Moving volume control knob from amp to cabinet

[jlfreund]

Hi,

I'm working on an arcade machine and bought this little amp: http://www.amazon.com/Topping-TP21-Digital-Amplifier-Headphone/dp/B005CRLZGE which has a nice volume control knob and headset jack that I'd really like to mount to the MDF cabinet.

Unfortunately, there is no "neck" for the knob or jack to poke through my 3/4" MDF sides, so I was wondering if anyone has suggestions for how to do it? 

One option, I guess is to un-solder the entire pot from the amplifier board and somehow route out a hole in the side of the cabinet just the right size and shape to hold it in place (with glue?), then run wires from the amplifier board to the pot. But I don't know how securely I could mount the pot just using a hole a glue, and I'm worried that you would need special skills or equipment to re-do the soldering for those connections that are only a couple millimeters apart. 

Another option might be to find some way to extend the neck of the pot so that I could mount the entire amp board on a secure shelf inside the cabinet, then the long neck would poke through the 3/4" MDF. 

Likewise for the volume control jack, but if I can solve for the volume control knob in such a way as the amp board is completely inside the cabinet, then I could use a headset extension cord to a new mountable headset jack pretty easily.

Thanks,
Jason

[THE LONGPLAYER]

Hi Jason

The problem you have is one that I have had at various times with several electronics projects.  If it were me, i would avoid un-soldering the components from the pcb and re-wiring remotely unless your soldering technics and electronic skills are quite good.
A fairly simple way to deal with this would be to set the amp back a little from the panel to give space for a jack plug, use a short cable and a panel mounted jack socket to care of that part.  For the volume control you should be easily able to find a pot with long spindle from an electronics component supplier.  Cut the long spindle from the new pot and attach it to the the amp pot spindle using a piece of tubing of the right size ( I have used plastic fuel line on mine ) You can secure the tube/spindles with superglue to make  it more secure.  The control knob will fit onto the new spindle which will be protruding through your panel.

Hope this helps

THE LONGPLAYER

[ami-man]

Hello Jason,

The way it is done on most commercial cabinets is to mount the board onto a metal plate and cut a apature into the cabinet, that way you do not have to mess about with your board other than fixing it to the plate.

Regards
Alan

Alan Hood
ami-man
UK

[jlfreund]

Thanks -- after doing some more searching, I found a 6mm shaft coupler that should work


I don't think I can find a 6mm diameter shaft extension that has a flat edge to fit my current knob, but I may be able to get a 6mm aluminum rod and file a flat edge to it, or maybe just leave it round and buy a new knob that uses a grub screw to attach it.

Jason