Making a foot switch taller

[hydrargyrum]

Does anyone know of a way I can make the foot switches on my stompboxes taller?  Unfortunately  the switches all seem to be the same height as the knobs. I keep kicking the knobs by accident, and I've probably got too much stuff crammed on my pedal board.

[terryc]

If they are the metal button type, then there is a locknut which is on the surface of the case with another one inside the case. Loosen them both off and you can adjust the height but if they are fixed(as most are these days) then I am at a loss as what you could do!

[hydrargyrum]

Thanks Terry.  I  had considered that, but I'd really like to gain one or two inches.  I'm imagining something like a cylinder drilled with a shallow hole on one end with an inner diameter the same size and depth as the head of the footswitch with a set screw on the side.

[xlrogue6]

Probably easier to get some pointy toed shoes and practice your footwork.

[jazzyvee]

It maybe a bit of overkill but have you thought of a loop switcher? I use one with my guitar rig mainly to keep the effects out of the signal path till I need them. My setup is pretty simple so it works fine for me.  
 
Jazzyvee

[hydrargyrum]

I've considered a looper but some of my pedals don't play well after others, and I'm not sure it would work out.  
 
I'm thinking of something like this (forgive my crude MS Paint schematic);
 

 
My father is a machinist, so maybe I'll have him build me a couple.  Who knows, maybe I can sell them to Dunlop and make my fortune.

[pauldo]

My 2 cents.
- that much height added to the pedal button can also add alot of leverage to any sideways force, potentially shearing the button off.
 
I am currently in my 'no effects' mode, but when I did/ do use them, generally I don't fuss with the knobs. IF the same holds true for you maybe just dial in your settings and then remove the knobs. You would still have the pot stems sticking up but there would be less chance of your toe turning them.

[hydrargyrum]

That's a good point, but I'm willing to take the chance.  I can always replace a switch later.  I had considered something even fancier with a sliding internal shaft mounted inside an exterior barrel threaded to match the portion of the foot switch thread which is external to the housing.  But I'd like to keep things simple if possible.  I really wish that there was a commercial product.  I see from searching forums that I'm not the only one who wants something like this.  Some people suggest attaching the feet from pedals to the top of the switch, but I'd like something more rugged.

[stout71]

This may come off as a cheap and dirty solution, but why not remove the knobs and slice off part of the post and refit it with some shallower knobs?  It wouldn't make a 2 difference but it would make a difference nonetheless.

[hydrargyrum]

I don't want to permanently modify the knobs.  Some of the pedals are fairly valuable, so a reversible solution would be nice.  Also, the effort involved to desolder them (I'm not going to cut them in place for fear of damaging the housing), cut them down, and hook them back up again would probably be greater than making my own extenders.

[hb3]

I've considered a looper but some of my pedals don't play well after others, and I'm not sure it would work out.
 
I don't get this. You can get all sorts of complicated loop switchers that should be able to provide you with whatever orders and arrangements you can think of. The buttons would be all in a row.

[hydrargyrum]

My Fuzz Factory can't be placed in a loop.  It's sensitive to the settings on my guitar and I can change the way it self oscillates by adjusting my volume and tone knobs.  It's also pretty sensitive.  I can't power it with a power adapter because it sounds radically different than with a 9-volt. Loopers also mean more cables and connections and I don't have any room on my board as it is.