| Author |
Message |
61karmann
Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2004
Posts: 119
Location: south San Francisco
|
 Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2021 7:37 pm Post subject: Vent control lever knob casting |
 |
|
While restoring my own vent control unit, I figured since the lever are out id take molds of them. And Ive been practicing casting these knobs with moderate and irregular success. I know many can use them as they get brittle and are impossible to find since the plastic was cast onto the metal lever.
Not perfect but getting there,,
Taking the original out without hangups.
Casting bare arms.
Color looks good, but air bubbles seen so ill grind them off try again tomorrow..
_________________
www.tonydegrazia.com
www.analogtattoo.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
61karmann
Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2004
Posts: 119
Location: south San Francisco
|
| Posted: Sat Apr 17, 2021 7:23 pm Post subject: Re: Vent control lever knob casting |
|
|
Best ones today..
they seem to be constantly strait on the bar & the resin now wraps all the way around the metal each time. Just
need to now aim for no air bubbles when mixing the resin, tough because of such a rapid set time. I think if i work on a hotplate and use hair dryer i could get a consistent mix & pour.
They still look and feel very close to original..especially after polishing out the plastic.
Grind em off and try again..
the original levers bend in the metal is how its held in the mold strait, so its not like i can just use any metal tab..
_________________
www.tonydegrazia.com
www.analogtattoo.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Marcdeb
Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2019
Posts: 3031
Location: Vermont
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
c21darrel
Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2009
Posts: 8211
Location: San Dimas
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
61karmann
Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2004
Posts: 119
Location: south San Francisco
|
| Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 11:07 am Post subject: Re: Vent control lever knob casting |
|
|
| c21darrel wrote: |
| Fun project. Have you considered finishing with filler and then paint? |
The resin is just a perfect ivory color and plastic sheen once polished. I can get it right..
My objective is to use only original arms and cast just what was lost to maintain how it was originally, maybe even fill broken chips or parts in existing knobs.
But ill get the cast right, & the finish will be as it should..
Eventually i can use wax levers which can melt out later, but first things first.
_________________
www.tonydegrazia.com
www.analogtattoo.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
c21darrel
Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2009
Posts: 8211
Location: San Dimas
|
| Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 11:21 am Post subject: Re: Vent control lever knob casting |
|
|
| 61karmann wrote: |
| c21darrel wrote: |
| Fun project. Have you considered finishing with filler and then paint? |
The resin is just a perfect ivory color and plastic sheen once polished. I can get it right..
My objective is to use only original arms and cast just what was lost to maintain how it was originally, maybe even fill broken chips or parts in existing knobs.
But ill get the cast right, & the finish will be as it should..
Eventually i can use wax levers which can melt out later, but first things first. |
I kinda figured you wanted the resin finish 
During my re-assembly i spent months searching, went to 5-6 swap meets looking for a clean replacement set, I had to have the ones with the original blue dots. I eventually found them. Enjoy the journey.
_________________
GhiaBuild
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=481184
1967 DC build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=693583&highlight=67+dc
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
61karmann
Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2004
Posts: 119
Location: south San Francisco
|
| Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 11:55 am Post subject: Re: Vent control lever knob casting |
|
|
[quote="c21darrel"][quote="61karmann"]
| c21darrel wrote: |
I kinda figured you wanted the resin finish
During my re-assembly i spent months searching, went to 5-6 swap meets looking for a clean replacement set, I had to have the ones with the original blue dots. |
Yes those blue dots are stock for all ghias 1963 and later, to my knowledge. The ivory blank ones are for 58-62.
Same with the ghia only heater knob with the red dot. That knob has no red dot 62 and earlier.
_________________
www.tonydegrazia.com
www.analogtattoo.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Loren
Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2004
Posts: 1700
|
| Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 4:11 pm Post subject: Re: Vent control lever knob casting |
|
|
Casting new knobs on the old levers is a great idea! You could also use a vacuum pump to pull the bubbles out. I have a food saver vacuum sealer with an attachment that would likely work great (don't know if the wife would approve though  ) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
61karmann
Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2004
Posts: 119
Location: south San Francisco
|
| Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 6:53 pm Post subject: Re: Vent control lever knob casting |
|
|
| Loren wrote: |
| You could also use a vacuum pump to pull the bubbles out. (don't know if the wife would approve though ) |
Yes I like that thanks, if heating them up won't work Ill get a small pump! Everything else seemingly okay,
_________________
www.tonydegrazia.com
www.analogtattoo.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
61karmann
Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2004
Posts: 119
Location: south San Francisco
|
| Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 4:16 pm Post subject: Re: Vent control lever knob casting |
|
|
Ok so i heated the resin up beforehand and all throughout the process even the mold remained very warm. No altering effects. Bubbles still
Minute 1-4 the resin is clear and bubbleless. Minute 4-6 the resin bubbles & turns white then hardens, so vibration or a heatgun during that will only mess the casting up.
I believe Loren is right, but I think i need pressure not vacuum since forcing bubbles that seem to continually form to the top seems i may still freeze them in there. This resin is super rapid setting in comparison to others. ill try getting a pressure pot..
Water contamination also has these effects, but believe me i am very careful not to introduce any.
I did find correct 2mm thick wax to use as the lever arms. Now i can melt the wax out and have a rectangle cavity ready to glue on some arms..
_________________
www.tonydegrazia.com
www.analogtattoo.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
61karmann
Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2004
Posts: 119
Location: south San Francisco
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
61karmann
Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2004
Posts: 119
Location: south San Francisco
|
| Posted: Mon Apr 26, 2021 5:10 pm Post subject: Re: Vent control lever knob casting |
|
|
Also does anyone know why the steel control lines are copper plated? Can be sanded off,& are magnetic. But why is the outside copper? They dont carry electricity.. do they help ground somehow? Usually vw would zinc plate parts like this.. always seemed odd to me.
_________________
www.tonydegrazia.com
www.analogtattoo.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
61karmann
Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2004
Posts: 119
Location: south San Francisco
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2021 10:58 am Post subject: Re: Vent control lever knob casting |
|
|
Not the same knob, or the same ivory resin, but an example of using a nice original to make a mold & bring back to life unusable rare knobs. I like the clear for the ones with neat cracks..
_________________
www.tonydegrazia.com
www.analogtattoo.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Burman
Samba Member
Joined: October 29, 2004
Posts: 426
Location: Sweden
|
| Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 2:11 pm Post subject: Re: Vent control lever knob casting |
|
|
A lot of work doing the casting you have done👍.
Since those ghia shifting knobs doesn’t exist as a repro
I also decided to make my own. Turned out ok.
As you can see I did a little modification
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Loren
Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2004
Posts: 1700
|
| Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 2:31 pm Post subject: Re: Vent control lever knob casting |
|
|
| 15 ish years ago Gary at Brezelworks used to cast Ghia knobs, and other VW/Porsche knobs too. They looked great in his ads. I kick myself for not buying a set at the time and it doesn't look like he makes knobs anymore. I don't think he has visited the Samba in the past three years either. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
61karmann
Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2004
Posts: 119
Location: south San Francisco
|
| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2023 6:41 am Post subject: Re: Vent control lever knob casting |
|
|
With a pressure pot, the bubbles are easily controlled and the castings come out pretty great. The only issue is the knobs are best cast onto the original arms, so its not as if i can make very many extras, but feel its a great way to maintain what's original instead of buying a new part.
_________________
www.tonydegrazia.com
www.analogtattoo.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Era Vulgaris
Samba Member
Joined: August 22, 2012
Posts: 1677
Location: Raleigh, NC
|
| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2023 2:13 pm Post subject: Re: Vent control lever knob casting |
|
|
Man this is super impressive, nice work! I had looked into casting knobs several years ago. I build custom pro audio equipment, and there are some highly desirable vintage audio knobs that no one reproduces. I tried it, but I don't have the patience, or the time really to do it at the scale I'd need.
That being said, KGPR does reproduce these vent lever arms 
_________________
Currently own:
66 Karmann Ghia, L390 Gulf Blue, under construction, here: www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=760505&highlight=
99 Mazda MX-5 10AE, Sapphire Blue Mica, 6 speed, LSD
Previously owned:
98 Porsche Boxster, silver, 2.5L -- 67 Karmann Ghia, Black, 1500sp -- 98 BMW Z3, Atlanta Blue Metallic, 2.8L I6 -- 75 Porsche 914, Laguna Blue, 2270cc -- 72 Porsche 914, Signal Orange, 1.7 FI -- 74 Karmann Ghia, Black, 1600dp -- 74 Triumph TR6 with O.D., sapphire blue |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
61karmann
Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2004
Posts: 119
Location: south San Francisco
|
| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2023 3:50 pm Post subject: Re: Vent control lever knob casting |
|
|
Thanks Eric, i feel like the pressure pot really made a huge difference for me. It took a while to get back to this project but it was on my mind. And yes i know they are reproduced now, but the blue dot is only for 63 and later, and that dot has an indentation i dont like. I suppose one can turn them around for it to be correct for earlier years.
Haha i started this project before they even reproduced them.. i took too long.
_________________
www.tonydegrazia.com
www.analogtattoo.com |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
