[sdiy] Why I was asking about UNEF etc.

[jhaible]

You know what: you guys are increadible!
I would never have thought I'd get such a lot of helpful hints
(and such a variety of hints) for such a semingly harmless question.
Good to be reminded what it must be like when someone
finds our list and asks his first electronic questions! (;->)

So I'm learning a lot about metal work now.
But no: I would not dare to cut a thread into a front panel myself,
by hand. It's all about a Schaeffer panel, and apparently milling (?)
a thread isn't more difficult for them than to make an ordinary
hole - at least they only charge a few cents for this.

Thanks again for all your help, all of you!

Best Regards,

JH.


> At 9:45 PM -0400 5/16/03, harrybissell wrote:
> >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
>
> Harry's ideas about how to prevent the pot from rotating are good.
> There is however one problem that you (JH) may not have thought of
> until you actually start tapping the panels - if you are doing it by
> hand, it may be difficult to tap the holes normal to the panel.  You
> may end up with your pot shafts coming through the panel at random
> angles.  It's especially difficult as the hole size increases
> relative to the panel thickness.  A thick part with a small whole
> will tend to self-align the tap, but with a thin part with a large
> hole, it is easy to get the threads crooked.  With a 1/4" hole in a
> 1/8" panel, you're probably safe, but it could be tricky.  Certainly
> I would try the idea with some scrap before committing to a design
> based on your chosen assembly scheme.  You can also use a drill press
> to hold the tap vertical while you tap the panel (just use the drill
> press to guide the tap, don't turn it on).
> --
> Simon Gatrall
> gatrall at pacbell.net
>