Taking off Fader Caps Properly?

[regero]

Hello again, Newbie with another question; As yesterday was my birthday, I got all my new toys. Black VCI-100, overlays, carrying case, etc. Anyway, I want to put the new overlays on and want to make sure I do it correctly. The fader caps seem to be on there pretty solid, is there a proper way to take them off so that I don't break, bend, ruin anything? Do they click in and come off a certain way?

[Flaekiface]

You pull!
Maybe put sometihing under the cap (small screwdriver etc.) and bend i gently.

[Fatlimey]

The knobs are held on by friction and suction - they are a slightly rubberised plastic sheath that fits over the shaft that leads to the potentiometer. For the general case of removing POT knobs, your potential issues are:

1. Don't bend the knob sideways - If the POT shaft is plastic, you will bend or snap the shaft to the potentiometer. On my VCI100-se these shafts are only 0.5" (2.5cm) in length and are metal so this is not a problem.
2. Don't pull the POT off the circuitboard. The potentiometers on my VCI are locked to the metal casing using a hexagonal locknut, so there is no risk of bending or lifting the POT off the circuitboard - the strain will be taken by the metal case.

So, just pull hard and upwards and you'll be fine. Some people mentioned using a piece of tooth floss (which is essentially a strong, heavy gauge polymer thread) and making a two-loop cradle to insert under the knob and use as a lifting tool to equalize the strain. So you get to practice your Bowline on the Bite knot!

[JesC]

+1 on the tooth floss and use the force my young padawan.

[BentoSan]

+2 on the use of tooth floss - makes your life alot easier without damaging the buttons