How to get mashed screw out (fragile!)

almoststew1990

almoststew1990

almoststew1990

Soldato
Joined
12 May 2011
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Location
Southampton
I'm taking apart my Gameboy Micro but I've hit a stumbling block- one of the screws is in pretty bad shape through a combination of both my own and previous owner's retardation / determination to get it open.

IMG_20160815_203150.jpg


Also this screw to actually...
IMG_20160815_203205.jpg


I've definitely seen worse screws and if it was on something solid I could probably force it out easy enough just by pushing down really hard but that isn't going to work for a fragile Gameboy! Any tips?
 
Had same on a few ds lite years ago

Sometimes I could push the screwdriver in so hard I got purchase.. Most likely worked
A couple of times I could rip the plastic shell off.. Not advised!
Third.. Only worth it if you have it.. Drill it out!

With both of those pics I could get it out using a screwdriver
 
get a rubber band and cut abit off and shove it down the hole covering the head of the screw just try to ease it out . worked for me once :) all the others at work ive just drilled them out , obviously cant be done for this
 
From the picture, it looks like that will come out easily if you use the right size screw driver bit. As large as will fit.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. I've tried a variety of screwdrivers (phillips and flat head but I was using the best one for the job to begin with. Both of my sets of pliers are too chunky to get a grip on it- they slide right over it.

Elastic Band and then Superglue sounds like the next ideas!
 
You usually end up with this problem with Philips screwdrivers with too sharp a point. The point holds the driver off the bottom of the screw 'cross', and in turn it prevents it locating in the cross of the head properly. You need to shorten the tip of the driver so it locates on the top of the cross, so the torque load is spread over a greater area. A file or even emery cloth (or failing that, a brick) and taking off half a mm will probably do the job. Look where the screw head is not mashed up, this shows what I mean.
 
Last edited:
danza said:
You usually end up with this problem with Philips screwdrivers with too sharp a point. The point holds the driver off the bottom of the screw 'cross', and in turn it prevents it locating in the cross of the head properly. You need to shorten the tip of the driver so it locates on the top of the cross, so the torque load is spread over a greater area. A file or even emery cloth (or failing that, a brick) and taking off half a mm will probably do the job. Look where the screw head is not mashed up, this shows what I mean.
Click to expand...

YES thank you! I filed down one of my more naff screwdrivers a bit and it fitted much better and came out (with a very loud crack!)
 
Ah, it's already sorted.

Worst case scenario, I have dremmeled stuck in screws before to make it possible to use a flat head!
 
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