One way of many to create the Admiral knob. See attached photo.
Drag top right cube onto desktop and resize to rectangular cube on workspace (red right cube). You have a choice of Solid or Hole; select solid.
Drag another cube to desktop, resize and select hole. The cube in front of the small red one with a texture like the hole pattern. When you arrange the first solid rectangular cube with the 2nd which is a hole, you get a cube with a small hole in it. Make 3 holes across. You can now duplicate the rectangular cube with the 3 holes and attached them together. Repeat the require number of 3 holes then you need a section with holes on the side and center a hole crossing several holes on the side. When you have the knob pointer structure complete (large red structure on left) you can resize the dimensions as needed. If the holes you made are too deep you can drag in another cube (orange one) resize shorter in height then the red one. Combine the two which will make the holes more shallow. Note to finalize making a hole or joining you need to select both object (drag around the two object to select both of them). Then select the group button to finalize.
See creating hole tutorial youtube video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxrsHSELHsw