There goes my GameBit

[kendrick]

After about two years of sporadic usage, the tiny gripping teeth inside my MCM 4.5 millimeter Gamebit are worn down. This is the bit that's commonly used to disassemble NEC Turbo hardware, as well as Genesis/Megadrive carts.

So, the question is posed to the people who would know: Anybody care to recommend an appropriate replacement? I'm doing a lot more repair and refurb work than I used to, thanks to a resurging interest in Turbo and Sega hardware, so I'd like to get a bit (or better, a whole dedicated driver) that's long-lasting and won't wear down after just a little bit of screwing. Any thoughts are appreciated.

-KKC, who needs to resolder the video output of his new US-region Duo. Woo.

[Drewman21]

If your looking to get more life out of the one you have you can do this.  I just file down the end of the bit as flat as i can get it.  Keep it up till you get to the un-damaged teeth and they are level.  It doesn't work on all bits though some are not that deep to accept the nut heads. It worked for one of my bits maybe yours too.

-Drewman21

[NFG]

Drewman has it right, I have to do this with mine all the time.  Stupid things are really weak, and they're almost designed to piss you off.  Tip them even the slightest amount while trying to insert or remove a screw and you've just made them a whole lot less grippy.  >=/

[phreak97]

well.. i've actually never had that problem.. i prefer gamebits to regular screws actually..
i got mine from electricquarter

[kendrick]

Bleah. I've been filing down the tip of this stupid bit all afternoon, and all I've learned is that the outer cylinder is indestructible, whereas the inner gripping teeth are soft and chewy like fried potatoes.

Actually, that's not true. I've learned that the screws which hold together Turbo Duos and N64's are the same length and thread count as the screws which hold together the old front-loading NES consoles. So with a few of the latter sitting around dead, I'm switching screws in an attempt to make future repairs easier. So happy.

-KKC

[Aidan]

well.. i've actually never had that problem.. i prefer gamebits to regular screws actually..

I prefer allan or torx heads personally. As long as you have a set of decent bits, they work pretty well.

[kazuo]

I was going to say.. why not remove the security screws, go to a hardware store, and find suitable replacements?

Shouldnt be hard, and then you wont need a retarded bit to get at them.

Cake

[kendrick]

That's actually what I've done, except without the bother of going out into public. Most front-loading NES units have standard Phillips-head screws of the same length and thread-count as the external line-head screws found in the Duo. Makes you wonder if game hardware manufacturers all shop at the same discount rack or something. :)

-KKC, cursing the inventor of the mini-PCI board.