Knobs??

[slashandburn]

I'm struggling to source cheap plastic knobs in the UK *insert joke about shopping elsewhere and getting them bundled with my Trannies*

Rapid don't have much for less than 30p a unit, and I'm a cheap bastard who wishes I'd been salvaging more from work. No shortage of knobs there!       Jk, I work at a scrapyard

I'm somewhat reluctant to throw "cheap plastic knobs UK" into that popular search engine with the kids hanging over my shoulders.  Anybody have any other places to try?  Besides Craplin and Rapid I'm not familiar with many other retailers.    16mm efforts, for standard shafts ideally.  Or is 30p a knob about standard in this neck of woods about standard?

Excuse any inuendo. I did struggle to take that seriously, if I'm honest. Honest question all the same.

Cheers in advance!
Iain

[garcho]

16mm efforts, for standard shafts ideally

so, with a set screw? not that i know where you should buy, just thought i'd ask.

also, curious, "efforts" is UK English for something? I'm a colonist, never been to the motherland. i'm wondering because i want to buy a bunch of the metal inserts that "sleeve" the shaft of the pot. what the jiminy are they called? basically, the vagina of the knob, since i can sense us going there already. if we could source those 'sleeves' [my term] then we could make knobs out of anything, just drill the right size snug hole and tap the thing in, drill a tiny hole for the set screw and thread it with something... easy-ish, right?

[slashandburn]

I'm afraid it's not a technical term. Probably a colloquial term for an inanimate object that I could've otherwise be bothered trying to describe.  "Things" would probably have been an adequate synonym in this context.  I think over the pond I've heard "jobbies" used in it's place. Certainly never in Glasgow though.

I meant to say 6mm i think.  most of my pot shafts are 6mm I'm sure, It's the pot's themselves that are 16mm.

Yeah really just needing knobs to fit standard 6mm shafts.  RS online have some cheaper. Looking on farnell too.  Meh.  Pretty time consuming this price comparison lark. I really wish I'd forseen this situation, I could've been harvesting knobs and such for months at work. Plastics generally just get sent to the landfill. 

If you were me, by the way, you'd just drill 6mm holes into somewhere approximating the center of an object that somewhat resembled a knob, then just widen said hole or pack it with shards of matchstick to fit.  Presto.  One dodgy looking, off center but most importantly free, makeshift knob.  Guess what I'll likely be doing tonight to save myself £2.10?


*edit*  I didn't read your post properly first time, sorry. I think I stumbled on those bits you meantion on rs online.  You mean this bit http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/potentiometer-knobs/7377708/? 

[stallik]

For years I've been using knobs which are too wide for the pot shaft. I wrap some tape round the shaft and secure with the setscrew. Did try one knob without a screw but it didn't take long to give way and rotate on the shaft. At least it allowed me to set the gain to 11

[garcho]

so it turns out those brass knob orifices are called 'inserts' and i just bought some with set screws. i don't know why it was so hard to find the last few times i checked but hey, that's the internet. cheers!

[mcknib]

Few knobs here P&P's no too shabby
mind you the 39p one's are pretty gruesome beasts!


http://www.bitsbox.co.uk/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=knob

Although not in the UK musikding.de have loads of knobs and bulk prices P&P again slightly more shabby than bitsbox but they're usually pretty swift with delivery and you can get those hard to find trannies on there as a wee bonus if required! As that annoying sun bed addict orange guy says 'cheap as chips'

[PRR]

> reluctant to throw "cheap plastic knobs UK" into that popular search engine with the kids hanging over my shoulders.

No kids here. Not using Safe Search. Your search-phrase does not return anything offensive (drat!) on the first page. It does offer some possibilities, though you also get door-knobs and machine-knobs.

> less than 30p a unit

Historically, retail electronics are worth $10 per knob{*}. That you have to spend 30 pennies to get that $10 apparent value is unfortunate, but you can't make haggis without spilling guts. ({*} $10 per knob or jack, $1 per Watt, times a multiplier for Brand Name.)

If you need really cheep knobs: go to the auto-parts store and ask for "1/4 inch fuel hose". This is about 1/2" outside, a small but usable finger-grip. Snip off 3/4" lengths and slip them on your shafts. It only comes in one color. No pointer. The end of the shaft is visible. If you are trying to sell these you better be a good salesman. (Rubber damps stray vibrations. Rubber is a good insulator. Carbon-filled rubber drains stray charges. BS BS BS.) But I've used it on something cheezy and it worked fine.

[bluebunny]

Check out Thonk in Brighton.  Recommended by me and many UK wigglers.