[Test-Equipment] 3/8" Potentiometer/Switch Dress/Trim Washers

[Barry]

Hi Steve,

I had checked some of those places and had found them there.  Like so many other online places, though, shipping a tiny order just isn't worth it.  Like selling just one washer, shipping for $1 isn't worth it to them either and I understand that.  Sometimes eBay sellers make a pretty good compromise but I wasn't finding just the washers.

Yes, I presume that, by far, the largest consumer of these nuts and washers are for guitars - so much so that they're commonly referred to now as "guitar nuts" or "guitar washers".

Maybe I'll find something else at AES and bundle those washers in with the order.

Thanks,
Barry - N4BUQ

----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steve" <k0xp at k0xp.com>
> To: "Discussion of Electronic Test Equipment" <test-equipment at mailman.qth.net>, "Discussion of Electronic Test
> Equipment" <test-equipment at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2021 12:29:55 AM
> Subject: Re: [Test-Equipment] 3/8" Potentiometer/Switch Dress/Trim  Washers
> 
> At 04:08 PM 4/19/2021, Barry wrote:
> >Anyone know where I could get a few "trim" or "dress" washers for a
> >switch or potentiometer with a 3/8" thread?  I can't seem to find
> >them sold separately and don't want to buy sets of nuts,
> >lockwashers, and washers.  These seem to have gotten hard to find...
> 
> Nope; available by the onesies, or thousands, from Antique
> Electronics. Here is both a nut and washer (albeit you pays through
> the nose at 70 CENTS per pair, plus shipping):
> https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/nut-washer-panel-38-potentiometers
> Here is the nut, alone, for 35 CENTS each:
> https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/nut-cts-38-32-nickel-450-series-potentiometers
> ... and a package of 12 for (gasp!!) $4.45:
> https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/nut-cts-38-32-nickel-450-series-potentiometers
> And finally, here's the Holy Grail, a package of 10 washers for just
> $1.25:
> https://www.tubesandmore.com/products/washer-cts-flat-potentiometers
> (Of course, they wouldn't sell you just ONE washer... that just
> wouldn't be economical, would it??  8-)
> 
> Whenever old-timey hardware like this is needed, always remember to
> check the so-called "antique electronics" dealers. Most of them cater
> to the guitar amp restoration crowd, who seem to think Black Beauty
> capacitors are their Holy Grail even though we radio freaks know
> those Black Beasties are often leaky or shorted, to the capacitor, in
> every 1950's/1960's radio we've ever recapped.
> 
> Another decent electronics part emporium is All Electronics, but they
> carry mainly excess surplus inventory like wall warts of every size
> and description plus the odd lot of high quality small power
> transformers (I have to confess that since I've been buying their
> great small power transformers, they seem to have gotten wise and
> raised their prices in an effort to cut back my small quantity buying
> in lots of 3 or 4 each  8-)
> 
> Antique Electronics also has old-fashioned solder-type terminal
> strips from one to eight terminals; and even solder lugs for both
> 4-40 and 6-32 hardware. And much, much more besides. Check out their
> stock of Hammond and LMB chassis, for example; they're usually priced
> a bit lower than many guys try to sell an old NOS chassis on eham or
> QTH.com or elsewhere... and almost ALWAYS lower than you'll find on
> epay (except for the odd single-lot individual seller). Their chassis
> prices are usually competitive with DigiKey but not always; I
> recently stocked up on some small Hammond chassis from DK in lieu of
> ordering from Antique simply because the price was pennies apart, but
> DK offered much cheaper shipping. Shipping costs is often what makes
> the difference between one vendor or another.
> 
> ALL of these places ship very quickly; I usually get my goods within
> 2 days, sometimes 3, and when I buy ordinary drill bits, taps,
> screws, washers, etc. from McMaster-Carr, I usually get their schtuff
> overnight. Perhaps that's because they have a depot only 20 miles
> from me here in SoCal, however....
> 
> I am not affiliated with any of these dealers, I'm just a
> mostly-satisfied customer. (From time to time, I find certain items
> that were a waste of money; but most is well-worth spending my
> allowance on  8-D  )
> 
> SteveH K0XP
> 
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