How To Do It???

Thread Starter

JDR04

Joined May 5, 2011
367
Could somebody show me how the pro's do this.

The first photo shows a knob I'm currently using for a project to rotate a 10K potentiometer. I would like to use a knob that has a much lower profile but the potentiometer protrudes above the project box too much.

The other pictures show the only way I could think of mounting the potentiometer onto the PCB.

Thanks guys- JDR04
 

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strantor

Joined Oct 3, 2010
6,782
you can cut however much you want off the shaft. I've done it before; just put the end of the shaft in a vise and cut it to the length you want, with a hacksaw.
 

Thread Starter

JDR04

Joined May 5, 2011
367
Thanks Strantor, I was kind of hoping for a easier solution as I want to make a couple for my camera club.

Thanks for the suggestion anyway - JDR04
 

mcgyvr

Joined Oct 15, 2009
5,394
simply put a hole in the PCB and push the pot shaft through it and secure with the nut.
That way the "guts" of the pot are below the PCB and the shaft doesn't extend nearly as far out.
Or just get a different pot.
 

strantor

Joined Oct 3, 2010
6,782
Thanks Strantor, I was kind of hoping for a easier solution as I want to make a couple for my camera club.

Thanks for the suggestion anyway - JDR04
It's not hard at all. takes less than a minute. Only catch is you need a vise and hacksaw; I just assume that everybody has the same stuff I've got. If you don't, you should make the investment. A hacksaw and vise are right below hammer, duct tape, WD-40, screwdriver, and crescent wrench, on the "list of tools that every person should have."
 

madman6233

Joined Mar 4, 2011
18
I am with strantor only I mount my dremel on my desk and hold the pot to it.
using a cutting wheel needless to say i hope I have diamond blades do this in around 5 secs or so
 

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
I have cut the shafts off so many pots that I can't count that high. A very fine tooth hacksaw blade will do the job in about 90 seconds. Remember to grab the (soon to be) dead end of the shaft in the vise, not the pot end. Then use the wire wheel on your bench grinder to knock the burrs off, or use a fine file.
 

THE_RB

Joined Feb 11, 2008
5,438
Commercial equipment mount the pot with nut on another plate behind the front panel, then the distance between that plate and the front panel sets how much length of the pot shaft sticks out the front panel.
 

Thread Starter

JDR04

Joined May 5, 2011
367
Thanks THE RB, I get what you mean...........I think. In this case I have to mount the pot as in the photographs.

Thanks anyway-JDR04
 
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