Neve Style knobs

[guitar4444]

I would be interested to get 100 of the red ones with the inserts.
What was the cost again per knob?

Please contact Mzaar though I think you may have missed the order but I think he was getting a few extras

http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?action=profile;u=47328

 

[Mzaar]

Ok, I got confirmation from Xuyu that set screw can be  1/4 shaft. He's trying to see if black or grey color can be possible too.
I'm waiting for his response and if grey or black aren't possible , I will order according to the EU list p.4 ( I added API and MatthisD) and let you know about the payment. Everybody got a paypal address ?

What was the cost again ?

/w insert was $0.31

 

[slimvince]

...He's trying to see if black or grey color can be possible too.

Everybody got a paypal address ?

yup

 

[SkunkFunk]

Everybody got a paypal address ?

Yes

 

[MartyMart]

Everybody got a paypal address ?

Yup

 

[guitar4444]

Ok, I got confirmation from Xuyu that set screw can be  1/4 shaft. He's trying to see if black or grey color can be possible too.
I'm waiting for his response and if grey or black aren't possible , I will order according to the EU list p.4 ( I added API and MatthisD) and let you know about the payment. Everybody got a paypal address ?

What was the cost again ?

/w insert was $0.31

Hi Mzaar,

I just got a message from Xuyu that he now says he was not sure what we meant by the "insert" and it sounded like he trying to say he thought we just meant the set screw was the insert, not the brass part the set screw actually threads into. So now I'm wondering if he was expecting us to thread directly into the plastic or what. He also said he could do the set screws for us sounding like they would put the set screws in presumably for a fee. Also after looking more closely at the various pictures and diagrams I'm wondering a little whether there will even be enough material in the plastic 18t mould to be able to drill it out and fit a brass insert. It looks like there is some hollow space between the centre spline boss and the outer part. Looking at the picture here
http://www.omtertyxn.com/productdetail.asp?/410.html
So I'm waiting to hear back again. I'm thinking of asking him to send a sample first.

cheers  Greg

 

[wowi]

Everybody got a paypal address ?

Yes 

 

[tomas1808]

I'm guessing that will be OK if you go on the US group buy as postage would be cheapest from there.
I'll put you under US in the first post and see if tommypiper can organize that. Let me know if you have a problem.

Oh dumb me, I hadnt read this post.

Yeah, tommypiper kindly contacted me already and will send me the knobs!

Thanks to everyone involved!

 

[Mzaar]

I just got a message from Xuyu that he now says he was not sure what we meant by the "insert" and it sounded like he trying to say he thought we just meant the set screw was the insert, not the brass part the set screw actually threads into. So now I'm wondering if he was expecting us to thread directly into the plastic or what. He also said he could do the set screws for us sounding like they would put the set screws in presumably for a fee. Also after looking more closely at the various pictures and diagrams I'm wondering a little whether there will even be enough material in the plastic 18t mould to be able to drill it out and fit a brass insert. It looks like there is some hollow space between the centre spline boss and the outer part. Looking at the picture here
http://www.omtertyxn.com/productdetail.asp?/410.html
So I'm waiting to hear back again. I'm thinking of asking him to send a sample first.

Ok now it makes more sense of the price of the set screw (I was wondering how the insert brass+screw could be at 0,01$...dirty cheap).
You'r right ...he probably thought we would thread the set screw without any brass ring directly into the plastic. Since most of us are probably gonna use the pots with neve preamp/eq/comp which means rotary switch and then torque, it won't be reliable not to use brass inserts. Did he say if he could provide some kind of brass/steel ring too or only set screw ?

Regarding fitting the insert : I think there wont be enough material in the plastic 18t mould after drilling since OD is 8.8mm and most of the brass inserts I measured after cannabalising cheap pots were between 8.6 and 10 mm. But still we can fill empty space with some kind of epoxy (milliput, green stuff or more liquid stuff...diy style) or use what Bruce0 called the 4 internal webs to support the brass ring.

What we are looking for is that : http://www.don-audio.com/Female-brass-insert-1-4-with-set-screw

Some quotes here : http://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=76724&sid=73b96b2fee1b9e83a4ddc383d8c52e3e

 

[tommypiper]

I also heard back from Xuyu and got a contradicting message about the brass inserts.  It set my alarms off.  Something is not right.

I suggested to Greg that we get a sample first, so we know what we are getting.  Or buy whatever minimum as a first order, just to confirm it will work.  Because too many people are placing orders and we could get stuck with something unusable.  Let's slow down and sort this out rationally. 

Taking some time might also open up the options to get gray knobs.  (Personally, I don't find the black looks very good or Neve at all, but the gray does look very good. )

Greg, it looks to me, as you said, there is no space to drill the  plastic 18t mould to be able to fit a brass insert.  Instead, we'd have to find a brass insert that would fit without drilling, or with very minimal drilling.  And only have to drill from the side...

It just seems to me there are too many unknowns at this time.  And the Chinese seller's language barrier is not making it easy.  The best solution is to get a knob and brass inserts into our hands and make sure it will work before we make group buys.

 

[bruce0]

I agree that it is hard to conceive of an insert that would work without filling the cavities and re-drilling. I want them anyway.  I can use splined knobs too, and the price is low enough for me to take the risk. I could also use inserts for other knobs, but if they are just set screws, we can forgo the set screws ( cheaper and easier whether 32 cents or 1 cent to source those elsewhere).

If you can get a mechanical drawing of the inserts it will clarify a lot

@tommypiper I am in for my order regardless

You guys are great to take this task on, thanks from all of us paying through the nose for knobs and cases! 

bb

 

[SkunkFunk]

As someone mentioned, these are the same knob that goes for 8€ at don-audio.com. They seem to have made it work on this preamp by using some kind of large insert http://www.thedonclassics.com/products.html

I think a cheaper solution would be to put an m3 nut into one of the four gaps and seal with some glue. At least, i've seen other plastic knobs with square metal nuts just to hold the screw into place, so i guess it should work here aswell.

 

[guitar4444]

Xuyu has told me they can do the set screws for us. I not sure whether he meant put them in or just supply the part. Just waiting for a confirmation. I think Skunkfunks idea could be quite a good solution. I have seen that before on saleable product. Filling the empty space in the back could help to strengthen it to otherwise doing up the set screw could push the knob off centre.

cheers  Greg

 

[spase]

any news?

 

[guitar4444]

I've written to Xuyu and he has confirmed that there is not actually enough meat in the inside of the knob to be able to drill it out and fit an insert. He did say he can supply the set screws and nuts though and that he could send a sample so looks like this will have to go on hold till then.
Meanwhile I've notice many other knobs use this approach. The only problem I can see is if done up to tight without filling the space between the shaft boss and the outer part of the knob could distort the shape of the knob. I've attached a pics of knobs that have plastic shaft holes and set screw nut set ups.
Anyway looks like this project is going to be delayed so sorry to anyone for giving then a false impression, but I guess waiting is better than getting the wrong thing

cheers  Greg

 

[spase]

Its ok we gonna wait for the sample and gonna se how it goes

 

[guitar4444]

looks like Xuyu is going to send out some samples by DHL. Hope it doesn't cost to much otherwise I might ask for slow mail.

cheers  Greg

 

[guitar4444]

So they are on the way, just a sample of 2 x red 2 x blue. It ended up costing $20 US by DHL to have them sent out so I hoping that if it all turns out OK that some of you might like to donate a dollar or even 50 cents to help cover that. We can discuss that later.
Meanwhile should I send a knob to some others to check out after they arrive or will you all be happy with close up pictures and to take my word for it? Of course I'll need to try drilling and fitting the set screw to, hope it's not to difficult.

cheers  Greg

 

[spase]

i will be ok with close up pictures.i have ready dremel waiting for them hope its gonna be easy...

 

[guitar4444]

OK will let you all know as soon as they arive