Mouse Refurbish

[MouseUser]

My favorite mouse is acting up.
Buttons double-click on a single-click and sometimes do not click at all.

I tried repeatedly tapping to try to clean but does not last.

Unfortunately this mouse is no longer available anywhere (at least at a
reasonable price).

Love it because of its size and it is USB (no batteries !).

Is it possible to do my own refurbishment ?
Suggestions ?
Links please !

Microsoft Notebook Optical Mouse 3000

Thanks !

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

In message <qntsqq$1ihk$1...@adenine.netfront.net>, MouseUser

<Mous...@MouseUser.com> writes:
>My favorite mouse is acting up.
>Buttons double-click on a single-click and sometimes do not click at all.
>
>I tried repeatedly tapping to try to clean but does not last.
>
>Unfortunately this mouse is no longer available anywhere (at least at a
>reasonable price).
>
>Love it because of its size and it is USB (no batteries !).
>
>Is it possible to do my own refurbishment ?
>Suggestions ?
>Links please !

[]
My first thought was faulty microswitches. But it seems unlikely they've
both failed at once - or is that not the case, did one fail (or become
unreliable) before the other? If both at once, then it might not be the
switches. I'd suspect the chip in that case, which is probably
unidentifiable (and unobtainable if it is) - though it'd be worth
looking for broken tracks on the PCB.

Does it "feel" wrong - do the "buttons" make a proper click?

Replacing the microswitches shouldn't be that difficult for anyone
capable of reasonably fine soldering, if that _is_ the cause. What is
likely to be more difficult is (a) getting the mouse apart enough to get
at them, then (b) finding ones similar enough to substitute.

If it's a three-button mouse, the middle one (assuming it's not
mechanically different!) might be a source for one, as it tends to be
used less. Other scrap mice might be another source. Failing those, you
should be able to find a fair selection of microswitches in most of the
electronic component retailer's online "catalogues" - RS Components,
Farnell, Newark, CSC, Digiguide (these may or may not be still in
business - I've been out of electronics for a couple of years) - once
you've got one in your hand to look at (and measure). The better
distributors will have mechanical drawings near their listings; if not,
they should at least tell you the manufacturer's name and part number of
the ones they sell, and you should find such drawings at the
manufacturers' websites. You'll also need to know if they're
press-to-make or press-to-break; I'd assume the former, but check with a
continuity beeper once you've unsoldered. (Unless you can make out the
part number on them.)

It _may_ be possible to dismantle and repair the switches themselves,
but I'd not like to try.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

"Bother," said the Borg, "we assimilated a Pooh."

[Rene Lamontagne]

Not sure where you live, but I find it on Amazon.com for about $11.00.
Much easier then trying to repair one. Also there are literally hundreds
of different ones to choose from, Surely you can find a suitable
lookalike replacement.

Rene


Rene

[Rene Lamontagne]

I should mention also that battery life is really not an issue anymore,
I have a Logitech M510 that goes a year on batteries, My new Logitech
M705 is advertized to go 3 years on a pair of alkaline AA cells.

Rene

[David E. Ross]

The Logitech M100 mouse is still available for $9.99 plus tax and
shipping. It is a corded mouse with a USB connector.

I found this to be quite durable. I bought mine 5 years ago and it
still works well. My wife has a similar Logitech mouse that is even
older.

See <https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/mouse-m100?crid=7>.

--
David E. Ross
<http://www.rossde.com/>

Immigration authorities arrested 680 undocumented aliens in meat
processing facilities in Mississippi. Employing someone who is not
legally in the U.S. is also illegal. How many of the EMPLOYERS are
being criminally charged? If none, why not?

[Paul in Houston TX]

It's easy to refurbish mice.
I refurb all my mice when they go bad because I like the ones I have.
Take it completely apart, clean the optics, remove the micro switches,
and solder in new ones. The tails break conductors near where they go
into the mouse so cut off the tail about 1" near the entry point on the
mouse and re-solder to the internal plug. Use heat shrink on the solder
joints. If the plastic tabs that push the micro switches are worn down
then use your soldering iron to add more of the same type of plastic.
It will be an ABS mix. Should take no more than 20 minutes.

[Big Al]

I have a logitech M330 and like it so much, had it for quite a while.
It also like Rene's says 2 years on battery, but I don't get more than a
few months on it. Still mine is a single battery and that consumes less
batteries.

My wife's Kindle doesn't last the time Amazon says it will, but then she
reads 6 hours a day not the little time they say is typical. I'd say
mice batteries are the same, it depends how much you use it. Mine goes
to sleep when not used to save battery but if it's used 12 hours a day,
that's a lot of drain.

Al

[Char Jackson]

On Sat, 12 Oct 2019 20:59:49 -0500, Rene Lamontagne <rla...@shaw.ca>
wrote:

>I should mention also that battery life is really not an issue anymore,
>I have a Logitech M510 that goes a year on batteries, My new Logitech
>M705 is advertized to go 3 years on a pair of alkaline AA cells.

+1

I've been using M705's with multiple PCs since 2013 and love them. I get
more than two years on a set of AAs, but who knows how fresh the cells were
to begin with.

One thing about the M705 is that it can run on a single battery if you're
willing to trade longer battery life for less weight. I don't mind the
weight, so I use two cells. Also, there's an LED on top of the mouse that
normally lights up green, but changes to red when the batteries are weak.
Lastly, I love the mechanical switch that disables the wheel detent, making
it easy to scroll up/down at high speed.

--

Char Jackson

[Arlen _G_ Holder]

On Sun, 13 Oct 2019 02:19:33 +0100, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:

> It _may_ be possible to dismantle and repair the switches themselves,
> but I'd not like to try.

Usenet is a community potluck where everyone chips in where they can.

I didn't read all the details in the thread, where my value add is that
o I can simply vouch for fixing mice by taking them apart (carefully).

My suggestion to the OP is to take the mouse apart, like I did here:
<https://i.postimg.cc/v83WFn2v/mouse01.jpg>

And then clean everything up and look for something broken:
<https://i.postimg.cc/5tr2SxsL/mouse02.jpg>

If nothing else, it's useful to see how the thing works inside.

[Patrick]

Two of the screws holding it together are hidden under the 'feet' as
shown here;
http://cordes.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-299.html

[Patrick]

And another screw is hidden under the label !!

[SC Tom]

"Char Jackson" <no...@none.invalid> wrote in message
news:pb45qe9fh8jvcrhdt...@4ax.com...

I'm on my 2nd M705- the first one (after 3-1/2 years) was having the same
mechanical problems as the OP's mouse.
My newer one is 2+ years old and so far is everything it's advertised to be.
I use rechargeable batteries in it, and they last about 14-16 months. Since
I have a number of these batteries around (I also use them in my various
remotes), I always have at least 2 that are charged up and ready to go.

I would definitely recommend the M705 to my friends :-)
--

SC Tom

[Michael Terrell]

These Omron switches are used in a lot of mice. I go through a set about twice a year, from writing a lot of HTML by hand. I use the Logitech M310 most of the time, but I do use other mice. I bought 50 switches, the last time. :)

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=OMRON+D2FC-F-7N-10m&_sacat=181854

[Fox's Mercantile]

On Saturday, October 12, 2019 at 8:58:06 PM UTC-4, MouseUser wrote:> My
favorite mouse is acting up.> Buttons double-click on a single-click and
sometimes do not click at all.

I don't waste my time fixing mice.
I have a 5 gallon bucket of mice I've picked up at the
local thrift stores from $0.25 to $1.99 each.
With and without scroll wheels.
Wired and wireless with the transceivers.
Even track balls. (My preferred mouse.)
USB and P/S2 as well, even a few serial mice.
*laughs* I even have a Logitech "Bus Mouse" with an ISA card.
If a mouse quits working or starts to get erratic, into
the trash it goes.
Same goes for keyboards.

--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com

[Ken Blake]

On Sat, 12 Oct 2019 20:59:49 -0500, Rene Lamontagne <rla...@shaw.ca>
wrote:

>I should mention also that battery life is really not an issue anymore,
>I have a Logitech M510 that goes a year on batteries, My new Logitech
>M705 is advertized to go 3 years on a pair of alkaline AA cells.

The mouse I use and like very much is the Anker 2.4G Wireless Vertical
Ergonomic Optical Mouse ($19.99 from Amazon). It's my first wireless
mouse. I've had it for about four months, and I just had to replace
its batteries.

It's very different from the common horizontal mice; it's much more
comfortable.

[Ken Blake]

On Sat, 12 Oct 2019 21:03:20 -0500, Paul in Houston TX
<Pa...@Houston.Texas> wrote:


>It's easy to refurbish mice.
>I refurb all my mice when they go bad because I like the ones I have.
>Take it completely apart, clean the optics, remove the micro switches,
>and solder in new ones. The tails break conductors near where they go
>into the mouse so cut off the tail about 1" near the entry point on the
>mouse and re-solder to the internal plug. Use heat shrink on the solder
>joints. If the plastic tabs that push the micro switches are worn down
>then use your soldering iron to add more of the same type of plastic.
>It will be an ABS mix. Should take no more than 20 minutes.

Each to his own. Mice are very cheap these days. I wouldn't dream of
spending 20 minutes, the cost of new microswitches, soldering iron,
and solder to save $20 or so for a new mouse.

[Ralph Mowery]

In article <p2j6qed71pl09cs49...@4ax.com>,
K...@invalid.news.com says...

>
> Each to his own. Mice are very cheap these days. I wouldn't dream of
> spending 20 minutes, the cost of new microswitches, soldering iron,
> and solder to save $20 or so for a new mouse.
>
>

I am with you Ken. Some things are just not worth the time and effort.
I can see that if someone really likes a particular mouse it is worth it
to them to tak half a day repairing a $ 20 item.

[Ken Blake]

Half a day? Not me. I'd spend the $20 and just buy a new one.

[Paul]

I use a magnetic wand and move it around the base
of items like this, to try to verify in advance
where the screws are hidden. There's nothing
more embarrassing than ripping rubber feet off
something and finding "air" underneath :-/ The
screws, being ferrous, can sometimes be located
with my screw retrieval wand. Sometimes the screws
are far enough away from the surface, this can barely
detect them.

https://www.amazon.com/SE-8036TM-NEW-Telescoping-Magnetic-Capacity/dp/B000RB3XBA

And the screw under the label, sometimes the label
already has a criss-cross cut pattern in it, to
make it easier for the philips screwdriver to get
at the screw.

A good mouse now, only uses one screw, and one
end of the mouse forms a hinge, and the other end
has the screw placed in it. But back in the rubber ball
mouse era, there could be three screws.

The screws are easy to find on one of these :-)
It was the Rambo of mice, because it had "steel balls".
The rubber ball mice that came after this, were a joke.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HawleyMarkIImice.jpg

When disassembling the mouse, be particularly wary
of the scroll wheel, as the parts may not be "retained"
and if you tip the mouse upside-down with the cover
off, all sort of junk and little springs will go flying.
The mouse cover, is what prevents that from happening
normally.

1) Remove screws from bottom of mouse.
2) Tip mouse upright, scroll wheel facing up.
3) Now, remove top cover with captive plastic mouse buttons.
4) Examine what is underneath. Note whether
scroll wheel is "booby trapped" to fall apart on you.

Paul

[Paul in Houston TX]

:) I like fixing things. It's sort of a hobby.
Ordering a new one for $12 is not nearly as much fun.

[tabb...@gmail.com]

and a lot of the time you get it, working, there & then. That can be useful, enabling other jobs to be done. But mice I chuck.


NT

[Arlen _G_ Holder]

On Sun, 13 Oct 2019 11:33:50 -0700, Ken Blake wrote:

> Half a day? Not me. I'd spend the $20 and just buy a new one.

Here, in the Silicon Valley, I know guys who'd rather make money than spend
time with their kids, which I think is the wrong perspective.

Likewise, I know people who'd rather pay someone to maintain their car,
rather than maintain it themselves - again - which doesn't help them when
they actually NEED to understand how a vehicle works.

I know people who wouldn't fix a mouse - nor help a little old lady cross
the road - nor pick up a neighbor's kids from school - all because they can
make more money elsewhere.

My point is that if it's only about the money - it's generally shallow.
o It's also a waste of resources to throw out working stuff.

People are so shallow sometimes... it's irksome.

Maybe the OP likes to fix things?
I mean, there is a "repair" group on the newsgroup list, is there not?

[Arlen _G_ Holder]

On Sun, 13 Oct 2019 11:33:50 -0700, Ken Blake wrote:

> Half a day? Not me. I'd spend the $20 and just buy a new one.

A lot of people would rather make money than spend time with their kids.

Some of us enjoy fixing things for lots of reasons.
o Sometimes, it just fits right - in our hands, for example.

It's not always only about money.
o If it's only about money, it's shallow (IMHO).

For example, I enjoy fixing my car - and the cars of my kids - where I
change their oil, replace the clutch, do the brakes, overhaul the cooling
system, and even select, purchase, mount and balance their tires.

When you do stuff like that - you LEARN a lot.
o You learn a lot that others don't learn who are only out for the money.

For example, I enjoy setting up WiFi access points, for free, for my
neighbors. I learn a lot when I do that. In fact, while there's an ongoing
thread on that very topic, those who know the least seem to have infested
that thread the most in the last few hours.

The fact remains, if the OP wants to fix his mouse ... then we should try
to help him (if we can). It's not "advice" to say to pay for a new mouse.

Do you think even for a second that the OP doesn't know that?
o If the OP was _that_ shallow - he wouldn't have asked the question.

[Arlen _G_ Holder]

On Sun, 13 Oct 2019 20:51:24 -0000 (UTC), Arlen _G_ Holder wrote:

> Do you think even for a second that the OP doesn't know that?
> o If the OP was _that_ shallow - he wouldn't have asked the question.

Sorry for the hiccup. The machine crashed and the scripts must have still
run. I don't use a newsreader... it's just vi with telnet scripts.

Mea culpa.

BTW, if the OP needs pictures, I have plenty of my IBM mouse refurbish.
<https://i.postimg.cc/5tr2SxsL/mouse02.jpg>

[Rene Lamontagne]

Is that one of the mice that came over on the Ark? Male or Female? :-)


Rene

[Paul]

That's a one-screw mouse, so it can't be that old.

*******

This article, has a picture of the Hawley mouse.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_mouse

And that was my first mouse. Apparently made around 1975.
Steel balls on the outside. A little small for your hand
(because it doesn't have a scroll wheel or give a rats
ass about ergonomy). And your next problem would be,
if you found an old one, the interface is neither USB
nor PS/2, and instead, gives "pulses" for +/-X and +/-Y.
So you need to whip together some counter circuits to
make something a bit better for your OS to use.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HawleyMarkIImice.jpg

But still, a nice mouse, and not surpassed until the
second generation of optical mice meant never ever
again having to worry about what the mouse was resting
on. Or how dirty the place was...

Paul

[Rene Lamontagne]

The micro switches are quite large compared to now, Is that a Pot
sticking up where the wheel should be?
or is it an actuator for the center button?

Rene

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

In message <qnvvmj$kqe$1...@dont-email.me>, Paul in Houston TX
<Pa...@Houston.Texas> writes:
>Ken Blake wrote:
[]

>> Each to his own. Mice are very cheap these days. I wouldn't dream of
>> spending 20 minutes, the cost of new microswitches, soldering iron,
>> and solder to save $20 or so for a new mouse.

That's assuming the model the OP likes is still available; I think he
thought it wasn't, but someone here found them.

>
>:) I like fixing things. It's sort of a hobby.
>Ordering a new one for $12 is not nearly as much fun.
>

I share that hobby: I'll certainly spend more time than a thing is worth
trying to fix it, if I think the fault is something simple: the
throwaway philosophy bugs me. I'll admit, I give up a lot sooner now
than I used to, though.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

The motto of the Royal Society is: 'Take nobody's word for it'. Scepticism has
value. - Brian Cox, RT 2015/3/14-20

[Paul]

Rene Lamontagne wrote:
> On 2019-10-13 4:20 p.m., Paul wrote:
>> Rene Lamontagne wrote:
>>> On 2019-10-13 3:54 p.m., Arlen _G_ Holder wrote:
>>>> On Sun, 13 Oct 2019 20:51:24 -0000 (UTC), Arlen _G_ Holder wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Do you think even for a second that the OP doesn't know that?
>>>>> o If the OP was _that_ shallow - he wouldn't have asked the question.
>>>>
>>>> Sorry for the hiccup. The machine crashed and the scripts must have
>>>> still
>>>> run. I don't use a newsreader... it's just vi with telnet scripts.
>>>>
>>>> Mea culpa.
>>>>
>>>> BTW, if the OP needs pictures, I have plenty of my IBM mouse refurbish.
>>>> <https://i.postimg.cc/5tr2SxsL/mouse02.jpg>

> The micro switches are quite large compared to now, Is that a Pot
> sticking up where the wheel should be?
> or is it an actuator for the center button?
>
> Rene

The IBM mouse above, the microswitches look "normal" sized to me.

The thing in the center, I had to use the mouse cover to
guess at the function. It looks like a rubber nubbin, and
that would make the thing on the PCB, some sort of 2D strain
gauge.

But there's also what looks like a LED next to it,
and the LED is not pointed in any specific direction.
It could be for illuminating the rubber nubbin, as I don't
see any other function it could carry out, considering the
angle it is pointed.

This isn't the same item, but it's along the same lines. "Trackpoint mouse"

https://www.microsoft.com/buxtoncollection/detail.aspx?id=121

https://www.microsoft.com/buxtoncollection/detail.aspx?id=120

Paul

[Rene Lamontagne]

OK, that makes sense. Thanks.

Rene

[John Dulak]

On 10/13/2019 6:25 PM, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
> In message <qnvvmj$kqe$1...@dont-email.me>, Paul in Houston TX <Pa...@Houston.Texas>
> writes:
>> Ken Blake wrote:
> []
>>> Each to his own. Mice are very cheap these days. I wouldn't dream of
>>> spending 20 minutes, the cost of new microswitches, soldering iron,
>>> and solder to save $20 or so for a new mouse.
>
> That's assuming the model the OP likes is still available; I think he thought it
> wasn't, but someone here found them.
>>
>> :) I like fixing things. It's sort of a hobby.
>> Ordering a new one for $12 is not nearly as much fun.
>>
> I share that hobby: I'll certainly spend more time than a thing is worth trying
> to fix it, if I think the fault is something simple: the throwaway philosophy
> bugs me. I'll admit, I give up a lot sooner now than I used to, though.

You guys seem to be the type that would appreciate this:

https://i.postimg.cc/KjvyybrZ/Doonesbury-01.jpg

John

--

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

In message <5DA44F3F...@Booogus.com>, John Dulak

I did, sadly.

A couple of minor netiquette matters: when you send someone an email as
well as posting to a newsgroup, it's considered polite to indicate
you're doing so - usually at the top of your post/email, such as by
saying "(posted and emailed)". This is because lots of people read their
email first, and reply to emails; if they then find the same thing has
been posted, they find themselves having to say the same thing again.
The other one: if you use a fake email address, especially in a private
email, it's usually considered good form to highlight that you're doing
so (usually just above the signature separator - something like "remove
XYZ to reply"). Otherwise people might genuinely reply, possibly putting
some effort in to it, only to receive a bounce.

Above two points intended to inform, not to reprimand.

--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

"Address the chair!" "There isn't a chair, there's only a rock!" "Well, call
it a chair!" "Why not call it a rock?" (First series, fit the sixth.)

[Ken Blake]

On Sun, 13 Oct 2019 23:25:27 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
<G6...@255soft.uk> wrote:

>In message <qnvvmj$kqe$1...@dont-email.me>, Paul in Houston TX
><Pa...@Houston.Texas> writes:
>>Ken Blake wrote:
>[]
>>> Each to his own. Mice are very cheap these days. I wouldn't dream of
>>> spending 20 minutes, the cost of new microswitches, soldering iron,
>>> and solder to save $20 or so for a new mouse.
>
>That's assuming the model the OP likes is still available; I think he
>thought it wasn't, but someone here found them.

No, to me, it would hardly matter whether it was still available. If
my mouse died, and was no longer available, I'd find another one that
was close enough to the old one, so I would like it just as much. I
might even find a new one I liked more.

As an example of what I mean, earlier this year I used a Logitech
M500 mouse which I liked very much. If it died, I would have replaced
it with the same model, if it was still available. But then I was at
someone's office and he was using an Anker 2.4G Wireless Vertical
Ergonomic Optical Mouse. I tried it at his office and immediately
liked it better than my Logitech, so I ordered one from Amazon ($20).
It's now my favorite; I no longer use the Logitech.

Mice are no different from most other things. Newer models are usually
better than older ones.

[Ken Blake]

That used to happen to me often, and it's the reason I switched from
my real return address to a fake one. Some people would have send both
an e-mail message and a newsgroup posting.

And my fake one is purposely a very obvious fake, to dissuade anyone
from e-mailing me.

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

In message <c049qetcqgv8j6ndi...@4ax.com>, Ken Blake

(You must be right-handed.)

>
>Mice are no different from most other things. Newer models are usually
>better than older ones.

So you're a replacer. Some of us see fixing things as a challenge - and
one we enjoy, to some extent; there's great satisfaction, for us, in
returning something to working order, especially if the fix was
something trivial (especially if it wasn't obvious).

I don't deny that there comes a point where further effort is no longer
enjoyable, and I just replace; that point varies depending on lots of
things - the cost of the item, how much I like it anyway, my mood, and
my age (I'm giving up sooner, or not starting at all, more as I age). If
there's something, the use of which frustrates me, and it fails, I'll be
delighted to have an excuse to replace it.

--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

WANTED, Dead AND Alive: Schrodinger's Cat

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

In message <bq49qept7bo4l2t26...@4ax.com>, Ken Blake

<K...@invalid.news.com> writes:
>On Mon, 14 Oct 2019 15:27:55 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
><G6...@255soft.uk> wrote:

[]

>>A couple of minor netiquette matters: when you send someone an email as
>>well as posting to a newsgroup, it's considered polite to indicate
>>you're doing so - usually at the top of your post/email, such as by
>>saying "(posted and emailed)". This is because lots of people read their
>>email first, and reply to emails; if they then find the same thing has
>>been posted, they find themselves having to say the same thing again.
>
>
>That used to happen to me often, and it's the reason I switched from
>my real return address to a fake one. Some people would have send both
>an e-mail message and a newsgroup posting.

I don't mind them doing so - as long as they _say_ they are doing so,
ideally as the first line!

>
>And my fake one is purposely a very obvious fake, to dissuade anyone
>from e-mailing me.

Yours more than the one that provoked me into writing the above,
certainly. Though sometimes I just hit reply without seeing where it's
going, which is why I like a warning just above the .sig line; one I
quite liked was someone who inserted dragon into the email address, and
ended with "emulate St. George to reply", or something like that.

And I suspect you don't use the fudged one for private emails.

--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

[Rene Lamontagne]

My whole life has been spent fixing things, 17 years as an Auto
mechanic, 30 years as a Power engineer, Boilers, air handlers, pumps and
fans plus many years concurrently as a sideline Doing radio, TV,
computer and all other electronic repairs.
So, Yeah, you might say I enjoy fixing things.
Coincidentally a couple days ago my son complained that his Logitech
M510 mouse was getting very stiff to turn the scroll wheel, naturally
out came the screwdriver set and 2 screws under the AA cells had it apart.
Well what I found was a pile of accumulated lint wrapped around the
shaft of the wheel, Cleanded it all out and added a small shot of
contact cleaner to the bearings and reassembled it and now it works like
new again.

Rene

[Fox's Mercantile]

On 10/14/19 11:24 AM, Rene Lamontagne wrote:
> Well what I found was a pile of accumulated lint wrapped
> around the shaft of the wheel

That's normal maintenance.
Just like cleaning the gunk off the three bearing points on
a trackball.

[Ken Blake]

On Mon, 14 Oct 2019 16:39:12 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"

<G6...@255soft.uk> wrote:

>In message <bq49qept7bo4l2t26...@4ax.com>, Ken Blake
><K...@invalid.news.com> writes:
>>On Mon, 14 Oct 2019 15:27:55 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
>><G6...@255soft.uk> wrote:
>[]
>>>A couple of minor netiquette matters: when you send someone an email as
>>>well as posting to a newsgroup, it's considered polite to indicate
>>>you're doing so - usually at the top of your post/email, such as by
>>>saying "(posted and emailed)". This is because lots of people read their
>>>email first, and reply to emails; if they then find the same thing has
>>>been posted, they find themselves having to say the same thing again.
>>
>>
>>That used to happen to me often, and it's the reason I switched from
>>my real return address to a fake one. Some people would have send both
>>an e-mail message and a newsgroup posting.
>
>I don't mind them doing so - as long as they _say_ they are doing so,
>ideally as the first line!

I would certainly have minded less if they said so, but I would still
prefer that they didn't.

>>And my fake one is purposely a very obvious fake, to dissuade anyone
>>from e-mailing me.
>Yours more than the one that provoked me into writing the above,
>certainly. Though sometimes I just hit reply without seeing where it's
>going,

You use Turnpike. I've never tried it and know nothing about. Might it
send an e-mail reply rather than a newsgroup reply without your
choosing to do so? I use Agent and it won't do that.

>which is why I like a warning just above the .sig line; one I
>quite liked was someone who inserted dragon into the email address, and
>ended with "emulate St. George to reply", or something like that.

If that's not exactly right, it's very close. I've also seen her
messages, in another newsgroup.

But she's inviting people to reply by e-mail, and with a very
occasional exception, I don't want to do that.

>And I suspect you don't use the fudged one for private emails.

No, of course not. It's only for newsgroups.

[Ken Blake]

On Mon, 14 Oct 2019 16:33:57 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"

Yes. It wouldn't work for a left-handed person. I don't know if
there's a left-handed equivalent available.

>>Mice are no different from most other things. Newer models are usually
>>better than older ones.
>
>So you're a replacer. Some of us see fixing things as a challenge - and
>one we enjoy, to some extent; there's great satisfaction, for us, in
>returning something to working order, especially if the fix was
>something trivial (especially if it wasn't obvious).

I'm almost 82. When I was a lot younger, I used to like to repair some
things, if I could. But I was generally poor at fixing most things.

>I don't deny that there comes a point where further effort is no longer
>enjoyable, and I just replace; that point varies depending on lots of
>things - the cost of the item, how much I like it anyway, my mood, and
>my age (I'm giving up sooner, or not starting at all, more as I age).

I strongly agree with all of that.

[Ken Blake]

On Mon, 14 Oct 2019 11:24:38 -0500, Rene Lamontagne <rla...@shaw.ca>
wrote:

Leaving aside the enjoying fixing things, I envy your ability to do.
Sometimes fixing is the only choice, and I've never been good at it.

> Coincidentally a couple days ago my son complained that his Logitech
>M510 mouse was getting very stiff to turn the scroll wheel, naturally
>out came the screwdriver set and 2 screws under the AA cells had it apart.
>Well what I found was a pile of accumulated lint wrapped around the
>shaft of the wheel, Cleanded it all out and added a small shot of
>contact cleaner to the bearings and reassembled it and now it works like
>new again.

I might not have succeeded, but that's the kind of thing I might have
tried to fix. I would have suspected lint, and if my suspicion was
right, fixing it would probably have been easy. And worst case, if I
failed, I'd just buy him a new one.

[Rene Lamontagne]

I think you probably would have succeeded, It was fairly straight
forward (no loose parts flying everywhere), Don't undersell yourself,
I'm 85 and can still do it.

Rene

[Ken Blake]

On Mon, 14 Oct 2019 14:06:36 -0500, Rene Lamontagne <rla...@shaw.ca>

We're almost the same age. I'm about to turn 82. But my thought that I
might not succeed is not based on my age. I've never been good at
working with my hands.

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

In message <rde9qe97m884jpl40...@4ax.com>, Ken Blake

<K...@invalid.news.com> writes:
>On Mon, 14 Oct 2019 16:39:12 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
><G6...@255soft.uk> wrote:
[]
>>>>A couple of minor netiquette matters: when you send someone an email as
>>>>well as posting to a newsgroup, it's considered polite to indicate

[]

>>I don't mind them doing so - as long as they _say_ they are doing so,
>>ideally as the first line!
>
>
>I would certainly have minded less if they said so, but I would still
>prefer that they didn't.

[]

>You use Turnpike. I've never tried it and know nothing about. Might it
>send an e-mail reply rather than a newsgroup reply without your
>choosing to do so? I use Agent and it won't do that.
>

Well, never without my choosing; in theory I could accidentally send the
wrong one (the Followup and Reply buttons are adjacent), but I don't
think I've actually done that in several decades of using it. What it
won't do is send _both_ at once, as its designers felt strongly about
that - irritating as I _occasionally_ _want_ to.

>
>>which is why I like a warning just above the .sig line; one I
>>quite liked was someone who inserted dragon into the email address, and
>>ended with "emulate St. George to reply", or something like that.
>
>
>If that's not exactly right, it's very close. I've also seen her
>messages, in another newsgroup.
>
>But she's inviting people to reply by e-mail, and with a very
>occasional exception, I don't want to do that.
>

Well, s/he's not exactly inviting, just pointing out that if you _do_
decide to send an email, that her email is munged.
[]

--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

You make it from scratch?
Yep.
Do you make your own scratch?
--
"pyotr filipivich" in alt.windows7.general 2017-5-20

[Rene Lamontagne]

Guess I'm lucky, my hands have been my living But my eye sight is piss
poor, born that way.

Rene

[Ken Blake]

On Mon, 14 Oct 2019 22:56:39 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"

<G6...@255soft.uk> wrote:

>In message <rde9qe97m884jpl40...@4ax.com>, Ken Blake
><K...@invalid.news.com> writes:
>>On Mon, 14 Oct 2019 16:39:12 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"
>><G6...@255soft.uk> wrote:
>[]
>>>>>A couple of minor netiquette matters: when you send someone an email as
>>>>>well as posting to a newsgroup, it's considered polite to indicate
>[]
>>>I don't mind them doing so - as long as they _say_ they are doing so,
>>>ideally as the first line!
>>
>>
>>I would certainly have minded less if they said so, but I would still
>>prefer that they didn't.
>[]
>>You use Turnpike. I've never tried it and know nothing about. Might it
>>send an e-mail reply rather than a newsgroup reply without your
>>choosing to do so? I use Agent and it won't do that.
>>
>Well, never without my choosing; in theory I could accidentally send the
>wrong one (the Followup and Reply buttons are adjacent), but I don't
>think I've actually done that in several decades of using it.

The buttons are adjacent here too. I've occasionally done it
accidentally, but I've always caught it and fixed it before I pressed
Send. I use Outlook e-mail, not Agent's, so the Windows look very
different.

> What it
>won't do is send _both_ at once, as its designers felt strongly about
>that - irritating as I _occasionally_ _want_ to.
>>
>>>which is why I like a warning just above the .sig line; one I
>>>quite liked was someone who inserted dragon into the email address, and
>>>ended with "emulate St. George to reply", or something like that.
>>
>>
>>If that's not exactly right, it's very close. I've also seen her
>>messages, in another newsgroup.
>>
>>But she's inviting people to reply by e-mail, and with a very
>>occasional exception, I don't want to do that.
>>
>Well, s/he's

I'm almost sure it's a she, but I can't remember her name.

> not exactly inviting, just pointing out that if you _do_
>decide to send an email, that her email is munged.

I suppose it's technically not an invitation, but to me, telling the
reader how to do it is so close to an invitation that I have no
problem with calling it that.

It's sort of like, "If you want to send me a check, my address is ..."

[Arlen _G_ Holder]

On Sun, 13 Oct 2019 20:33:20 -0400, Paul wrote:

> The IBM mouse above, the microswitches look "normal" sized to me.

Hi Paul,

Here are more pictures of that IBM mouse, which I'm still using now that I
refurbished it (although I had to glue a side stick on it to keep my
fingers away from the right mouse button since it's a poor design for huge
hands like I happen to have).

Anyway, here are the pictures I took when I disassembled it:
<https://i.postimg.cc/YCnQTjyX/mouse01.jpg>
<https://i.postimg.cc/4yPYtFD8/mouse02.jpg>
<https://i.postimg.cc/XNsNfFZD/mouse03.jpg>
<https://i.postimg.cc/mknG0YCL/mouse04.jpg>
<https://i.postimg.cc/3whH5J4v/mouse05.jpg>
<https://i.postimg.cc/fTXw6P21/mouse06.jpg>

The tilted LED simply lights up the middle mouse button (AFAICR).

If you want, I can snap a photo of the side stick I glued on to make it
less error prone, where I learned that it's critical for a mouse to have a
landing space for your right-mouse finger to "rest" without being too close
ot the right mouse button itself.

[Mark Lloyd]

On 10/14/19 9:27 AM, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:

[snip]

> A couple of minor netiquette matters: when you send someone an email as
> well as posting to a newsgroup, it's considered polite to indicate
> you're doing so - usually at the top of your post/email, such as by
> saying "(posted and emailed)". This is because lots of people read their
> email first, and reply to emails; if they then find the same thing has
> been posted, they find themselves having to say the same thing again.

People doing that inappropriately (and not indicating it) is one reason
I stopped putting a valid email address in newsgroup postings.

On usenet, I use addresses ending in .invalid so its obvious its not a
real address.

Another suggestion is to read your posts before pressing 'send'. It
catches a lot of the weird typing and other errors.

[snip]

--
71 days until the winter celebration (Wed, Dec 25, 2019 12:00:00 AM for
1 day).

Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"Faith is a cop-out. It is intellectual bankruptcy. If the only way you
can accept an assertion is by faith, then you are conceding that it
can't be taken on its own merits." -- Dan Barker

[Frank Slootweg]

Mark Lloyd <n...@mail.invalid> wrote:
> On 10/14/19 9:27 AM, J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
> > A couple of minor netiquette matters: when you send someone an email as
> > well as posting to a newsgroup, it's considered polite to indicate
> > you're doing so - usually at the top of your post/email, such as by
> > saying "(posted and emailed)". This is because lots of people read their
> > email first, and reply to emails; if they then find the same thing has
> > been posted, they find themselves having to say the same thing again.
>
> People doing that inappropriately (and not indicating it) is one reason
> I stopped putting a valid email address in newsgroup postings.
>
> On usenet, I use addresses ending in .invalid so its obvious its not a
> real address.

Not only is it obvious, but it's the only proper/standard way to do
it, as .invalid is a standard-defined [1] top level domain (TLD), which
is guaranteed to never be used.

RFC-compliant 'mailers' (Mail User Agent (MUA)) will not even try to
send a message to an address with an .invalid TLD.

[1] RFC 2606 "Reserved Top Level DNS Names"
<http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2606.txt?number=2606>

[Jon Elson]

On Sat, 12 Oct 2019 17:57:51 -0700, MouseUser wrote:

> My favorite mouse is acting up.
> Buttons double-click on a single-click and sometimes do not click at
> all.
>

> Is it possible to do my own refurbishment ?
Yes, you can get replacement switches for the buttons, this is the
classic symptom of worn-out switches. It seems all the mice and
trackballs use essentially the same micro-switch, so you can salvage them
from other mice or buy from Digi-Key, Mouser or whoever your electronic
parts supplier is.

Jon

[mako...@yahoo.com]

On Friday, October 18, 2019 at 3:04:43 PM UTC-4, Jon Elson wrote:
> On Sat, 12 Oct 2019 17:57:51 -0700, MouseUser wrote:
>
> > My favorite mouse is acting up.
> > Buttons double-click on a single-click and sometimes do not click at
> > all.
> >

try a 0.1uF across the switch contacts

m

[Michael Terrell]

Why?

[mako...@yahoo.com]

the 0.1uF provides a crude de-bounce function and also the small arc helps keep the contacts clean.
m

[Michael Terrell]

I understand that, but it takes time for the capacitor to discharge. How slow of a mouse do you want? Just replace the worn out switches, and let the software in the Mouse controller take care of debounce.e.