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ManPhalanges

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I've always loved my G502's shape but I hated the weight. I ended up switching to a similarly modded wheel mouse optical (weighing 62g). So I decided to cut out (literally) all the G502's features I don't use in order to achieve a lighter mouse.

Here's a time lapse of what I did: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAY85p1r9c8

I started out disassembling the mouse completely. This is an impressive mouse. Very little wasted space. Everything seems very strategically placed.

Something Logitech did that I hope more companies start doing is having a teflon piece where the mouse button contacts the micro switch:


So I started out knowing the scroll wheel would have to go. I had already been using a G500/G700 scroll wheel. G502 wheel is 13g, G500 wheel is 11g. Cheap OEM wheels (which I have a ton of) are just 1 gram. Couple that with a blue rubber ring from another cheap mouse and we go from 13g to 2g.

I also removed all components dealing with the infinite scroll feature (since I can't do it anyway with this wheel).
Luckily I have a TON of mice. So I popped out a scroll wheel from a basic OEM mouse as well as a blue rubber ring from a cheap $2 ebay mouse.


The OEM mouse wheel needed a lot of grinding to fit the G502's plastic housing. OEM wheel was too wide, too large of a diameter, axels didn't fit the pin holes, and I needed to shape it such that the blue rubber ring would fit around it.




Scrolls fairly well. Feels far from perfect but I don't use the scroll wheel much in games. I think my axel is slightly off center because each revolution has 1 spot that's slightly harder to turn.

Next I took a dremel to the weight compartment. I cut out a chunk from the mouse body. It's still very structurally sound.


Then I cut off most of the door flap on the bottom that goes over the weights. Since the right side of the plate has a teflon foot I decided to keep that


This door in held in place by two magnets (one on door, one on mouse body). Combined the magnets are only a couple grams but there's no use in having them since I won't be opening/closing the door. Super glue is now holding that right side teflon foot to the mouse body.

I also removed the rear palm rest plate. It's only 5 grams but the mouse isn't uncomfortable without it.
Other parts removed include the two LED light deflectors (one white for the G logo, one gray for the 3 DPI level indicators). I don't care about lights and I only play at 800 dpi. If I ever need to change DPI it only takes a few seconds within the gaming software. With this light gone I also removed the G9 button which I had never used anyway.

I also make my own mouse feet using pure PTFE from ebay. I smoothed the edges of the feet using a dremel with a wire brush.
I'm a little disappointed with how the feet came out. If I switch to this mouse from my current MX510 then hyperglides will be worth investing in.


End result:
Logitech's website: 168g w/ cord, 121g w/o. 37g removed = 84g!




With palm plate on:


Pic of everything that was removed:
ewx3a5z.png
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by qsxcv View Post

pretty cool
thumb.gif

you should swap to a lighter cable. at least on my g502, the cable is quite heavy and stiff
That's a good point.
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My cord is actually the softest out of all my mouse cords (I have a lot of mice). I think the braiding starts out kinda stiff but after a lot of use it weakens. I got this back when the G502 was pretty new (2 or 3 years ago?)

But it's cool that Logitech uses a standard 5-pin cable connector on all their mice. Makes swapping cables VERY easy.
biggrin.gif
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ManPhalanges View Post

That's a good point.
thumb.gif
My cord is actually the softest out of all my mouse cords (I have a lot of mice). I think the braiding starts out kinda stiff but after a lot of use it weakens. I got this back when the G502 was pretty new (2 or 3 years ago?)
hmm... iirc Ino's review also said the cable is quite flexible.
but for my g502 (purchased slightly over 1 yr ago), the cable is one of the worst i've used. you can bend it and it will partially hold the shape like it has a paper clip in it.
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by qsxcv View Post

hmm... iirc Ino's review also said the cable is quite flexible.
but for my g502 (purchased slightly over 1 yr ago), the cable is one of the worst i've used. you can bend it and it will partially hold the shape like it has a paper clip in it.
That's frustrating. They spend all this money in developing an amazing mouse and then they use a crappy cable.
thumbsdownsmileyanim.gif
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ManPhalanges View Post

That's frustrating. They spend all this money in developing an amazing mouse and then they use a crappy cable.
thumbsdownsmileyanim.gif
probably it's just specific to my g502
my g303 and g900 cables are flexible, but still slightly on the heavy side.
Quote:
Originally Posted by popups View Post

Do you still have the braid on it?
yea. no point to debraiding since i never actually used the g502 for gaming.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by qsxcv View Post

probably it's just specific to my g502
my g303 and g900 cables are flexible, but still slightly on the heavy side.
yea. no point to debraiding since i never actually used the g502 for gaming.
Doesn't the braid add a noticeable amount of weight to the cable?
 
Huh, I came in expecting "I took out the scroll wheel and all the buttons and got it down to 84g" but this is actually pretty neat. I'm really surprised you were able to get it that light while retaining the side buttons, DPI buttons and sniper button. You could rip out the sniper button and one of the dpi buttons (to leave the other one as a dpi cycle) and probably get a hair under 80g, which I wouldn't have thought possible.
 
Discussion starter · #13 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by a_ak57 View Post

Huh, I came in expecting "I took out the scroll wheel and all the buttons and got it down to 84g" but this is actually pretty neat. I'm really surprised you were able to get it that light while retaining the side buttons, DPI buttons and sniper button. You could rip out the sniper button and one of the dpi buttons (to leave the other one as a dpi cycle) and probably get a hair under 80g, which I wouldn't have thought possible.
I did remove button G9 (below the infinite scroll button) and that was about - 3g. All the other buttons were only a gram or less each.

I'm glad you like it!
Even if I removed most of the buttons I'd probably have to Swiss cheese the shell some more to get below 80g. Plastics are pretty low density so most mice would become structurally poor after about the -8g mark.
 
Working on the G502 myself, if you have the time and patience to remove the rubber side grips sub 80g is possible, however it's a pain in the ass.

Will post my version when I get time to finish it off.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ManPhalanges View Post

I did remove button G9 (below the infinite scroll button) and that was about - 3g. All the other buttons were only a gram or less each.

I'm glad you like it!
Even if I removed most of the buttons I'd probably have to Swiss cheese the shell some more to get below 80g. Plastics are pretty low density so most mice would become structurally poor after about the -8g mark.
Question - if I was to 1) swap the wheel to g500 wheel.
2) remove cpi buttons 3) remove the G9 button 4) keep side buttons (maybe take off sniper button) 5) take off the underside panel without destroying anything 6) take off the glossy frame and keep the palm plate.

How much would that weigh? And would it have okayish weight balance?
 
Discussion starter · #16 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by ramraze View Post

Question - if I was to 1) swap the wheel to g500 wheel.
2) remove cpi buttons 3) remove the G9 button 4) keep side buttons (maybe take off sniper button) 5) take off the underside panel without destroying anything 6) take off the glossy frame and keep the palm plate.

How much would that weigh? And would it have okayish weight balance?
The dpi buttons (next to LMB) are only about a gram combined. And if u remove the bottom magnetic plate completely you'll get some side wobble since the Teflon foot won't be there. You'd probably be around 95g.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ManPhalanges View Post

The dpi buttons (next to LMB) are only about a gram combined. And if u remove the bottom magnetic plate completely you'll get some side wobble since the Teflon foot won't be there. You'd probably be around 95g.
Well I meant destroying the magnetic cover but not the weight compartment.

Ok, thx. I modded my g402 heavily but that's a lot lighter to begin with. Didn't rly like the shape but was extremely happy with the mod in terms of these main things mentioned.

Do you have the tilt issue still?
 
Discussion starter · #18 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by ramraze View Post

Well I meant destroying the magnetic cover but not the weight compartment.

Ok, thx. I modded my g402 heavily but that's a lot lighter to begin with. Didn't rly like the shape but was extremely happy with the mod in terms of these main things mentioned.

Do you have the tilt issue still?
No tilt issues.
Weight distribution in g502 before mod was around where the scroll wheel was. After the mod it's more centered but with the area I cut from underneath and removing the palm plate it's still kinda near the scroll wheel.

What you're saying will still probably be around 95g. Cutting up the weight compartment shaved off about 4 or 5g for me.
 
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