The AM Forum

Derb announced he was looking for a knurled nut wrench for front panel stuff like switches and lamp removal.

Does or did someone ever actually make such a thing?  I have often wished I had one, because it is virtually impossible to loosen up one of these with a tool like pliers without ruining it.

If someone actually manufactures them, I also would like to have one, although typically it would be something that is now "discontinued".  When I get time, maybe I'll do a search on the web and see if I can find anything.

This is the first time I ever heard of such a tool.  I always thought those little knurled rings were engaged by hand and tightened be rotating the switch.  Unfortunately, that usually doesn't work in reverse.

Man I haven't seen one of those in a while. Seems to me they look like a nut driver if I remember. Xlite maybe??

McMaster-Carr?

I think my local electronic parts dealer was able to order one for me through the GC catalog.

Pete

page five:

http://www.gcelectronics.com/order/SubCatPDF/new%20Specialty%20tools%20398-400%20402-407.pdf

schweet! tnx pete, I didnt think anyone made them new anymore. I had one years ago and lost it. it's the ONLY way to fly to take those things off or on. Any other way and you just about always put a nick in the paint.
 ;D

According to that GC Electronics page, "Tightens/Loosens Knurled Finish Nuts, Takes 1/2” Nuts".

I'm not sure that the ones that fit standard toggle switches are that size.  It seems to me that they are slightly larger, maybe 9/16?  I'll have to check tomorrow and measure one to see.

Would anyone care to suggest a good dealer who sells these?   A web-based dealer would be good.

Ohhhhh... knurled front panel nutz! HAA!

Well whaddya know!

Wonder if it is flat or knurled on the innard?

Ur supposed to tighten/loosen them via the back nut which is hex of course, but in practice you usually can't get to them since the unit is probably assembled "automobile style" - meaning it's easy to get at it when the whole damn engine is sitting out on a dolly, but impossible once installed in a REAL car.  :o :o

Any GC distributor can supply such a thing I would expect.

           _-_-bear

Electrosonic up here in Canada is a GC dealer, and I just ordered from them. I also ordered their "Spline Wrench Kit"  p/n 5070.   Be about 4 weeks delivery as these items are not normal stock, but "special order".  No problem; I can wait.   Interesting to note that both these items carry NSN (Nato Stock Numbers) for military inventory.

I used to put a piece of heavy clear packing tape on the very edge of the tool, then trim around it so the opening wasn't obstructed or 'shrunk' by the added thickness. Works pretty well, but requires the occasional inspection.

IIRC, GC had two different sizes available. The more common and available one was the smaller of the two. Some mic and switch nuts were just a tad larger. Somewhere I have the numbers squirreled away.

I usually use a jam nut behind the panel and tighten it with a wrench after the front nut is finger tight.

Here's one of several threads on this subject over at Antique Radio Forums, where it comes up every couple months

http://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=75132

I had 4 of them at one time when I was working at the radio store in the 80's. there wasn't a knurled nut in north america could bother me.

TESSCO.COM
part number 477526  Toggle Switch Knurled Nut Wrench $13.73
Adjustable for all popular sizes.

Careful -I found it and went through their web site adding  all sorts of neat stuff I wanted. Got all the way to the end and found out they do not sell to consumers........

Thanks anyway Ken- It looked like the Holy Grail
Carl /KPD

Carl, aren't you the proprietor of the famous KPD Electronix, a subsisiary of Buzzardly Construction, Inc.? Surely they will sell to you.  ;)

I've run across that before with catalog requests and had no problems. Seems more like they just need something for their file while trying to scare off the skin flints of the world.

"Of course it's a business, I'm the boss...."

I just indicate that I operate a consulting service, and even have a company name made up for it.  It has enabled me to subscribe to numerous magazines and purchase merchandise from many of those companies that do not sell to "individuals".  It's  not entirely fictional, since from time to time I do provide consulting services - to hams free of charge, and to little toy radio stations too cheap to hire an engineer, whatever I think the market will bear.

although i have jamed my nuts behind a cabinet door on occasion unintetionaly i dont think they have ever been knereld.  Is this something that comes with age? or is it dependant on the size. i see mentioned 19/32 - 1/2 inch nuts.  the set i carry about appear to be larger

I ordered one for my company--"Apparatus"
If it whirls, twirls, sparks, or barks , we fix it.
I'll let you know if it arrives!
Skip

BTW I did check with GC, and they want a lot more for the same tool. It was listed under 2 numbers in their website, one was in bulk, the other in the blister pack. Apparently the blister pack adds nearly $20 to the price! I e-mailed them about that and they said the unpackaged ones shouldn't have been listed, and you couldn't buy them that way.

I bought a couple of these (one for each size panel nut) and found that they don't really work worth a damn...but they were expensive!

John K5MO

the ones I used to own were just like normal wrenches, except for the end. they worked swimmingly good. You snapped it down with finger pressure, did maybe a 1/8th turn, and used your fingers to spin it off. I'll doubt I'll ever see another set of 4 like that. They were old an buzzardly, almost black in color.

Hi John

Was it the specific GC units that you bought?

Anybody else have experience with them?