Anybody know a source for attractive knobs that'll fit in tight spaces?

[zachomega]

I am working on a project and the controls are kind of in a tight spot.  Chicken head knobs all seem to smack into each other and most other knobs I see are pretty ugly.  Anything attractive and small that somebody can link me to? 

Thanks!
-Zach Omega

[darron]

i'm in australia, but there are HEAPS of tiny knobs out there. as long as it is smaller than the pot it doesn't matter if you go smaller than that. you can pots where the shaft is actually labeled and you can use it as a knob, they are pcb surface mount too.

here's a picture i just took of some that i have on hand. i like small knobs too... i hope nobody took that the wrong way, sorry. they are all 'D' shaft expect the tiniest on in the bottom right which is a metric split shaft with teeth.



the top left is my favourite, they are pretty popular.

[The Tone God]

Do you have a rough idea at what diameter knob you are looking for ?

Andrew

[Processaurus]

For really really small I like the PCB mount 9mm Alpha pots, where the 1/4" shaft is the knob.  Like Zvex uses on the cute little sequencer pedals.  Love that look.  I've ordered them from mouser before. 

The knobs like the red capped one in the picture are my personal fav.  Seems like the knobs smaller than that are all for the knurled shafts, like the busy boss pedals use.  Not enough thickness for a set screw on a 1/4" shaft...

I like the knobs that get tweaked a lot to be big, personally, like the delay time on a delay pedal, or rate on a modulation pedal, for usability... and little for the ones that stay put.  Sometimes you gotta squeeze them all in though...

[zachomega]

Awesome information.  I agree about the top left knob being a preferred pick.  I think I found those through Mouser with a .75" diameter...Which may work for me. 

-Zach Omega

i'm in australia, but there are HEAPS of tiny knobs out there. as long as it is smaller than the pot it doesn't matter if you go smaller than that. you can pots where the shaft is actually labeled and you can use it as a knob, they are pcb surface mount too.

here's a picture i just took of some that i have on hand. i like small knobs too... i hope nobody took that the wrong way, sorry. they are all 'D' shaft expect the tiniest on in the bottom right which is a metric split shaft with teeth.



the top left is my favourite, they are pretty popular.

[zachomega]

Something smaller than 1"...Maybe .5" to .75".

-Zach Omega

Do you have a rough idea at what diameter knob you are looking for ?

Andrew

[zachomega]

I've already drilled for 16mm pots so I believe at this point I'm obligated to continue this course. 

-Zach Omega

For really really small I like the PCB mount 9mm Alpha pots, where the 1/4" shaft is the knob.  Like Zvex uses on the cute little sequencer pedals.  Love that look.  I've ordered them from mouser before. 

The knobs like the red capped one in the picture are my personal fav.  Seems like the knobs smaller than that are all for the knurled shafts, like the busy boss pedals use.  Not enough thickness for a set screw on a 1/4" shaft...

I like the knobs that get tweaked a lot to be big, personally, like the delay time on a delay pedal, or rate on a modulation pedal, for usability... and little for the ones that stay put.  Sometimes you gotta squeeze them all in though...

[The Tone God]

Something smaller than 1"...Maybe .5" to .75".

1/4" shaft ? Round, knurled, or D shape ?

Andrew

[zachomega]

I believe 1/4" and round. 

-Zach Omega

[zarathustra]

I've used these knobs with 16mm pots and managed to fit 5 along the long side of a BB-style box. You could probably fit 6, but it'd be a tight fit. They look like the Boss-style knobs in the upper left of darron's photo.

[Dragonfly]

http://www.daviesmolding.com/standard-products/plastic-knobs/instrument-knobs/default.html
http://www.daviesmolding.com/standard-products/plastic-knobs/pointer-control/default.html
http://www.daviesmolding.com/standard-products/plastic-knobs/skirted-knob/default.html

available thru Mouser..

AC

[zachomega]

Thanks again guys!  I bought some knobs through Mouser...the ones Zarathustra linked to. 

Hopefully they will work out...and next time I'll give myself a bit more clearance when I drill.

-Zach Omega

[Unclerny]

Small Bear sells a pretty cool aluminum knob that I used on the HoneyBoy and they came out great.  Here's a link to see it.

http://www.uncleernieseffects.com/honeyboy.html

Here's a link to small bear and hopefully the correct page.  Bottom of page 2 of the knobs.

http://www.smallbearelec.com/Categories.bok?category=Knobs&searchpath=308881&start=9&total=28

Steve's great for these type things.

UE

[Pushtone]

I use a knob made for knurled shaft pots but I just drill them out with a 1/4" bit - and they work.
The inside is firm but rubbery plastic. Perfect for grabbing onto the smooth metal shaft.

At first, crooked drilling made them wobble when turned.
So I made a super simple jig...  three knobs, upsidedown, in holes, in a block of wood.
Fixed.

They are exactly 16mm in diameter. Pack'em in as tightly as the pots.

They have, what my supplier calls, a "drop skirt". The bottom rim is extended down about 3mm.
This covers the nut and washer. When seated there is less than 1mm between the bottom of the pot and the top of the box.
You can drill the depth less if you have to clear a larger nut or something.

Here's a pic from the PICTURES thread.
Let me know if anyone wants to see the side view to see how well it covers the nut up.

Other knobs might cover the nut too but these are the only ones I've seen that do that.
Ramble stopped.



My point of this post is...

Don't rule out knobs for knurled shafts. They can be drilled out.

[DDD]

Hi man,
Just CANCEL the knobs at all ! You can rotate your pots with the pick also using the tip of the pick as a pointer. AFAIK this trick have been used in the Blackstone Mosfet OD design. 

[Pushtone]

So your saying the Blackstones have the pot mounted down low inside the box to let just the crown of the shaft be flush with the top?

I thought they where a special pot. This is interesting.

http://blackstoneappliances.com/

[Dan N]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300061798293

I just recieved 30 of these and they are high quality. I'll have to add some kind of pointer markings. This seller has a bunch of other styles too.

http://stores.ebay.com/fulleclipse_Knobs_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ7939778QQftidZ2QQtZkm


Don't miss his 1N60's 100 for $10 (seemed cheap to me).

[darron]

So your saying the Blackstones have the pot mounted down low inside the box to let just the crown of the shaft be flush with the top?

I thought they where a special pot. This is interesting.

http://blackstoneappliances.com/

that's a damn interesting build, really. all anodized and laser cut i assume... it's an effective way to label your pedals, i tried it once. it's an interesting read that he's written too!