Surrealist Human Hand Stick Shifter!

 by stasterisk
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Here's how to cast your hand, and totally rock out your car's stick-shifter!

This is sort of in the spirit of donnauwanna's silicone breast squishy toy, in that I thought it would be awesome if people could hold my hand even while I was far away.

I wanted to learn all about silicone casting and molding in a hurry so I could make prototypes for Fuzzy Logic

I think few people who drive manual transmission cars actively think about driving as controlling a gigantic machine moving with a lot of momentum, via a huge rod that goes directly through the floor and moves a set of meshing teeth around in an engine that's actually running. It's one of the few places today where you're moving mechanical bits around in a real machine. So the idea behind the hand is to remember that you're working with the car to make it move, sort of holding the car's hand.

Turns out this hand is super-versatile, and fits on almost any shifter knob!

And I thought it'd be hella funny to see a hand reaching up out of the floor of Tim's beatup diesel pickup truck.

I think the installation plan is to attach some kind of sleeve to complete the look, but I'm not in charge of that. Hopefully there will be pictures.
 
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Step 1: Mix & Pour

Alginate is a casting powder made from ground up, dried kelp-like algae.
It sets at body friendly temperatures, and conveniently sets faster, the hotter the water you use.
This makes it very easy to control the mold-setting time.

Measure the amount of alginate you want, and mix it with an equal amount of water by volume.

Do a better job than I did.

Mine looks like chunky vomit because I added alginate powder to water, and tried to mix it slowly with a spoon.

The alginate contacts water and makes a gel that encapsulates big powder bombs that never quite mix into solution. Avoid chunks. The smoother and more like paste, the better.

Get better results by (instead of adding alginate to water, like I did) slowly adding water to alginate powder. Mix vigorously, maybe with something like a fork.

The alginate starts to set surprisingly quickly, so do this part briskly.
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goosenoose says: Jun 4, 2011. 2:52 AM
Fantastic idea! I am definitely going to make one of these for my first car that I'll be looking for tomorrow.

-r

ps. do you know if OOMOO comes in any other colors/skin tones? Like yours perhaps; I'm a bit more sunburnt with all the running I do down here in southwest NM.
Giesterfarher says: Mar 11, 2011. 8:28 PM
I'm going to get my GF to let me make a cast of her lower leg and foot so I can use this in my F100.

XD
DAND says: Apr 2, 2009. 7:58 AM
What happens when you get pulled over?
djr6789 in reply to DANDOct 5, 2010. 5:37 AM
back hand the cop with the stick shifter
dla888 in reply to DANDJan 13, 2010. 7:37 PM
Explain to the cop that it is only a silicone model and that you are NOT a deranged serial killer.
biggunner in reply to dla888Jan 13, 2011. 1:34 PM
but that would be a lie... hehehehehe.
i use real hands....
chicopluma in reply to biggunnerApr 10, 2011. 10:43 AM
it's ok, you can also go to jail, i mean, it's an option
dla888 in reply to biggunnerJan 15, 2011. 5:20 PM
oh....
m5industriesinc says: Oct 3, 2010. 1:50 PM
where did you buy the alginate and how much?
Fado Korok says: Aug 29, 2008. 6:22 PM
What is the consistency of the finished product? Is it rock hard, or is it more jelly-like?
michael lively in reply to Fado KorokMay 10, 2009. 11:08 PM
yes that is what i would like to know because I just bought a stick and I am wanting to do this. oh and i want to cut a sleeve and attach it to the hand. it would have some blood, maybe some missing fingers and stuff. ahhhh I love zombies... what was I saying? oh ya the consistency of the hand? .
michael lively says: May 6, 2009. 11:23 AM
I too rock the curly hair.
Airsoft_ninja says: Apr 2, 2009. 7:34 AM
Very "Handy" LOL nice job
cheeto4493 says: Aug 22, 2008. 12:21 PM
Cool, I think I might try it in an arm wrestling shape though. I'm always wrestling with my car to get it in the right gear. It never wants to slide into reverse. BTW where'd you get the cool wind turbine shirt.
abadfart in reply to cheeto4493Mar 21, 2009. 11:49 PM
ya i have to hold mine in 2nd
stasterisk (author) in reply to cheeto4493Aug 23, 2008. 5:22 PM
I love it! Post photos!

The shirt is from Massachusetts Power Shift:
http://www.masspowershift.org/
hackerlife in reply to cheeto4493Aug 22, 2008. 10:40 PM
uh, to get it into reverse i think you need to pop it into first (or any gear) because the the synchronizers line up the gears. i'm a new driver with a stick shift car, so i might not be trustoworthy.
abadfart says: Mar 21, 2009. 11:35 PM
you have the same truck as my friend dose your 5th stay in or dose it pop out under sixty?
abadfart in reply to abadfartMar 21, 2009. 11:41 PM
also wouldn't a fist work better
exipom says: Jan 26, 2009. 3:06 AM
i ffel so ronery... i need one of these. so funny xD
remmelt says: Aug 22, 2008. 2:56 AM
This is superb. But why stop at a gear stick? - bicycle handles - door knob - mouse (make a fist, install mouse hardware inside) - coffee cup handle - those little handles under office chairs The possibilities are endless.
stasterisk (author) in reply to remmeltDec 16, 2008. 2:55 PM
Hey, looks like Tim got to the human-interface silicone Mouse idea, but with a bit of a twist...

http://www.instructables.com/id/Breast_Mouse/
stasterisk (author) in reply to remmeltAug 23, 2008. 5:23 PM
Sounds good! Send photos!
bowchickabowwow says: Oct 2, 2008. 11:00 PM
this is awesome
RainbowZen999 says: Aug 27, 2008. 6:42 PM
This is just hilarious. I wanted to know how to make a mold of my hand anyway, but it's really funny using to put on your stick shift.
beauwalker23 says: Aug 24, 2008. 1:00 PM
this is disterbing yet amazing. i would proble freak out when i touched it and didnt expext it. haha
neardood says: Aug 22, 2008. 8:20 PM
Lol when you change gears you give him a high-5
Bisquick the ninja says: Aug 20, 2008. 7:46 PM
You could just kill a wannabe ninja and take his hand,Stick it in some formaldehyde,remove some bones and slip it right on!
Camisado in reply to Bisquick the ninjaAug 22, 2008. 8:17 PM
Yeah, and the perfect wannabe ninja is you, you can't-describe-ninja-weapons'-name-properly ninja wannabe. Nah JK. Oh, and if you're thinking of replying to this comment, use the reply button so I would actually know you replied to my comment.
Derin says: Aug 22, 2008. 1:58 PM
joystick type shift sticks rock! the old rod type is uncomfortable
Derin in reply to DerinAug 22, 2008. 1:58 PM
also,why did you put this into the dash?
teddywookie says: Aug 22, 2008. 6:29 AM
Hey! You're still out scaring the straights! As a straight, I appreciate this.
Snerdguy says: Aug 22, 2008. 4:37 AM
That is really neat. Now all I need is to cast the rest of a person for a passenger so that I could use the car pool lane.
rattyrain says: Aug 21, 2008. 3:58 PM
Veddy niiiiiiiiiiiiice!!!!!
Notags says: Aug 21, 2008. 7:36 AM
Jalopnik.comYour "helping hand" has made it to Jalopnik.com
andyhuntdesigns in reply to NotagsAug 21, 2008. 3:46 PM
That's awesome! Congrats Stasterisk!
tbenefi33 says: Aug 21, 2008. 11:58 AM
Hay think I'll make a big foot and say I found big foot they can't fire me cause I'm not a cop...LOL
cowscankill in reply to tbenefi33Aug 21, 2008. 1:54 PM
LOL i remember that...
old_bass_masta says: Aug 21, 2008. 12:40 PM
Paint with fake blood anyone? that would be verry creepy to see. you should have like a severed arm with 2 plaster bones sticking out. would look good
abadfart says: Aug 20, 2008. 6:15 PM
lol very nice
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