Hard Light Productions Forums

Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Kazan on March 15, 2010, 06:45:58 pm

Title: Good cleaning solution for a joystick?
Post by: Kazan on March 15, 2010, 06:45:58 pm
So in my time away from FS2 some pop got spilled on my nice Saitek joystick, and i need to find a good cleaning solution to take the stickiness off.  water alone isn't doing it.

anyone got suggestions?


Title: Re: Good cleaning solution for a joystick?
Post by: Nuke on March 15, 2010, 06:57:42 pm
nice saitek joystick = oxymoron

you can try pretty much any electronics cleaner. you might even have to go as far as disassembling it and give it a run over with alcohol and qtips, i had to do that to my mouse a couple days ago and a keyboard last week. ive managed to get the art of cleaning sticky drinks off of input deviced down to a science. if its an x52, most of the electronics are in the throttle so cleaning the gimbals in the stick isnt all that hard to do. all the components have modular connectors for easy disassembly.
Title: Re: Good cleaning solution for a joystick?
Post by: Kazan on March 15, 2010, 06:59:04 pm
its the x45.. the joystick is wired in such a fashion that i cannot get completely to every spot.
Title: Re: Good cleaning solution for a joystick?
Post by: Nuke on March 15, 2010, 07:24:46 pm
that one is kind of a beast. only time i remember opening mine was when a spring in the gimbals broke, which i replaced with rubberbands. i really didnt bother taking it completely apart. id go with alcohol since it will evaporate on its own.
Title: Re: Good cleaning solution for a joystick?
Post by: BloodEagle on March 15, 2010, 08:38:40 pm
@ thread title: Wink, wink. Nudge, nudge. Say no more!
Title: Re: Good cleaning solution for a joystick?
Post by: Klaustrophobia on March 15, 2010, 08:57:09 pm
why does saitek get so much hate?  i love my x45, and my cyborg gold before that.  while they don't get very heavy use, both still work perfectly 10 years later.
Title: Re: Good cleaning solution for a joystick?
Post by: Nuke on March 15, 2010, 11:16:03 pm
most of the hate comes from ch and cougar owners :D

ive owned several saitek sticks, but ive only owned one set of ch gear. nuff said.
Title: Re: Good cleaning solution for a joystick?
Post by: Mongoose on March 15, 2010, 11:17:15 pm
The thing is, though, not all of us are willing to pay $200 for a game controller. :p
Title: Re: Good cleaning solution for a joystick?
Post by: Nuke on March 15, 2010, 11:19:26 pm
well whats better paying $200 once or paying $150 3 times

now that i think about it ive spent more on joysticks than any of you :D
Title: Re: Good cleaning solution for a joystick?
Post by: Mongoose on March 15, 2010, 11:37:16 pm
Nope.  My original MS Sidewinder 3D Pro from well over a decade ago still works just fine, and my Saitek Cyborg Evo from far more recently is doing quite well itself. :p
Title: Re: Good cleaning solution for a joystick?
Post by: FUBAR-BDHR on March 15, 2010, 11:39:11 pm
Nope.  My original MS Sidewinder 3D Pro from well over a decade ago still works just fine,

Then you didn't play near enough FS2 multi. I broke 3 of those before PXO went down.  Only thing I wish MS would ever make.
Title: Re: Good cleaning solution for a joystick?
Post by: Mongoose on March 16, 2010, 12:28:15 am
I played a decent amount of Descent multiplayer on it.  I just don't go all ham-handed with it. :p
Title: Re: Good cleaning solution for a joystick?
Post by: Nuke on March 16, 2010, 12:49:58 am
i did get several years out of my old ms sidewinder force feedback. those ms sticks were the only thing that microsoft put out that didnt totally suck balls.
Title: Re: Good cleaning solution for a joystick?
Post by: lostllama on March 16, 2010, 06:10:38 am
Nope.  My original MS Sidewinder 3D Pro from well over a decade ago still works just fine

Ditto. Well, mine mostly still works fine. :D
Title: Re: Good cleaning solution for a joystick?
Post by: Nuke on March 16, 2010, 01:18:16 pm
i used to make a joke that they should stop making software, stick to making input devices, and rename the company microhard. at least till i bough one of their optical mice and was completely dissatisfied with it :D
Title: Re: Good cleaning solution for a joystick?
Post by: Flaser on March 28, 2010, 10:54:49 am
Cougars are nice, but their off-the-shelf electronics are outrageous. They live and die by the extensive (and darn expensive) MOD-ing community.
Title: Re: Good cleaning solution for a joystick?
Post by: Bob-san on March 28, 2010, 02:25:55 pm
Use 70% isopropanal and a few paper towels. The alcohol is a strong solvent and will evaporate rapidly. So long as you wipe it off, it should be great for a hand-surface-cleaner, as the alcohol itself doesn't leave residue.