It may have been a good idea to remove the knobs before releasing the printed circuit, sometimes it takes considerable force to pull a knob off the shaft.
I use a strong thin nylon cloth and feed it under and all around the edge of the knob, pulling it as far around the knob as possible, then gather it all up and twist it so the knob is gripped.
You can then pull evenly on the knob using the cloth, but be warned the plastic knobs can still sometimes snap or crack.
edit.
I have just re-read your post again, I now believe you are talking about the push button caps, sorry, I thought you were talking about the volume and tuning knobs.
Sometimes the plastic caps on the push buttons are actually moulded onto the shaft. The only way of removing them is to crack them.
Are you sure the push buttons have to come of, often they just pull backwards through the front panel with the printed circuit once their screws are released from the case.
Mike
I use a strong thin nylon cloth and feed it under and all around the edge of the knob, pulling it as far around the knob as possible, then gather it all up and twist it so the knob is gripped.
You can then pull evenly on the knob using the cloth, but be warned the plastic knobs can still sometimes snap or crack.
edit.
I have just re-read your post again, I now believe you are talking about the push button caps, sorry, I thought you were talking about the volume and tuning knobs.
Sometimes the plastic caps on the push buttons are actually moulded onto the shaft. The only way of removing them is to crack them.
Are you sure the push buttons have to come of, often they just pull backwards through the front panel with the printed circuit once their screws are released from the case.
Mike
