Okay. I tried redshiba's advice first. I twisted carefully against the stop (counterclockwise) and gave the needle cap a slow firm pull. It came off as advertized. Maybe it was just luck. Anyway it saved another trip to the junk yard that tpsierra recommended. I didn't get around to trying heat on the socket. Probably a soldering iron would have been ok. But this time twist and pull worked just fine.

Thanks a whole lot for all the good advice. Somebody oughta write a book. wink

Never start vast projects with half vast ideas.