Taking apart the CH Fighter Stick question

[DREDIOCK]

My 8 way hat on my stick seems to be crapping out. Straight back view is fine but I cant get "Back Left" or "Back Right" views. So Im guessing Im going to be needing to take this thing apart and first (A) Try to clean it and/or (B) replace the hat.

In any event. Am I in for any surprises when I unscrew this thing? Is it pretty straight forward or am I going to have 20 pieces falling out all over my desk and be stuck trying to guess what goes where?

Also. are there any mechanical type drawings of this stick available for when I decide to take apart the bottom half? The pots could probobly stand a good cleaning too.

[The Fugitive]

I don't know about the bottom end, but I've had the top end open and there are no surprises. I had a switch get sticky and a good cleaning took care of it.

[TequilaChaser]

Heya DREDIOCK,
Fugitive is correct, it all is pretty straight forward........

might want to check out some threads that HOMEBOY has started or replied to......thread links below:


HOMEBOYS Inventions Website:
http://snomhf.exofire.net/


HOMEBOY's Hat Repair Guide for CH Products FighterStick/Combat Stick:
http://snomhf.exofire.net/hatRepair.html

AH BBS Threads:

Adding another 8-way hat to your FighterStick
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,255584.0.html

Greatest CH FighterStick mod ever!
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,218423.0.html

New life to an old stick
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,184866.0.html

Homeboy's website and the listed threads might give you some idea of what the insides look like and might also give you some tips....


hope this helps  

[DREDIOCK]

Got the top end apart and back together again no prob. Seems those two points on the hat are shot cause cleaning didnt do it.

Gotta say I dont see the point to the circuit board, And in particular in this layout other then to make repairs more difficult. Since all it seems to do is replace wires with a circuit board where wires by themselves would have done just as well.
I managed to break one of the wires at that board leading to my trigger button. Was an easy fix with a soldering iron. but one with a better low tech design wouldn't have been necessary to begin with
By comparison my old TM stick was far easier to replace switches on.

Any trick to separating the hats switches from the board? Or do I need to replace the entire unit? (Board and switches)  I didnt take it apart that far only far enough to flood the switch with electrical lube and blow out any debris that might be caught

Thanks for the links. I'll check them out

[TequilaChaser]

Heya DREDIOCK,

HOMEBOY's Hat Repair Guide for CH Products FighterStick/Combat Stick:
http://snomhf.exofire.net/hatRepair.html

I am most certian you'll find the answers to your questions in HOMEBOY's Guide, Dred.....

 and btw.. HOMEBOY shows ya in the guide how to possibly get some longer life use out of a failing HAT...

   <----hope you get back to doing this quickly, best of luck to ya, 

[DREDIOCK]

I am most certian you'll find the answers to your questions in HOMEBOY's Guide, Dred.....

 and btw.. HOMEBOY shows ya in the guide how to possibly get some longer life use out of a failing HAT...

   <----hope you get back to doing this quickly, best of luck to ya,  

Actually looking at the adding an 8 way hat gives me a thought. If all an 8 way hat is, is a 4 way hat rounded off so that themovement of the hat presses two buttons at once then maybe cleaning still is the answer. I didnt remove the hat covers themselves. Just took the stick apart and flooded the area.
Reason Im thinking this is I can look side to side and straight back fine. I just cant look back left or right.
If I take the hat covers off themselves I may be able to see why its not working, Maybe debris built up in those two corners preventing the double press.

Just a thought.

It hasnt kept me from flying. I've lived with this for a few weeks now. And in fact I plan on upping in a few minutes. But it has made Good SA more difficult.

thanks for the wishes <S>

[DREDIOCK]

I am most certian you'll find the answers to your questions in HOMEBOY's Guide, Dred.....

 and btw.. HOMEBOY shows ya in the guide how to possibly get some longer life use out of a failing HAT...

   <----hope you get back to doing this quickly, best of luck to ya, 

Homeboys info did the trick.
I waited so long to do this because I was hessitant about doing it  because if I screwed it up....well I cant afford a new stick right now.
 But it wasnt bad at all.
Wish I had done it sooner rather then flying around for the last couple of months with no rear quarter views. Its made SA rather interesting at times.

Any event I'm bumping this thread because I know of a couple of other people with similar stick probs right now and pointing them to this thread just seems to be the easiest way to direct them.

Thanks TQ

And I think those links would be great stickies