Considering a run of shifter knobs, I've not done one in years Options

[VaccaRabite]

Hey all, I'm considering a run of 917 style shifter knobs, which I've not done in about 5 years.

These would be different from the ones I have made in the past.

I bought a bit of European birch plywood, and I plan to make them from that. The shipping cost more the then lumber, and the lumber wasn't cheap.

In the past I have always used either maple and mahogany or maple and dark walnut for these knobs. And then finished them with several oats of oil and wax.

This time around they would be very (hopefully very very) similar to the knobs made by the Porsche race teams for their 917 cars. Right wood. Right finish. Wrong car. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)

The knobs were known as "balsa" shift knobs, but were actually made from birch ply and glued onto the shifter rod.

My plan is to turn and smooth them, and fit them with the delrin inserts I make (instead of glueing the knob to your shift rod). But otherwise they will be very much like the originals - no finish save the oils from your hands.

The wood is a furniture grade euro ply - its not the rough crap from the local home depot.

I've not got the wood yet, and I need to order more delrin rod for the inserts. But before I do that, is there even any interest in this, or am I the only one that thinks its a cool idea?

As far as I know, no-one else is doing these this way, everyone is making them similar to how I was doing it, though I've yet to see someone making the inserts I developed for use with the stock crush rings.

These would definitely be a little more racey and raw. I don't know, maybe I'm the only one that thinks it would be cool.

I should also point out, these could also be finished in oil and wax for a bit of refinement and would likely look awesome. But I kinda want to make them as close to the actual deal as I can this time, and see how it goes.

Let me know what you think. And I'll make up a test knob when the wood gets to me.

Zach