Yeah, if you do a return through Amazon they'll always ask you to send the original product back. No exceptions. At least they make it as painless as possible.
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Oh no!! I just got a pair from aliexpress thinking it would be the ultimate fix, and a long time fix, for the drift... guess I'll cancel right now and wait for a revised one.
Same piece, 2 approaches, none worked properly:
The left one option was not fit in place, and the motion could make the piece move out of place. There was also no way to keep it in place properly during assembly, because the arm is too high and doesn't allow the piece to "fall" into place in the plastic. That said, with the piece in place, it would prevent the white piece from jumping.
Placing the piece between the shell and the white piece would cause too much tension and ruin the stick's smoothness, actually making it feel a bit stuck. I could try with a piece of thinner plastic.
Next idea, to shape a piece that will fit into that groove / opening. Ideally, teflon plastic.
The left one option was not fit in place, and the motion could make the piece move out of place. There was also no way to keep it in place properly during assembly, because the arm is too high and doesn't allow the piece to "fall" into place in the plastic. That said, with the piece in place, it would prevent the white piece from jumping.
Placing the piece between the shell and the white piece would cause too much tension and ruin the stick's smoothness, actually making it feel a bit stuck. I could try with a piece of thinner plastic.
Next idea, to shape a piece that will fit into that groove / opening. Ideally, teflon plastic.
Attachments
Last edited by Cajumjoe,
Thanks for doing this. Love the plexi view. Very creative and interesting as hell!
Doing god’s work, my man!
Third attempt at a fix, seems good so far. Moving smoothly and not clicking.
Ideally this should be done with a piece of teflon plastic, but that's not something people have lying around, so I went for a more common option: a zip tie.
I cut a piece of the zip tie to approximate size and then I sanded it until it was level with the frame / shell black plastic.
If the piece is too big it will create tension and offer a lot of resistance. I believe it could even work if we "excess" sand it and use some sort of spring from below - I used a very small piece of foam (I believe it's anti-static high density foam, the kind that comes inside the packages of several electronics, like laptop batteries).
After cleaning the parts with a brush and re-greasing them, I assembled it and it seems perfect now. I still haven't actually tested it in a Switch, but I see no reason it wouldn't work.
Concerns:
How long will the plastic piece last?
How will the circuit board resist the friction of that piece, over time?
Ideally this should be done with a piece of teflon plastic, but that's not something people have lying around, so I went for a more common option: a zip tie.
I cut a piece of the zip tie to approximate size and then I sanded it until it was level with the frame / shell black plastic.
If the piece is too big it will create tension and offer a lot of resistance. I believe it could even work if we "excess" sand it and use some sort of spring from below - I used a very small piece of foam (I believe it's anti-static high density foam, the kind that comes inside the packages of several electronics, like laptop batteries).
After cleaning the parts with a brush and re-greasing them, I assembled it and it seems perfect now. I still haven't actually tested it in a Switch, but I see no reason it wouldn't work.
Concerns:
How long will the plastic piece last?
How will the circuit board resist the friction of that piece, over time?
Attachments
Now make 200 of these and sell them to us!
Hahaha, nice one. It's literally a piece of a zip tie, a piece of foam and some grease. Imagine hand making 200 pieces of tiny plastic... I'm not doing it but please, if anyone is up to it, feel free to do it. This is a fix for people with some free time and patience. Anyway, the improved ones should be available soon. I am quite curious to see Gulikit's fix to the design.
Post automatically merged:
After the fix the vertical axis was really bad. I was unable to navigate up and down on the menus until I calibrated, but after it's perfect.
Last edited by Cajumjoe,
A possible source of Teflon that comes to mind are the PTFE tubes commonly sold as 3D printer filament guides.
Another option would be to use a slightly smaller piece of zip tie and wrap it in a few turns of PTFE tape (the kind used in plumbing) then cutting off the excess.
Regarding friction on the flexible circuit board: the orange color makes me think it is likely made of PEI (the same material as Kapton tape), which is a rather durable polymer. Also, the areas of the board that sit directly below those parts are probably ground planes without any traces (I am not 100% sure though, not feeling like opening them again to check).
I believe that the Nylon or Teflon bits, along with the grease, should take a very long time to see significant wear under those conditions... longer than the carbon film of the usual sticks, in any case.
12000 nerds gathered around intently watching a dude move a dot around a small screen remotely across the Internet.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you…the future!
I'm going to try a new fix today: using teflon / PTFE tape between the arm and the white piece.
Similar to the first fix, but I hope, easier to do. Need to build around 0.20mm/0.008 inches of teflon to reach the same thickness as the plastic I used before.
Fix 3, while working, still makes vertical motion less smooth than lateral, which was to be expected, as there's an extra piece of plastic causing friction against the pcb.
Pictures / instructions for opening the sticks:
Fix number 4 - 6 pieces of PTFE folded on each other placed between the arm and the white piece. Easiest fix yet.
Seems to work (I haven't yet closed and tested the stick).
Concern: not sure if prolonged use may further decrease the thickness of the PTFE tape and eventually require more.
Time will tell.
Edit: I have installed a stick with this fix and it needed much less calibration compared to the previous fix (the zip tie). This stick had already been calibrated so adding the tape - while it's not noticeable when moving the stick - definitely caused a minor movement restriction.
Similar to the first fix, but I hope, easier to do. Need to build around 0.20mm/0.008 inches of teflon to reach the same thickness as the plastic I used before.
Fix 3, while working, still makes vertical motion less smooth than lateral, which was to be expected, as there's an extra piece of plastic causing friction against the pcb.
Post automatically merged:
Pictures / instructions for opening the sticks:
Post automatically merged:
Fix number 4 - 6 pieces of PTFE folded on each other placed between the arm and the white piece. Easiest fix yet.
Seems to work (I haven't yet closed and tested the stick).
Concern: not sure if prolonged use may further decrease the thickness of the PTFE tape and eventually require more.
Time will tell.
Edit: I have installed a stick with this fix and it needed much less calibration compared to the previous fix (the zip tie). This stick had already been calibrated so adding the tape - while it's not noticeable when moving the stick - definitely caused a minor movement restriction.
Last edited by Cajumjoe,
I contacted Aknes and they asked if I wanted a replacement rather than refund? This issue ain't gonna be fixed till a newer model right?
I don't think so, it's a mechanical flaw, but a lot of sellers (and buyers) are ignoring it, and they keep selling the first model.
They know there's an issue, and they know there will be a new model, so unless they are offering a replacement for a new model, I would go for the refund.
Gotta get rid of that bunk stock. Many folks won’t notice and if they do they won’t bother with a $30 return.
So, the consensus is basically wait for an improved version, if it ever comes? Do people here have non-defective units? And how do they feel compared to regular sticks if they work? I hope a little bit stiffer.
But, I could also just take the gamble, and just get a refund if I also get defective ones, I guess ...
But, I could also just take the gamble, and just get a refund if I also get defective ones, I guess ...
It seems to be a design flaw, so all units produced before the "improved version" are likely going to have the issue. I'm not sure how it had so many glowing reviews on Amazon, unless people somehow don't notice or aren't bothered by the issue.
Edit: @binkinator said only 3/4 units were affected in their case. I'm curious why one isn't.
Thanks. Then I'll hold off. If no-one has no gap (that will bother me) and at least 2 good ones, why even bother. I don't have drift yet, but I do dislike Joy-Con's feel and loud clicking noises as well.
Perhaps some production problems and out of spec lose parts are the cause of that 1/4 good ones
But they can't just say sorry all of these sticks are bad because if they do they can't keep selling them I order 4 from amazon, because why not. I will receive them today, maybe they will be fine, there is no risk rlly, worst case i will send them back, the best case good no clicking sticks, middle solution free a bit faulty sticks i mean why not.
Edit: This is funny i just received them and from just feel and sound/click test 1 of 4 seems to be click free : o 3 of them have some click when sliding opossite to the ribbon and one has some scratchy unpleasant feeling and sound when turning around
So indeed 3/4
.
Last edited by Lamcza,
You could get a refund and order them again, haha. Then you might end up with 2/8 good ones.Perhaps some production problems and out of spec lose parts are the cause of that 1/4 good ones
I order 4 from amazon, because why not. I will receive them today, maybe they will be fine, there is no risk rlly, worst case i will send them back, the best case good no clicking sticks, middle solution free a bit faulty sticks i mean why not.
Edit: This is funny i just received them and from just feel and sound/click test 1 of 4 seems to be click free : o 3 of them have some click when sliding opossite to the ribbon and one has some scratchy unpleasant feeling and sound when turning around
So indeed 3/4
hmmmYou could get a refund and order them again, haha. Then you might end up with 2/8 good ones.
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