K2 encoder installation 2018

[Ted Salmon]

The encoder plus attached PC board is attached to the Front Panel with a lock
washer and 1/2" hex nut on the encoder shaft. The diameter of the hole on my
Front Panel was 10 mm as measured with my calipers. The diameter of the
threaded mount on the encoder is ~ 9 mm while the diameter of the ring at
the base of the threaded mount is ~ 10 mm. How is the encoder correctly
mounted by hardware to the inside face of the Front Panel?

I tried 3 methods without success.

1) First was to just add the washer and nut to the shaft and try and tighten
it down with a wrench, but the encoder kept tilting.

2) So, I thought perhaps the inner diameter of the hole in the Front Panel
was too narrow because of paint thickness.  I scrapped off the paint from
the inside of the hole and a bit of aluminum, then the 10 mm ring at the
base of the encoder shaft fit in the hole nicely. I could then barely
tighten down the shaft with the nut and washer because this ring at the base
of the encoder is slightly thicker than the thickness of the front pannel.
When I put on the large knob, 2 felt washers were not thick enough to
provide resistance to knob turning, so I thought I made a mistake in
enlarging the hole. However, the position of the PC board on the back of the
encoder was close enough to the Front Panel to allow the attachment of the
Control board to the 1/2' posts attached to the back of the Front Panel
Board.

3) To solve the felt thickness problem, I put a very thin (0.2-0.3 mm)
washer, ~9mm ID, on the threaded shaft of the encoder before inserting it
into the hole in the Front Panel to stabilize the tilting problem. I
attached the washer and nut to the threaded shaft and now the double felt
washers work as described to provide friction against the inner surface of
the large knob.  However, now the PC board on the back of the encoder
extends too far away from the the back of the Front Panel Board to allow
attachment of the Control Board to the two posts.  

So, how to solve this problem?

Thanks, Ted Salmon WD4CAV



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[Don Wilhelm]

Ted,

I am afraid you have ruined the front panel metalwork.
The best solution is to purchase new Front Panel metalwork.  Enlarge the
hole for the threaded part of the encoder just a bit.  I use a thin
knife blade and 3 or 4 passes with it inside the encoder hole will do
the job nicely.

The other way (not as nice) is to take the encoder to a nearby hardware
store and find a washer that has a hole large enough to pass the ring at
the base of the threaded portion of the shaft, and use that as a spacer
behind the front panel metal.

In either case, you will have to tighten the lockwasher and nut enough
so the encoder will not twist on the front panel.

You must have 3 felt washers under the knob.  Two were packed with your
encoder assembly and a 3rd one was packed with the Front Panel parts bag.

Flush trim (diagonal cutters are not good enough) the leads on both the
encoder board and also the back of the control board in the area which
might contact the encoder board.

The two rubber pads must be placed at the top of the front panel board
(on the solder side).

If the encoder board can still contact the control board, cut a piece of
card stock (a piece of a QSL card will do) and place it between the
encoder board and the control panel.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 9/2/2018 7:30 AM, Ted Salmon wrote:
> The encoder plus attached PC board is attached to the Front Panel with a lock
> washer and 1/2" hex nut on the encoder shaft. The diameter of the hole on my
> Front Panel was 10 mm as measured with my calipers. The diameter of the
> threaded mount on the encoder is ~ 9 mm while the diameter of the ring at
> the base of the threaded mount is ~ 10 mm. How is the encoder correctly
> mounted by hardware to the inside face of the Front Panel?
>
> I tried 3 methods without success.
>
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[Scott-2]

Ted,

1.  The nut and washer go on the "outside", that is, the front facing
side of the front panel behind the main VFO knob.  The encoder shaft has
to be fully seated on the inside of the front panel with the encoder
shaft extending a good distance out, then tighten the nut and washer on
the outside of the front panel.  To my knowledge there should be nothing
on the encoder shaft on the inside of the front panel.  My encoder shaft
appeared to be too large for the hole, and I was about to "clean" the
hole when I gave it one last push and it popped in.  Very tight fit but
the encoder shaft base was flush on the inside of the front panel.
After the lock washer, nut, 3 felt washers and the Main VFO knob were
installed on the shaft, the backside of the main VFO knob was parallel
to the front panel with nice friction.

2.  My kit came with 3 felt washers and I had to use all three to get
the right friction that is close to that of my K3.  Look in one of the
other envelopes there should be another felt washer.  IIRC, it was in
one of the misc envelopes and not in the Main VFO board assembly bag
with the other two washers.

3.  My Main VFO board assembly bag came with a 4 pin male header that
actually fit the holes in BOTH the encoder PCB and the Front Panel
Board.  If that male header is installed you may have found the problem
as the directions for installation say to use stripped wire.  I asked
Don about the extra 4 pin male header in my bag and he said follow the
wire directions.

4.  The bottom side of the encoder PCB will have to have ALL the joints
cut as flush as possible because when the Control Board is installed,
there is very very little room between the two PCBs.  The Main VFO board
assembly instructions say you can you use thin paper as an insulator
between the two boards.

That's about all I know.  If I have any of that wrong I'm sure Don will
chime in soon and correct me.

I'm still working on K2 #7815, just a bit further along than you.  Good
Luck.

Scott
AD5HS

On 9/2/2018 6:30 AM, Ted Salmon wrote:

> The encoder plus attached PC board is attached to the Front Panel with a lock
> washer and 1/2" hex nut on the encoder shaft. The diameter of the hole on my
> Front Panel was 10 mm as measured with my calipers. The diameter of the
> threaded mount on the encoder is ~ 9 mm while the diameter of the ring at
> the base of the threaded mount is ~ 10 mm. How is the encoder correctly
> mounted by hardware to the inside face of the Front Panel?
>
> I tried 3 methods without success.
>
> 1) First was to just add the washer and nut to the shaft and try and tighten
> it down with a wrench, but the encoder kept tilting.
>
> 2) So, I thought perhaps the inner diameter of the hole in the Front Panel
> was too narrow because of paint thickness.  I scrapped off the paint from
> the inside of the hole and a bit of aluminum, then the 10 mm ring at the
> base of the encoder shaft fit in the hole nicely. I could then barely
> tighten down the shaft with the nut and washer because this ring at the base
> of the encoder is slightly thicker than the thickness of the front pannel.
> When I put on the large knob, 2 felt washers were not thick enough to
> provide resistance to knob turning, so I thought I made a mistake in
> enlarging the hole. However, the position of the PC board on the back of the
> encoder was close enough to the Front Panel to allow the attachment of the
> Control board to the 1/2' posts attached to the back of the Front Panel
> Board.
>
> 3) To solve the felt thickness problem, I put a very thin (0.2-0.3 mm)
> washer, ~9mm ID, on the threaded shaft of the encoder before inserting it
> into the hole in the Front Panel to stabilize the tilting problem. I
> attached the washer and nut to the threaded shaft and now the double felt
> washers work as described to provide friction against the inner surface of
> the large knob.  However, now the PC board on the back of the encoder
> extends too far away from the the back of the Front Panel Board to allow
> attachment of the Control Board to the two posts.
>
> So, how to solve this problem?
>
> Thanks, Ted Salmon WD4CAV

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[Scott-2]

Looks like I missed Don's earlier response.  Sorry for taking up the
bandwidth.

Scott
AD5HS

On 9/2/2018 6:30 AM, Ted Salmon wrote:
> The encoder plus attached PC board is attached to the Front Panel with a lock
> washer and 1/2" hex nut on the encoder shaft. The diameter of the hole on my
> Front Panel was 10 mm as measured with my calipers. The diameter of the
> threaded mount on the encoder is ~ 9 mm while the diameter of the ring at
> the base of the threaded mount is ~ 10 mm. How is the encoder correctly
> mounted by hardware to the inside face of the Front Panel?
>
> I tried 3 methods without success.
<snip>
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