wooden shifter project
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this highly scientific venture should only be undertaken if you dont have a job, dont value time, effort or results, and you have lots of files, sanders, and strips of oak lying around. also: need at least 4 beers, preferably really hoppy so the flavor cuts the taste of sawdust in the air. also: an NPR station that only plays classical helps, as does a penchant for getting excited about things that barely work, and need endless fiddling to make function.
read on fair reader!
i started with two pieces of oak, that i sandwiched together using woodglue. let that dry for about 2 beers.
then i glued my stencil to the board, just sanding it off later. i made my stencil shorter than the suntour shifter, which i later realized was a bad move.
i then cut out the bulk of the negative space with a hack saw.
using 6 files, a random orbital sander, and my teeth, i was able to get the shape down pretty fast.
i did a bit of hand sanding as well, as the shape started to get finalized.
almost done. needs some more sanding and filing. and shellacing.
ok there it is! it actually works fine. as good as the other one at least. i had to continually tighten the shifter onto the DT boss and shift it, to grind out room for a steel washer in the back. it worked, and looks nice even. under that suntour plate there is a small brass washer. i think i’d like to make a set on the cnc out of some cooler wood. this mission oak kinda looks like something a crappy furniture maker would make.
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a-mazing that you got it to work.
AWESOME!
I definitely approve.
Sweet. Wood shifter to match my wood…uh, wood thats on my deck.
Excellent! What’s next? Rims?
no rims for me. with this cnc i have access to i am gunna try to make a 14-28 6 speed cassette with the 20-28 tooth sprockets aluminum. i also would like to make some more rings for my TA cranks (i got a set for mel too) and some pedal cage plates, round (ie no teeth) derailluer pulleys, and maybe some canti brakes, but i cant find a source for eye bolts except for old cantis, which is ok but not optimal. dream: make replica herse cranks and rings. not gunna happen with this machine though. yeah cory it works! it took hours to figure everything out, but it shifts fine and holds in place. weighs the same as the aluminum shifter. er all that stuff i want to make isnt gunna be wood. i think wood works for shifters, bar end plugs, and maybe rack platforms. thats about it though.
Homemade wooden downtube shifters? This post is perfect. It’s the reason this site exists.
So this is what he does all day while I’m at work. Nice work honey.
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=96500&highlight=ridelugged
hurry, starmer, make that a link!
i think i’m gunna stick with some nicer shifters, and maybe some milled and drilled oak pulleys. not really.