Cloning Vintage Knobs
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- Опубліковано 17 січ 2019
- Using black casting resin, I replicated a vintage knob to replace a missing one for a recent gadget purchase. And while I was at it, I made a mold of some other antique knobs for future projects.
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TOOLS & MATERIALS FEATURED IN THIS VIDEO
▶ Smooth-On Mold Star 15 Slow Silicone Mold Rubber (Trial Unit): amzn.to/2T6zu8J
▶ Smooth-On Smooth Cast Onyx Fast Black Casting Resin (Trial Unit): amzn.to/2MlTCRC
▶ Mann Ease Release 200 Mold Release Spray: amzn.to/2IdzJwV
▶ FastCap 2P-10 CA Glue (Medium Viscosity): amzn.to/2FGf9D3
▶ General Tools Automatic Center Punch: amzn.to/2htnN9B
FAQs
▶ Why didn't I degas the silicone? Mold Star is a low-viscosity silicone that doesn't require degassing. I've never had a problem with bubbles when using it. Any bubbles find their way to the top where I have fun popping them, though they generally pop themselves.
▶ Why didn't I just 3D print the knobs? Even if I had a 3D printer, which I don't, I still would have molded the originals because I wanted identical copies (wear and all), not facsimiles with lines in them that I'd have to spend a bunch of time sanding and refinishing.
▶ Why didn't I make a two-part mold? I covered that at 3:54. You must have skipped ahead. Also, it isn't a matter of just flipping the mold and pouring silicone on the other side. You also have to consider the sprues necessary to allow pouring the resin into the resulting mold. And because the knobs are oddly shaped, you may also have to add sprues for venting undercuts so air doesn't get trapped. Then, after demolding, you have to cut off the resulting sprues, file down the flashing and polish them out to get the surface finish back. And, really, there's not much surface area on any of the knobs to accommodate decently sized sprues to begin with. In the end, it's easier just to use a simple, one-sided block mold and drill holes in the bottoms of the knobs.
OTHER NOTES
▶ For more information on how to create molds, check out some of Smooth-On's tutorials at www.smooth-on.com/howto/basic.... They cover more detail than I did here.
▶ I actually used the slow-curing version of Smooth-On's Onyx resin in this video, but it doesn't appear to be available on Amazon, so I linked to the fast version above. You can find the slow version at www.smooth-on.com/products/sm.... Either will work for this purpose. They just have different working times.
SEE ALSO
▶ Tim Sway: / timsway
▶ • Sigmund The Sea Monste... - Навчання та стиль
Not sure why this was in my recommended but I'm not complaining
Me either and me either.
Not complaining, just subscribing.
Must've been that restoration of an old oil dispenser and a car jack I watched.
*Edit*
The first one was this one: ua-cam.com/video/R5r8_79x3Z0/v-deo.html and the second one was on the same channel.
I absolutely love how the silicon picks up the tiny surface scratches and makes the new part look just as worn as the originals - a matching set!
5:41
Need to make a vintage lawnmower gear shift handle. I’m going to try this method .
Wesley Treat, sir, you are exactly what makes UA-cam so damn cool.
Those Philcos are some over-engineered knobs! I cast and mold lots of details and knobs for vintage and antique sewing machines and furniture. I love Smooth-On products and their customer/technical service is unsurpassed.
I have no idea how I ended up watching this... BUT I LOVED IT! Awesome :)
I was that smug ass who thought he could tell which one it was and i was so wrong. That really freaking cool, i need to learn how to cast thing, that seem fun.
you can tell? no you cant.
*SaitoGray* I could tell that it was the one underneath ! - no I couldn't, I'm just an ass.
i was wondering why the one underneath had a less scratchy look to it
@@michaelkessler3813 no you weren't
Your Grandma oh you false mind readers
You can stick the knobs down using double sided carpet tape and the silicone won't get under them. Also, thanks for keeping the video ad free! I would get the tube tester working myself!
Fan-Freakin'-Tastic!!! I'm in the habit of telling my techie friends that the most wonderful thing I've seen over the course of my life, (60+ yrs.), are the advances in material technology and techniques. Then I more or less trip over a video that shows me I hardly have a hint of a clue about all the wonderful possibilities. Thanks for knocking some of the hard crust off my brain and letting it roam in new directions. :-)
The spring-loaded knob for D-shaft controls was a popular design in the 30s and 40s. Just about every manufacturer used them, especially RCA. The design was for Bakelite because of its unique properties. It would not do well with setscrews unless the threaded element was a metal insert. It just stripped too easily. But it was quite stable otherwise. Hence the design. It would hold well.
Manufacturers had to change designs after the switch to injection-molded plastic. If put under the stress of a spring for long terms they tended to crack or split. So they had to be re-designed. Some used sheet steel inserts that contained their own spring pressure. Setscrews made a comeback (they had been used on the wooden knobs of the 20s with threaded inserts.)
Thanks for showing an easy way to copy these things. Many don't know this can be done.
I usually never get impressed, but I am very impressed, nice work Wesley
Sigmund and the Sea Monsters? That's so like last century! Great video, another skill I can file away in the dark recesses of my brain for that "just in case I ever need to..." time.
It's amazing that we have the technology to do all these sorts of repairs these days. So easily that almost anyone can do this stuff at home.
It's also sad that barely anyone actually repairs and restores things these days. I still have stuff from the 50's that works great with just a few capacitors being replaced. Yet my new computer monitor had glued in LED's that burnt out after 4 months of use and I can't replace them.
that turned out way better than i would have expected.
This was so cool! I can't believe how exact it looked.
That must be a really satisfying to push that new knob down on that old shaft and find that something you just made fits perfectly...Great video!
Fantastic!!! I dabble in ancient electronics too. Now I know how to deal with missing knobs...so long as I have a sample.
My father in law made several knobs for antique radios. This is one good method. He also built his own injection molding machine. He machined his own does, and made an injector out of a screw type hydraulic ram from an air stair from an aircraft wrecking yard. He also cast knobs like these. Cool stuff!
Something about the design of these knob-heads makes me think they are of German manufacture. When was this Tube-Tester built?
Man that Tim Sway fella is handsome. Great video, btw. Very well put together. Thanks!!
yeah the guy he circled is very handsome indeed ;-)
I'm 65. I remember as a kid in Milwaukee many stores having big tube testing machines and new vacuum tubes in little cardboard boxes. You could just show up with a suspect tube and plug it in to check. The machine would run current through it and immediately tell you if it was alive or shot. I also remember TV repairmen who'd show up at your house with pretty much all the tubes it takes to get your TV up and running again. TV repair service is as dead a trade as traveling sidewalk dentists.
The Brits calls tubes "valves", which is probably a more technical description. Apparently it's now Russia who makes the best tubes in the world. I think America hasn't made tubes on an industrial level since the 70's.
content like this on the tube is the reason I don't watch TV.I will probably never need to cast and replicate vintage electronic equipment knobs.But still enjoyed the skills involved.:)
Wesley you teach me so many useful techniques that I'll never use.... thank you!
Those knobs are little works of art deco loveliness :)
Could the the design of these knob-heads be of German manufacture?
Nice shout-out to Sid & Marty Croft. _That's_ the inside joke most people are going to miss.
I started out looking for 3D printed knobs but this video seems the best way. It uses a common sense approach and doesn't make it harder than it has to be. I am restoring a 40's-50'ish stove and one of the knobs was cracked in half and the rest of them have stress cracks and won't take very much use before they crack too. The knobs are odd shaped, thin oval with a point on the side at the off spot. I will try this. I loved HR Pufnstuf and Sigmund. I had a redheaded, witchnosed neighbor whose nickname was Witchiepoo, as an adult in the 90's. Thanks for everything.
wesley you are one absolute spiffing chap just found your channel and I'm totally smitten you are an absolute natural
Excellent video! ive been tired of the same old maker videos, with the music and the editing always the similar. You get a nice a up close feel, with no music, and you are genuine with your commentary! Love it! Also I too am a fan of old electronics and especially knobs
What he said^^^^^
Yeah, the restoration videos are the worst. No narration, fast forward, lots of rapid hammer tapping and wire brushing.. Only thing worse is the robot narrator videos.
Facts. 💯
This was a YT recommendation when watching the intro for Swat Kats, which is a 90s cartoon about two cats that fly a fighter jet to fight crime. YT knows me too well. Subbed.
The process was cool but the presentation was a LOT cooler! Thanks for making that so fun!
I was going to suggest adding a layer of polish first, but looking at the result I reckon they look better with the scratches being reproduced. I hope you'll stick some of these on eBay, I'm sure some people would love a retro knob for their builds.
never seen a video of yours before, I enjoyed more than I thought I would ..thank you. Also I did not skip :)
haha yeah, same here! I even subscribed! I might even learn a thing or two plus a good laugh hasn't killed ... that many people ...
Same here!
Why am I still paying for cable TV? The smartest, most interesting people are on UA-cam.
Interesting video, thanks. My brother in law does pretty much the same thing, making knobs and parts. Never watched him work on his projects even though he has been doing it for over 30 years. Again. Thanks for posting this video.
Great video! Those look fantastic!
+ 1 for Sigmund the Sea Monster reference.
There were probably only a handful of people who understood it.
Awesome! Thanks for the jokes, singing, learning! And saving that old bit of kit.
First video ive seen from you! MAN I thought I was the only one that had a love for Restoring every nut bolt and knob! THANK YOU!
Thank you for showing this. I know now how to clone knobs for my vintage RCA radio and record player. You mentioned you had a "collection.' Please take a couple of minutes and show them. I would love to see what you have done and what you have. Again, Thanks.
I've got an RCA tombstone radio. It was missing the guts and sitting at the curb in great shape. I snatched it up and put my modern stereo in it. It's so cool.
That is amazing. Im thoroughly impressed!
I restore older broadcast mixers, this is just what I needed to see. Thanks!
Quite possibly the greatest UA-cam video I've ever watched. I stopped to think for a few seconds to make sure that statement was correct but, yeah, greatest UA-cam video I've ever seen. And I've seen a bunch.
Awesome video! I'm really impressed with the result!
Nice work! Always liked retro knobs like that! I need one of them for something, just don't know what yet!
That is WIZZARD powers! I'll keep this in my ham toolbox since the missus likes the old boat anchor radios.
Positive crazy hobby and very good way to resolve missing knob issue... man... you`re craziest hobbyst that I`ve ever seen... peace man, do what you love
You've got a new fan here. Can't wat to binge watch.
This looks like a perfect job for 3d printing. Not the knobs themselves - those copies are far better than that - but for the knob fixing. Drill out a larger hole in the knob (say 10mm rather than 6mm) and print a small cylindrical part that has whichever complex shaped hole you want. Glue B into A.
Karl Fimm or 3D print a post to put into the mold to create the proper hole.
@@shanerussell7335 ehm ... and how do you get the post out again once the resin has cured :) It won't be like the flexible liquid silicone mold and will totally be 'glued' in there.
@@xConundrumx True. A really complicated post would be stuck, but a simple D-shape would come out easily. Put a thin coat of vaseline on it before pouring the epoxy.
@@shanerussell7335 ah that's a really clever idea! Thanks, should make a note of that. Mind you with the little ridges from the layering you probably want to give it a good sanding too I would guess. So the surface is smooth that is.
@@xConundrumx use pva filament and simply soak your cast knob in warm water to dissolve it
I can't say nothing, but : Wonderful!!!!
It;s always a pleasure to watch a craftsmen work.
As a vintage collector and restorer myself, I find this video to be excellent! Great job and thanks for showing this. Liked and subscribed.
3:23 Something about the design of these knob-heads makes me think they are of German manufacture.
Very nice. It's hard to believe how nice these parts come out. I was going to comment that you should 3d print the knobs but this technique is much better.
My son has been wanting vintage knobs for his guitar 🎸, I'm going to show him your video 👍.
‘ Like surgery on a jellyfish ‘.Priceless. 👍👏😀
Wait a second, that wasn't Tim! 😄 Totally doing this for my guitar restore! Great vid!
I think I know what my best friend looks like, David. 😜
I love the word "minutia".
I collect old test equiptment, radios, gadgets etc... Now I've collected your much needed subscription. Thanks for having me aboard!
What a totally informational and entertaining man. I am impressed by his inventiveness.
Well, thanks for this video. Now I have a new channel subscribed and a host of new videos to watch. Oh, and a hankering to silicon mold anything and everything in my house.
_Everything?_
Awesome! Well done.
That is so clever. Especially sanding down the wooden dowel and installing it for the flat. I learned a few things today. Thank you.
It's always nice to view the work of a craftsman.
New Wesley video! Whohoo!
Your video showed up in the recommended videos after Adam Savage's armor build.
Frikkin' amazing!! I had no idea makers took things to this level. Liked and subscribed.
Cheers from B.C.
Excellent informative video with a great sense of humour too. Top bloke!
Brilliant reproduction. Love the tester board too. In addition I like that you are nuts, funny, and you are willing to share knobs with your Brothers. You have earned my subscription fella.
I really look forward to WT videos.
... You, my trollish friend, have just gained a new sub👍😂😂😂
I remember as a kid we had an old B/W Magnavox TV. Every time it went on the fritz Dad would pull all the tubes and the hour drive to Katz (Skaggs) in Kansas City. They had a tube tester and sold most tubes. Of course eventually people quit making the tubes in lieu of transistors.
You caught me off guard with that Sigmund bit...got quite a chuckle from it. Very nice job with these knobs!
Oh, morse code at the end! ❤ .- - - = wt (nerdy) , old radio operator...
You're the first person to notice!
QSL that.
Problem is I thought the T was a bit short. So almost WE. Was it done by hand or with a keyer?
@@mbaker335 Probably translation software, don't you think? QTH? QTH Lund, Sweden.
Spraying a bit of rubbing alcohol on the surface pops all the bubbles instantly...
This sounds interesting -- what you are saying, coat the surface of the knobs with rubbing alcohol? What does that do?
@@Texaca, you didn't watch the video, did you?
But then you couldn't make the fun popping noise... :(
@@Texaca i think he is talking about the bubbles on the green silicone mold. The ones one the knobs are cool because you are cloning an old one.
I built myself a 3D printer specifically to make replacements for unobtainable antique radio knobs, but I'll happily print anything that isn't a weapon. Keep our technological history alive!
Next up: I am going to 3D print the parts to make a 3D scanner so I can "photocopy" a knob to make a replacement.
I love and applaud what you are doing here.
If you can figure out where to put a couple of vacuum tubes on a 3D printer, I'm into doing that. It will give a whole new meaning to the phrase "My printer is warming up". :)
Gotta love all those hand fabricated enclosures, I also have a collection of vintage gem style indicators
Surgery on a jellyfish! YMMD, thank you.
subscribing SOLELY due to the sigmund and the seamonsters references
Me too. Damn the 70's were a great time to be a kid.
The 60's were even better, make a wonder what it was like the previous century, before electricity, cars, airplanes, radio, tv or computers and children had to rely upon their own imagination's. Our medicine and ease of life is no doubt better today, butch think the quality of life, daily living, no processed foods, and the belonging to a community where as a child everyone knew who you were, and who your parents were! We've gained tremendous things, but also lost and given up the same
Sigmund song and I'm in too! I love it!
The 70s were awesome. I was born in 71. Saturday morning cartoons and pop rocks. Jajajajajajajajajajaja
Wow that's amazing! Thanks for teaching us knuckleheads something today!
this guy is freaking hilarious and an excellent presenter.
5:43, like surgery on a grape
exactly what I was thinking.
You’re funny I subbed
+1
I'm a 26 year old graphic designer who is surrounded by the best technology this generation has to offer... why am I in love with old, obsolete stuff?
Not something I often ask, but what was you using to clean your knob?
Just your run-of-the-mill 409.✨
I just looked up "Sigmond the sea monster" . I was born in 1964 so how did I miss that?
I was born years after you and remember watching it every Saturday morning. Those were the days...
Genius.
I couldn't tell you how many times I wish I had known how to do this.
LOL awesome video! Sid and Marty Krofft, damn we're old.
I thought I was the only one who sings Sigmund the sea monster theme song
I use to watch that show alot, as well as just about all of the Sid & Marty Krofft shows!
@@John-ik2eg Which Banana Bunch theme? You mean from the Banana Splits Show?
I do 'Clutch Cargo'.
Dude!! Your muppets impersonation rocks!! I get my time quoting old movies and my friends never get it! hehehe
That kind of knob with the spring metal was common back in the day. I thought it still was. Nice video by the way.
I skipped ahead, but when I heard what I had missed rewound. and the content was already gone... lesson learned!
Dude works with resin and drill press and has the most perfect nails I've ever seen. Hows that possible?
That's Brilliant! I want to change everything with a knob on it to these, volume in the car, diming switches, and so on. I think you're on to something there Wesley!
In the entire history of cool knobs, the coolest were the fader knobs on the radio broadcasting audio consoles manufactured by Gates Radio Company of Quincy, Illinois in the 60's. These knobs were big enough to wrap your fist around. They were black phenolic and were actually composed of three pieces, the knob itself, a stamped concave black anodized aluminum escution plate that mounted behind the knob and an anodized color insert that fit in the center of the knob. These graced such consoles as the Executive, the Gatesway, the Diplomat and several others. Gates was really into Art Deco back then.
Example here.
m.ua-cam.com/video/iwfDlz-eG9s/v-deo.html#fauxfullscreen
Those are some nice knobs.
That was seriously cool.Great job, I couldn't tell the difference.
Good instruction and very entertaining too. So many videos like these drag on with too much commentary but you mixed the action and narration really well.
Ok, I'm impressed. I can't tell the difference!
That is some very much needed information. Lots of vintage electronic equipment out there needing replacement knobs. Thanks for sharing!
About 45 years ago I worked in a store with two drive-in windows. They installed an electric panel with two knobs one for the gates in each lane. While under construction one of the knobs fell off and down a hole in the floor. For whatever reason no one did anything to get a replacement knob so we had to keep switching the one knob that was left between the two spring loaded switches to open and close the gates to the lanes which was a nuisance plus it would only be a matter of time until we dropped the remaining knob into the same hole which they also never closed up.
One night I left the gates open and took the remaining knob home. Using the skills I learned from my high school foundry shop class I pressed it into a block of modeling clay and filled the depression left by it with 2 part gray epoxy. After it hardened I filed the flat backside smooth. Except for a small edge the epoxy failed to get into and the color it was a perfect match for the original knob. I don't remember how I replicated the hole for the shaft but whatever I did it worked perfectly and was still there years later when I left. The only thing that got me was that no one ever asked where the replacement knob came from.
Using silicone to mold with is an awesome trick. I first learned about that back... Oh 2013 I think. I had some broken and missing mounting posts on my motorcycle fairings. I didn't have any smooth-on but learned I could use 100% silicone caulk, any color, and dispense however much you need in a bowl of cool water with dish soap mistress l mixed in and just work it like dough until it's not sticky. Then take it out, shake the excess water off and mold it around the past you want to replicate. Let it set. I think I waited about 4 hours. Carefully make a circumferential cut and free the part and boom you have a mold for castings. I made resin castings and replaced and the broken and missing parts and used a fiberglass epoxy to fit them back. Just as sturdy as the original.
Some of the old devices have amazing designs.
That was very crafty, and I thought you're castings were spot on.
Sid and Marty Croft Haha! Jimmy the flute? Ugh, feelin’ old after remembering that. Good memory jog though. Made me think of Mr. Bill too ha! Oh Nooooooo!!
Brilliant video making. No crappy music, no lacklustre commentary, you clearly know what you're doing and you love doing it. Brilliant!