🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <BsD03J.5Bo@news.larc.nasa.gov>, kludge@grissom.larc.nasa.gov ( Scott Dorsey) writes:
> In article <55550012@hpscit.sc.hp.com> rkarlqu@hpscit.sc.hp.com (Rick Karlquist) writes:
>>In sci.electronics, v064mb9k@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (NEIL GANDLER) writes:
>>
>>
>>>    I need two pots that i cannot find..   One, a dual ganged audio pot
>>> that has a shafter a little longer than 1 inch. and a dual ganged pot
>>> with a center detent. Can anyone help?
>>
>>I have been keeping an eye open for sources of volume and balance controls
>>for the last 15 years or so, and have concluded that they are essentially
>>impossible to buy in small quantities in the USA, especially if you want
>>a dual, ganged audio taper pot with a value less than 100K.  (For noise 
>>reasons, you definitely do not want to use such a high value.)  
> 
> Call up your local Allen-Bradley representative.  I don't know if they
> still make them with center detents, but you can special order just about
> any pot in a onsie-twosie order.  You may pay twenty bucks for a pot, but
> that's better than getting nothing at all.  The Mod-Pot stuff is a lot
> cheaper than the older Type J pots if you need something very unusual, but
> I think the Type Js sound better.
> --scott
Unfortunately, Allen Bradley sold the Mod-Pot line to Claire (sp?) who raised
the price for small quantities of non-standard pots through the roof.  They
also rivet them together now, so it's much more difficult to rearrange peices
to make your own from leftovers.  Digikey stocks a few Bournes pots in audio
taper, but I'm not sure what shaft length.  For center detent ones, short of
ordering a whole lot of them, or convincing a mfr's rep to send you a free
sample or two, your best bet might be to hunt around for some peice of
equipment which has the pot you want in it, get the service manual, and order
the pot as a spare part.  I've used this ploy several times for building
"one-off" equipment which needed some part that was oddball but used in other
equipment.  Sometimes replacement parts prices are steep, othertimes very
reasonable.  Depends on whether the Mfr. considers parts a "profit center" or a
customer service.

John

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