[Elecraft]Bending component wires

[David Cutter]

I advise against bending the wires of axial components against the component 
body; this can lead to stress fractures at the joint depending how much 
force you use.   I use fine needle nose pliers to hold the component wire 
near the body, then bend the wire sharp against the pliers.  It's a small 
but easy and consistent way to avoid a stress failure which might take a 
while to appear.  Having said this, modern components *may* not be 
susceptible to this failure mode: I'm just in the habit these 50 years.

I remember a colleague clipping wires near me and one flew into a power 
supply I was working on causing a large flash and bang right under my nose. 
A salutary lesson to all.

David
G3UNA


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron D'Eau Claire" <rondec at easystreet.com>
To: <N5BZ+ecr at chem.lsu.edu>; <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, January 13, 2007 12:36 AM
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] Things I would do differently when I next build a K2


FB bz!
I have found that if one simply bends the leads smoothly to right angles to
the body of resistors, diodes and chokes, they fit right into the holes. No
jig used or needed. When one doesn't fit by doing that, it's normally
mentioned in the text that it needs to have the leads formed to fit.