[Elecraft] K3 bottom cover screw spinning in place

[Bill]

Mark C. Killmon wrote:
> Builders,
>
>  
>
> When removing the screws from the cabinet of my K3 to make the IF
> sensitivity mod, and the one-wire receiver protection mod, I've run into a
> show stopper.
>
>  
>
> The screw in the middle of the front-most bottom cover is just spinning in
> place. This is a factory build, and all the screws let go with a loud BANG,
> which is either expected from differential metal expansion/contraction, or
> they were really torqued when they were installed. Anyway, the screw in
> question never made any noise, it just gave resistance and spun in place,
> like there's captive hardware on the other side that is just spinning. I
> don't know if there's access to it if I remove the back-most bottom cover.
>
>  
>
> It looks like it would be hard to access from the top, without taking most
> of the rig apart. That's not an attractive proposition.
>
>  
>
> I hate to take the Dremel tool to it.
>
>  
>
> 73, Mark
>
> www.k4so.com
>
> www.picasaweb.com/kfourso
>
> kfourso.googlepages.com
>
>  
>
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>   
Hi Mark,  I don't have my K3 apart... but looking at the assembly manual 
it appears that the center screw at the rear of the front bottom cover 
goes into a standoff on the bottom of the RF board.  I suspect the screw 
on the top of the standoff is loose. 

Download a copy of the assembly manual and look at pages 56 and 62.  

If you remove the top covers and look in the topside near the center of 
the RF board you may see the upper screw spinning as you turn the screw 
on the bottom.  Not sure you will be able to see the screw at all 
depending on the options installed.

In any event, if you cannot see the top screw, you may be able to access 
the standoff from the bottom by removing the rear bottom cover - again 
refer to the assembly manual for the screws involved.  With the rear 
portion of the bottom cover removed you should be able to reach the 
standoff with a pair of forceps or a small needle nose plier, holding 
the standoff as you unscrew the bottom screw.

Of course you will still need to get access to the top screw eventually 
in order to tighten it!   The assembly manual will help with all of this!

Good Luck!   73, Bill  N2BC