Nintendo Tri-Wing Screwdrivers, recommendations?

[johnnykonami]

I got a bunch of a NES and GB carts and I'd like to take them apart and clean them using some goo gone but I don't want to put the labels at risk.  Can anyone recommend a manufacturer/store for buying these?  Particularly to fit the two cartridges above.

[NightWolve]

They're on eBay for a few bucks. I bought a NES/SNES bit in the 90's myself from MCM Electronics (had catalogs from freelance VCR repair I did for a resale shop), thought I had lost it but managed to find it on a magnet I used for saving screws. I paid like $5.99 I think.

I did once use it for evil purposes in the days of BlockBuster rentals. Feeling gyped having bought Street Figher II SNES for $60 bucks, and realizing it wasn't even CE or Turbo edition, I rented SFII: The New Challengers, opened them up, swapped out the PCBs, and presto, instant upgrade for the price of a rental... Yeah, twas a dirty thing to do, and BlockBuster never called me on it. Guess it didn't get rented much.

[sirhcman]

NES and GB cartridges don't use a triwing screwdriver, they need a 3.8mm security bit

Just a word of caution, I would stay away from the black/charcoal colored security bits. Myself and others have had issues with the bit stripping and becoming useless pretty quickly

I got one like this and it has worked well over the past few years: http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-8mm-4-5mm-Security-Screwdriver-Tool-Bit-Gamebit-for-Nintendo-NES-N64-Gameboy-/231905291204?hash=item35fea1ebc4:g:T4IAAOSwuYVWnfiM

[NightWolve]

Yeah, I got the black/charcoal ones he mentions. The next size up is for the Turbo Duo, and I had purchased both as the same time. Can't say I ever had a problem with them, they still work fine. The NES bit got used the most because we wasted our time cleaning the hell out of NES carts when the real problem was Nintendo's load-in-push-down tray... Even friggin' Atari carts still worked 99% of the time, but the original NES was a battle to get a game started!

[mickcris]

ifixit has a high quality one.  it costs a bit more but will last a lot longer than  the cheap ones.

https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/Gamebit-3-8mm/IF145-103-2

they also have the larger size too

https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/Gamebit-4-5mm/IF145-104-2

[johnnykonami]

Thanks guys, that's perfect.

[Gypsy]

ifixit has a high quality one.  it costs a bit more but will last a lot longer than  the cheap ones.

https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/Gamebit-3-8mm/IF145-103-2

they also have the larger size too

https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/Gamebit-4-5mm/IF145-104-2

I will vouch to ifixit as well, quality products.

[SignOfZeta]

I'm still using the ones I stole from the video store I worked at 20 years ago.

[NightWolve]

Heh.

[blueraven]

 

chop5 told me to get the ones for a nut driver because they hold up better than the cheap ones with the handles.

[ClodBusted]

I'll have a look tonight if I can find any manufacturers info on the bits and drivers I got once from a friend who recapped my Duo. At least I could post photos, better than nothing.

[xcrement5x]

chop5 told me to get the ones for a nut driver because they hold up better than the cheap ones with the handles.

This is what I do as well.  I also have a super long one for the Virtual Boy and Nomad because their screws are so damn deep inside the holes.  Though in that case I have heard you can also just grind a line into the top and use a flathead screwdriver instead. 

[blueraven]

chop5 told me to get the ones for a nut driver because they hold up better than the cheap ones with the handles.

This is what I do as well.  I also have a super long one for the Virtual Boy and Nomad because their screws are so damn deep inside the holes.  Though in that case I have heard you can also just grind a line into the top and use a flathead screwdriver instead. 

Yeah. You CAN do that, but I've always been wary of cutting a screw when its still in place. especially as deep as a VB. It's just asking for trouble, or can turn a simple repair into a casemod. Good point, even if it is risky.

[johnnykonami]

I would also consider getting some bits, whatever is of reasonable quality.  I'll likely buy from ifixit on the next paycheck.

[mickcris]

The japanese drivers from ifixit are really nice and also long.  If you can spend the extra money, those are a better choice than the bits. That way you won't have to buy something else in the future when the bits won't fit in a deep hole.

[ClodBusted]

I'll have a look tonight if I can find any manufacturers info on the bits and drivers I got once from a friend who recapped my Duo. At least I could post photos, better than nothing.

Here you go guys.

(Click on the thumb for full size)
The bits say NEX USA #6 / #8
The tri-wing driver says HFA Tool 360/tri-wing x 50

For tinkering around with Japanese stuff that has JIS crosshead screws (visually similar to regular Philips crosshead), I've also got a Tamiya R/C toolset handy.

http://www.tamiyausa.com/items/tools-accessories-80/tools-74000/rc-tool-set-74085

[xcrement5x]

chop5 told me to get the ones for a nut driver because they hold up better than the cheap ones with the handles.

This is what I do as well.  I also have a super long one for the Virtual Boy and Nomad because their screws are so damn deep inside the holes.  Though in that case I have heard you can also just grind a line into the top and use a flathead screwdriver instead. 

Yeah. You CAN do that, but I've always been wary of cutting a screw when its still in place. especially as deep as a VB. It's just asking for trouble, or can turn a simple repair into a casemod. Good point, even if it is risky.

Oh no, I mean like cut a notch on the top of the bit where it would fit into the nut driver, not the screw itself. Then just drop that bit into the hole and match your long screwdriver up with notch in the bit and add some pressure and go to town unscrewing.