More on the nub issue

[Loonie]

Hey all,


So that I have a more usable Pandora, I decided to desolder the nubs and swap them around, and also have a look at what might have been the trouble. Think I've found it.


The simple design surprised me, surprising mostly in that it can achieve the results it does. Very interesting little thing. The trouble spot is a conductive rubber insert that also provides both contact and a spring-loading system for the centering. I found that along one area of it, there was a break, which had presumably been caused by wear and tear. Managed to grab a photo of it.





This is the nub disassembled as far as is needed to get at the insert. Though I had dismantled the upper assembly to check it out, it's not needed for this.





Here you can see where the tear has developed. I wasn't smart enough to note the original rotation of the insert, therefore I don't know to which axis the break corresponds, but I would say it is certainly the cause of the deteriorating control.


I am going to try to fix it with extremely careful use of CA adhesive, and ten swap the nubs around, as the left is more important to me. I shall also purchase a replacement nub from ED.

 

[Loonie]

Okay, these things are officially a b*tch to remove. I couldn't safely remove the other one, so I must have gotten lucky with the removal of the left one. I need to get myself something more precise than a gas powered iron for this kind of job. Anyhow, I have refitted the left stick, rather than further risk damaging the board. The repair was a mixed bag. The nub feels less loose and centers better, but it's still producing pretty crazy readings.


Guess I might have to send it off to Germany after all.

 

[TrashyMG]

I need to get myself something more precise than a gas powered iron for this kind of job.

Wow, yes you do.. a precision Soldering iron with a chisel tip...

 

[Loonie]

It's quite surprising what I've managed to pull off with that old gas iron, but yes, a more precise one will likely yield better results in this case. Though I would have thought a pencil tip would be more appropriate than a chisel tip.

 

[TrashyMG]

I've just gone on what I heard from others.. A small pencil tip may work just fine.. you actually have real experience dealing with the nubs.. I've just read up on it.