making my own shift knob...please help!

[andyman61]

for one of my classes (intro to manufacturing design) we have to cast something out of aluminum. they gave us a block of styrofoam about 2x2x3. someone suggested i make a shift knob. i mean, i could make something stupid like a cup, but where's the fun in that? so far i've got it rough shaped and i need to finish it up with a dremel.

my question is what is the thread size of the shifter on a 92 camry? 5S-FE, whatever the base model is. i don't really have any way to measure it exactly down here at school. and what would be the best way to do it? after looking at the knob that's on there now (the stock one) i think i'm gonna design it like that, where the threads are all the way up at the top so the knob sits lower. also if anyone has any suggestions on how to actually do this, i would appreciate it. i think i'm just gonna cut a hole in the bottom of the knob that's a little smaller than the thread size and just tap it.

so in short, i just need the thread size or whatever the technical name is for the 92 manual camrys. thanks!

if this is in the wrong spot, could a mod please move it?

[hachi-rocu]

I think the thread is 12X1.25 it is an odd size.

I have done a few manufactoring classes and it would be alot easier if you just did your work on a lathe starting with a rod. This way you could put a way nicer finish on it.

[automatic]

Wow, you could do a fancy inlay or something to take advantage of the process, then clean-up the casting on a lathe, as mentioned.
If you could grind away alot of the foam inside of the knob, around your design, but leaving something to connect everything, you'd have the effect of the knob floating.
When it was done you could paint, or powder coat down inside the open parts of the casting.

[andyman61]

i'd like to be able to lathe it, as mentioned, but we don't learn that til later in the class. the only problem is that the styrofoam is pretty corse, so fine detail is going to be hard and the surface finish won't be that great, but i can polish it up i think. it's more of a expirament as much as anything, meaning i won't be disappointed if it doesn't work out.

can anyone confirm the dimensions hachi-rocu mentioned? thanks!