Possible to repair a pot with a cracked trace?

[killerkev]

Howdy! Wondering if anyone knows a method of how to repair a pot that has a cracked trace. In the fuzzy picture below you can make out how the disassembled pot is cracked at lug #1 and 3. Any ideas?

[Thecomedian]

you could try a tiny bit of solder to reconnect the traces, although it'll have a slightly lower resistance after. It's less time consuming to just buy a new one.

[armdnrdy]

I would have to say no.

The wiper passes both of those places where the cracks are. Any attempt at a repair will be telegraphed as a glitch or noise if you are successful in joining the broken pieces.

All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put that pot back together again. 

[Ark Angel HFB]

Bro... $.50 is not that much... buy a new one... hell buy 10. You will be glad you did when the next time you have a project comes up and you realize you already have all the stuff you need.

[killerkev]

Well, the reason I asked was because as all of you know a vintage pedal with it's original pots are worth more than one with replacemnet pot. I have many to substitute but was wondering if a repair was possible.

[armdnrdy]

Well, the reason I asked was because as all of you know a vintage pedal with it's original pots are worth more than one with replacemnet pot. I have many to substitute but was wondering if a repair was possible.

We also know that a vintage pedal without a glitch in one of the control pots is worth more than one with a damaged original pot.

[RandomGlitch]

Theres a conductive glue that I've seen.  I don't think soldering to carbon is easy or even possible
just use a tiny bit so you minimize the glitching. Mask it off first I think.

[darron]

at a guess you MIGHT be able to use the conductive carbony pens that they use for repairing damaged traces on rear window electric demisters. i've never done it but i hear they work well.

[Mark Hammer]

Personally, I know of no way to repair a cracked resistive strip such that it functions in a noise-free manner.  A cracked trace, yes, but a cracked resistive strip, no.

It is standard practice for vendors of "vintage" things, whether guitars, amps, or pedals, to replace those things that need replacing (which should be distnguished from merely "modernizing"), do so in a professional manner, and include all original parts in a bag or whatever, at the time of sae.  As long as you can do so properly without damaging or changing the working of the pedal, put in a new pot, include the original pot with the pedal if you ever sell it, and let it be the buyer's problem.

[mac]

you could try a tiny bit of solder to reconnect the traces, although it'll have a slightly lower resistance after. It's less time consuming to just buy a new one.

at a guess you MIGHT be able to use the conductive carbony pens that they use for repairing damaged traces on rear window electric demisters. i've never done it but i hear they work well.

IF you can solder the traces you need to sand it very carefully until it is flat, and then apply any 2B pencil over and near the solder.

http://www.staedtler.com/en/products/pencils-accessories/pencils/noris-120-pencil/

mac

[narlit]

Looks like that crack extends way past the pot to the ends of the pic on both sides.  Do you have any other damage from that crack?

Personally I would not do a marginal fix.  Nothings worse than an unreliable piece of equipment.  I'd replace the pot and throw it out, vintage or not.

[Ark Angel HFB]

Here are a few ideas for you...

1) Take pencil and get a bunch of graphite dust... it is conductive and you could lay a super thin layer of glue, then dust the hell out of it and hope the graphite did the job.

2) Take apart a newer pot and use the newer pot to replace just the part that is broken in the older pot...

3) Look for pens that are conductive... lay a super thin layer of glue down... then draw over it.

[maartendh]

In vintage radio's you will sometimes see that e.g. a new electrolytic condenser is fitted in the casing of the original one; you could do the same here by taking the trace from a new trimpot or pot and fit it inside the original one. 

[killerkev]

All great suggestions and ideas! Thanks again!

[Jdansti]

1) Try to replace the entire trace with a new one and put it back together.

2) Buy a vintage pot.

[J0K3RX]

buy a regular pot of the same value and remove the metal shield dust cover and replace with the old vintage one...? might not be vintage but it will look vintage