[Elecraft] Installing the K2 TILT BAIL - The easy way!

[Tom Hammond]

Hi Folks:

At 10:20 AM 6/2/2005, \"RC\" KC5WA wrote:
>I have reached that portion in the RF Board Assembly
>titled "Alignment and Test, Part I" on page 42. Everything
>to this point has been a breeze ( exception being the Tilt
>Bail, [it took an hour to install] which I believe was
>designed to satisfy a designers twisted mind [g] )
>"rc" kc5wa

I've posted this method several times over the past several years, but it 
appears that another posting might be in order.

One of the true TESTS of the Elecraft builder's good nature is the 
installation of one of those (damned) tilt bails!!!  They are terribly 
stiff and will try anyone's patience.

After a couple years of periodic frustration, here's how I now do it...

One of the worst parts of installing the front feet and tilt bail on is 
trying to fight the bail while having such a small amount of working 
distance between the bottom cover of the radio and the feet. So...

Initially, DO NOT use the 4-40 x 7/16" screws specified in the assembly 
manual. Find (somewhere) four (4) 4-40 x 1" screws and use them to install 
the feet AND the bail... this extra length gives you MORE than ample 
'fighting room' when you are installing the bail. Once the long screws have 
been snugged down, and the feet and bail have been properly seated, replace 
(one-at-a-time) each of the longer 4-40 screws with the 4-40 x 7/16" screws 
specified in the manual. Since the feet and bail will be held securely in 
place by the remaining (already tightened) screws, replacement will be a 
snap and you won't have that overwhelming urge to heave the radio (or at 
least the bottom cover) up against the wall.

Works fer me!

73,

Tom Hammond   N0SS