[Elecraft] How Long will it take to assemble a K3/100??

[Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft]

The power screwdrivers we use in the factory are high performance commercial units that have a finely adjustable torque clutch that limits how far each screw is tightened. This insures both a consistent assembly of the radio and that the screws are never overtightened.

We set it at a very low setting that is in fact lower than what most average people would manually tighten screws to. This actually is more reliable than manually tightening each screw. We carefully check this and also inspect assembled units for over-tightened screws.

Most, if not all, consumer level power screwdrivers can not be set for this low of a tightening torque, if they can be set at all.

73,
Eric

www.elecraft.com
_..._



On Jan 1, 2012, at 7:56 PM, "Ron D'Eau Claire" <ron at cobi.biz> wrote:

> 4-40 screws are really quite easy to twist in half with a power screwdriver.
> That's easy to fix if you have a spare. It's also easy to rip the threads
> out of the PEM nuts. That's not so easy to fix. 
> 
> That's why Wayne was clear that we should specify *no* power screwdriver in
> the assembly manual. 
> 
> It sounds like the factory is pushing the envelope on the torque, at least
> on some of the screws. 
> 
> This doesn't appear to relate to your situation, but for those "reading the
> mail" out there, sometimes a panel screw will act stuck even though you know
> you didn't over-torque it at assembly. That's because the panels shift
> slightly as the screws are tightened, and one screw might bind against the
> hole. If one feels stuck, always loosen all the other screws holding the
> panel first and very often you'll find that the "stuck" screw comes out very
> easily. 
> 
> Ron AC7AC
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Mike K2MK
> Sent: Sunday, January 01, 2012 5:11 PM
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] How Long will it take to assemble a K3/100??
> 
> Hi Dick,
> 
> As an owner of a 3 year old factory built K3 I kind of knew that they used
> "power screwdrivers" in the assembly. One day I plan to perform surgery on
> the one remaining front panel screw that I was unable to remove. Doing the
> DSP board swap was an adventure.
> 
> 73,
> Mike K2MK
> 
> 
> 
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