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Laminated Dash Knobs

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Ryan, Jan 30, 2009.

  1. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,632

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

  2. JeffreyJames
    Joined: Jun 13, 2007
    Posts: 16,628

    JeffreyJames
    Member
    from SUGAR CITY

    I was pretty mesmerized by the dash also. I was hoping that it was going to be put in "The Idol" that HHR will soon be working on but I think it was explained to just a stand alone piece. Beautiful none the less.

    As far as the tech article, I wasn't all that sure how those were made. I never gave it much thought because I thought they were hand blown glass. Definitely a cool article to save for when I start my '54.
     
  3. kustombuilder
    Joined: Sep 18, 2002
    Posts: 7,750

    kustombuilder
    Member
    from Novi, MI

    i remember that thread. great stuff!
     
  4. 34toddster
    Joined: Mar 28, 2006
    Posts: 1,482

    34toddster
    Member
    from Missouri

    This looks very cool, and time consuming but hey what isn't, when I was a youngster the cool guy on the block had a 49 Merc with these knobs, the one thing he had that I don't see much of nowadays was a rolled and pleated steering wheel cover, anyone remember those ? I guess they were mostly for the shows but that was one very cool Merc!
     

  5. 1950ChevySuburban
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 6,187

    1950ChevySuburban
    Member Emeritus
    from Tucson AZ

    We made these clear candlestick holders in 8th grade shop with the exact same process. Mom still has them.

    When your making your dash knobs, don't forget your seat adjust knob, and maybe oil dipstick too...........
     
  6. poorboy
    Joined: Feb 8, 2003
    Posts: 1,467

    poorboy
    Member

    cool! here's another example from the GNRS

    [​IMG]
     
  7. hugh m
    Joined: Jul 18, 2007
    Posts: 2,143

    hugh m
    Member
    from ct.

    Yeah, these were big high school projects in the early 60's, before the Beatles got everybody sidetracked...
     
  8. Deuce Daddy Don
    Joined: Apr 27, 2008
    Posts: 5,544

    Deuce Daddy Don
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Yep!----Ryan, all those are "modern" examples of acrylic plastic knobs. Back when I was in hi school (1946-1950) & after WWII, there was an abundent supply of aircraft grade acrylic clear plastic sheets, usually 1/4 inch thick & could be bought very cheap at the surplus stores all around SO.Cal. area.
    It did not take long for ingenuity to begin, as the car guys back then sought out something different to decorate their dash boards, radio knobs, shift levers, glove boxes, etc., so by glueing small pieces together with colored dye mixed with the glue, then rough ground on a grinder to desired shape, then the final buffer wheel, you came up with a personel shaped knob,with your favorite color(s).
    There were many other ideas that sprouted up also, such as ear rings, necklaces, cigarette boxes, knife handles,etc., some guys took to etching designs from the rear of object, like flowers, then covering back with thin piece & buffing everything out for a nice finish!--------YEP, that was a long time ago!!-------------Don
     
  9. gotta love 'em...beauty is in the details for sure
     
  10. ChevyGirlRox
    Joined: May 13, 2005
    Posts: 3,491

    ChevyGirlRox
    Member
    from Ohio

    Thanks for pulling the article back to the top. I've been wanting to make those and knew there had to be an easy way. Now, the hard part, finding a plastics supply place...
     
  11. HomemadeHardtop57
    Joined: Nov 15, 2007
    Posts: 4,328

    HomemadeHardtop57
    Member

    thats a great tech post..I made some of these a couple years ago after reading it. I didn't realize how easy they were to make
     
  12. Yeah, I was going to say that my Dad made some when he was in high school. Red and white swirl.
     
  13. Yaril
    Joined: Mar 13, 2006
    Posts: 989

    Yaril
    Member

    i made one of those using an article from "Rod & Custom, November 1953"

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Yaril
     
  14. Just got off the phone with Jack Walker {personal friend} & the Hirohata Merc will be in KCMO World of wheels show Feb 27 - 28 { QUOTE }He claims it to be the ONLY true Re creation {Clone } that exist today He said there are alot of them out there that have duplicated the paint ECT Basicly got this from the horses mouth So don't argue with me about it I grew up with this guy & his cars & helped on several of them. Larry
     
    Last edited: Feb 4, 2009
  15. haroldd1963
    Joined: Oct 15, 2007
    Posts: 1,154

    haroldd1963
    Member
    from Peru, IL

  16. Gearhead Graphics
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 3,890

    Gearhead Graphics
    Member
    from Denver Co

    I did a few in high school. Instead of buffing them out we sanded down to 600 grit and then dipped them quickly in acetone (nail polish remover)
    it softens it up just enough to take out any scratches and make it real shiny super quick.
    Great post
     
  17. mtlcutter
    Joined: Oct 6, 2007
    Posts: 364

    mtlcutter
    Member

    Great stuff. I have been wanting to make some for my truck for a while now.
     
  18. autobilly
    Joined: May 23, 2007
    Posts: 3,123

    autobilly
    Member

    Damn those Beatles and their "British Invasion"!:D
     
  19. Chad s
    Joined: Oct 6, 2005
    Posts: 1,717

    Chad s
    Member

    Huh?
    Jack Walkers car is a clone.

    The only true one that exists, and has ever existed is owned by Jim Mc.Neil.
     
  20. KK500
    Joined: Dec 29, 2006
    Posts: 355

    KK500
    Member

    A tip for drilling plastics..........dull the sharp cutting edges (the first part that contacts the plastic) by touching them on a grinding wheel and make abt 1/16" flat edge .......parallel to the centerline........from the center all the way to the outer corner so the new edge scrapes square to the plastic surface instead of digging-in. Also prevents the drill bit from bursting out the back of the part and splitting the material.

    Also experiment with drill speed/pressure........about half normal speed and pressure will be good.........too fast or too light will melt instead of cutting.
    Flame polishing is also great for the edge of plastic sheet.......medium wet-sand first.

    Jim
     

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  21. stude_trucks
    Joined: Sep 13, 2007
    Posts: 4,755

    stude_trucks
    Member

    cool, simple and low tech, I like that.
     
  22. moefuzz
    Joined: Jul 16, 2005
    Posts: 4,950

    moefuzz
    Member

    Great post, I missed the article on laminating. Doesn't sound too difficult and it gets a guy thinking...
     
  23. RustyRedRam
    Joined: Jan 24, 2005
    Posts: 1,128

    RustyRedRam
    Member

    I remember my pop talking about how he made these by the load in high school. One of these day's I'll give this a try.
     
  24. 39cent
    Joined: Apr 4, 2006
    Posts: 1,569

    39cent
    Member
    from socal

    GADS! i was just gonna post about how I made these in Jr. Hi ! and then read about all you guys and
    grandpappy's that did the same thing around that time! haha yeh that was what we made in shop classes, they used to teach a lot of that bak then,wood shop,electric shop, auto shop, even a had a foundry in our metal shop! we cast fake six shooters, try that today!!
     
  25. Unless your {personal friend} Jack Walker is talking about Jim Mcneils hirohata merc then he is talking about a clone. There is only one real hirohata merc and that belongs to Jim.He is a {personal friend} I was just at his house about 2 weeks ago with the merc sitting in his garage.The only show he is attending soon is the Sacramento Autorama "Merc Gathering". I know you told everybody not to argue with you but I would hate to have you telling people wrong info.
     
  26. zorch
    Joined: Dec 7, 2005
    Posts: 217

    zorch
    Member

    Deuce Daddy Don has the ticket--in SFV, Parkman Junior High, in the mid 60s we had what they called Handicrafts, as I remember it, one of the five shop classes (drafting, electric shop, metal shop and wood shop were the others). Handicrafts was plastic shop, and mostly we made clear dash knobs--and candlesticks, knife grips, business card holders, etc--with colored glue and clear lexan. It was bitchin. In between projects we passed around Mouse and Roth catalogs, which is absolutely true. In metal shop guys would drop live rounds into the furnace, they'd cook off just as the teacher was taking roll, ka-boom.

    Distant memories ... anyway, to this day, I like the clear ones with colored glue better than opaque. It's extra cool using different thicknesses of plastic in the stack, too. Just what you're used to, I guess.

    Hey, old Parkman Jr, High guys, I know there's a few of you on here. It was Mr. Schwing in drafting, Mr. Delbar in electric shop, Verhooven in wood shop, and like ... Callahan? in Handicrafts. Can't remember his name but his face is sorta in there. Big beefy youngish guy. Anyone recall that? And who the hell was the metal shop teacher?

    I can sure remember a few names of Parkman girls that busted out in curves before the others ... :D
     
  27. One of my favourite tech articles. Which I saw after I did this... Love the look.

    [​IMG]

    But I will make some new ones soon enough.....
     
  28. 59KUSTOM
    Joined: Nov 16, 2007
    Posts: 912

    59KUSTOM
    Member

    Jack Walker's Merc was highly publicized as a clone when it was built. It is not the original, unless he has since purchased McNeil's. Sorry.
     
  29. vertible59
    Joined: Jan 25, 2009
    Posts: 1,058

    vertible59
    Member

    jack walker has never represented his car as anything but a clone. it took a bunch of research and dedication to faithfully reproduce this famous kustom and is a fascinating story. his car was readily available at the kkoa and merc-deuce events of the '80's for those interested in the hirohata to study while the original was locked away in a secret location around LA. i thank jack walker for the inspiration he gave many of us in the early days of the kustom re-birth.
     
  30. 59KUSTOM
    Joined: Nov 16, 2007
    Posts: 912

    59KUSTOM
    Member

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