I have a standard Bourns rotary potentiometer in my hands and trying to work out how I can attach anything other than a standard knob to the rotating end. What is the small crevice in the cylinder for? Why does the design not lend to easy adding of something in the longitudinal axis such as a lever in the perpendicular? Is it a given that the consumer is going to machine something out of plastic or metal to attach it? I wish to make a throttle lever and have limited machinery to cut anything, even then it will be a bad fit and not catch those teeth in order to rotate the potentiometer. Any ideas?
Stick a strip of metal in the middle for a lever, drill a small hole thru the shaft and the new lever, secure it all with a small screw/nut or similar.
Or do a search on google for "push on knob" tons of choices available.
I see nothing "standard" about what you have. A standard pot would have a solid 1/4 inch diameter shaft and would have only ONE set of three terminals.
The split and fluted shaft is designed for a particular type of knob that has a folded metal spring in the center that will fit the shaft slot. In addition, the knob will have flutes inside that will match the flutes in the shaft.
These fluted shaft pots arrived in the 70s with consumer grade audio gear from the far east.
The fluted shaft and knobs allowed faster (cheaper) finalmassembly than the 1/4 inch shaft with a flat, because no screw was required to hold the knob on.
(p.s. by the oxidised crud visible, I’d guess that photo is from the 1970s !)
NadJ:
Why does the design not lend to easy adding of something in the longitudinal axis such as a lever in the perpendicular?
Because it's a front panel control designed to be operated only by human fingers.
NadJ:
Is it a given that the consumer is going to machine something out of plastic or metal to attach it?
See above.
NadJ:
I wish to make a throttle lever and have limited machinery to cut anything, even then it will be a bad fit and not catch those teeth in order to rotate the potentiometer. Any ideas?
Those 'teeth' are not intended to mesh with a gear. If you need teeth, get a gear/pulley you can mount on a solid shaft with a set screw. Or consider using a flexible coupling to connect to the pot.
I suspect you're looking for a pot with a heavy side load spec. El cheapo pots will not stand up to the abuse you apparently have in mind.
Assuming the pot is in good operating condition, you can drill a hole (or not) in a plastic bottle cap and hot glue it on the shaft for a knob. You can hot glue a small stick on the shaft to make a push/pull lever.
NadJ:
I have a standard Bourns rotary potentiometer in my hands and trying to work out how I can attach anything other than a standard knob to the rotating end. What is the small crevice in the cylinder for? Why does the design not lend to easy adding of something in the longitudinal axis such as a lever in the perpendicular? Is it a given that the consumer is going to machine something out of plastic or metal to attach it? I wish to make a throttle lever and have limited machinery to cut anything, even then it will be a bad fit and not catch those teeth in order to rotate the potentiometer. Any ideas?
As already shown, pots are made primarily for round or similar knobs.
Anything out of the ordinary you will mostly have to construct yourself.
Shown below is one alternative.
Slumpert:
Seems you could just slide a popsicle stick on there and maybe dab of hot glue and voila!
Instructables...??
Probably ok for a quick test or whatever but if you want it to last longer than it took to glue it there, I'd suggest a more substantial mechanical fixing.
