(stumble bumbled) fix for logitech trackman finally

F

Flasherly

Well, almost. Got the thing apart, found the 'Hidden Screw' I'd
missed before. Microswitches almost look generically orderable, well
marked w/brand &etc. Four microswitches, 2 to a side, regrettably,
on non-swappable PCB (left switch boards don't fit the right, viz a
viz &etc). That means: Soldering Skills. Wouldn't do it without a
solder sucker (might, just maybe with wick). Low wattage stuff, maybe
30 watt tips, tops, or fry the board.

Way it's laid out, going to work, is one of the two innermost of 4
assignable switches (via software), will unlikely be used due to its
design inefficiency (for lack of a better personal viewpoint). Just
use one awhile, and the inner microswitch, opposite the thumb, doesn't
adapt so well to bodily percision.

That's the one that gets de-soldered and de-suckered-upper for
replacement on either side, to one or both opposite, for the thumb;-
means you're good, at least, while three micro-switches have full
functionality;- can't see where the mouse is much other than brain
dead conceptually beyond that.

I like that mouse, though used to better (at least older drivers do
still work). May be worth hunting down a bag of 12 of those
microswitches nomenclatures, if I can find them direct off Pacific Rim
stock for a couple bucks. Doubt it (but at least I could try).

Everything's such a hole for suck waste these days. It's all about
over the shoulder landfill material, and they can hardly wait to
jeancream when you buy it all new again.
 
F

Flasherly

May be worth hunting down a bag of 12 of those
microswitches nomenclatures, if I can find them direct off Pacific Rim
stock for a couple bucks. Doubt it
Click to expand...

Sure it was the microswitch, so I unsoldered the left and put it into
the right. Wrong! Should have tested it while it was taken apart
first. (That was fun - three prongs to a switch simultaneously to
loosen and a solder-tip pinpoint to work with.) But, I managed,
nonetheless, to swap the switches with a little creative soldering.

Replaced, now I can hold my fingertip/nail to the switch and it
functions beautifully.

However, as soon as I put the Logitech Trackman Marble upper case
assembly, made out of plastic, ontop the bottom half -- it fails.
Screwing around with the upper plastic case stress points is even
worse. I can't figure, see anything thing wrong with it. It's all
lined up perfectly -- even works halfassed, only worse, much worse,
than what it was doing (intermittent microswitch connections) when I
went ahead and bought a new one.

How does Logitech do such a marvelous thing. Feats of sheer engineer
prowess with plastic to fail before the microswitch? Somebody,
seriously, should award them a goddamn medal for, besides, being the
premier mouse manufacturer.

In fact, I believe the car industry as well should take notes when
similarly manufacturing $20,000 entry level new vehicles. Got it love
it (when that's exactly how you take it), folks.

-
Make mine what the guy on the floor is having.
 
P

Paul

Flasherly said:
Sure it was the microswitch, so I unsoldered the left and put it into
the right. Wrong! Should have tested it while it was taken apart
first. (That was fun - three prongs to a switch simultaneously to
loosen and a solder-tip pinpoint to work with.) But, I managed,
nonetheless, to swap the switches with a little creative soldering.

Replaced, now I can hold my fingertip/nail to the switch and it
functions beautifully.

However, as soon as I put the Logitech Trackman Marble upper case
assembly, made out of plastic, ontop the bottom half -- it fails.
Screwing around with the upper plastic case stress points is even
worse. I can't figure, see anything thing wrong with it. It's all
lined up perfectly -- even works halfassed, only worse, much worse,
than what it was doing (intermittent microswitch connections) when I
went ahead and bought a new one.

How does Logitech do such a marvelous thing. Feats of sheer engineer
prowess with plastic to fail before the microswitch? Somebody,
seriously, should award them a goddamn medal for, besides, being the
premier mouse manufacturer.

In fact, I believe the car industry as well should take notes when
similarly manufacturing $20,000 entry level new vehicles. Got it love
it (when that's exactly how you take it), folks.
Click to expand...

I've noticed that too. I have a Logitech product, where
the plastic underneath where you press, wears down, and
shaving off just a little bit of plastic, makes the
whole thing flaky.

In some cases, it is the switch. If you look at the part of the
microswitch that compresses, sometimes it's a bit shorter
than a working switch. But other times, it's wear on the plastic
over top of the switch, when the thing is put back together,
which throws off the tolerances.

I've also had matted debris near the switch, which prevented
if from being depressed. So even dirt can throw it off.

Paul
 
F

Flasherly

I've noticed that too. I have a Logitech product, where
the plastic underneath where you press, wears down, and
shaving off just a little bit of plastic, makes the
whole thing flaky.

In some cases, it is the switch. If you look at the part of the
microswitch that compresses, sometimes it's a bit shorter
than a working switch. But other times, it's wear on the plastic
over top of the switch, when the thing is put back together,
which throws off the tolerances.

I've also had matted debris near the switch, which prevented
if from being depressed. So even dirt can throw it off.
Click to expand...

I hear you. All of that (even the screw tensions when it's to that
point - or the polymers/resin crystallize and harden and throw its
design calibration out of whack).

I just came back from Amazon/NewEgg, and there are too many gaming
mice out there (some with 7 programmable/macro buttons/combinations).

Left handed? ...Not a problem, either. People have moved (a lot)
into gaming (50% of households, that's how they're using their PCs).
Happened to catch a BestBuy sale - $20+tax on the Trackman Marble;-
Ebay, they were closer to $30 on refurbished units and + that for a
new one.

The game mice, OTH, are garnering up some nice reviews (for and by
gamers, of course) -- though with added significance on below-$20
units. All I really need is a couple macros - at a minimum for
switching back to last-used window/program. No games, but I'll take
some fast arrow action at DPI switching. Then, it's $2 for an
elevated wrist-pad (gel would be cool, but probably more) on a oval
mousepad/trackball pad from China/Ebay. May be time I give up old
school trackballs and see where these new mice are going. Darwinian
time to smell the roses and adapt.
 
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