[Elecraft] Mods/Addition suggestions for order of installplease

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

...how many times do you want to strip down the rig with  
the risk that implies to fastener failure, static damage, scratches etc?
73 de M0XDF, K3 #174

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However, the K3 was designed to be worked on easily! My K3 has been apart
many, many times, sometimes all the way down to the RF board. The number
assembly/disassembly cycles is easily approaching 100 times over the past
two years. I've had no fastener failures, no connector problems, no ESD
failures, no scratched panels, no issues of any sort.*

Wayne specifically ordered the build sequence to provide for one-at-a-time
option installations for exactly the reason Fred mentions. The kit assembly
manual does include preparing the K3 for adding several options to minimize
the work needed later. For example, if you're building it with the 100 watt
KPA3 option, you put in the rear (KPA3) shield during initial assembly. If
you're building it and installing the subreceiver (KRX3) option, you install
the auxiliary DSP board in the front panel assembly during initial assembly.


There are other examples of such preparatory work, all covered in the kit
assembly manual, as specifically ordered by Wayne to avoid complicating
troubleshooting should there be a problem at some point while still
minimizing the amount of work needed to add each option. 

Ron AC7AC  

* Monitoring this and the K3 support reflector, the only issue I've seen
brought up by builders is when some over tighten screws or use the wrong
size/type screwdriver, causing their drivers to "cam out", sometimes putting
small scratches on the screw head. That's avoided by tightening the screws
as described in the assembly manual and being sure you use a screwdriver
that fits the screw snugly.