Extra long Sega Nomad/Virtual Boy Gamebits

[xelement5x]

Does anyone know a good play to buy a gamebit that is long enough to reach into the really recessed areas for systems like the Nomad and Virtual Boy? Every place I seem to find uses stock photos and gives very noncommittal answers like "if it doesn't work you can always return it to us".

I've also heard you can take a regular bit and grind down the collet so that it'll fit all the way in and then notch the top to use a screwdriver, but I don't have a grinder so this is out of my realm. Any assistance (links or someone willing to sell me a gamebit that is long enough) would really be appreciated so I could could finally open my Nomad and fix the contrast wheel.

Thanks in advance!!

[jb143]

I had the hardest time with this. I tried to make my own gamebit with a dremel(which I had done in the past) but the Nomad screw is so far down in there to size it properly much less even tell what you're doing.

What I ended up doing was drilling it out. I wrapped all but the the tip of a drill bit in tape so I wouldn't mess up the walls and then carefully drilled out the screw. It was more of a last resort thing but it worked and I managed to not damage my Nomad.

[raylydiard]

i just sanded my bit down a bit for the nomad to fit my bit works well i like to put the same screw back so no one can tamper with the system.


I had the hardest time with this. I tried to make my own gamebit with a dremel(which I had done in the past) but the Nomad screw is so far down in there to size it properly much less even tell what you're doing.

What I ended up doing was drilling it out. I wrapped all but the the tip of a drill bit in tape so I wouldn't mess up the walls and then carefully drilled out the screw. It was more of a last resort thing but it worked and I managed to not damage my Nomad.

[jb143]

You mean you sanded down the outside to make it skinnier? If you have a long enough bit that fits the screw then that should be easy enough to do. My only security bits were short little ones that went in even fatter screwdrivers. I tried making a bit out of a regular flathead screwdriver but could never get it to grab the head of the screw properly.

[raylydiard]

I know a place that sells the longer one if you need a link?


You mean you sanded down the outside to make it skinnier? If you have a long enough bit that fits the screw then that should be easy enough to do. My only security bits were short little ones that went in even fatter screwdrivers. I tried making a bit out of a regular flathead screwdriver but could never get it to grab the head of the screw properly.

[xelement5x]

This is what I had seen done as a modification to an existing Gamebit:
http://www.projectvb.com/tech/securitybit.html

I'd try this out in a heartbeat, but I've got no grinder so I'm stuck.

[Gameguy]

I know of one place that sells dedicated drivers but they're pretty expensive.

http://www.nintendorepairhut.com/repairsupplies/Frame-12-snesrepairsuppliespage12.html?refresh=126331937766 5

[xelement5x]

Ooh, that is a bit pricey. After more digging around though it looks like Racketboy has one on their site that claims to open Virtual Boys and Nomads, so I guess I'll pick it up and see how it goes.
http://www.racketboy.com/store/sega-genesis/4-5mm-gamebit-tool.html

$6 for the bit, plus $4 for shipping (US) seems like a relatively benign investment if I can finally get into the systems. Once I get them in I'll report on how they work!

[raylydiard]

http://www.rewind-bits.co.uk/longer-reach-4-5mm-gamebit-tool-for-virtual-boy-etc.html

[xelement5x]

So I got the one from Racketboy and it looks like the Gambit works for a Nomad and some of the screws on the Virtual Boy, but is not long enough to reach the screws in the back part of the Virtual Boy unit. If there was maybe 1/4" less of the collet where the driver connects it'd probably fit all the way down, but the Gamebit is just a bit too short to reach those screws.

I may try to grind down that extra part of the collet a bit and give it a try to still see if I can reach the super-recessed screws in the back of the unit. If/when I do I'll update the tread again.