Painting shifter knobs

[dremu]

Got me some bling WFO knobs for my triple sticks... get your mind out of the gutter!

Anyway, I'm playing with different ways to highlight the text... got some black paint, which I've more or less successfully got in the grooves. I've messed with trying to rub the paint off while it's still wet, which mostly removes the paint IN the grooves too. I'm now waiting until it dries a bit ... anyway, I presume someone has done this, and p'raps y'all might share.

And yes, I am using an ITTY BITTY TEENSY WEENSY little brush and dang it's fiddly work.

-- A

 

[goldwing2000]

Wait till the paint dries and then use a sanding block with ultra-fine grit paper. The flat surface of the block should keep it from removing the paint in the grooves.

 

[dremu]

Wait till the paint dries and then use a sanding block with ultra-fine grit paper. The flat surface of the block should keep it from removing the paint in the grooves.

Ahhh. I was stinking about some like 400grit ... cool, thanks!

-- A

 

[goldwing2000]

400 ought to do it. What's the surface material?

 

[Chevy305]

400 ought to do it. What's the surface material?

billet aluminum

 

[goldwing2000]

Polished or brushed?

If it's polished, you might want to follow up with a finer grit. Re-polishing will probably remove the paint in the grooves.

 

[MTBLAZER89]

Yeah I would use something finer. It shouldnt take much to take paint off smooth aluminum.

 

[85mudblazin]

Get a old t-shirt and stretch it out over a piece of wood or something.

Spray the knob and then just wipe it off on the old shirt. Since the shirt doesnt really have any threads stickingout like a towel does it wont take off the paint in the grooves.

 

[blazinzuk]

Or take your teensy weensy brush and cut most of the bristles off I have done stuff like this before and if the bristles are wider than the narrowest part(when the bristles are dry) than it doesn't work real well.

 

[dremu]

So I carefully painted the indents as best I could, keeping the paint fairly thin ... I found once it gets thick, that sanding tends to pull the whole paint booger off

Then carefully sanded them on a stretched-flat piece of 600 grit, and they came out okay. The polished surface is no longer so shiny, so if I wanted to I'm sure I could use some quad-ought steel wool or something, but I actually prefer the 'brushed' look. I mean, this is about the only blingy thing I have on the truck, and it's only cuz I'm forgetful about which stick is for the front axle. Well, that and guest drivers

Thanks everybody for your advice, and for those reading this thread from a search, here's how they came out:

-- A

 

[Chevy305]

Dude that looks hot!

 

[roadnotca]

Dremu, "Fn" awesome. Like a drill Sargeant 2" from your ear, make no mistake.

 

[Zeus33rd]

Here's my WFO shifter knobs-

Just used a tiny ass little brush and some red hobby paint. No sand paper or any wierd shiit. Just a steady hand.

 

[Chevy305]

I gotta order me some of these

 

[fireplug]

For anyone still to do it...crayons. Rub in, rub off excess.

 

[muddybuddy]

So I carefully painted the indents as best I could, keeping the paint fairly thin ... I found once it gets thick, that sanding tends to pull the whole paint booger off

Then carefully sanded them on a stretched-flat piece of 600 grit, and they came out okay. The polished surface is no longer so shiny, so if I wanted to I'm sure I could use some quad-ought steel wool or something, but I actually prefer the 'brushed' look. I mean, this is about the only blingy thing I have on the truck, and it's only cuz I'm forgetful about which stick is for the front axle. Well, that and guest drivers

Thanks everybody for your advice, and for those reading this thread from a search, here's how they came out:

-- A

i love the look of that! did it come with the boots? looks super clean, that what i want mine to look like

 

[dremu]

i love the look of that! did it come with the boots? looks super clean, that what i want mine to look like

Thanks all for the kudos. The camera hides many, many imperfections! ... though I AM proud of how the tranny tunnel came out; it started out as stock, and as below, I cut it, welded in the plate I got from ORD, did some Bondo, and liberally covered it in spray-on bedliner to hide the booger welds. I *hate* sheetmetal welding.

KJ, once again, your skill amazes me. Not only can you weld like a mofo, but you can paint too?

MB, it's the ORD kit, which comes with the boots. They have a different feeling rubber than the factory boots, so I'm hoping they'll last longer ... this truck, obviously, gets some serious UV and weather abuse (no top, not much in the way of doors, etc ) Typical for ORD stuff, the kit came with a whole pile of hardware and nice cut out metal bits and ... NO instructions, so I just kinda winged it as to what went where. I think it came out okay in the end.

-- A

 

[dremu]

I gotta order me some of these

Yeah, they ain't cheap, and after replacing my tranny and coughing up for the Doubler, I was loathe to spend more $$ ... but they do look nice AND add a helpful touch for those of us who forget.

There is a school of thought that says that the plain black knobs add a touch of security, as the uninitiated would have great trouble stealing your truck. I find, however, that few people WANT to steal Tank Girl, and anyone who would would prolly understand the Doubler.

And ANYTHING that will motivate the wife into driving Tankie is well worth it ... little does she know that she's gonna be driving some at BlazerBash this year!

-- A