Post by thread:[EE]: Need knob detent

I am making a handheld device (model train throttle) with a potentiometer. How can I easily add a detent so the user can tell when the knob is at mid scale. I am thinking about the left-right faders used on stereos that have a detent in the middle, but I don't see pots like that listed in catalogs. Any ideas? Doug Butler Sherpa Engineering -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email spam_OUTlistservTakeThisOuTmitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body

Panasonic audio pots with and without center detent: http://www.digikey.com/scripts/us/dksus.dll?Selection?&Ref=67920&Cat=31195659&Page=1&ColumnSort=-5 Dale --- We are Dyslexia of Borg. Fusistance is retile. Your ass will be laminated. On Mon, 11 Nov 2002, Doug Butler wrote: > I am making a handheld device (model train throttle) with a potentiometer. > How can I easily add a detent so the user can tell when the knob is at mid > scale. I am thinking about the left-right faders used on stereos that have > a detent in the middle, but I don't see pots like that listed in catalogs. > Any ideas? -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email .....listservKILLspam@spam@mitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body

Thanks. I had looked through a Digi-Key paper catalog and didn't see anything promising. However I was hoping for something with a 1/4" shaft so I can put a large knob on it. It may see some hard use. Doug Butler Sherpa Engineering > {Original Message removed}

Doug, how about a ganged potentiometer (2 elements)? While you use one pot in the pair for your app., the other could drive a window comparator, A/D etc. to detect the mid position. This could in turn drive an LED or a piezo buzzer to indicate the midpoint. Wont be tactile, but should serve the purpose... Regards, Anand Dhuru {Original Message removed}

Doug Butler wrote: > > I am making a handheld device (model train throttle) with a potentiometer. > How can I easily add a detent so the user can tell when the knob is at mid > scale. I am thinking about the left-right faders used on stereos that have > a detent in the middle, but I don't see pots like that listed in catalogs. > Any ideas? What about a small stepper motor as the pot, which will have a lot of small detents. Although a bit harder to interface to the PIC they feel really "tough" and might be cool for model train use... It will be very rugged at least. Pots used as hand controls soon wear out and get corrosion probs from sweat etc. -Roman -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList piclist-unsubscribe-requestKILLspammitvma.mit.edu

Piher has come out with detents on their PT-10 series. Call up your rep and talk hiom out of a sample. Piher US is 1-800-323-6693 or 708-390-6680. Don't know the website, google on Piher. -- Lawrence Lile Doug Butler <.....SherpadougKILLspam.....ATTBI.COM> Sent by: pic microcontroller discussion list <EraseMEPICLISTspam_OUTTakeThisOuTMITVMA.MIT.EDU> 11/11/02 07:55 PM Please respond to pic microcontroller discussion list To: PICLISTspam_OUTMITVMA.MIT.EDU cc: Subject: [EE]: Need knob detent I am making a handheld device (model train throttle) with a potentiometer. How can I easily add a detent so the user can tell when the knob is at mid scale. I am thinking about the left-right faders used on stereos that have a detent in the middle, but I don't see pots like that listed in catalogs. Any ideas? Doug Butler Sherpa Engineering -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email @spam@listservKILLspammitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList KILLspampiclist-unsubscribe-requestKILLspammitvma.mit.edu

I looked around a bit and I don't see any inexpensive stereo balance controls in stock at any of the normal small quantity suppliers. It used to be you could get pots with center detents everywhere but not any more. If you want to pay $30.00 or so you can get units designed for very high end audio gear from http://www.audioelectronicsupply.com/. http://www.jameco.com/ has a pot with 10 detents but nothing with a center detent only. http://www.bourns.com/ has quite a few models with center detent options. If you are willing to wade through many pages of specs to come up with a part number, then http://www.newark.com/ or http://www.mouser.com/ should be able to get it for you (might even be in stock at Newark). Assuming your only building one or two train controllers, then your best bet may be to recycle the balance control from an old piece of stereo audio gear. Since most people never use the balance control, a recycled unit may be in practically new condition. Paul > {Original Message removed}

On Mon, 11 Nov 2002, Doug Butler wrote: *>I am making a handheld device (model train throttle) with a potentiometer. *>How can I easily add a detent so the user can tell when the knob is at mid *>scale. I am thinking about the left-right faders used on stereos that have *>a detent in the middle, but I don't see pots like that listed in catalogs. *>Any ideas? A nylon ball sunk in a hole with a rubber pad behind it and a small hole (not drilled through) start in the moving part. If this is to be more manufacturable use a leaf spring on the chassis with a bevel pressed into it riding an axle that has a notch to match the bevel. Peter -- http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: [PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads