CGT inspired shifter knob
 

The flat top on my 'S' shifter knob and 997 SSK were starting to beocme a real pain. The "edges" start to dig in after a while so I made this:

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1362968423.jpg

That is nice. Too nice in fact. Thee real question is how did you pull it off because it looks soo good. Any way good job and one more question how much did it cost to make. I would like one.

taking orders?

Thanks! It was a LOT of time and hassle but I am gaga over the CGT and wanted a bit of it in my car. There are some imperfections that can't be seen in a photo; rest assured it is hand made...I even had do a drawing for it

I had plenty of help. To minimize costs, I started with an aluminum knob and machined it. The inside had to shaped to take a 997 SSK shifter stalk. The knob was EDM machined to remove the top of the sphere.

The removed portion of the sphere served as a template to turn the wood portion. The stratified wood portion is alternating layers of birch and walnut glued together. I think I drove a wood turner mad trying to get this right. Really I should have picked the right wood colour to begin with. As such it had to be stained multiple times to get the colours right. There is difficulty getting a urethane coating to stick. Currently this only quality issue...any help from wood workers out there would be appreciated!

It probably cost close to 300 in materials and some labour alone.
I was considering manufacturing these initially but the amount of work and cost is quite high. I wonder what I will be charged for wire EDM next time??

While this came into being because I couldnt put a CGT knob on my car and I had to come up with a way to do it, searching around the web will show that others have made similar items as well...it can be done!

You are impressive! That is pure art!

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1372106141.jpg

Thanks for your kind comments...some installed views

Beautiful interior!

What did you use to get the backspacing of your Brockway gauge to match the rest of the panels in the console? Or did Brockway fix this on the new version? Mine sits about 1/8" inset compared to the climate control below, but it is the earlier version.

Thanks! This was one of the last they may have made. It sits flush out the box. The clips could have a little more spring force but otherwise the colour fit and finish are excellent. Just thinking aloud you would have to space the panel out and still have the clips grab. Things that could be done:

Bond offset spacers to the stop area of the gauge frame and grind off an appropriate amount on the locking tangs on the console...so that the clips can grab..I would have to get in there and look for real...instead working in my virtual work shop:ah:

Maybe grafting the clips from the cd holder would do it

How do you like the Dgauge otherwise??

I am a woodturner and the urethene is indeed a problem. Best thing to do is leave it on the lathe and give it numerous coats of thin cyanoacrilate (CA) glue, spraying it with accelerant between applications. 40-50 very quick coats in a well ventilated shop, followed by a day or to of curing, then light sanding with micromesh pads and finally plastic polish will give that knob a glass-like and very durable finish.

I do this all the time with the pens and things I make on my lathe.

Thanks for the input....I hope I don't need a slow turning lathe to do this as I am not a wood turner...

All the Urethane is flaking off. I was thinking of going uncoated as the stain finish is pretty good....is this advisable?

A lot of the surface shown in the pictures is raw

Where can I preorder one of these? :)

Have you thought about oiling the wood with a hand rubbed finish? I've done that with teak wood using teak oil on a boat I used to own. I also have treated a wooden counter top the same way using food-grade mineral oil.

Basic techique is to apply a thin coat of oil and then sand the wood until the oil and sawdust become a paste and work into the grain. Once you've got this paste worked in, use a clean rag to buff the excess oil off and it takes on a smooth matte finish.

Thanks jaykay, guess I'll have to look into more creative solutions! I was hoping Brockway could fix the backspacing when I sent it in for the firmware upgrade to add 60-130 timing, but no dice.

I do love the gauge, however. It is the first thing most passengers comment on - and my car has lots of interesting little tweaks very seldom seen on other 986's. Some day I'll take some good pics and post them...I'd just rather spend my time driving the thing for now!

It's a great way of adding instrumentation without disrupting the stock look of the interior..

Thanks I will consider this process. I am almost thinking my sweaty paw will naturally finish the wood

Thinking about making them but I need multiple pre orders to make it economically viable...

Make another thread with a sign up list

Actually, your sweaty palm will stain the wood. black eventually.

I've done quite a few walnut gun stocks, and my favorite finish was achieved with True Oil. It comes in a bottle or a spray can. I used the bottle. I would warn the stock and the oil, rub it in thoroughly, and then set it to dry for a couple of days. I would repeat this process about ten times, rubbing it down with 0000 steel wool in between coats. After that i would buff it out with a nice paste wax. then end result wasn't so much a shine as it was a deep rich sheen.