KPA1500 Wing Nut Replacement

[Bob Wilson, N6TV]

I usually struggle to reinstall the wing nut on the KPA1500 ground stud
because there is so little room underneath the cooling fans for your
fingers.

I decided to replace it with a brass knurled "thumb nut" which leaves a bit
more room.  Before / after photos here:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/jVY2uYecP6a3VuGk7

This is an #8-32 brass knurled "cap nut" (sic), Lowe's Item #137190
<https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-2-Count-8-Brass-Standard-SAE-Cap-Nuts/3012498>
(widely available from other sources too).  One nice thing about the Lowe's
web site:  they display the aisle and shelf where you can find it at your
local store, a cool feature that other brick and mortar stores should
copy.  Select your local store at the top.

Pros of thumb nut vs. wing nut:  easier to start and remove, looks nice
Cons:  can't tighten it as much as the wing nut without pliers, and it
rolls under the amp easily if you drop it.

73,
Bob, N6TV
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[N7US]

That's nicer than my solution, which was to set the back of the amplifier on
a temporary spacer (a thin book?) and remove the spacer after tightening the
wing nut and plugging in the power cord.

Jim N7US

-----Original Message-----

I usually struggle to reinstall the wing nut on the KPA1500 ground stud
because there is so little room underneath the cooling fans for your
fingers.

I decided to replace it with a brass knurled "thumb nut" which leaves a bit
more room.  Before / after photos here:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/jVY2uYecP6a3VuGk7

This is an #8-32 brass knurled "cap nut" (sic), Lowe's Item #137190
<https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-2-Count-8-Brass-Standard-SAE-Cap-Nuts/3012
498>
(widely available from other sources too).  One nice thing about the Lowe's
web site:  they display the aisle and shelf where you can find it at your
local store, a cool feature that other brick and mortar stores should copy.
Select your local store at the top.

Pros of thumb nut vs. wing nut:  easier to start and remove, looks nice
Cons:  can't tighten it as much as the wing nut without pliers, and it rolls
under the amp easily if you drop it.

73,
Bob, N6TV

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[Ken Winterling]

Below is another solution.  Hurricane wing nut drivers are a possibility.
On small wing nuts I have used a cup hook driver bit.   They look like a
"Y".

Wing Nut/Bolt Driver:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-SpeedLoad-Wing-Nut-Bolt-Driver-AR2011G/205193156?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CG%7CBase%7CD25T%7C25-7_POWER+TOOL+ACCESSORIES%7CNA%7CPLA%7c71700000034127227%7c58700003933021549%7c92700031755124901&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwbOL94KC4gIVEovICh39lgL1EAQYASABEgL1_fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds



Ken
WA2LBI


On Fri, May 3, 2019 at 7:46 PM Jim N7US <[hidden email]> wrote:

> That's nicer than my solution, which was to set the back of the amplifier
> on
> a temporary spacer (a thin book?) and remove the spacer after tightening
> the
> wing nut and plugging in the power cord.
>
> Jim N7US
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> I usually struggle to reinstall the wing nut on the KPA1500 ground stud
> because there is so little room underneath the cooling fans for your
> fingers.
>
> I decided to replace it with a brass knurled "thumb nut" which leaves a bit
> more room.  Before / after photos here:
>
> https://photos.app.goo.gl/jVY2uYecP6a3VuGk7
>
> This is an #8-32 brass knurled "cap nut" (sic), Lowe's Item #137190
> <
> https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hillman-2-Count-8-Brass-Standard-SAE-Cap-Nuts/3012
> 498>
> (widely available from other sources too).  One nice thing about the Lowe's
> web site:  they display the aisle and shelf where you can find it at your
> local store, a cool feature that other brick and mortar stores should copy.
> Select your local store at the top.
>
> Pros of thumb nut vs. wing nut:  easier to start and remove, looks nice
> Cons:  can't tighten it as much as the wing nut without pliers, and it
> rolls
> under the amp easily if you drop it.
>
> 73,
> Bob, N6TV
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>

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[w4sc-2]

Or you could use a threaded through nickel plated brass spacer.  Comes in several lengths… Use a nut driver to tighten.

https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/215/452A-1452E-737207.pdf


Sent from Mail for Windows 10

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[Jim Brown-10]

On 5/3/2019 4:38 PM, Bob Wilson, N6TV wrote:
> I decided to replace it with a brass knurled "thumb nut" which leaves a bit
> more room.

Much of my gear leaves the shack for FD, CQP and 7QP county expeditions.
I make short (1-2 inches) #10 stranded jumpers with a good lug on one
end and a green power pole on the other. Each lug can have two or more
jumpers with power poles so that bonds can be daisy-chained with
suitably long green jumpers.

73, Jim K9YC

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