Who is Rodak Garage
Thank you for taking the time and checking out Rodak Garage! A little about me: my name is Dave Rodak, and I created Rodak Garage with the support of my (now) wife, Donielle, in 2021. I was born and raised in Rochester, New York and continue to reside here with my family. I am a car enthusiast, a sucker for 80’s Toyota’s and Mazda’s, and anything with flip ups and square body style.
How It Started
Rodak Garage was never initially planned. I was an Automotive Locksmith, building one of my dream cars, a 1984 Toyota Corolla AE86. In 2021 I started to build my Corolla and wanted a nice, classic-looking wood shift knob. I searched site after site looking for one that was what I wanted, and I could not find one. While looking at all these wood shift knobs, I thought “why can’t I make one?” I bought a cheap Wood Lathe, some random pieces of wood, found some threaded inserts online and went to work trying to create what I had in my brain. After countless hours of YouTube videos, along with a ton of trial and error, I finally was able to create a knob I was content with. I say content, because as time went on and I learned what processes work best, my quality has drastically increased, and I can now say I can build a knob I would love to be in my Corolla. I can’t say I have one specifically for the Corolla currently, as I am constantly changing it out with the newest idea that comes to mind.
Not too long after deciding to create a knob for my Corolla, I decided to open an Etsy store and sell the wood shift knobs I began creating. Knowing how hard it was trying to find one for my car, I wanted to help others who may be in the same boat. What started as just wood shift knobs, quickly expanded into more. I began playing around with two-part epoxy and started creating Galaxy Resin knobs. Once I got the hang of the two-part epoxy, I tried creating Character Shift knobs and well, here we are.
Where Rodak Garage is Going
All of my shift knobs, both wood and resin, are turned on a Wood Lathe in my garage (sorry cars) by me. Since they are hand turned, I can create a variety of shapes and sizes. I pride myself in creating each knob by hand and while there are a variety of machines that can pump out knobs over and over again, a lot quicker than me, doing it by hand means that you will never have the exact same knob as someone else. I never ship any of my products unless I am 100% happy with it. I am a perfectionist, and my work shows this.
In 2024, Rodak Garage became my families full time income source. My wife has a hand in every shift knob that's created and works right beside me in the garage every single day. We began traveling to different car shows across the east coast with our 2023 GR Corolla and more recently, my completed AE86, the car that started it all. If you see us at a show or driving around, stop and say hi!
Our Goal
The mission of Rodak Garage is to create the absolute best handmade shift knobs. We are constantly coming up with new ideas whether it be with wood, resin, and even automotive décor. Not only do we now have a variety of creative shift knobs, but we also have created key hooks, reusable air fresheners, ornaments, leather key tags and t-shirts. As someone who is in the car scene, I know how hard it can be to find anything car related, especially something that is cool and handmade.
I say this time and time again. Without the support of everyone, Rodak Garage would not be where it is today. I thank each and every single person who has supported us from the beginning and continues to support us as we continue to grow.