While waiting for my ship to come in (with my MCS) I've been obsessing over shift *****. I've usually made a wooden **** for my cars. The first was a Koa **** made from a piece a friend in Hawaii gave me. The second was mahogany with inlaid ebony and koa triangular scraps -- mainly to see if I could do inlay.

This time I went nuts and bought a wood lathe (always wanted to play with one) and have been making lots of wood shavings. Doug Whalen was kind enough to sell me the mechanism and several brass inserts that he uses for pool ball *****. So, instead of pool *****, I made wooden *****. Here are the results so far.

 

That African Burl is beautiful.

 

I agree! I really like them all, but the burl is superb.

 

Now you need to do an "english oak", or maybe an ebony with a piano lacquer!

 

You really do some excellent work, as those ***** you made are beautiful.
I have a Whalen 8 ball and I would love to have your African Burl for my Automatic Corvette, but I think it would be too costly to build. Your a true craftsman!!


06MCS/DS/B/BbonnetstripesWhalen8ballshiftmachine

 

Cocobolo looks like the wood ***** we used to buy from MG Mitten back when cars has wheels of wire . . . great job!

 

Ohhh, very nice work.

 

Bravo!
If the inserts cost overmuch, you might be able to re-coop some of your hobby expenses.
Do you know anybody who drives the same kind of cars and might be looking for some snazy shift *****?

 

I love the Koa

 

Beautiful work!!!! I like the idea dneal had with the ebony.

That Koa is really nice too

Is there a special tool you use to get the perect sphere or is it by eye?

 

By eye. I'll probably saw out a brass half-round template to help, if I decide that there is a preferable size.

Ebony is hard to find large enough for a ****, but I have some small pieces (pen blanks) that I might laminate with white yew to make a checkerboard pattern. Might work, might not.

 

WOW, looks great as it is, but absolutely amazing knowing you did that by eye!!!

 

In a word, BEAUTIFUL!!

 

wow... those are absolutely beautiful...

 

Outstanding Work

I've been turning pens for a couple of years myself. That is a nice VS Jet lathe you've got.

 

Very very nice, the Koa and Burl look fantastic. Excellent hobby work.

 

Gorgeous work

I bet it would be pretty easy to sell a bunch of those.

dean.

 

Doug Whalen and I are talking about a possible collaboration. The ***** use his adaptor mechanism. When I get a bunch made, I'll probably put up a gallery. I'll keep doing it as long as it is fun. Right now I've got lots of woods I want to try, and lots of ideas I want to explore.

 

I've been experimenting with different sizes. Pool ***** are 2.25" dia. The African Burl **** is a huge 2.8" and the cherry a petit 2.1" Not having the car yet, I can't really try them out. Anyone have thoughts on what size ***** would be good? What size is the standard MINI ****?

 

Stock ones are right around 2 3/16".

My steel ones are all 2.0".

 

Whalen, did the parts you give him fit on R56's?

 

No. I'm pretty sure that I sent him a pre-R56 attachment piece.

But speaking of the R56, it seems that the jury is still out, regarding fitment.

I've been in contact today with a customer who has not been able to separate his stock R56 shift **** from the boot.

I've only shipped a handful of R56 *****. At this point, the removal of this particular stock **** is the only reported trouble.

 

you mean removing the ball that comes with the r56? mine came off fine and i have a JCW shifter on it now.

 

Wow Robin, great work! I really like both the Koa and Burl.

 

Guess I'll need the new model before my MCS arrives in May.