Oh wow! I haven't logged on in a while and to see this is really awesome! I like the way the engraving looks and the design is very visually appealing! I'm partial to the piston shape, though in the cliff notes it appears that is ruled out now(?), but I'd probably buy one regardless. I really like how knurled finish knobs feel so I'm curious if that will be a feature or option. Out of all the options so far I love the most recent one and honestly it just looks so damn good. The only thing I might change is making the numbers more closely resemble the stock shift knob font (if that makes sense) as kind of a throwback. The idea sounds cool but the implementation might not be as good as I think.
Announcement
Collapse
No announcement yet.
CB7Tuner.com Custom Shift Knobs - POLL
Collapse
X
-
Could enamel be used as the color fill material for those wanting color? I'm not sure how the thermal expansion/contraction might affect it but it's usually pretty long lasting. Maybe even an antiquing finishing like rings or kinda like the key chain to at a bare minimum highlight the design? Otherwise maybe anodizing before machining? Imagine a black anodized knob, machined, then enamel filled with orange. Don't get me wrong, I'm partial to the current design with no fill and I like the polished one but that may just be because I haven't seen it any other way.
In a side note, what is the projected price point for one?
Comment
-
There are a lot of possible combinations of finishes and fills.
I haven't explored all of them.
Will, yes and no. I haven't reached out to the guy you gave me the number for, but I did ask the machinist and a leather worker that makes holsters, knife sheaths, and other things.
Adding leather to the knobs may be cost inhibitive. First you need to put a groove around the knob for the leather to sit in, that way it's inset and flush with the surface of the knob. It may even have to be slightly tapered towards the bottom of the knob so that the leather doesn't feel/look like it's bulging. This would add $15-$20 worth of extra machining (again these are all made by hand, not popped out from China).
The leather, fairly simple. $20-$30 piece of quality leather, cut and trimmed + labor for getting it cinched and stitched.
I may have to look at sourcing the knobs out to a facility that can have them milled cheaper (i.e. machined not by hand). Because crunching the numbers I'm looking at a base price of $125 for a polymer knob. That is just a teardrop knob with the current design engraved on it... stainless would be more... ugh.
Comment
-
Really only two issues, the main one being design and the second one cost.
A lot of people like the stainless steel, others like the polymer.
Solution? Have both made.
Teardrop or sphere (as those are the two most popular).
Solution? Have both made.
Some like the current design/engraving, others want it changed.
Some want leather added, some don't.
Solution? Not sure.
Adding leather to either shape/material becomes costly.
A groove has to be machined on each knob to have it relieved enough so that the leather sits flush around it. Add in the cost of the leather and have it stitched up…
So if I were to run with the current design, to accommodate most people's tastes/preferences I'm looking at a total of four different combos... round stainless, round polymer, teardrop stainless, and teardrop polymer.
Having four options produced is a large financial hit, especially when a minimum of five need to be produced to lower the cost as much as possible (making one is not cost effective). So I’m looking at a minimum of twenty total knobs.
If I were to price them out as it stands with the current design, the polymer knobs would be $100+ and the stainless knobs $130+.
This excludes any sort of profit to cover the time and effort I've spent on this, a licensing fee (after all I need to pay Mike for use of the logo/name), shipping, etc...
At a minimum, I'd be out $2K to have these made with the uncertainty of them selling.
So with all of that said, I'm looking for suggestions and options on how we as a community can get something like this produced, keeping in mind that quality is priority #1. I've spoken with Mike (deevergote) about this over and over, anything with the logo/name CB7Tuner.com has to be of the utmost quality.
Obviously cutting the design and shape to a singular option would resolve this... but yeah that is unlikely going to happen.
Comment
-
That is a rough situation to be in. In my mind, we could get a group buy going so that you would have the money up front. The other tricky thing ironing out the shape. I would say maybe do a poll again, but personally, I'd be disappointed if the shape I preferred wasn't picked so that's also a tough call. If quality is a big concern, I might say strike the polymer as the wear/durability characteristics are unknown(?). How many people seem committed to purchasing it? Twenty sounds like a small number but for such a niche item it might be difficult to have that many buyers all at once.
Comment
Comment