Now that I am back in school out in SD for mechanical engineering, I figured that I'd better learn me some basic machining to add insight before my dumb ass graduates and starts designing impossible to manufacture parts. While the program at SDSMT is about as hands on as you want it (joined SAE mini baja and did full machine shop training last semester), you are obviously not allowed to do personal projects in any of the labs. Queue the 7x12 Harbor Freight mini-lathe that is the counterpart to the mini-mill that I've always lusted after. Initially wanting the mill, I ordered the lathe instead when it was on sale, managed to snag a 25% coupon, and get $6.99 shipping to boot. I figured that with a lathe being something I knew absolutely nothing about, it would be a pretty fun challenge to try and figure out. Every little thing that people complain about on these lathes is absolutely true, but with a little love they can become somewhat serviceable if used with the machine's limitations in mind. I initially just started goofing around with some 1" 6061 (turning down, facing, grooves, tapers)... Moved on to making a fly tying hair stacker ( drilling, boring, inside and outside tapers)... Most recently, decided that the foz needed a new silly shift knob ... Yanked it back off, made two more, and then polished them. Yay shiny?
Meh, I have a very heavy metal shift knob too and it really isn't a problem no matter how cold and I don't wear gloves. You only touch the knob for a split second every so often and it really doesn't take that long to warm up. My hands honestly get colder from touching the steering wheel than the shift knob simply because you have to constantly touch it.
Now with 100% more brass! Had a few inches of 1" stock from a previous project and thought I'd give it a try Sucker is weighty ... bet I could get my hand stuck to it if it ever drops back down to -20F again.
Not selling at the moment as I am not geared up for production quite yet and do not have vendor status. Will let people know if and when that happens. Both Gridlocked and PaulasaurusWRX have test knobs for their Outback hoopties now though.
My WRX has M12x1.25 for the shift knob threads. For what it's worth, my Supra uses the same thread. If you end up making another brass knob that you can't seem to get rid of, I'd like to try one on the Supra for drag racing- the whole 'weighted shifter' thing has me wondering.
