Contact Elecraft about the knobs (e-mail to "supp...@elecraft.com") will get things rolling. They'll replace them. This has been a problem with some of the knobs for a while and they are working hard on a solution.
Many things come into play with that "1/4 turn after tight" rule with fasteners. It depends upon the compressibility of the materials, the length and material used for the screw or bolt, and the pitch of the threads. On a K3 (or anything else like that), I never tighten a screw so it moves visibly after it first starts resisting turning. When it stops I give it a little torque to be sure it has really reached "bottom", but never enough to force it to move after the resistance to turning appears. A good test is whether it's easy to remove the screws without the damaging the heads. If not, they are too tight. Ron AC7AC -----Original Message----- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Stephen Prior Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 2:22 PM To: elecraft Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 Hardware I quite agree Eric, although it's hard, if not impossible to define what you are saying. It's like knowing how far you can 'push' something before it breaks. My wife and I often have this discussion. Although I am a bit stronger than her, she is far more likely to break something whilst pulling, pushing or twisting than I am. I have always said that some people have a sort of feedback mechanism that tells them to lay off at just the right moment! Having said that, my K3 knobs are split, so where does that leave me now....?! 73 Stephen G4SJP On 19/02/2009 21:52, "Eric Scace K3NA" <e...@k3na.org> wrote: > > Mechanical engineers refer to the "turn of the screw" method for > tightening. With a little practice one easily notices when the force > required to turn the screwdriver further begins to ramp up more > quickly. [This point is past "finger tight", which often doesn't > compress the lockwasher very much (if at all).] > > When that ramp-up starts, go one-quarter turn further to reach the > design load point. > > This also works on the big bolts used on bridges and other ironwork. > > on 09 Feb 19 15:20 K9ZTV said the following: >> I was always taught the rule is . . . "finger-tight" not "wrist-tight." >> >> The two are distinctly different. >> >> 73, >> >> Kent K9ZTV >> > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
