Restore Faded Engine Control Knobs

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stanfromhell

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2013
Messages
102
Location
Canada
Vessel Name
Summer Wind
Vessel Make
Bayliner 4788
My 20 year old sun bleached shift and engine speeed control knobs were ridiculously expensive on Ebay and Amazon so I decided to restore them by myself.
I was amazed at how quick and simple it was to do.
1- Cut the head off of a 3/8 fine bolt with a hacksaw or angle grinder etc. thread the stub into the knob and place in the chuck of your drill.
2- Use 400 and 800 grit sandpaper cupped in your hand and spin the knob against it untill faded material is all removed. (Approx 5 minutes each for mine)
3- Polish knob with Novex 2 to restore the shine. You can buy small quantities from motorcycle shops. It is used to polish scratches from plastic windshields.
 

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Nice job. I’m guessing it will fade quickly, but not to anything like you started with. A couple minutes with the polish a few times a year should keep you in good shape.
 
I paid $8 for two on Ebay. Brand new. Got all 8 that I needed for $32.
 
Quarantine for 10 more days. Whoohoo. Boredom is very motivating so I logged in.

This thread separates the “boaters” from the “mariners.” Boaters just buy stuff and have others install and do repairs, probably have someone else wash the boat and clean the windows; many need help to check their oil. Mariners know every inch of their boats and fix things themselves, frequently at sea. Neither understand each other. That’s why there are posters on this thread that can’t understand Stanfromhell’s great solution and are touting their cleverness with EBay.

I love the “knob solution.” Very creative.
 
Xsbank said:
Quarantine for 10 more days. Whoohoo. Boredom is very motivating so I logged in.

This thread separates the “boaters” from the “mariners.” Boaters just buy stuff and have others install and do repairs, probably have someone else wash the boat and clean the windows; many need help to check their oil. Mariners know every inch of their boats and fix things themselves, frequently at sea. Neither understand each other. That’s why there are posters on this thread that can’t understand Stanfromhell’s great solution and are touting their cleverness with EBay.

I love the “knob solution.” Very creative.
Click to expand...


Yes, and I have done that myself as well. But for you to start comparing mariners and boaters, and making further uniformed comments, I feel I must reply. Because I found a good deal on Ebay means I am a junior "boater" in your eyes? So be it. I'll accept that because you dont know me. But my 30 years of boat ownership, multiple licenses and 25+ years in Navy with 5 deployments say different. At this point I would start getting childish like yourself and make assumptions based on your comments, but I think I made my point. Have another drink and enjoy your quarantine.
 
My point was that a fellow member on here posted an innovative, imaginative fix for some problem that patently works.

Isn’t that the purpose of this site?

I am not childish, I’m a curmudgeon. Your assumptions are wrong.
 
Xsbank said:
My point was that a fellow member on here posted an innovative, imaginative fix for some problem that patently works.

Isn’t that the purpose of this site?

I am not childish, I’m a curmudgeon. Your assumptions are wrong.
Click to expand...



Touche'
 
I did it . Lasted 2 weeks and back to looking like crap. I bought SS knobs
 
Greetings,
Mr. X. Allow me to publicly welcome you back. I fear the forum just wasn't itself without a certain level of curmudgeonly edge.



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Yup. Dandy resto-fix and a good idea.
 
What a great idea during quarantine. Knob polishing.
 
Xsbank said:
Quarantine for 10 more days. Whoohoo. Boredom is very motivating so I logged in.

This thread separates the “boaters” from the “mariners.” Boaters just buy stuff and have others install and do repairs, probably have someone else wash the boat and clean the windows; many need help to check their oil. Mariners know every inch of their boats and fix things themselves, frequently at sea. Neither understand each other. That’s why there are posters on this thread that can’t understand Stanfromhell’s great solution and are touting their cleverness with EBay.

I love the “knob solution.” Very creative.
Click to expand...

Hi Ken. Good to see you again.
I am 11 days left after a rush trip home up the I-5. The only indignity was the border guys having nothing better to do than be super thorough, so that wine we had planned to consume before coming home but was still with us, cost roughly twice its initial purchase price in taxes and duty.
Oh well, the view out our front window is still superb and hasn't been observed for the last 5 months.
 
Glad to see you back Xsbank . I’ve missed your style of humor.
 
jleonard said:
You can buy those knobs very cheaply at McMaster-Carr.
Click to expand...

Great tip - and some glow in the dark!! SS and Brass (for those who really enjoy polishing one's knobs!)


Now I just need a tip on how to clean that corroded chrome plated pot metal housing??

:thumb:
 
Last edited:
Greetings,
Mr. O. I think you may be out of luck with the pot metal housing. I have two small ventilation cowls that are pitted badly. I sanded and filed all of the lifted chrome plating off the surface, fared the pits with this:


iu



Sanded, re-filled, sanded and painted.
 
XSbank;

Can I qualify? Yesterday my tilt motor on my small outboard quit working. This has happened before and I knew that the brushes were stuck and probably the spring behind the brush was broken. Got it apart and I was correct. Cleaned up the holder with electric motor cleaner, got a spring out of a ball point pen, cut it to length, and reassembled. Working again.
 
My shift and throttle levers were all pitted and looked like crap. I replaced the shift levers and knobs with S/S ones. They look great now.
 
Yeah you are a curmudgeon. But welcome back you crusty old bugger.

Polishing the knob? That used to have a different meaning......
Xsbank said:
My point was that a fellow member on here posted an innovative, imaginative fix for some problem that patently works.

Isn’t that the purpose of this site?

I am not childish, I’m a curmudgeon. Your assumptions are wrong.
Click to expand...
 
Many problems have simple fixes if you have a few tools and the will to take thigs apart and see what might be going on. One important tip tho.... The camera in your phone is your best friend when dismantling stuff. Your next best friend is a container to put all the little bits that often drop on the floor and scurry away, never to be seen again.
 
Xsbank said:
This thread separates the “boaters” from the “mariners.” Boaters just buy stuff and have others install and do repairs, probably have someone else wash the boat and clean the windows; many need help to check their oil. Mariners know every inch of their boats and fix things themselves, frequently at sea. .
Click to expand...
I've thought about this post for a few days now and read & re-read it. It's a prime example of someone who thinks he is above many of the rest of us and his explanation in defense of his remarks is "lame" at best.
 
Codger, if this really has been filling your head for a few days, you haven’t been paying attention.

There is probably a book on ebay that can help you. Somebody will be along shortly to point that out.

Day 5 of the Great Incubation. Somebody here should write something that I find motivating! You know you want to. However, I will be reluctant to respond to anything to do with anchors, poop hoses or welding cable, Racor filter microns or how long the anti-water stuff lasts; no synthetic oil or fuel polishing talk.

Now that walks and bike rides are verboten, I’m going to need some help. RT, you need to up your game too!

“Just because I offended you doesn’t necessarily mean I’m wrong.”
 
Greetings,
Mr. X. Oh my. The pressure is on.


200.webp





Sounds like you're going to be missing your exercise time. How about tossing the old cheese balls around?


200.webp
 
Been doing that - the harder you toss them, the less distance you can achieve. I may be reduced to doing laundry. Oh the humanity!
 
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