Tip o' the week - Frozen potentiometers
Wed, 02/02/2011 - 14:22
Sometimes you run into a pot where the shaft is frozen to the body of the pot. Recently I had a vintage Masco with this problem. The original pots always work better than new ones, so I really wanted to save it. I tried everything I could think of, including electronics cleaner, WD-40, Cramolin, brake fluid, etc. with zero success. The answer was rubbing alcohol. It takes some time, but if you work the alcohol into the space between the shaft and the bushing while gently trying to turn the pot, it will come loose. Thanks to the legendary Earl Yarrow of Newman, California for this tip.
Skip Simmons
