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Saturday, May 12, 2012

Xbox Controller

Hey guys I started my first project on this blog. I tool one of my older Xbox controllers apart. Read on to see how to take your xbox controller apart.


Your first step is to remove the screws on the back of the controller. I'm sorry that they may be hard to see in the picture, but there are three on the left, three on the right, and one in the center. The one in the center may be hard to find at first, this is because it is behind the barcode sticker. The correct screwdriver to use is a Torx 8H. This means that their is a pin in the center of the screw that can easily be bent of with a flathead screwdriver. If you bend off the pin, then you will only need a normal T8 screwdriver. After unscrewing each screw, remove the back cover.


The next step is to remove the main circuit board from the front cover. It should just come right off with a little wiggling. After you pull it out, you can remove the rumblers be gently pulling them off from the base of its connection box. This box is rather small and white, about 1 cm in width, and is located under the trigger mechanisms. In the picture to the right, I have already removed these rumblers from their housing boxes.
Now for the joysticks. Turn the circuit board around so that the front is facing you. By gently pulling, the joysticks will come right off. Don't worry, you didn't break anything, they can easily be put back on.



Next let's look at the front case and the buttons. Each button is covered by a pad that, when pressed, presses down the black circles on the circuit board. These pads will be grouped over the buttons, and another pad can be found under the D-pad. These sets of pads can be easily removed, revealing the buttons below. Now, you can simply pull each of the buttons out. If desired, you can use a small Phillip's head screwdriver to remove the D-pad. Two screws can be found on the back of the D-pad to remove it. You have almost finished your disassembly!


The last thing to do is to remove the trigger. This is probably the hardest part of the disassembly. Turn the circuit board to the back side. Here you will see the triggers, and their white plastic pieces that make it work. The bottom of the trigger should be attached to a small white plastic arm. Gently pull the arm and the trigger in opposite directions until they snap apart from each other. Then, the trigger is held by to pieces of plastic on each side of the trigger. Here is the tough part. You need to pull these white pieces of plastic away from each other, and pull the trigger up. You may be able to use a screwdriver to help you with this process. Now, you can simply slide the trigger off, and you will find a spring underneath.




Congradulations! You have just disassembled an Xbox 360 controller! Remember, I am not responsible for any damages to anyone or anything, and do this project at your own risk. I hope you had fun!



Friday, May 11, 2012

Hello!

Hey creative world! Have you ever thought about how things work around the house? Do you ever wonder what's inside your computer or gaming system? This page is meant to help you explore that engineering knack! You will soon find pictures of a few things that I have taken apart, and a quick explanation at how they work! Feel free to post your own disassemblies and we can all learn about our homes together. Please keep in mind that I am not responsible for any damages to anyone or anything as a result of your tinkerings. So creative world, be safe, and good luck!