[daggerlee]

Trying to remove a volume knob, I've unscrewed the little screw holding it in place but the thing won't budge - it's flush with the face so I can't insert anything in between and pry either. I tried heating it up with a hairdryer but nothing happened. Any ideas? tips?

 

[dcheming]

I have no idea why it would be so stuck but maybe try wrapping a few layers of electrical tape around the knob to protect it from getting scratched and find a hose clamp that will fit and tighten in on. This would at least give you something to pry against.

You might want to figure out why it's stuck before you start wrenching on it though. It would suck to break the pot.

 

[SayNoToPistons]

A volume knob on what?

 

[daggerlee]

A Heed canamp I'm modding for someone else. I can get the knob on/off my own canamp fine no problems, but on this one it's like I didn't even touch the screw - it still turns as if the screw were still in.

I think it must be hot glued in or something, but I tried heating it up and it didn't work. Since it's not mine I'm wary of prying on it too hard...but maybe I'll give the electrical tape tip a try.

Any other ideas?

 

[Sovkiller]

You have to force it, it is an ALPS, if it breaks just replace it, what else to do? Well maybe to spray some WD40 on the shaft to see if it comes out....

 

[daggerlee]

Not sure if forcing it is an option, it isn't my amp after all! Are a lot of ALPS pots this tricky?

 

[nikongod]

try GENTLY rocking the knob a little bit. you know, up and down, side to side.

sometimes they get stuck on pretty good.

[ edit ] are there 2 setscrews? makes me feel dumb when there are.
[ / edit]
is there ANY play?
if not: they may have glued the knob in adition to the setscrew. kind of a non-fun thing to do (from a modders perspective anyways) but it happens...

 

[daggerlee]

There is no play whatsoever, and only one set screw (just like mine)

I guess they must have glued it, as the one on mine is quite free and comes out quite easily.

I was thinking of submerging the knob only in boiling water - if it was hotglue I think that might loosen it. That's about the only thing I can think of...

 

[ATAT]

wrap the knob in about 2 layers of electrical tape, use locking pliers (vise-grips work) and pull directly away from the knob. make sure the setscrews are all the way out, or else you'll tear off part of the shaft

I'd guess either some type of glue like loctite or the shaft getting burred from the setscrew marks.. if its burring the only option you have is brute force.. good luck

 

[looser101]

If the set screw is tightened very hard it can deform the shaft slightly (forms a ridge/burr). The easiest way is to turn it to one of the end stops and then force it to turn further. Once it breaks free it should be easier to pull out.

Of course as nikongod suggested make sure there is only 1 set screw.

~Renato

 

[daggerlee]

Thanks for the new suggestions. Here's what I've done so far:

1. Submerge the knob in boiling water for 1 minute. Nothing happend.

2. Wrapped it in several layers of electrical tape and pulled outward with a big huge wrench. Nothing happened - the wrench started slipping before the knob did anything...

3. Using said wrench, was able to turn it past its stop point as Renato suggested. Got scared though of the knob breaking and turned it back. Didn't help at all in terms of being able to pull it out.

I'm at the end of my rope here. Any other suggestions?

 

[flecom]

put electrical tape on the case so you can stuff a screwdriver in there and pry it out?

 

[dcheming]

The only other way I can think of possibly getting that person off is to use a two-jaw gear puller. Tighten the hose clamp on the taped knob as tight as you can get it then try to grab onto the thin edge of the clamp with the jaws of the puller. Of course you would have to use some kind of U-shaped metal bracket over the top of the knob to give something for the screw of the puller to push against. You'd probably need two people just to hold this setup together while tightening it, but I don't think there are too many other options. For the bracket I'd just buy some 2" or so aluminum U-channel and cut a 3/4" piece off the edge. You'd want to protect the face plate of the amp with tape of course.

What is the knob made of? Could you get a replacement from Heed if you did break it by twisting it further than you tried earlier?

 

[looser101]

If you got it to turn then keep turning it until it frees up. Then turn as you pull, eventually it will come. If you decide to try and pry it out then use 2 screwdrivers and pry evenly from opposite sides so that it slides straight out.

Good luck,

~Renato

Edit: Since it turned past the stop you don't have to worry about breaking anything as the shaft is round and the knob will just spin on the shaft. Keep turning it on the shaft against the pots left stop and right stop until it frees up.

 

[Sovkiller]

Is there any way you can rotate the board without removing the pot? Maybe loosing the nut a little bit, and rotating the whole board (as the front panel is not removable neither) and then soldering whatever you are going ot replace there, and later on trying to put it back in the original position and tighten the nut again....the pot is close to the edge, so there will be no problems in rotating the board if you can loosen the pot's nut a little bit, but the nut should be behind the knob, not sure how much space you will have there....