[sdiy] Why I was asking about UNEF etc.

[harrybissell]

my $.02

The tapped hole in the front panel is prlly fine for 1/4-32 threads...

Aluminum usually taps poorly, so be very careful... a sloppy tap will
ruin the panel.

If you can fit a jam nut from the back of the panel, that could work as well...

you might try getting knurled round nuts with slots like some 1/8" jacks use...
or similar dress nuts...

If you do the tapped panel thing... use a good dab of RTV silicone on the back
of the panel to the pot body... one dab on a side would be fine. This will really
discourage
the pot from rotating,

IMHO if you do not use the anti-rotation tab of the pot... it WILL eventually
start
to turn. The RTV could help a lot by making the rotation small until you can
effect
a repair.

OK that was $.04 worth

H^) harry

jhaible at debitel.net wrote:

> > Personally, I'd say you're asking for trouble by threading a pot directly
> > into an aluminum panel. In a relatively thin sheet of aluminum, you're not
> > going to get too many threads. For example, even if the panel were 1/4"
> > thick (about 6.3mm), you are only going to get 8 threads. If the panel is
> > 1/8", you're only getting 4 threads. You won't be able to get enough torque
> > on the pot to hold it in place reliably and this means that it is going to
> > be VERY easy for the threads to strip.
>
> The panel is 3mm - this is thicker than the nut that comes with the
> pot, so I guess vertical forces cannot be a problem. The question
> is whether _rotational_ forces can do more harm in this case than
> with a nut. With a nut, the front panel is clamped between the
> pot's body on one side and the nut on the other side. If I apply
> rotational force on the body (via the shaft in end position),
> the nut can get loose, too. With a thread in the front panel,
> the front panel "is the nut". So there should be no difference:
> this the first resistance to overcome for turning anything loose
> would also be the clamping, or pressure - this time, between
> the panel and the pot's body. Is there a difference?
>
> My gut feeling says there *must* be a difference, but
> I'm too blind to see it.
>
> > Are you using panel nuts? They're special purpose nuts that
> > are very thin. Again, they'll only have 4 or 5 threads, but because they're
> > made of steel they are much stronger and will hold just fine.
>
> Ahh, maybe this is the difference, steel vs. aluminium.
> But then again the thread on the pot is made of plastic anyway.
> So ist there a difference still ?
>
> JH.
>
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