Knobs...

[sean k]

I made these a few years ago and though I didn't forget them I wasn't remembering much. But yesterday I found them again and John Lyon has asked for a look. I really should get serious about this but the trouble with these is that every one needs drilling up through the middle to take the pot shaft and then a drilled and tapped hole for the grub screw going through the side. I suppose I should think seriously about getting onto the next stage which was designing and building just caps meaning the ones I get made will just glue on top of a readily available knob. Reckon I should get into it again?


Incidentally, there were going to be a greater number of styles but the models I made had pine centres and that caved in under the extreme heat and pressure of the molding process. The brownish bits in the box are the remains of the ones that didn't work out.

[John Lyons]

Ok, now I remember these...
I remembered that you made them but I forgot the shapes and styles.
Cool stuff!

john

[composition4]

Hey they look great! How big are they? Have you got anything you can put in a photo as a comparison if it's not too much effort?

Thanks
Jonathan

[Steben]

Nice work. Plain nice work.
Isn't drilling them sideways (set screw) risky (tearing)?
Maybe you should drill them only once to use them on split shafts?

[mnordbye]

Looks fabulous! The one far left looks like the switches on my boats control panel. Plain cool!

Magnus Nordbye

[sean k]

Sorry but my camera batteries are almost shot so a recharge only lasts for one session so I've gotta charge them again. Anyways they are from just over 20mm tall to just under 30mm tal so around an inch or so.

They are cast in a pewter mix and drill really easily. Its kinda weird to explain but drilling and tapping it doesn't act like alloy or steel on brass but seems, it doesnt ribbon like other metals but kinda coagulates but doesn't bind up either. Suffice to say its soft stuff so the grub hole screws need to be fairly deep otherwise, I haven't tested this though, I think over time the threads would disappear and the shafts become loose. So the density and softness, compared to other metals, needs to be considered.

Anyways, my thoughts are towards using resins now because I cab mold and pour myself and I recently heard of a guy who coats resin in a special solution which can then be electroplated. Its suits me because the surfaces can't be really smooth and needs a mildy rough finish otherwise the electroplated metal won't bond. My stuff still has file and sanding markes on it "cause I'm lazy and also appreciate the finish that handworking leaves. So as soon as I get a space setup to do this stuff again I'll be adding some more designs and hopefully offering them for sale.
Hey Magnus, it must be a cool boat!

Wanna know a bit about spin casting?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spin_casting

[jakehop]

.....every one needs drilling up through the middle to take the .... shaft and then a drilled and tapped hole for the grub screw going through...... a readily available knob..... the models .....had pine centres and that caved in under the extreme heat and pressure of the ..... process. The brownish bits ...are the remains of ....that.

Uh huh huh he said knob. Uh huh huh.

[hday]

I love the three fingered "claw" like one in the bottom left of the box. I'd buy a pair of those, and probably a pair or two of the ax heads and the chicken head with the hole in it. Very neat.

Would these be (ideally) electroplated? Would a powder coat be easier, and cheaper?