How to remove a stripped screw from a SuperGrafx?

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Hazuki
Posts: 66
Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2021 1:56 pm

How to remove a stripped screw from a SuperGrafx?

Post by Hazuki »

So, I bought a SuperGrafx some months ago and because of this twitter post I decided to open it to remove this "dangerous" piece of plastic. In the end I wasn't able to fully disassemble it and proceeded to reassemble shortly after, but I put a few screws in the wrong places on the PCB and the console wasn't closing anymore. So I had to open a second time only to see that one of the screws on the shell got stripped. I could never remove it anymore, but managed to put most of the PCB screws back in the right places with a really funky method (I had the console semi-open while doing so). I was able to reassemble it almost completely, except for a single PCB screw. It's not possible to fix that without fully opening the shell, though.

tl;dr there's a stripped screw on the shell of my SGX and I need to remove it. How can I do that without the risk of damaging the console?
Lord of Pirates
Posts: 521
Joined: Sun May 12, 2013 5:03 pm

Re: How to remove a stripped screw from a SuperGrafx?

Post by Lord of Pirates »

Internal or external? Completely or partially stripped? Recessed or accessible? Near anything that matters?
Hazuki
Posts: 66
Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2021 1:56 pm

Re: How to remove a stripped screw from a SuperGrafx?

Post by Hazuki »

Well, update time. I tried again for the first time in a while just now and much to my surprise, it seems like two others got stripped as well. Here:

Image

Arrows pointing to the stripped ones. I managed to remove the others as shown. And I don't know whether they're completely or partially stripped, only that they don't come out no matter what anymore.
jd213
Posts: 503
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Location: Pennsylvania

Re: How to remove a stripped screw from a SuperGrafx?

Post by jd213 »

Ouch, I don't think that ever happened with the 2 SuperGrafxs I have (one loose and one boxed). Maybe you should have used a different screwdriver.
Lord of Pirates
Posts: 521
Joined: Sun May 12, 2013 5:03 pm

Re: How to remove a stripped screw from a SuperGrafx?

Post by Lord of Pirates »

What I mean with 'partially' stripped is that there's still something for a screwdriver or bit to grip but it will want to slip if you aren't careful.

You can give some of these a try:
https://www.tradeskills4u.co.uk/posts/r ... pped-screw

I'd try number 1 first and decide where to go from there if it doesn't work. If you can pry the case up you might be able to manage #4 but gripping the shaft instead of the head. It goes without saying but, be careful and patient.
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bobrocks95
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Location: Kentucky

Re: How to remove a stripped screw from a SuperGrafx?

Post by bobrocks95 »

I'd start by getting a screwdriver that fit properly because clearly it's off if yours stripped 3 screws.

Far from my first choice but I remember people being really cheap when it came to Nintendo gamebits and melting a ballpoint pen into the shape of the screw head. Not a very permanent or clean solution of course.
PS1 Disc-Based Game ID BIOS patch for MemCard Pro and SD2PSX automatic VMC switching.
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