Dennis,
That is a very good point about using military grade vs Radio Shack. I had a similar discussion with my neighbor the other day. They have a nice, brand new house full of builder-grade components. Builder grade is the lowest grade that meets code. They do meet code, and most will last the life of her house. Some will fail (a key component that keeps the finished basement dry already has :-( ).
I explained that I made a personal choice to replace items that fail with the best components I can find (as long as price delta is within reason). I spend my time fixing the component, and the failed component can negatively impact something. In their case, the finish basement flooded . I replaced my sump pump last year with a Zoeller pump (cast iron, made in usa). It cost me $30 more then the cheap home depot unit, so it was under the "within reason " price difference. My Zoeller pump could still fail, but the odds are much less.
I choose to spend a couple of $$ more for the best components I can find when I fix something because it gives me:
- piece of mind
- the pleasure of using something that is really good (ex, Zoeller pumps are very quiet, and doesn't wake me up at night), military grade pots are very smooth, etc
- Since i fixed it myself, the cost of labor is out of the equation, so I apply that to delta cost in buying the better component.
The pot on a lathe control is not mission critical, but it will likely fail at midnight, when you are trying to get that batch of items you are taking with you on the Christmas trip.....(you know the drill..) A basic pot may never fail on you, and you can pocket the money and buy a cup of coffee ($8.64 vs $2.99).
Deciding which component to buy is a very personal one. Anything to spec will meet the code. In the past, I have worked for several american manufacturing companies that made top shelf gear. I was taught by the old guys there not to skimp on the small stuff, those are the things that make a difference (ever had a power window switch in your car fail).
There is not a wrong answer here, just personal choices.
Happy turning,
Michael