Taking Apart an Old Joystick for Parts

So I had a joystick that I used to play Microsoft Flight Simulator X with. Sadly however it had a problem so one of the axes went berserk so it was basically useless... but wait....

Inside the joystick are valuable components that can be used in other projects. All the way from tiny diodes and buttons to potentiometers. So I decided to salvage what I can from my 4-5 year old joystick.

My joystick is a "Genius MaxFighter F-23U" but the breakdown procedure should be similar for most other joysticks too.

Step 1: Removing the Screws Off the Base

Remove all the screws from the bottom.

(There were some rubber things covering the screw holes which were stuck on with some double sided tape, I just removed them by yanking them off)

Step 2: After Removing Screws From Base

You should now be able to see the PCB and some of the potentiometers. Some potentiometers will come off with a simple tug while others will require some further disassembly.

Step 3: Getting Out Those Other Potentiometers

Get rid of all screws you can see and start pulling the thing apart like you have no mercy. I encountered some clips which I released with a flathead screwdriver.

Step 4: Disassembling the Handle

Remove the screws off the handle and it should just come apart very easily. All the parts and buttons will just slide out.

Then pull out the handle. I needed to cut some wires to do so.

Step 5: Continue Disassembly

Remove screws here and there and pull everything out

Step 6: Voila! There You Have It!

There you have it! A few potentiometers, some buttons, wires and other stuff you can unsolder from the PCB.

Thanks for checking out my instructable!

Remember: "If it can't be used, don't just throw it... salvage it's components and then throw it!"