Advice: Tighten illum. switch nut

[grommit]

Does anyone have any tricks or advice on how to tighten the nut on the illuminated switches? I thought it was tight but it is a bit loose now. I tightened it by kind of shoving a flat blade screwdriver against the nut in the appropriate direction but it is tough because of the curved surface inside.

On the charge port I put two 5/16" lock washers on the shaft in order to pull the port down into the tube and be flush with the nut when tightened. That had the effect of making the charge port really lock in when I tightened the nut. The lock washers kind of bent to the curve of the tube and won't be going anywhere!

I could try to get a lock washer for the switch too I guess, but my local hardware store didn't have any that were bigger then 1/2". I think a 5/8" would be required for the switch....

Grommit

[Shadar Al'Niende]

I am planning on using one in my next saber so I too second the call for info here.







Anxiously awaiting...

[Sunrider]

One thing you can do is find a thin piece of steel, cut it square, put a hole in it & now you have a spring washer with flat sides that put tension on the switch. Don't be afraid to use a little loc tight too.

[Rhyen Skytracker]

I use my soldering probes to help tighten them. I use the one with the flat blade (looks like a flathead screwdriver except for it is a little sharper) and I put pressure on the outside of the switch and turn the nut with the probe. A small screwdriver will work too. You will still need some kind of locknut or loctite to keep the nut from backing off.

Here is what the probe looks like, I use the middle one. http://cgi.ebay.com/4pc-Solder-Soldering-Accessory-Probe-Brush-Clamp-Set_W0QQitemZ180399029216QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Def aultDomain_0?hash=item2a009ebbe0

[JamoUp]

i've put a small rubber washer between the top of the switch and the saber. (it should be smaller than the top of the switch, but big enough to fit around the base) Then since it is rubber i can push it down a bit while tightening the nut with my fingers and a screwdriver. When i stop pushing down, the switch lifts up slightly and puts a good amount of tension on the nut, making it very tight and prevents it from going loose.

[mihunai]

LOL
Thats about the same technique i used for my first saber!
except, the 'probe' was a 3 foot long piece of threaded rod (at first intended for a chassis, but that didnt work)

If you use them in an MHS part, you mihgt be able to reach the nut with a wrench of some sort. Or, like it was in my case, have your switches dead center of a 12" tube...

In any case, i would indeed use some kind of washer, making sure you working with a flat surface.

Im not sure what this locktite does though, is it like permanent glue?

mTm

[FenderBender]

Hmm....I don't seem to have this problem. Actually, I usually have problems getting them back off:D

[Shadar Al'Niende]

Hmm....I don't seem to have this problem. Actually, I usually have problems getting them back off

What is your secret Master Fender? :(

[grommit]

Im not sure what this locktite does though, is it like permanent glue?
mTm

Yes, Loctite is an adhesive. It comes in different versions some more permanent then others. Some are made to loosen when you apply heat. I think Loctite Green would be the one for saber application.

Grommit

ps: Loctite doesn't tighten anything, it just holds a nut in place.

[Darth Securis]

I have fashioned something like this (check picture) in the past and it works real well. It makes it a lot easier to tighten the nut because the nut sits on the flat surface instead of the curved surface.
http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee38/__darkside__/Misc%20images/untitled-1.jpg

[grommit]

That would be nice. TCSS should carry those.
Grommit

[Darth Securis]

Yeah, it works pretty well as long as the switch/LED holder or whatever is long enough to go through it and the layers of the saber wall. The small LEDs weren't to much trouble but this helped a lot on the fat switches.

[grommit]

Ok, I went to my local Fastenal store as they were the only ones who had star washers (or tabbed washers as sometimes called) in stock in the 5/8" size. I figured if it worked on the charge port it should work on the switch.

I bought some interior tabbed ones and exterior tabbed ones. I bent them in the shape of the tube by hammering them over an edge (on an anvil in my case).

I put the interior tabbed washer on there (what a PIA as I had to unsolder everything:mad:), pushed the nut around with a flat blade screwdriver until it was as tight as I could get it, and voila, it worked great! I never even bothered with the Loctite, or trying the other washer.

Conclusion: Go buy some 5/8" interior tab star washers and use them to mount your illuminated switches.

Grommit