What The Hell Are These Lugs on My Pots?

[Shannon]

Lately, every pot I seem to buy has this solid lug on one side. Now, I'm aware of the ones you can bend up to pull apart the pot, but this isn't one of them. It's annoying as when I place the pot in the enclosure, this lug prevents it from sitting level. Instead, it raises that side and my pot ends up on an angle.

Can anyone tell me what the hell these are, why they're there and my chances of stuffing it up if I grind the damn thing off?

[Ed G.]

they're supposed to immobilize the pot from rotating around. You'd have to drill a small hole for it to go through. Look how the BYOC folks use them:http://www.buildyourownclone.com/chorus.html

I just snap 'em off with a needle nose pliers. They snap off real easy.

[Meanderthal]

 It's to go in a tiny hole so the pot holds still when ya turn the knob. I usually just break the stupid tang off, the pot holds still anyway if ya tighten the nut.

[Meanderthal]

 Doh! He just said that!

[The Tone God]

The hell it is a locater pin. It makes sure the pot is in the correct position when installed then holds the pot from rotating when installed. You can break it off with a pair pliers using alittle force.

Andrew

[choklitlove]

"If you do a five-pot pedal, you may want to make use of the anti-rotation tabs of the pots. By drilling these holes, you avoid possible problems later with shorting of a lug to the chassis, but you'll have to fill in the holes later with Bondo. I found a better way to deal with this issue, but you need a Dremel tool to make use of it: As shown in these pics, slip a pot into the rightmost position temporarily, eyeball the point where the tab will contact the case and mark or scribe the location. With a 3/32" drill, start boring a hole, but don't go in more than about a third of the way. Now make like a dentist: use a ball-type Dremel cutter to widen the cavity so that the tab fits right in. It is OK to file the tab down a little to make it fit. Be sure that the control mounts flush to the surface of the box."


http://www.smallbearelec.com/HowTos/Shell/Shell.html

[Papa_lazerous]

hmmm wouldnt use a dremel sounds like too much hard work use a 6mm spot drill.  Its what I use at work to make sure a drill follows centre.  I assume you are spotting your holes so that the drilled hole for the pot isnt drifting?  So mark the holes centre punch them spot them drill them and while you have the spot drill up use it to make a little recess but not break through.  a 120 degree spotter would work good for this.  coem to think of it a 10mm one would be better than 6 that way you could spot all your holes even the larger ones for jacks and switch

[Dan N]

I used to snap them off. Now I like them because I can tighten a pot nut without opening the case and holding the pot where I want it from the inside.

I usually drill the hole all the way through. Not as slick as choklitlove's technique, but what the heck.

[choklitlove]

it's a nice one, but i don't use smallbear's technique.  keep looking down that page.  that man has the patience of a saint.  i just snap them off.  if i did use them, i would just drill all the way through.  most knobs are big enough to cover the holes anyway.

[Ronsonic]

What's all this about cutting grooves and filling with bondo and such? If you're going to use it, and it is a nice commercial-quality touch, just drill the hole for it and be done. A knob will cover the hole if it offends.

Ron

[petemoore]

  They bend or snip off real easy.
 

[Shannon]

Heh. I never thought of using them to stop the pot from moving. Sounds like a neat idea actually.

Thanks guys.

[aron]

Actually this is in the FAQ!

http://www.diystompboxes.com/wiki/index.php?title=DIY_FAQ#POTS