Shaving off some seat foam...how?

[migrant]

I have a custom seat from an unknown maker. The front sides that extend down near the knees have too thick of foam that prevents my knees from tucking in behind the fairing. I am considering peeling back the cover and shaving off half of the thickness to mimic the stock seat.

 

Anyone have experience doing this...what tool to use? An electric knife or disc sander?

 

Appreciate any help.

[big-t]

what tool to use? An electric knife or disc sander?

 

 

 

I use both. The knife to shave off the desired amount and then the sander to smooth out the rough edges,however if your only removing a little bit,the sander might be a better choice as its easier to shape the foam without taking big cuts.

 

 

 

 

[Selden]

I have worked on several seats, and the proper tool depends on the type of foam. For some, rough sandpaper works very nicely; for others, it does almost nothing. I prefer a really sharp ham slicer (very thin blade) to an electric knife for cutting foam, generally followed by sanding. If you have enough room in your freezer, freeze the seat for 12 hours before surgery (cold foam slices easier). If you have the time and patience, re-shape, then ride; repeat until you get the result you want.

 

When finished, cover the re-shaped seat with a layer of thin polyester batting (obtainable from a crafts store), then plastic film for water protection, then re-attach the cover, preferably in bright sunlight to make the vinyl more pliable.

[g_frey]

A bread knife works good too if it is sharp. no electricity needed. Try them all see what you like. I do like the random orbital finish sander right at the end to "tidy up" though.