I want to make a shift knob for someone.

It's been a while since I've made a shift knob. They're kind of fun to build. However, the one I have in my Z06 right now is basically perfect for me and I don't want to change it. If I can get some time on a weekend I'd like to turn another shift knob for funsies, though. 

So, who wants a custom shift knob?

Here are the caveats:

* Shift knob will be metal. It may be mild steel, stainless, aluminum, or whatever I have sitting around in bar stock form. 

* I will do the design with some input from you, though ultimately it will be a 1-of-1 and I'll be doing this mostly as a fun exercise. 

* It may be painted, powdercoated, or raw depending on how I'm feeling. If raw it may be in a satin or polished finish. If you have thoughts here I'd take them into consideration. 

* No weird lift-up or BMW-style knobs: I need something with a known thread pitch onto which the knob will screw. 

Basically it's roulette: I kind of want an excuse to turn another shift knob and make something that someone will use. 

The other caveat is that it's free. I will not be accepting money for this. However, I really only think I can scrounge up the time to to do one right now (also I'm in Phoenix and it's a hundred-and-fork-you degrees outside and my shop is not air-conditioned). I'll leave it to the community to decide who gets the knob. Maybe the comment with the most upvotes gets it? Would there be a better metric?

I'll let this run for a few days. I will be out of town from July 9 for a couple weeks so I might try to get it done before then, maybe even this weekend. 

For reference, attached is a photo of my favorite knob that's currently in the Corvette.

Game on! 

Ooh, me me! Can you anodize?

I don't currently anodize. I've been meaning to build an anodizing rig forever (and even have all the components), but I have yet to put it together.

The photo above is of my own shift knob. It looks anodized but isn't: It's actually a paint. I've had this knob in my Z for 2.5 years and it was in my C7 Stingray prior to that for a year or 2, so it's held up quite well.

I could use one for my 1969 Lotus Europa. I think the one I'm using is from a first gen MR2. I'll leave the style, material and detail to you.

Sadly, I have no more manual vehicles in my fleet now.

Oh yeah!  I'm in.  1969 Mercury Cougar restomod with TKO600 5 speed trans.  Now has a brushed stainless steel knob on chrome Hurst stick.  

My MG could totally use a not beat up OEM RX7 shift knob...

The naskart needs a custom knob. I have a bland circle track piece, but it just doesn't fit the vibe. 

Pro-Tip:  Make his life easy and give him the thread-pitch :)

ND Miata, M10x1.25

Gonna need to start looking for one anyways.  I fiddle with it and the leather ks starting to undo.

Despite how many miles on it, ive yet to really start making it mine.  I should start that.   Maybe a knob will help?

Yeah, I'll 100% need thread pitch before starting! 

Y'all help out and do a thumbs up on who you'd like to see. I don't want to have to make a decision. If I had the time I'd build them for everyone, but I still have a business to run and that sucks up most of my hours so this has to be a one-off for now. 

MoCar.

Meet Yoshi.  I need to upgrade the springs and tires.  Shift knob may be the motivating factor

Years ago, I made shift knobs out of billiard balls. #4, #5, etc (depending on the trans), and #8 was popular. Even blank cue balls. Just drilled and tapped for whatever the shifter thread was.

Could you do a matching set of 3 knobs (large one for a ZF 5 speed truck trans (3/8-24 thread), 2 smaller matching ones (7/16-20) for a twin-stick transfer case? Bonus if you can mill the shift pattern into the tops: Typical H-pattern 5 speed with reverse right and down for the ZF, L-N-H in a vertical pattern for the each transfer case knob, but on marked with a large "F", and the other "R", kinda like these:

They're all for my '71 Bronco:

I'm trying to get the motivation to finish the dash and a/c install in the girlfriend's new rig. I think a new shift knob would help. The current one was held on with wads of electrical tape.

You're telling me I have to compete against a rotary MG?!

Nocones, post photos when you get it!

Okay, anyone else going to click that little thumbs-uppy thing? So far it's nocones by a good stretch. 

Once I get the T56 swap in this, it will need a knob.  Sadly, that could be years.

Hey nocones, your post had the most thumbses-upses. I sent you an email last week. Did you get it? I'll need some info to get going.

I'll be out of town for a couple weeks so the lathe work will have to wait until I return. 

In reply to brandonsmash :

Yes sorry it was a busy week.  I'll get you the info soon.  Thanks I'm looking forward to whenever it gets made.

Such a generous offer and Im stoked to see what you create for NoCones

I got super busy and didn't have a weekend free for a while, but I was able to work at the lathe this past weekend and knock it out. 

My thought process was centered around building something for a small car with someone who has average-sized hands and prefers a loose overhand grip. That grip is what I prefer myself, and after experimenting I found that I prefer a flatter, wider top with a radius and taper so that's what I built here. 

I made this one about 15% smaller than others I've made because A) I didn't want to have a massive, heavy shift knob (this one already weighs over 18oz) and B) medium/medium-large hands don't do well with a massive shift knob, and C) for a Miata-sized car I wanted to keep it fairly trim. 

I turned this out of a chunk of billet. (Well, I did it twice. The first one I made I didn't care for, so it went in the bin.) The taper is 7 degrees and I cut a small radius into the seat and a medium radius into the top. If you're interested in making one of your own, some helpful hints I've learned from having made a number of these: Cut the internal threads on the bottom of the billet first and countersink at that point if you want it countersunk. Take another piece to use as an arbor and turn it and cut the male threads. As you turn it clockwise the knob will tighten HARD on the threads, which can make removal very difficult; to combat this, I coat the arbor threads with a liberal application of molybdenum grease. I still have to lock the lathe and use a textured rubber glove to grip the knob to turn it enough to remove it, but it's at least possible. 

Where in the past I've done these and polished them to a mirror finish, the car that this will be going into does not look like that fits the aesthetic so I only polished it down to 600 grit. I painted it with Metalcast with 4 coats of base, 4 coats of color, and 2 coats of clear. However, I made a mistake and laid the first coat of clear on too thick in one spot and there's a flaw, but I'm hoping that's acceptable because I don't have a ton of time to go back and strip it all and start over from base again. Metalcast is really, really neat stuff but it's very temperamental about application thicknesses and timing. 

Once I hear back from nocones (to make sure he can still use this, because it took me longer to get to this than I expected) I'll send it out! 

That looks awesome!  

Well done!

nocones, I never did hear from you - did you receive this package? I hope USPS didn't lose it, but they've lost some of my parcels before and I don't think I kept the receipt/shipping number on this one.

nocones, I never did hear from you - did you receive this package? I hope USPS didn't lose it, but they've lost some of my parcels before and I don't think I kept the receipt/shipping number on this one.