A pox on slide potentiometers!

[anotherjim]

There are times when I would love to use slide controls, but oh dear...

Need to cut long slots no more than 3mm wide.
Operating lever too tall to be directly panel mounted, although they have 3mm screw hole fitting for panel mounting.
No dust protection for the resistance track
Fader caps too shallow and easily pulled or broken off

I can imagine a slide pot with an integrated cover/bezel plate and sideways resistance to avoid dust - that only needs a large rectangular cut out to fit in. If you fit more side by side, it can just be one wider cutout. Oh and caps that fit securely on the slide lever. If anyone knows of such a thing, I for one want some (10k log, 40-50mm travel please).

[antonis]

40-50mm travel

Any self-respecring slider pot should have longer than your palm length travel..

P.S.
Jim, have you reckon the potential cost of a 7-10 band EQ equipped with those imaginary pots..??
(including appropriate enclosure cost..)

[anotherjim]

I'm thinking more about envelope shapers. Slide pots are the perfect choice in that role to me, though it may be due to early exposure to Arp synths. Long travel is not needed, 40mm is about perfect.

I wouldn't dream of making a graphic eq pedal -  I don't see how I could DIY anything better than Boss etc...

I have an ancient Piher slide pot where the cap slides around a thin cover band that stops dust falling in. It's almost perfect except no bezel. Also unobtainium - Piher don't list any panel mount slide pots anymore. That slider is 40 years old and still works perfectly.

I'm sure I've seen sliders where the resistance track is sideways mounted - dust falls straight through, but can't remember where. Most manufacturers can supply a felt dust mask to match their slide pots as an option. I don't know anywhere that stocks them.

If I was into 3D printing, I could probably make some bezels easily.

[tubegeek]

Rane offers an optical slider as a replacement part for their DJ mixers IIRC. Perhaps others sell similar?

[ElectricDruid]

Largely agree. I like sliders for their "instant feedback" visual quality, especially with synths (SH101 ). But for reliability, they're not the best. The big holes in the "dash" are just asking stuff to fall in and gum things up. Felt covers help but seem to be rarely provided by manufacturers (occasionally, or optionally - but far from every time).

From the builder's point of view, neat slots in an enclosure implies using some kind of CNC service, whereas I can drill a pretty neat round hole myself. So that plays against sliders too, more's the pity.

Tom

[PRR]

> a felt dust mask

No fabric store in your town? Scissors, small sharp slit knife?

[anotherjim]

All the felt supply I have seen is too thick and I wouldn't trust it to keep its fibres to itself. I don't know if the stuff used for sliders is treated with something (hair spray!).
I've noticed the cheap far-east brands come with the felts, but annoyingly the ones I've seen are at least 75mm travel which is too long. Shame that, because I can get 5 for £5.

Synth sliders can be very short travel. Roland Juno only 30mm. Others 40mm.

[anotherjim]

Just found some Bournes 45mm sliders at CPCfarnell. Snagged the last 6 in stock. They include the felts.
Next to solve the mounting issue.

[willienillie]

Be cautious, they might have a pox on them!

[anotherjim]

The Bournes faders arrive - there are no dust felts despite the product images showing them. So a pox on CPC too!

[duck_arse]

maybe the pox is on the felts, and they've saved you some grief.

[anotherjim]

I am starting to wonder if the felts contain a banned substance. Didn't hat makers use mercury in their felt making?

A further pox on Bournes - the pins are on an 0.05" matrix and for some reason are spaced so they don't coincide with a 0.1" matrix!

[EBK]

Since you are looking for a fairly small linear motion range, could you buy some wah pedal rack and pinion gears and make your own slide pots?  Would solve the dust problem.  Just a thought.

[Kipper4]

I think they mostly use hydrogen peroxide to do the same job as the mercury now Jim.

[Ben N]

3D printed front panels with foil shielding may be an easier way to contend with these things, if one must.

[anotherjim]

I've considered mechanical tricks to operate pots or sliders indirectly, but there is seldom space for that. I'm psyching myself up to cut six 45mm long slots in a 1/16" thick aluminium the old fashioned way.

[tubegeek]

the old fashioned way.

[anotherjim]

Seems like EPDM rubber sheet is the modern way.
https://synthronics.de/potentiometer-dust-covers-roland-jupiter/
https://shop.deltarubber.co.uk/rubber-sheet/black-epdm/epdm-rubber-sheet.html
I think over plenty of uses for this stuff, apart from a Gimp suit.

[Ben N]

the old fashioned way.

[SolderBoy]

I wouldn't dream of making a graphic eq pedal -  I don't see how I could DIY anything better than Boss etc...

I mounted my 8-band Bass EQ in an old boss pedal.  I re-used the faders.  The vol fader is the same W-taper as the others, hence the 8 bands.











As for cutting slots, if you have a dremel with a router base, you can get nice slots if you set up a simple straight-edge jig.  Or yeah, as others have said, 3D print or cnc.  Ask around.  There's lots of guys who have little cnc routers and/or printers in their garages these days...