Knobs for encoders from SmashTV in the US (and ANY panel hardware in the US)

[wicked1]

I'm having a really hard time locating knobs, and really just about any panel hardware, in the USA. 

YES I did search.. Ive been reading this for the past 5 hours.

So, Mouser had ONE knob in their catalog that met my specifications.  6mm D shaft, and NO pointer.

I go to the web site, and it's marked as OBSOLITE

Jameco and Newark have no 6mm shaft knobs listed.  None of the surplus stores that I know of have any either. 

I can't find the nice button covers that TK used on his button/led matrix anywhere.  Nothing even similar. 

I also can't find vero wire anywhere in the US. 

Does anyone know where I can find the knobs, or any of these things in the US?  I'm not new to this stuff.  I've been building synths and other electronics projects for over 10 years.  It seems like every year that goes by, the selection available to hobbyist in the USA gets smaller and smaller and smaller.  It is almost non-existent now!  i hate this place. 

-I should add that a large part of my frustration comes from the fact that there were 4 great electronics stores in my city, and they've all gone out of business in the past 5 years. 

[Wilba]

My only advice is, check out the knobs discussed in this thread:

http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php?topic=9558.0

and if you like them, join a bulk order that will be arranged soon.

ALBS.de have a lot of other kinds of encoder knobs (without pointers) so you could order them directly.

Also, don't complain too much, the US can hardly be the worst place to get electronics parts, Mouser might not have knobs but they have practically everything else at reasonable prices. Here in Australia, you either pay a huge markup from local distributors or import everything.

[wicked1]

Thanks,

I only complain because it just keeps getting worse.  I mean, years ago, I could get whatever new top of the line product from several places.  Now I can get those same products, but some of the nice new stuff is nowhere to be found.  I guess the real reason is that there aren't as many electronics hobbyists these days, so the stores go out of business, or stop carrying the parts.

I see some very professional looking midibox equipment from people in Europe, and all I can find are cheap toy-looking parts.

I'm not at all opposed to importing.  If you get the clear in the group buy, I'd go in.  (but I only need 32, and 5000 is a lot of knobs to get rid of!)

sorry for starting this topic, because now I see that the VOTI knobs are the same shaft type, and thats the next post down in the list.

[johnh]

If you are in the US, try searching for 1/4" knobs.  You'll probably get a lot more hits and 1/4" is practically 6mm anyway...