How do you solder PC mount pots that aren't being used on PCBs? Anyone Try?

[Hiwatt25]

Again, my buddy kicked down a ton of components when he closed his shop and some of the pots he gave me are the PC mount type.  Being a cheapskate, I'd like to use them even though they don't have lugs.  Is there a tried and true method for soldering to the skinny little terminals on these bad boys?  Figured I'd ask before I pitch them.

Thanks in advance as usual.

[Dave_B]

Is there a tried and true method for soldering to the skinny little terminals on these bad boys? 

I've had good luck tinning the wire, wrapping it around the pin, smashing it a little with a needlenose, then soldering.  Don't chuck 'em, they're not hard to work with. 

[MadSkillzMan]

all i can say is, i know its possible, but i dont know how. The local guitar shop hippie took a guitar mount pot, and modded it for PCB. it sticks out a bit, but who cares, its do-able

[Meanderthal]

 I mis-ordered some of those once. No harder to solder than panel mount pots. Just tin your wire, put a dab of flux on the lug/pin, and solder the wire right onto the pin. Works just as good, you just need a third hand to hold everything, that's all.

[MetalUpYerEye]

I scored like 20 tiny little 10k pots for Ruby builds at my local junk heap (electronix store) and they were all PCB mount. Strip a little extra insulation from your wires and wrap the end (stripped part) around the very tip of your needlenose pliers. Then pull it straight off and you should have a nice little round "hook" on the end of your wire. Put that around the pin as you would put the pot lug around the wire and solder as usual. Haven't had a problem yet!

...Ok... I lied, one time one of the little pins fell off after flogging the pot with 2 hours of soldering and unsoldering. 

[bancika]

I just bend pin and make lug of it...

[Hiwatt25]

Thanks to everyone.  I'll give these suggestions a go and put these pots to work.  I'm stoked that I'll be able to use them.

[aron]

I mis-ordered some of those once. No harder to solder than panel mount pots. Just tin your wire, put a dab of flux on the lug/pin, and solder the wire right onto the pin. Works just as good, you just need a third hand to hold everything, that's all.

That's exactly how I do it. It holds.

[Mark Hammer]

Strain relief is not great on those, both for the wire and the rivets holding the solder lugs to the resistive strip.  I highly recommend use of heat shrink tubing around the solder joint and a more supple type of wire.  Stiff teflon-coated 22AWG is not recommended.

[Hiwatt25]

Ah, I didn't think of adding the shrink tubing.  That's a good idea.  What type of wire would you suggest for such an undertaking?

[Mark Hammer]

I use the 24AWG prebonded stuff from Smallbear (which Tonefactor also sells) with great success.  Just the right size for those puny little 10k PC mount pots I scored for $0.50@

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

If you are lucky, the pin spacing will be the same as vero (or pad per hole even).
I have even bent (carefully!) pins at right angles & then "surface mounted" them to vero strips
I'll tell you this.. it's a hell of a lot easier to use PCB mount pots wiht wire, than to use wire tag pots on PCBs!