email me for custom work: tzcustomleather@comcast.net

Friday, January 30, 2009

helmet relined.


















Bee gave me this lid on my bday several years ago. One of my all-time favorite gifts! I had to rip out the already scuzzy lining to fit my lockes in.... i've been rockin it for probably 4+ years. Got bored the other nite and had a fresh can of glue. sacrificed (2) bandana's, and wah-lah....!

Thursday, January 29, 2009

New seat for The Pearl.

















i got the supplies for xmas. My lovely wife got me this sweet gel pad (I only used a little piece of it for this), as well as a "biltwell" hidden seat mount. Yeah, I picked'em out, but she did the rest. Thanks babe! I used the money my Nanny gave me to buy this awesome seat pan from Redtailleather. He makes'em good. It has an aggressive curve on the back, to keep my curve off the fender....




















I bought a couple rolls of 1/8" neoprene closed cell foam... ebay score for $20 shipped. I cut out several pieces and glued them together.. I then cut out the insert for the gel pad.



















I then took the pan down to the welding shop and had Bee hook it up.. we figured out where it'd sit, then welded in post for the springs. also a couple post up front for the new hinge mount, which we also welded to the frame.
I wasn't aloud to take the camera, my wife's, (i broke mine) to "that dirty grimey shop" for fear i'd break it. so i didn't get any pics.

back at the casa, I ran a strip of 'edge trim' around the pan to keep the edges from cuttin into the leather...autozone, $9.95 with about 15ft extra.































glued the first layer down and let it dry. then glued the rest, put the gel insert in, and covered with a top piece. I wanted to 'sandwich' the gel pad in there so it can't slide around. I sanded it down smooth with a rubber wheel thingy attached to my drill. Dad, I still have that thing...!
























then I clamped it all down and waited for it to dry. Waiting=the hardest part for me.



















glued the bottom piece on. I had already cut the holes for the post to poke thru.

My pictures sequence is shoty from here on out. Coincediently, My wife's camera DID break, and guess who caught the heat...! I lost 'Privileges ' for a few days and actually had to sneak these last ones in.

Bee gave me this line drawing and I used the printer at work to blow in up to size. It's our 'crew' logo that we came up with years ago. Really represents everything this bike is about, and was built around. Home-made with lots of help from friends. Can't think of a single one that hasn't helped us (me and The Pearl) in some way or another throughtout the years. From the original build, to rebuilding the motor, rewiring it 4x, to picking me up off the interstate 100 miles from home..!
Most of us have this permanently on our bodies.























after I got the top piece tooled, I glued the foam heavy and let tack up. then wet the leather and put it in place. molded around the foam. This isn't the most 'choice' piece of hide, kinda thick and marked up, but it's what I had in the scrap bin. More character, right? Wet then mold, repeated several times till it fits just right. Then I clamped'er all togther and let sit overnight.

Then I made a groove around the base, and punched the holes. I had to eyeball the groove and it isn't perfectly symetrical...character, right...? Then I laced it up while watchin a boring movie with the wife. This is really the only time my projects and I come out of our designated area. Makes for some good quality time!















after it was all stiched up. I trimmed off the excess and dyed it with my antique "saddle tan" to match the briefcase/saddlebag. Got a few more coats to go, then I'll apply a bunch of Neatsfoot oil to soften it up and protect it from the elements.










































Me and Bee gotta 1400 mile 'test run' to Daytona planned March 1, so we'll see how comfy she is....!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

makin a cuff for Zeke.

























I decided to make something for Zeke, my bestfriend. Zeke is 7 years old, and getting his "orange" belt in Teakwondo this saturday. It's a big deal for him. I am going to go and watch, I can't wait, I think it will be very entertaining. anywho. I wanted to make him a gift for this special day. This cuff will probably be WAY to big and bulky for his little wrist....but maybe one day he'll grow into it, or his pops can steal it! I figured for now, it'd be good play gear for my young warrior friend.

heres how I made it:
Pretty basic. cut some straps, using my new round knife. punched some holes. stiched on the buckles and dyed it. I like to use this antique dye, it shows all the imperfections in the grain, which turns out lookin cool. I also "burnish" the edges using this "tar" substance. You just wet the edge with the tar, then rub something over it rapidly. the friction causes the tar to harden and it makes a nice smooth edge.

Way to go Bud.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Belt and Wristcuff I made this weekend....

















I made these for Billy, of BareBonesChoppers in Mercer PA. He's a real solid guy that i gotta lot in common with. I hope to do alot more work for him in the future.

Pics are bad, sorry. photograph is not my forte.

Friday, January 16, 2009

random works from last year.



























These are all pieces I've made over the past year for friends and family.

My bikes bags..

This was the first bag I made for myself. Really one of the first things I made period. The toolin is pretty rough. I rocked it for a year or so.
















this is the 2nd. New design. I did a "wrap around" design, with a square cut out under the "flap". This gave the bag added structural strength. the first one twisted from side to side. this solved that "flaw"..
















third and current. Newest design. Side door for super clean look. the molded skull is a stash spot for spare light bulb. (they always seem to bust at night)I also wrapped it around the biggest bean can i could find, for max strength. the first too bags warped after a year of ridin in the elements, and carrying 10lbs of tools...
















they have all had the "?" in tribute to Indian Larry. He was a true inspiration to me, and my bike. Helps remind me to work on my own bike, with the help of my crew. Seriously doubt he EVER took any bike in to the stealership for an oil change.....or any other repair work.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

don't tailgate a bike.



or you might get some change. made for a fellow chopper jockey on the west side...

xmas gifts.



















these are some gifts I made this year for the fam...

Zombie Vuitton..



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this is my new briefcase/saddlebag i finished the other nite..... soon to be quickly detachable from my scooter.

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