernie
www.BuddyEmmons.com |
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Dan Rollans
From:
Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
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Posted 5 Feb 2015 8:42 am Steelers Choice seat covers
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D2F covers used to make great covers fitted especially for all Steelers Choice seats.
Look him up. He may still have them or maybe he can make them again.
Thanks, Dan Rollans@ Steelers Choice |
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William Liemandt
From:
New Mexico
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Posted 5 Feb 2015 11:19 am
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| Hey There Ernie - It's been a long time since BHS! |
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William Liemandt
From:
New Mexico
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Posted 5 Feb 2015 11:29 am
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Walter - you're quite right about a cover of some sort. This seat got way out of hand after starting what was to be just a quickie weekend winter project.
Dan - I'm not sure that a D2F cover would be what I want - what with it being open on the bottom.
I talked to Dan Bentley last week and he is no longer making those nice lightweight cases. Does anyone know of another source for super-light fiber type cases? |
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