Floppy Drive Salvage

I am writing this because I wanted to start fiddling with stepper motors and I knew I had one in my unused floppy drive. I have read recently read an article on mouse parts salvage
http://hackaday.com/2008/05/16/how-to-scavenge-a-mouse-for-parts/

I think this is great, with E-waste on the up, Old hardware is being overlooked. I don't think anything should be wasted and any way to get cheap parts for a project is fantastic.
Just opening up something like this gives you little ideas, if just a couple of those turn into full fledged Instructable projects I'll be happy and content.

I will go through the disassembly and what parts I have found.
There isn't too much too disassembly of a floppy drive once you figure out the outer casing.

In short:

I want parts for new projects
I have a floppy drive I don't use
I like taking things apart

:o) nuff said

You should only need small jewellers flat head and a Philips head screw driver to dismantle the metalwork and a soldering iron for removing the parts from the circuit boards.

The front panel has a small clip on the left and right, push one in with the screwdriver and pull that side forward and the panel should come off, other drives the clips are less visible. You have to push a screwdriver through a hole.

After searching long and hard for the screw, I realised it is instead the top casing was just clipped in place - using the small flat headed screw driver push the four tabs away from the top half, then a flat head screwdriver should work the same for the bottom half, you will be left the middle frame and workings.

On some models the bottom panel has some screws fixing the bottom but after that it unclipped the same.

If the flap is on the metal frame, You can then remove the front flap by slightly bending one of the mounts on either side and careful not to loose the spring as it comes out.

You should find a large spring on top that needs to be removed before the bay can be accessed. Then push the tray in and the top should come off

To remove the next piece of metal ( I think it's the floppy disk cradle) Either pushing or pulling at the four points where the cradle raises and lowers while it is at it's rear position should release it.

After this step all the circuits are exposed and the rest of the screws and spring holding it together become apparent.

Though I photographed all the way through this I removed the springs and in my haste did not note the order in which I did. Rest assured the two floppy drives I have dissembled have been very similar and very straight forward after getting inside.

I found some of the screws hard to remove, the combination of some soft metal and a very tight fit.

The outer casing could be used just as basically for a project box or to mount into the 3 1/2' bay There are two great bits I like inside, firstly the the worm drive on the stepper motor is all set up to do something, I don't know what yet! The eject mechanism is good to, I will be using it soon in a project just with a switch mounted behind
It also has a nice raising cradle action that is very nice I want to do something with this too.

LED this was just a standard led but some have the two colour LED's (colour emitted depends on which direction the current is flowing

Some standard capacitors & resistors

Lots of surface mount capacitors and resistors I haven't ever salvaged these before so if anyone has any input on this please feel free.

Cable connectors

Small ribbon cables

Magnetic reader/writer

Assorted Springs & screws

2 Stepper motors
This was one of the main reasons for opening it as I said previously.

The main stepper motor in the centre I am unsure about as its incorporated into the board . I will probably savage the wire from the motor or maybe the electro magnet units with a Dremel
The outer part of the motor which has magnet lining the edge works as a great tray for all your screw when dismantling
Again this is something that has lots of potential if anyone wants to mention how else this could be used or how to wire the other stepper motor.

Two push to make switches
two switches packaged into one unit ( this does vary from model to mode but they are usually in there) - Three legs coming off one common contact in the centre and each of the outer ones connects to the centre legs depending on which button you press could be very good mounted for tactile switches also very sensitive for sensors (hare triggers)

An infra red transmitter and receiver in a one piece package

Well this is what I found, I got the bits I needed for my next couple of project and then some for the price of a floppy drive I no longer used. Even if I bought this that is some worthwhile components for the price. The things you find inside are very similar but there are differences especially effecting the disassembly. But I don't think there would be too much variation that would cause difficulty. If anyone finds anything especially different in theirs or has any other ideas for projects or parts in the floppy I would love to hear them.

I take no responsibility for dismantling your floppy drive. Do so at your own risk and for your own pleasure!