Technical Anyone Cast a Clear Shift Knob?

I want to cast a simple round clear shift knob with various doodads inside. Thought about using a Christmas ornament but can't put the doodads in without cutting it open. Also need to keep the doodads in suspension while it cures. Anyone done it? Regular old polyester resin?

 

I can't help thinking someone solved this problem years ago, and you can buy the solution at a craft store or hobby store where you get the casting resin.

 

No, but seeing the threaded part of the lever puts me off the idea of doing it.

 

You can cast the main part in clear and the bottom 20% in black so you don't see the thread.

 

Check out Luck You...it's KIRK's new deal. He makes some very cool shift knobs

 

Contact Slimegreeeeeen here on the HAMB. He has done several for me with items imbedded in them and they turned out great. Nice guy and reasonable too. Tell him Doc. sent ya. You will be happy with his work..

 

What ya going to put in it?
Ideas? Pics?
Thick clear resin could make FORDITE, Detroit Paint Agate more durable to be used in shift knobs?
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/fordite-the-new-rock.352598/

 

You can use thin monofilament (fishing line) or nylon thread to suspend the items in the position you want them, then do the pour. You can still see it, but have to look pretty close. A plastic ornament could be cut open and used, not sure how smooth the inside of one is though.

 

Find a ball or object the size you need, make a 2 piece silicon mold, then pour the resin in. Look up making molds on YouTube, pretty cool stuff.

 

Thanks for the replies. I like to do this kind of stuff myself, keeps me out of bars. I looked online for molds, didn't see anything but it occurred to me a plastic or rubber ball might do, assuming the inside is round enough. Could cut a flap in the bottom big enough to put stuff inside. Might be hard to peel off afterward and might need sand/polish. I want to do my first one with the rattle can marbles I have been collecting, if it works I'll use something more interesting. I have some old fiberglass resin I was hoping to use but it might not be entirely clear, could maybe tint it. Also not sure about air bubbles.

 

Thanx for your info on the marbles.I started saving mine a year ago.

 

I started loosing mine years ago, incase anyone has some that they are sure are not theirs.

One way to keep your bits in suspension is to do multiple pours, I don't know if you will see a parting line or not though. I would pour then before it sets completely up place my piece and pour again. Maybe do a practice pour with garbage then before you made your final product using your real stuff.

 

If being used for a shift knob, could you just tap the threads right into the cured resin?

 

That's actually how they used to do clear shift knobs. Clear and translucent shift knobs have been around since just a little after dirt.

 

Since you are in the Bay Area, go to TAP plastics (they're several on the peninsula) and explain what you want to do. They have everything you need in the way of molds, the release agent and casting materials and are really quite helpful. I've done a bunch of this kind of thing and it's really pretty basic. You could even tint the clear plastic to match your interior if desired.

 

If the pour is made upside down the suspending mono would be almost impossible to
see through whatever you are putting in there and the drilling/tap would remove most off it.

 

When I was a kid my parents gave me a kit to do this that had molds and resin and you could cast things in. I cant remember how I suspended them but I cast quite a few. did some coins, insects & etc. Dad finally took it away when I cast one of his really nice stone arrow heads without asking. oops!

 

Here's a video showing the process.

 

I made a custom shift knob using body filler that I squeezed with a gloved hand so it fit me perfectly.
I often thought of making a mold of that and casting it in clear lucite.

 

Excellent, thanks!

Got a couple more this week, just greenies.

 

Use the globe type bottles that are found in labs .Beakers I think is what they are called. pour in resin, break bottle. depending on what shape you want, about ten years ago I used old babyfood bottles. pour then break bottle off .'
I think hobby lobby has the Beakers.

 

^^ How do you put stuff inside? I went by Tap plastics yesterday. Some silicone molds but no round ones. Casting resin $30 a quart, more than my bourbon! Found a soft plastic ball at Dollar General, have some old polyester resin. Might do a test one later today but wife wants to go to the swap meet! Guess I married right.

 

you can make your molds from plaster then wax them up to take care of poristy issues , try these guys for product and check out there videos http://www.alumilite.com/

 

To get rid of the air bubbles, they let the resin set in a vaccuum. You can make a small vaccumm chamber using PVC plumbing tube, with a glue-on type end and a screw-on end.
Insert a threaded fitting into a tapped hole (the screw on lids are thicker, so will take a thread
better), and connect to a vaccuum source, and your away.

 

with the globes you are limited. and its been years since I did any of those. but if I remember right,partial pour let set then pour rest .Geeze, I had forgotten all about this till your made the thread.

 

Type in Clear Cast on Google, and you should find the resin needed.

 

Well wouldn't you know, stumbled across this at the swap meet today. Still plan on doing one but maybe not today.

 

So I got all set up to go, mixed a test batch of my old polyester resin to make sure it would kick. It didn't. Figuring the hardener had gone bad I went and bought a new tube. Still not hardening. Either I didn't use enough (about 3 drops for a teaspoon of resin, or the resin itself is bad?

 

How about using one of those small globe shaped light bulbs? They are about the right size. I tried using crystal clear epoxy in a regular light bulb....turned out good but it was a bit too large for a shift knob.

 

It should be around 2-3% by volume, same as fiberglass. I reckon you may be using too much.