Meir Cross-1 Case Group Buy - Page 12

Thanks, Matt. I got my bearings.

Case Screws and other issues

I had a chance to build up two completed Cross-1's yesterday. A couple things to report.

1) The shorting and non-shorting switches look identical except for a code on the PC side of the switch. Same color, same feel, etc. previously I suggested that they may be different colors, based on Jan's images. That is apparently not the case for the parts Mouser is now shipping.

2) Bad News-Good News on the screws. I tapped two cases for 4-40 and neither case held all 4 screws properly. There is not only some variation in the case slots but also in the screws, which is probably why my sample case tapped better than the two cases I tapped yesterday....

The good news is that I had the courage to drill out the slot and tap for 6-32 screws. There is enough metal for that tap. See image below. This worked very well, even though the cases had been previously tapped for 4-40. There is no hint of the old tap left. It is a very firm tap, so firm that I had trouble with my cheap Home Depot T-Handle tap wrench holding the tap. It is a much firmer tap than I have gotten from Hammond cases. I drilled out with the 7/64" bit that came with the 6-32 tap. That bit did not even fully clear out the old 4-40 threads.

If you have not yet tapped your case or you aren't comfortable with the 4-40 tap, I would suggest you tap for 6-32. You will also have to drill out the front and rear panel screw holes to accomodate the larger screw.

I have approximately 84 6-32 buttonhead screws. If you want to tap your case out to 6-32, I will be very happy to mail you replacement screws so you don't have to buy a bag of 100.





Here is one build completed and the other prior to casing:



I am also building another Head-FIer's pair. At one point I was seeing Cross Eyed!



I may set a record for the number built....


More pictures in my gallery and probably more to come as I complete the final two builds.

Regards,
Neil