New Shift knob
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Morristown New Jersey
Oldtimer
FWIW, I really like it. Nice job!
Thank you ALL!
The black growth rings in the piece are
and pull it together with the dash.
one of the benefits of exotic woods. I purposely used that end of the chunk because the black ring was there.
Matt, I avoid very dark stains on dark and (especially) exotic woods. That being said, I'm sure it would look great, and the red color would still show thru, unlike a black stained maple or cherry. This being my first turning in too many years, I wanted to bask in the natural rosewood colors. I was thinking of making one in oak, (NOT exotic!) and doing a black stain. Might get some interesting zebra effects because oak's growth rings reject stain so vigorously, even if I soaked it in the can!
So how did you clamp it to drill the hole without damaging it? Or did you drill the hole early on?
Thank you ALL!
The black growth rings in the piece are
and pull it together with the dash.one of the benefits of exotic woods. I purposely used that end of the chunk because the black ring was there.
Matt, I avoid very dark stains on dark and (especially) exotic woods. That being said, I'm sure it would look great, and the red color would still show thru, unlike a black stained maple or cherry. This being my first turning in too many years, I wanted to bask in the natural rosewood colors. I was thinking of making one in oak, (NOT exotic!) and doing a black stain. Might get some interesting zebra effects because oak's growth rings reject stain so vigorously, even if I soaked it in the can!
So how did you clamp it to drill the hole without damaging it? Or did you drill the hole early on?
There's the rub. I have a: http://www.shopsmith.com/. I grew up with them, cried at the temporary demise of the company and revel at the resurrection of same. When my father in law saw how much DIY I was doing on our first house, he gave me his and I haven't looked back.The Shopsmith has many functions, and a 36" variable speed wood lathe is one of them. After turning the **** to the shape I liked, I cut away material at both ends leaving a little less than 1/2" stubs. (Remember, to turn a small piece, one uses a DRIVE center and a DEAD center.) The drive center is about an inch in diameter. Now HERE is where the Shopsmith bag of tricks comes in. (Just follow along, I will give greater detail if requested) After removing the stock, I also removed the center rest in the 'rear' and the drive center. I then replaced the rear rest with the regular table saw table, with the rip fence and miter fence(for crosscuts). They are both clampable in place. This allowed me to create a jig to hold the leftover square stock in place. On the drive side, I replaced the lathe center with my 1/2" drill chuck and installed a small, rigid drill bit. (last thing I wanted to do was to push a big drill into the work). I lined up the drive side of the project with the tip of the drill, loosened the drill feed (the quill) and then drilled a small pilot hole using the original drive center hole as the guide. (the Shopsmith is a horizontal boring machine and drill press) I increased drill sizes until I reached 1/2" which was the closest size I had to accommodate the 9/16-18 tap I got from Napa. The drill's diameter caused all of the waste on the drive side to fall away. I then chucked the tap in to create the threads, and to make sure they were lined up straight. Once that was done, I screwed a 9/16 nut onto the tap. I cut the waste from the other side of the ****, leaving a 'nib' which I removed after screwing the **** onto the tap, using the nut as a jamb nut so I didn't overstress the threads. Once the nib was gone, it was a matter of sand and polish.
Sure hope this wasn't too long winded. I was a metal shop teacher for 4 of my 36 years and it was 4 of my happiest.
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Le Mans Master
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From: Northwest CT
Thanks for the explanation...I follow.
My FIL has a Shopsmith and I have always viewed it as somewhat of a toy. I have never used it, so no real basis for my opinion.
So I am surprised you did that on one.
Again, very nice job!
My FIL has a Shopsmith and I have always viewed it as somewhat of a toy. I have never used it, so no real basis for my opinion.
So I am surprised you did that on one.
Again, very nice job!
Tech Contributor
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From: Should this thoughtful, valuable contribution meet with no acknowledgement or 'thanks' this post----
I'm thinking I can do this in birdseye maple...and leave it natural like on this Strat neck.....
Le Mans Master
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From: Oviedo Florida
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Morristown New Jersey
Oldtimer
[QUOTE=$$$frumnuttin';1579707748]I'm thinking I can do this in birdseye maple...and leave it natural like on this Strat neck.....
Birdseye maple would be incredible! As for the Shopsmith, I learned a lot from the old time users. They have more tricks than Carter has pills!!
Birdseye maple would be incredible! As for the Shopsmith, I learned a lot from the old time users. They have more tricks than Carter has pills!!
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Morristown New Jersey
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Race Director
Joined: May 2010
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From: Winfield IN
I can appreciate the time and effort put into making that ****, but it just looks so ridiculously out of place in a Corvette. It doesn't match anything at all in the interior. I love exotic hardwood grips on all my handguns, but I would save the wood interior pieces for Cadillacs and other luxury cars, where they might actually match something.
But, hey, as long as it makes you happy, right? It does look like a nice piece. If I might make a recommendation, you may want to reduce the diameter of the **** base. That way, it will better match up with the smaller diameter of the neck of the shift boot. Just a thought. It looks pretty awkward currently.
But, hey, as long as it makes you happy, right? It does look like a nice piece. If I might make a recommendation, you may want to reduce the diameter of the **** base. That way, it will better match up with the smaller diameter of the neck of the shift boot. Just a thought. It looks pretty awkward currently.
I'm sorry, Chasboy, but I could not agree MORE with FYRARMS. The first thing I thought was "Cadillac." Maybe it would look better with other wooden accents like say having your radio bezel done in wood. But with nothing else done it wood, it just looks so weird.It reminds me so much of a wooden-handle screwdriver I made in my middle school shop class.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2011
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From: Jacksonville FL
Here's my first attempt at a new shift ****. It's made from a chunk of rosewood I've been hanging onto since the mid 70's.
Funny how one finds out they've run out of something in the middle of a project. (All of my superfine sandpaper) Managed to finish with 400, then 0000 steel wool with Simonize, ran it fast enough to melt the wax, then just kept applying. No set screw, just tapped with a 9/16-18 thread since rosewood is so hard.
AND a pic of my hood 3 days since I Zaino Z-5+6 'ed it.
Funny how one finds out they've run out of something in the middle of a project. (All of my superfine sandpaper) Managed to finish with 400, then 0000 steel wool with Simonize, ran it fast enough to melt the wax, then just kept applying. No set screw, just tapped with a 9/16-18 thread since rosewood is so hard.
AND a pic of my hood 3 days since I Zaino Z-5+6 'ed it.
That seriously kicks ***! I'd buy one if you were in North Florida! I also enjoyed reading your woodworking tutorial below.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Morristown New Jersey
Oldtimer
Most hard materials like a billiard ball can be threaded. Just need to use a real tap, take time, lube if possible, and keep the threads clean. If you want it to be secure, some RTV silicone would be a secure, yet removable adhesive.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Morristown New Jersey
Oldtimer
It reminds me so much of a wooden-handle screwdriver I made in my middle school shop class.
Torch, with all due respect, comparing that old, what-looks-like-oak-but-could-be-pine-with-Deft-chocolate-stain school project to my work in ROSEWOOD is downright insulting.
(my students used machined plexiglass and aluminum and/or brass) That being said, introducing a new texture/color/material to any design scheme is not weird or even unusual. The fact that the piece I used had a significant figure of black running thru it attests to the fact that I had a method to my madness. In fact, I've seen some incredible brown/black interiors.
In addition, if ANY part of a redesign of a car interior has been fair game, it's the SHIFT ****. Google it and take a look at the variety of ***** out there that match NOTHING in the interior. Do you really think a purchaser of a $185 Robin Casady **** worries about being 'matchy-matchy'?
Torch, with all due respect, comparing that old, what-looks-like-oak-but-could-be-pine-with-Deft-chocolate-stain school project to my work in ROSEWOOD is downright insulting.
(my students used machined plexiglass and aluminum and/or brass) That being said, introducing a new texture/color/material to any design scheme is not weird or even unusual. The fact that the piece I used had a significant figure of black running thru it attests to the fact that I had a method to my madness. In fact, I've seen some incredible brown/black interiors. In addition, if ANY part of a redesign of a car interior has been fair game, it's the SHIFT ****. Google it and take a look at the variety of ***** out there that match NOTHING in the interior. Do you really think a purchaser of a $185 Robin Casady **** worries about being 'matchy-matchy'?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,809
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From: Yorktown Virginia
My Grandmother used to make resin ornamental grapes. I used a ridiculously oversized one to make my first shift ****. I didn't know about taps at that time, so I chased threads into it with a large bolt. It held fine for 2 years until I cracked up the car-no fault of the shifter!
Most hard materials like a billiard ball can be threaded. Just need to use a real tap, take time, lube if possible, and keep the threads clean. If you want it to be secure, some RTV silicone would be a secure, yet removable adhesive.
Most hard materials like a billiard ball can be threaded. Just need to use a real tap, take time, lube if possible, and keep the threads clean. If you want it to be secure, some RTV silicone would be a secure, yet removable adhesive.
BTW I like the ****, I was actually thinking of putting a wooden one in my car for a while. Heck I have a golf ball as a shifter **** right now and it doesnt match anything on my car and I think Ive gotten the most compliments on it just because its different. I guess its kinda like the el camino I have which I get a compliment on that every time I drive even though its in pretty rough shape.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Morristown New Jersey
Oldtimer
Hmm well maybe Ill just use the drill press and figure out this cnc stuff a little later...
BTW I like the ****, I was actually thinking of putting a wooden one in my car for a while. Heck I have a golf ball as a shifter **** right now and it doesnt match anything on my car and I think Ive gotten the most compliments on it just because its different. I guess its kinda like the el camino I have which I get a compliment on that every time I drive even though its in pretty rough shape.
BTW I like the ****, I was actually thinking of putting a wooden one in my car for a while. Heck I have a golf ball as a shifter **** right now and it doesnt match anything on my car and I think Ive gotten the most compliments on it just because its different. I guess its kinda like the el camino I have which I get a compliment on that every time I drive even though its in pretty rough shape.
Be careful drilling golf *****. At one time there was a 'questionable' liquid in the center.
Remember one important thing about machining any odd shaped material. ( as common as a 'ball shape' is, it's weird to a machine!) Make sure it's secure. In the case of the drill press, some kind of curved base will give you a solid mount. Perhaps a can in a smaller diameter? Also, use your best small drill to make a starter/pilot hole and work your way up to final size.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,809
Likes: 3
From: Yorktown Virginia
El Caminos are high on the 'neat' list for sure!
Be careful drilling golf *****. At one time there was a 'questionable' liquid in the center.
Remember one important thing about machining any odd shaped material. ( as common as a 'ball shape' is, it's weird to a machine!) Make sure it's secure. In the case of the drill press, some kind of curved base will give you a solid mount. Perhaps a can in a smaller diameter? Also, use your best small drill to make a starter/pilot hole and work your way up to final size.
Be careful drilling golf *****. At one time there was a 'questionable' liquid in the center.
Remember one important thing about machining any odd shaped material. ( as common as a 'ball shape' is, it's weird to a machine!) Make sure it's secure. In the case of the drill press, some kind of curved base will give you a solid mount. Perhaps a can in a smaller diameter? Also, use your best small drill to make a starter/pilot hole and work your way up to final size.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 7,419
Likes: 966
From: Morristown New Jersey
Oldtimer
Questionable liquid? Ive never heard of anything like that before, I did make sure to use a cheaper nike ball as those have a solid core where as a pro v1 has something similar to a rubber band. I might use the lathe if I can figure out a way to hold it solid like you are saying.
If you have a lathe, you will have your most secure and exact method of drilling a sphere. If you have a 3 jaw chuck, great, because they self-center the stock(ball). Even a beat up old, slightly "off" one is fine for our purposes. You just need deep enough jaws to hold the ball just past it's greatest diameter, use some kind of EVEN padding between the jaws and the ball (leather was used a lot) and then tighten down. Remember, if you use a pilot hole and gradual increases in drill size, you won't have to worry about the ball getting loose and spinning in the jaws. If it's a opaque colored ball, drill deep so you can get lots of threading surface. I went a bit over 2" on mine.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,809
Likes: 3
From: Yorktown Virginia
There were, maybe still are, liquid center golf *****. There was a problem with with them exploding. The liquid centers were a variety of materials, including sulfuric acid.
If you have a lathe, you will have your most secure and exact method of drilling a sphere. If you have a 3 jaw chuck, great, because they self-center the stock(ball). Even a beat up old, slightly "off" one is fine for our purposes. You just need deep enough jaws to hold the ball just past it's greatest diameter, use some kind of EVEN padding between the jaws and the ball (leather was used a lot) and then tighten down. Remember, if you use a pilot hole and gradual increases in drill size, you won't have to worry about the ball getting loose and spinning in the jaws. If it's a opaque colored ball, drill deep so you can get lots of threading surface. I went a bit over 2" on mine.
If you have a lathe, you will have your most secure and exact method of drilling a sphere. If you have a 3 jaw chuck, great, because they self-center the stock(ball). Even a beat up old, slightly "off" one is fine for our purposes. You just need deep enough jaws to hold the ball just past it's greatest diameter, use some kind of EVEN padding between the jaws and the ball (leather was used a lot) and then tighten down. Remember, if you use a pilot hole and gradual increases in drill size, you won't have to worry about the ball getting loose and spinning in the jaws. If it's a opaque colored ball, drill deep so you can get lots of threading surface. I went a bit over 2" on mine.