A little Mouser info...

[ayayay!]

I ordered these trimpots and LOVE them.  So tiny...  652-3362P-1-104LF   http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=3362P-1-104LFvirtualkey65210000virtualkey652-3362P-1-104LF    http://www.bourns.com/PDFs/3362.pdf?bcsi_scan_4012CCBD6C63F55B=0&bcsi_scan_filename=3362.pdf   http://www.mouser.com/catalog/635/679.pdf

They take up half the surface area of the ones we commonly use around here. 

But the Alpha 16mm pots have shafts that are about twice as long, thereby requiring some modification to make the knobs flush with the box/panel.      I'll have to take them out the grinder, unless someone has a better suggestion (other that returning them.)   Anyone have a good method for trimming down the shafts?   

[theehman]

Are you ordering the right pots?  They have those in both .5" and .33" shaft lengths.  I use the .33".

[ayayay!]

Well I obviously ordered the wrong ones, so yes I do want to order the right ones next time.  Can you provide a good link or tip EHMAN, because I missed somethine obvious when ordering.  I definitely wanted the .33" lengths.   

I'm not going to bother with returning these ones because there's only about 15 and it's not that big a deal to grind a 1/4" off of them.   

[theehman]

313-1500F-xx is audio taper w/ slotted end.  I use the slotted audio to make it easier to tell which is which when I have a pile of different ones in front of me.

313-1000F-xx is linear taper. 

Replace the xx with the value you need.

[ayayay!]

Oh geez, right in front of my eyes on the same page even!  Figures, the page is 666 in the catalog so that's probably the omen of it...

Thanks EHMAN, you just saved me some trouble in the future! 

[theehman]

Oddly enough, my birthdate is 6/66.

[ayayay!]

Oddly enough, my birthdate is 6/66. 

AAAAggggggthhh!!!  I need a young priest and an old priest!!!

[John Lyons]

Put a 1/4" of the tip the shaft in a vise.
Select a hacksaw.
Start sawing, takes a bout 30 seconds.
Lesson learned. 

john

[CodeMonk]

Put a 1/4" of the tip the shaft in a vise.
Select a hacksaw.
Start sawing, takes a bout 30 seconds.
Lesson learned. 

john

I thought having to cut of the excess length of pots was normal.
The above method always works for me.
Saw. File off the burrs. Done.

[anticpunk]

I use the 16mm Alpha pots for almost everything. Trim them in the vise. When you are almost thru the shaft with the saw, ease up on the pressure on the blade. That way you save your self from having to file off the bent tang that can occur from the piece coming off before the cut has fully penetrated.

didn't realize they sold shorter ones in anything but the center detented pots.

-Jay

[soulsonic]

Dremel with "reinforced" cutoff wheel does it in seconds.

Who cares anyway? Why are you asking use whether you should chop the shafts of something that has obviously too long shafts that you want to chop anyway? Ever buy pots from Radio Shack? Those shafts are like 3 inches long or whatever and we all cut them down with saws like good kids cuz Radio Shack thinks we should have to work to be able  to use our overpriced pots. There must be a thousand threads here already about sawing pot shafts.

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

I may have mentioned this before, but my trusty assistant cut several thousand down to size with a bolt cutter
Fortunately, I can get the 'right size' ones now... and she's gone off to be a mother & schoolteacher..

Yes, it looks rough with a bolt cutter, but if you get the length just right, you are OK.

[ayayay!]

Ha!  The bolt cutter would definitely work.  I just did a pair with my Klein lineman's pliers.  Talk about forearm burn...

[bluesdevil]

Oddly enough, my birthdate is 6/66.

Mine too!!!!

And about the pot shaft grinding: I have a 4" vertical disc sander setup just for that I got from Harbor Freight. I originally intended to use it for sanding enclosures, but works a lot better for the pots and comes in use quite a bit.

[ayayay!]

Back!  Back ye sons of the devil!

That reminds me, I need to hit Harbor Freight again to pick up a drill press vise if I can find a cheap one.  Those work great when drilling enclosures.  HD has one for $19, but I want it even cheaper.