Window cranks and door handles

[NOBLNG]

This AMT ‘57 Chevy has next to no detail on the interior door panels. So I made some. I used a piece of 1/16” id brass tube to punch some circles from 0.015” styrene and then glued them and a short strip of 0.015”x0.030” evergreen to some 0.010” sheet. Then I drilled for a 0.025”  mounting pin and added a short piece of 0.030” rod for the window crank handle. File the pin flush on top and trim off the excess sheet with a hobby knife. A touch of Molotow and they’re done. Not as nice as photo etch maybe, but basically free and much better than what wasn’t there.

Edited April 12, 2023 by NOBLNG

[StevenGuthmiller]

That's some very nice work right there Greg!

I'm pretty sure that I could handle that!

 

You are correct though.

Not quite the same as PE pieces.......Much better in my opinion!!

 

 

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

I decided that this idea was one that I needed to explore, so I sat down in the shop for a few minutes to see how it worked.

I did it a little differently than you did Greg, but the overall premise is the same.

As I don't have a punch, I just used a thin slice of plastic rod for the base of the crank, and I cut my starting shaft piece in a slight pie shape to give it a taper from the base to the knob.

Otherwise, I did it exactly the same.

The only other variation was that I left a little of the background plastic protruding from the sides of the shaft to give the shaft a little more depth, and used a little larger rod for the knob itself.

This is just an experiment piece, or a "prototype" if you will, but it looks to be a very promising and sound technique.

Sometimes all that's required is a little "brain boost" to get these things to register.

 

Thanks for the tip Greg!!

 

 

 

 

Steve

[peteski]

1 hour ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

Not quite the same as PE pieces.......Much better in my opinion!!

I agree that photoetched pieces are too 2-dimensional (flat).  These look better.  Best ones I have seen were resin cast by Norm at RMCoM, but those represent the more curvy ones used in '50s cars or older.

[NOBLNG]

55 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I decided that this idea was one that I needed to explore, so I sat down in the shop for a few minutes to see how it worked.

I did it a little differently than you did Greg, but the overall premise is the same.

 

Thanks for the tip Greg!!

 

 

Steve

Well I am flattered to be an inspiration to a builder of your talents Steven. I hope to improve the process and the looks a bit with each set I make….and I know I’ll be making more.? On the first set I just had a butt joint between the disc and the handle, but it was too weak of a joint. Then I got the idea for the backing sheet. You can’t see it in my photos, but I have a shallow hole drilled in the wood that the locating pin protrudes into. You could also put another disc on the backside to give it a little standoff from the door panel if desired.

Edited April 12, 2023 by NOBLNG

[Oldriginal86]

Should have done something like this when I built this kit. That is nice work.

[Rattlecan Dan]

Thanks for the Tip(tutorial) many kits I just blob on the chrome. This is so much better. Thanks.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Most excellentage, good jobbitry, very helpfulliscious.   

[TooOld]

One of the most useful tips I've seen in a long time !  Great idea Greg and with a little creativity like both you and Steve did almost any type of handle could be made . THANKS !

[StevenGuthmiller]

I tried an approach similar to this one a couple of years ago when I was building my '64 Grand Prix and wanted to try to replicate the "open" style window cranks in that car.

They turned out reasonably well, but I don't think that I'd want to do it again.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[mr moto]

BTW, sets of small punches are available quite cheaply at Hobby Lobby (and other places) in the leather-working section. Once you have some you won't know how you lived without them.

Edited April 13, 2023 by mr moto

[peteski]

Micro Mark also sells punch/die sets.

[Bills72sj]

Thank you gentlemen for sharing this tip. I am midway through my "Big Girls" interiors tried using some tiny chrome dots and some white glass beads but I was not satisfied with the results. I will give your methods a try.

[dino246gt]

Greg that's a great tip and as you can see other builders are already using it as an inspiration for their own building styles.

Some kits interior engraving is ridiculously shallow, basically non-existant!

Adding some dimension to door cards always enhances the look of a scale model, from toy-like to cool!

Thank you for sharing and inspiring us!

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

On 4/13/2023 at 12:36 PM, StevenGuthmiller said:

I tried an approach similar to this one a couple of years ago...

They turned out reasonably well, but I don't think that I'd want to do it again.

The beveled centers on the knobs and handles take them to a whole 'nother level. 

I assume you did that by twiddling appropriately angled drill tips?

And what "plating" method did you use?

[StevenGuthmiller]

3 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

The beveled centers on the knobs and handles take them to a whole 'nother level. 

I assume you did that by twiddling appropriately angled drill tips?

And what "plating" method did you use?

Yes, the centers were hollowed out slightly with a drill bit. 
The finish is Alclad chrome.

 

 

 

Steve

[Andrew McD]

Slick idea Greg.  I am impressed with how much it adds to the door panel.  I have learned so much from these forums.  Thanks for taking the time to share your ideas.

[89AKurt]

More than one way to skin a cat, as someone said.  For my last build, of a Studebaker pickup, this is what I did.
Plastruct rod for a start, with a wire pin, I chucked the rod in the cordless drill to do the hole.  Kept in the drill to sand the rod tip round.  Then cut off, glued the wire in it.  Handy tool are the little clothes pins.

Cut the handles from sheet plastic, in this case .03" (I think, can change according to the subject), glued to the center, then laid the handles on the clothes pin when I glued to the center.

In my case, I painted with AK Interactive chrome (Used Alclad too, whatever works for you).

The window crank knobs are black plastic, was an anti-sway bar, but could be stretched sprue.

For my '69 Chevy pickup project, shaved off the handles, cleaned up, removed some from the back on the handles so they had some space from the door.

Added a little round piece to the window crank.

[NOBLNG]

35 minutes ago, 89AKurt said:

More than one way to skin a cat, as someone said.

Those look really great Kurt, I like them for an older vehicle. Thanks for adding your techniques.?

Edited April 22, 2023 by NOBLNG