[Elecraft] Front Panel Woes

[Louis C. LaCour, Jr.]

Hello all:

I had just finished up all the components for the front panel assembly, and
was preparing for the "Front Panel Final Assembly."  After continued
frustration, I decided this wasn't a good night to work on my K2.

Problem 1:

The double-backed tape for the green plastic bargraph filter is simply
impossible to install.  When I opened the serial number envelope to locate
the bargraph filter and tape, I only saw one small, rectangular, brown
"something" that I guessed was the tape.  I then realized it was folded in
two.  Simple enough, right?  I unfolded it and saw the two tape strips.
After some struggle, I managed to release one side of the brown paper, and
went to position it on the bargraph filter.  But then I noticed it was not
long enough; i.e., the manual illustration shows the tape going parallel to
the long side of the filter, edge to edge.  But it was too short to reach
from side to side.  OK, I thought, so what?  It doesn't take much to hold
this little piece of plastic in place.  So I mounted it on the filter, and
then mounted the other strip on the filter.  Now for the fun part.

No matter how hard I tried, I could not remove the OTHER piece of brown
paper; i.e. the back side, to expose the other side of the adhesive (that
would attach to the inside of the panel).  Even using a powerful magnifier
and razor blade, it just couldn't be done.  Am I missing something here?
Sigh.  OK, I'll just skip to the clear plastic LCD bezel, and deal with this
later, I thought....

Problem 2:

The manual calls for the use of four 2-56 screws (stainless steel) to mount
the bezel.  No problem.  I located the screws, lined up the bezel, got my
tiny screwdriver, and proceeded.  But the screw wouldn't start in the hole.
"Could it not be threaded," I thought?!  Sure enough, none of the four holes
is threaded - am I to cut threads in a steel panel with these tiny
screws??!!  I could try it, I suppose, but there's a very good chance
they'll simply strip out the threads.

Maybe the moon's in a bad phase; maybe there are astronomical forces
conspiring against me, but for the first time in 29 pages of instruction
I've come across two steps that are seemingly impossible.  My heretofore
high confidence in Elecraft guidance is on the wane...

So, what gives, guys?  Am I missing something obvious,or should I just take
the night off and pop open a cold one?

73,  Louis