I looked around a bit and I don't see any inexpensive stereo balance
controls in stock at any of the normal small quantity suppliers. It used to
be you could get pots with center detents everywhere but not any more.

If you want to pay $30.00 or so you can get units designed for very high end
audio gear from http://www.audioelectronicsupply.com/.

http://www.jameco.com/ has a pot with 10 detents but nothing with a center
detent only.

http://www.bourns.com/ has quite a few models with center detent options. If
you are willing to wade through many pages of specs to come up with a part
number, then http://www.newark.com/ or http://www.mouser.com/ should be able
to get it for you (might even be in stock at Newark).

Assuming your only building one or two train controllers, then your best bet
may be to recycle the balance control from an old piece of stereo audio
gear. Since most people never use the balance control, a recycled unit may
be in practically new condition.

Paul

> -----Original Message-----
> [mailto:PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU]On Behalf Of Doug Butler
> Sent: Monday, November 11, 2002 8:56 PM
> Subject: [EE]: Need knob detent
>
> I am making a handheld device (model train throttle) with a potentiometer.
> How can I easily add a detent so the user can tell when the knob is at mid
> scale.  I am thinking about the left-right faders used on stereos
> that have
> a detent in the middle, but I don't see pots like that listed in catalogs.
> Any ideas?
>
> Doug Butler
> Sherpa Engineering

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