I did that with some oak and purple heart - turned a handle for a big file.
Big handle big file. It looks great, handles great and is slanted slices.

Martin

Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
"Our Republic and the Press will Rise or Fall Together": Joseph Pulitzer
TSRA: Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member. http://lufkinced.com/

On 5/18/2010 9:22 AM, Ivan Vegvary wrote:
Wishing to turn a gear shift knob for my 1948 Pontiac. Automatic
transmission with lever on the steering column. Original was some kind of
plastic/Bakelite that has broken to pieces.

Final product would be about 3 inches long and vary in diameter from about
5/8 inches to 1-1/4 inches. Would like to glue-up some light and dark woods
for the turning, BUT, wish for the alternate colored woods in the finished
product to look more like a spiral.

Do I simply glue up a block, say W/D/W/D/W (W=white, D=dark) and saw it
on a
diagonal before turning? I can't quite picture how to make the blank prior
to turning.

All help, advice etc. appreciated.

Ivan Vegvary