Check out these knobs! (dash knobs)

midlife · 08-18-2004, 11:10 PM

My dash knobs were all cracked and warped, and rather than do the sensible thing, and buy new ones, I built a compression mold to make new rubber parts. Here are the results.

I put some on ebay to see if I can get a little to justify the time I put in.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7917231855

dickster · 08-19-2004, 12:18 AM

very clever - thats way beyond my capabilities.

amazing.

lateapex911 · 08-19-2004, 01:17 AM

did you use the originals as plugs?

What material is the mold? and the final product?

neat work!

midlife · 08-19-2004, 07:39 AM

The original knobs are 3 or 4 pieces. There is a plastic threaded knob, a plastic icon part, an outer rubber, and some have a plastic light pipe.

I just made the rubber part that slips over the original plastic parts. The rubber is 50 Duro EPDM.
The mold is CNC machined out of aluminum, with a removeable aluminum core. You can see from the cross section that there is heavy undercuts in the part. This makes it tricky to get the part off the core.

JCF · 08-19-2004, 07:55 AM

As we say here down in Maine... "ain't you clevah "

John

Jgordon · 08-19-2004, 08:03 AM

nice job. what knob is that with the warning? and what does the warning say?

Por_sha911 · Por_sha911's Garage

Wow that is awesome. With engineering like that, you could make spark plugs and oil filters and... oh, wait, never mind, I got carried away.
Question: how much time did it take you to do this? Was there a huge cost avoided by buying them or do you like to diy everything?
Can you create a custom AL spacer for a 930S wheel for me? PM me and if you can to get details and cost.

JBO · 08-19-2004, 09:27 AM

I painted the knobs red on my red targa and think they look "way cool". And no, I don't have a "Type R" sticker!! I would have just bought your red ones had I seen this sooner.

skinnerd · skinnerd's Garage

This board never fails to amaze..... the abilities and desires of some people is boundless!!!!

Really great stuff.

midlife · 08-19-2004, 09:53 AM

Quote:

nice job. what knob is that with the warning? and what does the warning say?

Thanks. That is the NOS injection knob.

No actually it is the emergency flasher switch, and it says something like "Do not mis-use."

Bones · Bones's Garage

ingenious work!

juanbenae · juanbenae's Garage

aligator arms?

Paulporsche · 08-19-2004, 02:58 PM

Nice Knobs!

Overpaid Slacker · 08-19-2004, 03:34 PM

I am impressed. Nice stuff.

JP

BoogieOnSkis · BoogieOnSkis's Garage

There is a "how to" article for a similar method of doing this in the September 04 issue of Car Collector magazine.

Rather than constructing a mold from CNC aluminium, the article describes how to do it with the original knobs, even when they're cracked as bad as shown in the original post.

BURN-BROS · 08-20-2004, 06:11 AM

Good work, I am sure I will there will be a p.m. when I am ready to do the interior.

rswannabe · 10-25-2004, 12:47 PM

Midlife,

I sent you a PM about these knob surrounds. I'd be interested in buying a set from you if you have any ready.

Also, do you know where one can get the little icon plastic inserts?

Thanks

Early_S_Man · 10-25-2004, 01:03 PM

Very impressive and NICE work!

How about some walnut, oak or camel browns, and gray to match factory leather colors???

ubiquity0 · 10-25-2004, 01:09 PM

Good idea. A pair of NOS early sun visors just sold for almost $1,400 on ebay. Good replica knob rubber should be worth a bit

midlife · 10-25-2004, 04:10 PM

rswannabe,
I didn't get your PM. Maybe the spam filter stopped it.
I'm all out of knobs right now, but I hope to make more soon.

You can get the emblem inserts from Pelican.
http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/shopcart/911E/POR_911E_interi_pg10.htm

ubiquity0,
I'm toying with some concepts for sun visors. (Like most targas, my visors are pillowy).