How to tighten round nut on swtich?

[micky]

I need to put a momentary on switch in my dashboard, and the one I
bought doesn't have a hex nut for the top nut but a round serrated ring
to hold the switch in place.

How do you tighten this? I don't see how fingers can do as good a job
as a wrench did with the hex nut, and pliers will scratch it up.

I could find an old hex nut, but I'd rather use the pretty round one,
if I can.

 

[rickman]

micky wrote on 10/25/2017 9:15 PM:

I need to put a momentary on switch in my dashboard, and the one I
bought doesn't have a hex nut for the top nut but a round serrated ring
to hold the switch in place.

How do you tighten this? I don't see how fingers can do as good a job
as a wrench did with the hex nut, and pliers will scratch it up.

I could find an old hex nut, but I'd rather use the pretty round one,
if I can.

Use some cloth to cover the nut and then use pliers. Just don't grip too
tightly or it can tear through the cloth.

--

Rick C

Viewed the eclipse at Wintercrest Farms,
on the centerline of totality since 1998

 

[Tom Kupp]

On 10/25/2017 09:15 PM, micky wrote:

I need to put a momentary on switch in my dashboard, and the one I
bought doesn't have a hex nut for the top nut but a round serrated ring
to hold the switch in place.

How do you tighten this? I don't see how fingers can do as good a job
as a wrench did with the hex nut, and pliers will scratch it up.

I could find an old hex nut, but I'd rather use the pretty round one,
if I can.

Of course, there is a special tool.

 

[Tom Biasi]

On 10/25/2017 9:15 PM, micky wrote:

I need to put a momentary on switch in my dashboard, and the one I
bought doesn't have a hex nut for the top nut but a round serrated ring
to hold the switch in place.

How do you tighten this? I don't see how fingers can do as good a job
as a wrench did with the hex nut, and pliers will scratch it up.

I could find an old hex nut, but I'd rather use the pretty round one,
if I can.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nut-Repeir-Tool-8mm-19mm-Combination-Spanners-Ring-Socket-Wrench-Chrome-Metric/122724855004?hash=item1c92f8acdc:m:mgIWbOly0GtHvDqDUV16oGQ

 

[micky]

In sci.electronics.repair, on Wed, 25 Oct 2017 21:26:58 -0400, rickman
<gnuarm@gmail.com> wrote:

micky wrote on 10/25/2017 9:15 PM:
I need to put a momentary on switch in my dashboard, and the one I
bought doesn't have a hex nut for the top nut but a round serrated ring
to hold the switch in place.

How do you tighten this? I don't see how fingers can do as good a job
as a wrench did with the hex nut, and pliers will scratch it up.

I could find an old hex nut, but I'd rather use the pretty round one,
if I can.

Use some cloth to cover the nut and then use pliers. Just don't grip too
tightly or it can tear through the cloth.

Okay, I'll do that. Maybe I can just hold the nut that way and turn the
hex nut behind the dash next to the box below the radio and above the
consoleradio. In this case, I'll have access to it.

It's interesting to learn, Tom, that there is a special tool

Thanks all.

 

[Tom Kupp]

On 10/25/2017 09:31 PM, Tom Biasi wrote:

On 10/25/2017 9:15 PM, micky wrote:
I need to put a momentary on switch in my dashboard, and the one I
bought doesn't have a hex nut for the top nut but a round serrated ring
to hold the switch in place.

How do you tighten this?  I don't see how fingers can do as good a job
as a wrench did with the hex nut, and pliers will scratch it up.

I could find an old hex nut, but I'd  rather use the pretty round one,
if I can.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nut-Repeir-Tool-8mm-19mm-Combination-Spanners-Ring-Socket-Wrench-Chrome-Metric/122724855004?hash=item1c92f8acdc:m:mgIWbOly0GtHvDqDUV16oGQ

If you google "serrated switch nut wrench" you'll see a bunch of
possibilities. The one I used to use is at
https://www.amazon.com/StewMac-Adjustable-Toggle-Switch-Wrench/dp/B01HYB9TEU/ref=pd_sim_267_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01HYB9TEU&pd_rd_r=5ZKQEEADRF7QRVHXVW7F&pd_rd_w=57jD8&pd_rd_wg=06hGL&psc=1&refRID=5ZKQEEADRF7QRVHXVW7F

 

[N_Cook]

On 26/10/2017 02:15, micky wrote:

I need to put a momentary on switch in my dashboard, and the one I
bought doesn't have a hex nut for the top nut but a round serrated ring
to hold the switch in place.

How do you tighten this? I don't see how fingers can do as good a job
as a wrench did with the hex nut, and pliers will scratch it up.

I could find an old hex nut, but I'd rather use the pretty round one,
if I can.

Rob a hex from anothe switch, or grind 2 diametric notches and use
circlip pliers

 

[John Robertson]

On 2017/10/25 7:02 PM, micky wrote:

In sci.electronics.repair, on Wed, 25 Oct 2017 21:26:58 -0400, rickman
gnuarm@gmail.com> wrote:

micky wrote on 10/25/2017 9:15 PM:
I need to put a momentary on switch in my dashboard, and the one I
bought doesn't have a hex nut for the top nut but a round serrated ring
to hold the switch in place.

How do you tighten this? I don't see how fingers can do as good a job
as a wrench did with the hex nut, and pliers will scratch it up.

I could find an old hex nut, but I'd rather use the pretty round one,
if I can.

Use some cloth to cover the nut and then use pliers. Just don't grip too
tightly or it can tear through the cloth.

Okay, I'll do that. Maybe I can just hold the nut that way and turn the
hex nut behind the dash next to the box below the radio and above the
consoleradio. In this case, I'll have access to it.

It's interesting to learn, Tom, that there is a special tool

Thanks all.

The cloth is more to protect the surface of the panel the switch is
mounted to than to protect the knurled round nut you are trying to
tighten. If you can tighten the hex nut underneath that is better of
course! A split or star lock washer is good between the hex nut and panel...

John :-#)#

--
(Please post followups or tech inquiries to the USENET newsgroup)
John's Jukes Ltd.
MOVED to #7 - 3979 Marine Way, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5J 5E3
(604)872-5757 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
www.flippers.com
"Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

 

[Dave M]

I have a driver for those knurled nuts, bought it about 40 years ago, still
going strong, very similar to Ebay item 252720374881
A few others that should work (or not):
Ebay item 321503159614
Another Ebay item: 282599004397

I can vouch for the driver that I have... it never fails, doesn't mar the
nut or the panel.

Cheers,
Dave M



micky wrote:

I need to put a momentary on switch in my dashboard, and the one I
bought doesn't have a hex nut for the top nut but a round serrated
ring to hold the switch in place.

How do you tighten this? I don't see how fingers can do as good a job
as a wrench did with the hex nut, and pliers will scratch it up.

I could find an old hex nut, but I'd rather use the pretty round one,
if I can.

 

[rickman]

John Robertson wrote on 10/26/2017 2:39 PM:

On 2017/10/25 7:02 PM, micky wrote:
In sci.electronics.repair, on Wed, 25 Oct 2017 21:26:58 -0400, rickman
gnuarm@gmail.com> wrote:

micky wrote on 10/25/2017 9:15 PM:
I need to put a momentary on switch in my dashboard, and the one I
bought doesn't have a hex nut for the top nut but a round serrated ring
to hold the switch in place.

How do you tighten this? I don't see how fingers can do as good a job
as a wrench did with the hex nut, and pliers will scratch it up.

I could find an old hex nut, but I'd rather use the pretty round one,
if I can.

Use some cloth to cover the nut and then use pliers. Just don't grip too
tightly or it can tear through the cloth.

Okay, I'll do that. Maybe I can just hold the nut that way and turn the
hex nut behind the dash next to the box below the radio and above the
consoleradio. In this case, I'll have access to it.

It's interesting to learn, Tom, that there is a special tool

Thanks all.


The cloth is more to protect the surface of the panel the switch is mounted
to than to protect the knurled round nut you are trying to tighten.

I'm not sure what that means. It will protect whatever you put it over. I
use a cloth when tightening plumbing hardware that often is chrome plated.
That can require some heavy tools and a cloth works great as long as it is
not too thin and tears.

If you
can tighten the hex nut underneath that is better of course! A split or star
lock washer is good between the hex nut and panel...

Yes, if you can get to the back nut, that would not only prevent scratches,
but let you set the switch protrusion from the panel to exactly the right
amount.

--

Rick C

Viewed the eclipse at Wintercrest Farms,
on the centerline of totality since 1998

 

[micky]

In sci.electronics.repair, on Thu, 26 Oct 2017 21:01:17 -0400, rickman
<gnuarm@gmail.com> wrote:

John Robertson wrote on 10/26/2017 2:39 PM:
On 2017/10/25 7:02 PM, micky wrote:
In sci.electronics.repair, on Wed, 25 Oct 2017 21:26:58 -0400, rickman
gnuarm@gmail.com> wrote:

micky wrote on 10/25/2017 9:15 PM:
I need to put a momentary on switch in my dashboard, and the one I
bought doesn't have a hex nut for the top nut but a round serrated ring
to hold the switch in place.

How do you tighten this? I don't see how fingers can do as good a job
as a wrench did with the hex nut, and pliers will scratch it up.

I could find an old hex nut, but I'd rather use the pretty round one,
if I can.

Use some cloth to cover the nut and then use pliers. Just don't grip too
tightly or it can tear through the cloth.

Okay, I'll do that. Maybe I can just hold the nut that way and turn the
hex nut behind the dash next to the box below the radio and above the
consoleradio. In this case, I'll have access to it.

It's interesting to learn, Tom, that there is a special tool

Thanks all.


The cloth is more to protect the surface of the panel the switch is mounted
to than to protect the knurled round nut you are trying to tighten.

I'm not sure what that means. It will protect whatever you put it over. I
use a cloth when tightening plumbing hardware that often is chrome plated.
That can require some heavy tools and a cloth works great as long as it is
not too thin and tears.

I'm glad you reminded me about that, because it's been a long time since
prior experiences. It was in high school I think that I changed a
washer or two in the bathroom and I used a fairl heavy cloth, but
squeezed too hard and scratched the chrome. I think it was only a
little, but memory plays tricks on mpeople. And it didn't tear the
cloth but it still scratched, and that surprised me.

If you
can tighten the hex nut underneath that is better of course! A split or star
lock washer is good between the hex nut and panel...

Yes, if you can get to the back nut, that would not only prevent scratches,
but let you set the switch protrusion from the panel to exactly the right
amount.

It was a new switch, and I have a set of bits by the 64th of an inch,
and I found one, probably a 64th less than what is normally used, so
that I had to force the switch into the hole. Then I tightened the
round nut fairly tightly just with my fingers, but I can see it whenever
I'm driving and if it gets loose I'll notice it and use pliers or
something.

Everything went well, this switch to open the trunk** when the key is in
Acc or On, a third cigarette light closer to the driver, a fourth
cigarette lighter that is always on, for charging the phone etc. without
leaving the keys in the car. And I cut the wire from the speedometer
to the convertible top motor, so I can put the top up or down when going
5 mph, instead of being limited to zero up to now.

Everything left of the kick panel was really hard to get to, even to see
what color wire was on a relay. And especially the wire to the trunk
motor. The book said it was white with a blue stripe, but first I
couldn't find the connector. When I did I couldnt' see the farthest row
of wires, except for the one on the end. After 10 minutes I decided to
cut open the harness near the floor, and once inside, there was no white
wire with a blue stripe, but there was an all white wire. Unfortunately
there was an all white wire in the other sheath also, a little thicker.

I pried away all the wires to the right relay just to look at the wire I
wanted and it appeared to be all white also. So I stuck a pin in one
of the two at the floor and measured the voltage when I used the remote
to open the trunk. The first one, the thinner one, showed an impulse
every time, reaching iirc 12 volts, but almost a second later than I
heard the clunk of the trunk opening. Digital meter.

Anyhow, I cut the wire and, as urged here, put a diode in between the
two halves so that when I gave it a 12v jolt from the new switch, it
wouldn't get back to the body control module.

And one more thing, the constant beeping when the driver's door is open,
the key is in the ignition, and the engine is not running. Someone on
ToyotaNation said he put a switch in, and I guess that would have been
no harder than the trunk, but I decided to take out the door switch to
look at it, and all I had to do was turn the screw 2 or 3 full turns and
the beeping stopped. It seems the screw's head is part of the ground for
the switch.


so I fixed everything that was wrong with the car except that it doesn't
run well.

 

[mike]

On 10/26/2017 8:58 PM, micky wrote:

In sci.electronics.repair, on Thu, 26 Oct 2017 21:01:17 -0400, rickman
gnuarm@gmail.com> wrote:

John Robertson wrote on 10/26/2017 2:39 PM:
On 2017/10/25 7:02 PM, micky wrote:
In sci.electronics.repair, on Wed, 25 Oct 2017 21:26:58 -0400, rickman
gnuarm@gmail.com> wrote:

micky wrote on 10/25/2017 9:15 PM:
I need to put a momentary on switch in my dashboard, and the one I
bought doesn't have a hex nut for the top nut but a round serrated ring
to hold the switch in place.

How do you tighten this? I don't see how fingers can do as good a job
as a wrench did with the hex nut, and pliers will scratch it up.

I could find an old hex nut, but I'd rather use the pretty round one,
if I can.

Use some cloth to cover the nut and then use pliers. Just don't grip too
tightly or it can tear through the cloth.

Okay, I'll do that. Maybe I can just hold the nut that way and turn the
hex nut behind the dash next to the box below the radio and above the
consoleradio. In this case, I'll have access to it.

It's interesting to learn, Tom, that there is a special tool

Thanks all.


The cloth is more to protect the surface of the panel the switch is mounted
to than to protect the knurled round nut you are trying to tighten.

I'm not sure what that means. It will protect whatever you put it over. I
use a cloth when tightening plumbing hardware that often is chrome plated.
That can require some heavy tools and a cloth works great as long as it is
not too thin and tears.

I'm glad you reminded me about that, because it's been a long time since
prior experiences. It was in high school I think that I changed a
washer or two in the bathroom and I used a fairl heavy cloth, but
squeezed too hard and scratched the chrome. I think it was only a
little, but memory plays tricks on mpeople. And it didn't tear the
cloth but it still scratched, and that surprised me.

If you
can tighten the hex nut underneath that is better of course! A split or star
lock washer is good between the hex nut and panel...

Yes, if you can get to the back nut, that would not only prevent scratches,
but let you set the switch protrusion from the panel to exactly the right
amount.

It was a new switch, and I have a set of bits by the 64th of an inch,
and I found one, probably a 64th less than what is normally used, so
that I had to force the switch into the hole. Then I tightened the
round nut fairly tightly just with my fingers, but I can see it whenever
I'm driving and if it gets loose I'll notice it and use pliers or
something.

Everything went well, this switch to open the trunk** when the key is in
Acc or On, a third cigarette light closer to the driver, a fourth
cigarette lighter that is always on, for charging the phone etc. without
leaving the keys in the car. And I cut the wire from the speedometer
to the convertible top motor, so I can put the top up or down when going
5 mph, instead of being limited to zero up to now.

Everything left of the kick panel was really hard to get to, even to see
what color wire was on a relay. And especially the wire to the trunk
motor. The book said it was white with a blue stripe, but first I
couldn't find the connector. When I did I couldnt' see the farthest row
of wires, except for the one on the end. After 10 minutes I decided to
cut open the harness near the floor, and once inside, there was no white
wire with a blue stripe, but there was an all white wire. Unfortunately
there was an all white wire in the other sheath also, a little thicker.

I pried away all the wires to the right relay just to look at the wire I
wanted and it appeared to be all white also. So I stuck a pin in one
of the two at the floor and measured the voltage when I used the remote
to open the trunk. The first one, the thinner one, showed an impulse
every time, reaching iirc 12 volts, but almost a second later than I
heard the clunk of the trunk opening. Digital meter.

Anyhow, I cut the wire and, as urged here, put a diode in between the
two halves so that when I gave it a 12v jolt from the new switch, it
wouldn't get back to the body control module.

And one more thing, the constant beeping when the driver's door is open,
the key is in the ignition, and the engine is not running. Someone on
ToyotaNation said he put a switch in, and I guess that would have been
no harder than the trunk, but I decided to take out the door switch to
look at it, and all I had to do was turn the screw 2 or 3 full turns and
the beeping stopped. It seems the screw's head is part of the ground for
the switch.


so I fixed everything that was wrong with the car except that it doesn't
run well.

I worry about the unintended consequences of my actions when disabling
safety features.
It might become an issue when someone else drives your car.
I'm sure you will never let anyone else drive your car...until it
happens. The person who buys it at your estate sale might be surprised
when he accidentally pops the top at highway speed.

 

[micky]

In sci.electronics.repair, on Thu, 26 Oct 2017 17:48:38 -0500, "Dave M"
<dgminala@mediacombb.net> wrote:

I have a driver for those knurled nuts, bought it about 40 years ago, still
going strong, very similar to Ebay item 252720374881

Looks good, but $30 for one nut is hard to spend. I should have bought
this 40 years ago.

A few others that should work (or not):

Another Ebay item: 282599004397

Interesting that this is the second hit I've seen related to guitars and
nuts. Those guitar guys must spend a lot of time on their switches.

Also, very good photos of the product, heehee.

And $12 is more affordable.

>Ebay item 321503159614

This makes the 3rd guitar item, and looks like a better idea than the
one just above. And only $10. That's a serious possibility.
But the photos aren't as good.

Thanks all.

I can vouch for the driver that I have... it never fails, doesn't mar the
nut or the panel.

Cheers,
Dave M



micky wrote:
I need to put a momentary on switch in my dashboard, and the one I
bought doesn't have a hex nut for the top nut but a round serrated
ring to hold the switch in place.

How do you tighten this? I don't see how fingers can do as good a job
as a wrench did with the hex nut, and pliers will scratch it up.

I could find an old hex nut, but I'd rather use the pretty round one,
if I can.

 

[micky]

In sci.electronics.repair, on Thu, 26 Oct 2017 22:26:38 -0700, mike
<ham789@netzero.net> wrote:

On 10/26/2017 8:58 PM, micky wrote:
In sci.electronics.repair, on Thu, 26 Oct 2017 21:01:17 -0400, rickman
gnuarm@gmail.com> wrote:

John Robertson wrote on 10/26/2017 2:39 PM:
On 2017/10/25 7:02 PM, micky wrote:
In sci.electronics.repair, on Wed, 25 Oct 2017 21:26:58 -0400, rickman
gnuarm@gmail.com> wrote:

micky wrote on 10/25/2017 9:15 PM:
I need to put a momentary on switch in my dashboard, and the one I
bought doesn't have a hex nut for the top nut but a round serrated ring
to hold the switch in place.

How do you tighten this? I don't see how fingers can do as good a job
as a wrench did with the hex nut, and pliers will scratch it up.

I could find an old hex nut, but I'd rather use the pretty round one,
if I can.

Use some cloth to cover the nut and then use pliers. Just don't grip too
tightly or it can tear through the cloth.

Okay, I'll do that. Maybe I can just hold the nut that way and turn the
hex nut behind the dash next to the box below the radio and above the
consoleradio. In this case, I'll have access to it.

It's interesting to learn, Tom, that there is a special tool

Thanks all.


The cloth is more to protect the surface of the panel the switch is mounted
to than to protect the knurled round nut you are trying to tighten.

I'm not sure what that means. It will protect whatever you put it over. I
use a cloth when tightening plumbing hardware that often is chrome plated.
That can require some heavy tools and a cloth works great as long as it is
not too thin and tears.

I'm glad you reminded me about that, because it's been a long time since
prior experiences. It was in high school I think that I changed a
washer or two in the bathroom and I used a fairl heavy cloth, but
squeezed too hard and scratched the chrome. I think it was only a
little, but memory plays tricks on mpeople. And it didn't tear the
cloth but it still scratched, and that surprised me.

If you
can tighten the hex nut underneath that is better of course! A split or star
lock washer is good between the hex nut and panel...

Yes, if you can get to the back nut, that would not only prevent scratches,
but let you set the switch protrusion from the panel to exactly the right
amount.

It was a new switch, and I have a set of bits by the 64th of an inch,
and I found one, probably a 64th less than what is normally used, so
that I had to force the switch into the hole. Then I tightened the
round nut fairly tightly just with my fingers, but I can see it whenever
I'm driving and if it gets loose I'll notice it and use pliers or
something.

Everything went well, this switch to open the trunk** when the key is in
Acc or On, a third cigarette light closer to the driver, a fourth
cigarette lighter that is always on, for charging the phone etc. without
leaving the keys in the car. And I cut the wire from the speedometer
to the convertible top motor, so I can put the top up or down when going
5 mph, instead of being limited to zero up to now.

Everything left of the kick panel was really hard to get to, even to see
what color wire was on a relay. And especially the wire to the trunk
motor. The book said it was white with a blue stripe, but first I
couldn't find the connector. When I did I couldnt' see the farthest row
of wires, except for the one on the end. After 10 minutes I decided to
cut open the harness near the floor, and once inside, there was no white
wire with a blue stripe, but there was an all white wire. Unfortunately
there was an all white wire in the other sheath also, a little thicker.

I pried away all the wires to the right relay just to look at the wire I
wanted and it appeared to be all white also. So I stuck a pin in one
of the two at the floor and measured the voltage when I used the remote
to open the trunk. The first one, the thinner one, showed an impulse
every time, reaching iirc 12 volts, but almost a second later than I
heard the clunk of the trunk opening. Digital meter.

Anyhow, I cut the wire and, as urged here, put a diode in between the
two halves so that when I gave it a 12v jolt from the new switch, it
wouldn't get back to the body control module.

And one more thing, the constant beeping when the driver's door is open,
the key is in the ignition, and the engine is not running. Someone on
ToyotaNation said he put a switch in, and I guess that would have been
no harder than the trunk, but I decided to take out the door switch to
look at it, and all I had to do was turn the screw 2 or 3 full turns and
the beeping stopped. It seems the screw's head is part of the ground for
the switch.


so I fixed everything that was wrong with the car except that it doesn't
run well.


I worry about the unintended consequences of my actions when disabling
safety features.
It might become an issue when someone else drives your car.

No one else drives my car.

>I'm sure you will never let anyone else drive your car...until it

Oh, you expected that!

happens. The person who buys it at your estate sale might be surprised
when he accidentally pops the top at highway speed.

If I'm still alive, I'll tell the new owner.

If I'm not, he still has to press the top button. Very unlikely to
happen by accident.

Until 1995 or later, none of the cars had this device. They probably
had one or two incidents out of millions sold. Probably not collisions
but cases where the wind bent the mechanism.

I didnt' try to put the top up or down when the car was moving for the
first 10 years, but I've done it for 40 years now, thousands of times,
and getting along with out it has been quite a nuisance. Also,
sometimes on the highway when it's starting to rain, I can slow to 5 or
10mph which is still enough to keep the rain off the front seat, and
maybe the rear seat, and start putting up the top, so after I slow more
(before the top is high enough to really catch the wind) it only takes a
couple more seconds to put the top all the way up so I don't get rained
on. This has happened several times.

Anyhow, it's done now and it would be much harder to reverse it than it
was to do it.

 

[Tom Biasi]

On 10/26/2017 11:58 PM, micky wrote:

In sci.electronics.repair, on Thu, 26 Oct 2017 21:01:17 -0400, rickman
gnuarm@gmail.com> wrote:


I'm glad you reminded me about that, because it's been a long time since
prior experiences. It was in high school I think that I changed a
washer or two in the bathroom and I used a fairl heavy cloth, but
squeezed too hard and scratched the chrome. I think it was only a
little, but memory plays tricks on mpeople. And it didn't tear the
cloth but it still scratched, and that surprised me.

That's why they make strap wrenches.

 

[micky]

In sci.electronics.repair, on Thu, 26 Oct 2017 22:26:38 -0700, mike
<ham789@netzero.net> wrote:

And I cut the wire from the speedometer
to the convertible top motor, so I can put the top up or down when going
5 mph, instead of being limited to zero up to now.


I worry about the unintended consequences of my actions when disabling
safety features.
It might become an issue when someone else drives your car.
I'm sure you will never let anyone else drive your car...until it
happens. The person who buys it at your estate sale might be surprised
when he accidentally pops the top at highway speed.

One more thing. Every car I've had except one 47 years ago (that I sold
because my brother gave me a convertible) and my immediately preceding
car, that I still have, has gone to the junk man after it left me. Even
the one I still have, I might not be able to find someone who will both
buy and repair.

I was going to list this as the first reason there is no danger in my
cutting the wire from the speedometer to the top motor, but I'll admit
that maybe I'll raise my standard of living by the time I'm 75 and not
drive my car until it falls apart, like I always have. And of course if
I die, there's no special reason to think the car will be a junker then,
but my plan is to live much longer than this car will last. ;-)

(Of course and otoh, even if I outlive this car, I'll cut the same wire
on the next four cars, every 5 years instead of 7 like it's been, if I
still have the strength to do it. It was tedious and tiring to kneel on
the ground for a total of an hour or more and twist my body to look at
the wires behind the kick panel, but all in all, it was still easy. I
hear a time is coming when I'm 90 or 95 that I won't be able to do this.
Maybe I could hire someone, but that is so expensive. ;-) )

 

[micky]

In sci.electronics.repair, on Fri, 27 Oct 2017 12:23:14 -0400, Tom Biasi
<tombiasi@optonline.net> wrote:

On 10/26/2017 11:58 PM, micky wrote:
In sci.electronics.repair, on Thu, 26 Oct 2017 21:01:17 -0400, rickman
gnuarm@gmail.com> wrote:


I'm glad you reminded me about that, because it's been a long time since
prior experiences. It was in high school I think that I changed a
washer or two in the bathroom and I used a fairl heavy cloth, but
squeezed too hard and scratched the chrome. I think it was only a
little [bit of a scratch], but memory plays tricks on mpeople. And it didn't tear the
cloth but it still scratched, and that surprised me.

That's why they make strap wrenches.

I didn't know about that in those days. I only had the tools and parts
my father had bought when he was alive. We went to the hardware store
some times but I never even looked in the tool section.

When the battery on the '52 Hudson was dead every night, and I had to
take my mother's car to my summer job, the only test equipment I had was
a socket with a 110 volt light bulb, lamp cord, and an ice pick. It
actually was enough, and since there were no transistors then (1964), at
least not in cars, not in 1952 cars, I didn't hurt anything.

There were also no quick connectors so every time I had to disconnect a
wire, I had to unscrew something, all of it under the dash.

 

[Ian Field]

"micky" <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
news:6pd2vc5lpdrjldhcphs4c85s5lkbgo337p@4ax.com...

I need to put a momentary on switch in my dashboard, and the one I
bought doesn't have a hex nut for the top nut but a round serrated ring
to hold the switch in place.

How do you tighten this? I don't see how fingers can do as good a job
as a wrench did with the hex nut, and pliers will scratch it up.

I could find an old hex nut, but I'd rather use the pretty round one,
if I can.

The usual procedure involves the treaded boss being longer than you need,
you tighten up against a hex nut behind the panel and not the switch itself.
So you would screw the knurled nut on so the thread is only just not
showing, then tighten the hex nut behind the panel.

In the metal shop segment in my first year at college, one of the exercises
was fabrication of a spanner with one jaw serrated and the other smooth.
This would do either knurled or hex nuts. Can't remember seeing any
commercially produced, but I can't remember ever bothering to look.

For hex nuts on front panels, one company had specially made spark-eroded
tools. literally a length of steel bar, drilled through to accommodate the
threaded boss and spindle. The hex recess was spark eroded just shallower
than the nut so the tool never touches the panel.

 

On Friday, 27 October 2017 04:58:51 UTC+1, micky wrote:

In sci.electronics.repair, on Thu, 26 Oct 2017 21:01:17 -0400, rickman
gnuarm@gmail.com> wrote:

John Robertson wrote on 10/26/2017 2:39 PM:
On 2017/10/25 7:02 PM, micky wrote:
In sci.electronics.repair, on Wed, 25 Oct 2017 21:26:58 -0400, rickman
gnuarm@gmail.com> wrote:

micky wrote on 10/25/2017 9:15 PM:

The cloth is more to protect the surface of the panel the switch is mounted
to than to protect the knurled round nut you are trying to tighten.

I'm not sure what that means. It will protect whatever you put it over. I
use a cloth when tightening plumbing hardware that often is chrome plated.
That can require some heavy tools and a cloth works great as long as it is
not too thin and tears.

I'm glad you reminded me about that, because it's been a long time since
prior experiences. It was in high school I think that I changed a
washer or two in the bathroom and I used a fairl heavy cloth, but
squeezed too hard and scratched the chrome. I think it was only a
little, but memory plays tricks on mpeople. And it didn't tear the
cloth but it still scratched, and that surprised me.

cloth isn't good for such things, as it's full of holes and most cloth collapses very easily. Card is better.


NT

 

[Jeff Liebermann]

On Wed, 25 Oct 2017 21:15:52 -0400, micky <NONONOmisc07@bigfoot.com>
wrote:

I need to put a momentary on switch in my dashboard, and the one I
bought doesn't have a hex nut for the top nut but a round serrated ring
to hold the switch in place.

I use these:
<https://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-long-reach-hose-grip-pliers-37909.html>
$15 for 3 pliers. They're made for removing automotive hoses, vacuum
lines, fuel lines, etc. You can't tell from the photo, but the
insides of the cricular area is serrated for a better grip, which
should mate somewhat with your switch nut. The 45 degree tip angle is
also handy for clearing other junk on a front panel.

More:
<https://www.google.com/search?q=hose+grip+pliers&tbm=isch>

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558