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

[Ken Bessler]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tom Hammond" <n0ss at earthlink.net>
To: " "RC" KC5WA" <kc5wa at bayou.com>; <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2005 3:13 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] Installing the K2 TILT BAIL - The easy way!


> 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
>

Nice idea but why all the fuss? I just squeezed the
ends before installation. It took only 1 try to find
the balance between "easy to install" and "stays
put (up or down)".

The bonus is that my bail dosen't thump the bottom
of the rig too hard when I put it up yet stays in
place just fine, up or down.

Still, clever idea with the screws.
--
 Just my 2¢ worth... 73's es gd dx de Ken KGØWX
Grid EM17ip, Flying Pigs #-1055, Digital On Six #350,
      Proud builder & owner of Elecraft K2 #4913 



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