Cooker control knob - quick question about tightening up

Aug 09, 2017 14 Replies

Five year old Lamona electric oven



One of the control knobs has split along the shaft so won't turn the control.



I ordered a replacement and it turns out to be one digit higher part number because the old one is obsolete. It isn't a tight fit and so although it turns the control the mark on the side of the knob goes just past where it should be (in whichever direction it is travelling).



So ideally I would like to do something which will make the fit a little more snug without damaging the new knob or preventing me removing it later.



Apart from cling film over the shaft, any other suggestions?



Cheers


Dave R


David pretended :

Make sure there is no gease in the new knobs socket, grease the shaft, then fill the socket with slow setting proper Araldite. Leave to set up properly position and it should remain removable, due to the grease.

What sort of shaft? Is it cylindrical with a flat and the knob has a D-shaped socket? If so you could just insert a shim of some sort on the flat part.

Yes, put glue on your knob. But certainly don't fill the hole, that'll be far too much and it might never move again. I'd put polythene sheet over the shaft first

NT

Wasn't that the title of a Red Dwarf episode?

In message , David writes

Could you create a burr on the shaft? Probably difficult if the shaft is still attached to the cooker.

Loctite make something that is designed to stick, but not be completely immovable.

Is it one of the knurled kind or the flat on the spindle kind? One has to be very careful with tightening the know as they tend to crack eventually due to the stresses, as you found. Not clingfilm as its too soft, what about some ptfe tape? Brian

just lining it with thin card sometimes works.

NT

Yes, round profile with a flat.

Hmmm...if the fit is loose all round I'm trying to visualise what would happen long term. The contact between the knob and the shaft would be the flat and the top of the cylinder. Not sure if that would give enough play for it to slowly deform. Will give it further thought.

Thanks

Dave R

I once repaired one like that with a small tie-wrap. The tighter you can pull it before cutting off the excess, the better.

I do still have the old knob with the split shaft.

It looks possible to DIY a fix with glue down the plastic bit then something to crimp it tight such as a couple of small cable ties.

I went for the replacement knob as the easy option (!) but it is now looking as if a repair might be at least as good.

Any recommendations for a good glue to do this?

ISTR Araldite was good but needed baking in an oven.

Whatever adhesive, it needs to allow me a little fumble time to get a couple of small cable ties in place.

Or perhaps a very small jubilee clip?

Diameter of the shaft is about 12mm.

Cheers

Dave R

Forgot to add that the main issue with a jubilee clip would be getting something onto the nut to turn it as it would be inside the knob.

Past experience suggests that screwdrivers inserted into the side of the screw head aren't that good.

If I could get one with a head that also took a spanner that might help.

My visualisation circuit keeps blowing a fuse.

Cheers

Dave R

The smallest that Jubilee do is this; note the bolt head:

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Wrap wire round the central hollow & knot it, then add glue. There isn't normally room for a jubilee.

NT

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