where to find bent plywood seat

At the HPV races at Portland International Raceway this year I saw lots of bikes, both commercial
and home built, with a nifty little bent plywood seat. I think that I've seen in on some European
web pages - Zephyr? Does anyone know where I can get one in the US? Thanks.

Make one...there should be plans floating around or contact anyone who has made their own and see
how they did it. I would doubt there is a commercial plywood seat out there. The process would be
steam it, bend it, clamp it, dry it and quickly lacquer it before it tries to unbend itself.
*****************
"George MacKenzie" <gmackenz@ratsnest.qwest.net> wrote in message
news:861xuv213w.fsf@ratsnest.qwest.net...
>
> At the HPV races at Portland International Raceway this year I saw lots of bikes, both commercial
> and home built, with a nifty little bent plywood seat. I think that I've seen in on some European
> web pages - Zephyr? Does anyone know where I can get one in the US? Thanks.

George MacKenzie <gmackenz@ratsnest.qwest.net> wrote in message
news:<861xuv213w.fsf@ratsnest.qwest.net>...
> At the HPV races at Portland International Raceway this year I saw lots of bikes, both commercial
> and home built, with a nifty little bent plywood seat. I think that I've seen in on some European
> web pages - Zephyr? Does anyone know where I can get one in the US? Thanks.

yes. Home Depot:-) Saw and harware not included:-0


;

"Joshua Goldberg" <evsolutions@bellnet.ca> wrote in
news:yI_5b.11433$Sq5.384920@news20.bellglobal.com:

> Make one...there should be plans floating around or contact anyone who has made their own and see
> how they did it. I would doubt there is a commercial plywood seat out there. The process would be
> steam it, bend it, clamp it, dry it and quickly lacquer it before it tries to unbend itself.
> *****************

Also, wood can be soaked in warm water with fabric softener, bent and clamped, allowed to dry.
Multiple thin layers of birch are best. Pine doesn't bend that well and isn't as strong.

rorschandt

George MacKenzie <gmackenz@ratsnest.qwest.net> wrote in message
news:<861xuv213w.fsf@ratsnest.qwest.net>...
> At the HPV races at Portland International Raceway this year I saw lots of bikes, both commercial
> and home built, with a nifty little bent plywood seat. I think that I've seen in on some European
> web pages - Zephyr? Does anyone know where I can get one in the US? Thanks.

how about making you own? I just did, it's not to hard ...here's a link to the forum I've been
posting to...http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=34136 good luck!

[ - Zephyr? Does anyone know where I can get one in the US? Thanks. [/]

There is a post on www.bikeforums.net under "recumbents" by a builder (with picture) of a molded ply seat the poster made. Thread is 'laminate seat'. Steve

George MacKenzie <gmackenz@ratsnest.qwest.net> wrote in message
news:<861xuv213w.fsf@ratsnest.qwest.net>...
> At the HPV races at Portland International Raceway this year I saw lots of bikes, both commercial
> and home built, with a nifty little bent plywood seat. I think that I've seen in on some European
> web pages - Zephyr? Does anyone know where I can get one in the US? Thanks.

The seats you saw at PIR were mostly homebuilt, but inspired by the Zox design. For the most part,
they were built from 1/8" bender board (available from Woodcrafters), laminated with West Epoxy. A
couple of the larger riders added layers of carbon fiber.

The design process was interesting- basically, the rider lay on his side and a tracing of the
contour of his back was made. Lying on your side allows the spine to find its natural contour- with
this method, the seat matched that contour pretty well. All the riders raved about the comfort of
their seats.

Ask Ed Deaton at Fools Crow about the Zox seats- I think he sells them.

Jeff Wills

1. Don't use the word bent in this group when you mean curved

The trick is to find the thinnest plywood available, such as 3mm door skin, and laminate it in a
curve by clamping it in a jig.

Use a lightweight core material, such as foam or end grain balsa. Personally, I would use solid wood
on the edges and mounting points, and foam elsewhere. I figure a tapered core, going from an inch or
so at the middle to flat at the ends would be lighter and look cooler.

Epoxy it all together. The epoxy will make the thin wood more pliable. Don't go crazy with epoxy in
the core area.

"George MacKenzie" <gmackenz@ratsnest.qwest.net> wrote in message
news:861xuv213w.fsf@ratsnest.qwest.net...
>
> At the HPV races at Portland International Raceway this year I saw lots of bikes, both commercial
> and home built, with a nifty little bent plywood seat. I think that I've seen in on some European
> web pages - Zephyr? Does anyone know where I can get one in the US? Thanks.