Quick project - tool knob

[kvom]

The plastic shaft on the wire speed knob for my welder broke off after 5+ years of use, meaning I needed to also replace the cheap potentiometer with a better quality metal one. Needing a knob, I decided to fab one from a bit of aluminum rod. So I turned a 1" spigot in one end of a cutoff from some 1.25" rod, and mounted in the collet chuck. Turned/faced/chamfered as shown:

Moving the same 5C collet to the hex collet block on the mill, I drilled and tapped a 5-40 hole for a set screw:

Then with the collet block vertical, I used a 1/4" ballnose mill to create 6 flutes around the perimeter. Finally used a 1/16" endmill to scribe an indicator line on the top:

Then returned to the lathe to remove the spigot and polish a bit with some scotchbrite. Here's the result on the new potentiometer:

About 90 minutes start to finish.

 

[Canman]

That is really neat. Great job.
Really need to look into getting myself a collet chuck haha.

 

[Shawn]

Nice work, I love doing projects like this in my shop.

Shawn

 

[Sshire]

Good one. Looks great! This really shows why I love 5C collets. Moving back and forth from the lathe to the mill with the part in one collet certainly makes setups easier and more precise. The 5C chuck is on the lathe 90% of the time.

 

[itowbig]

very nice i need to get some of those too

 

[Thivoth]

great! i think the same, very nice

 

[kvom]

Got it installed today.

 

[aarggh]

The new knob kinda makes the welder look a little shabby now kvom! Maybe need to machine a new face plate for it to match!

cheers, Ian