So the past few days have been a rollercoaster of emotions for me, and I just wanted to share my experience with older model's screws since I had done a lot of research on these forums beforehand.
** Sorry in advance for the quality of these photos. I am lazy and don't want to get a real camera. Cell phone + email is so much more convenient!
** Also, keeping these to links of pictures because the photos are rather large to post here.
My favourite, and first purchased, Tamagotchi is orange. A lot of things are orange in my life, and therefore liking orange Tamagotchis best comes naturally. For a while, I had been eyeing the orange/yellow Japanese gen 1 Tamagotchi... you know, the one that typically can run $50 and looks like this:
https://i48.tinypic.com/xnc9dk.jpg
I ended up stumbling across one while refreshing Ebay at work - $19.99 buy out! I snatched it immediately. Shipping was something like $5.50, so it was awesome (Canadian dollars, btw).
I was suuuper excited. This Tamagotchi is my favourite generation 1. I love the colors, and I especially love the design.
So, it arrives at my house. I'm ecstatic. Being super anal about corroded batteries, I carefully cut the tape and pop the Tamagotchi out the bottom of the package. I grab my handy-dandy screwdriver that I use for 99% of my Tamagotchis, and begin unscrewing. Well.. it's not really turning. I keep slipping. I get worried, and call up my father (works as an electrical technician of sorts - so perfect for the job!) to maybe help me. I knew it'd be worth the wait.
Dad's turn and he can't open it. The screws are so old that they aren't really holding. He turns me away saying he can't open it. I leave, being really upset because again, I'm anal and want the batteries out ASAP. Later at home, I looked on a lot of forums and guide of how to get out tough screws. I tried everything. Rubber band, oil, wet cloth - it wouldn't budge without slipping. Of course I was frustrated, and among trying all of the above ways... I had stripped the screws. Yes, of my beloved, favourite generation 1 Tamagotchi that I found for a wicked deal. I was really sad.
Again, I hit the forums looking for ways to get the screws out. I read a lot of posts with using a tiiiny drill bit to power screw them out. So - went back to my father and he was able to get parts to hopefully get these screws out.
For about 3 hours, we stood at the kitchen counter trying to get them out and it just wasn't happening. Even after the heads were finally removed, the screw tails were embedded in the plastic underneath. You'd think some pliers would pull/twist them out - but the metal was SO soft, and you couldn't even grasp it without it just breaking away.
I was frustrated to the extreme. After spending hours carefully trying to remove the screws with a drill.. this is what the back panel looked like:
https://i45.tinypic.com/51olma.jpg
My father told me before he went drilling into my toy that if anything happened to it - I couldn't complain. I followed, and kept my mouth shut. He did try as best he could to get those screw heads off. I was quite upset the holes in the back were now ruined, and unuseable. But - it wasn't over. I held my emotions back.
Even though the back was off, there was no way I could replace the screws with the little screw tails stuck in the plastic. Out of desperation, I asked my father to continue trying his best to get them out, and they weren't budging.
I was heartbroken. Heartbroken more than I would ever expect to be over a toy. Not to sound silly, but I was crying. This was my favourite faceplate/color scheme (let me stress that), and I really strive to keep my Tamagotchis in perfect condition. After removing batteries, I put them back in the package and seal it up - keeping them safe. To see this Tamagotchi's back all beaten up really hurt.
A while later, my boyfriend found out how upset I was. Heck, even my MOTHER somehow knew (perhaps he told her). They both reassured me it was just a toy and I'd find another. My Mom was even looking at Devilgotchis online (LOL, should've let her keep going). After a while, my boyfriend purchased a new one on Ebay for $50 + $15 shipping.
At this point, I was happy.. but still upset over what I had done to the original. I was frustrated with the screws, and again went back to my father asking him to get them out as best he could. We went back at it with a drill for the 3rd time.
A few yelps from me later, they came out. It's incredible how tough they were.. but the softness of the metal was what did it. The inside ended up looking like this:
https://i50.tinypic.com/w20lxv.jpg
At this point, the toy was worthless. It was no longer in acceptable condition to me, and in it's honor, I decided I'd use it. I mean, I might as well.. after all this work. It's my favourite, and if I was that upset over ruining the screw holes in the first place, it deserves to be cherished. In the heat of the moment, I decided to put clear nail polish over the top "TAMAGOTCH" decoration (it really adds to why I love it so much) because if I were to use it, I'd still not want to scuff off that banner.
Well, 5 seconds later my boyfriend asks me something to do with the back holes, and I flip it over in my hand (obviously not thinking). When I realise the nail polish is still wet, I freak out again and try and brush off where some little dust bits got caught in it. OF COURSE, next I scuff off the paint. Brushing at the nail polish also picked up the paint under it, and yep - I scratched the decoration. It's hard to see, but there's a line scratched through the "GOTCH" part:
https://i46.tinypic.com/qougwl.jpg
I don't know why it got to me so much, but I seriously broke down at this point. It was as if all my good intentions were getting horribly ruined. In my mind, I destroyed this beloved toy. It took me a while to get over it, but I feel okay at this point. I've decided to find new screws that will have large enough heads to fit in the back, and that the scuff on the front should just be a reminder of how I tried to keep it safe.
It's still very special to me. The new one in the mail will be special, as well, but I plan to keep than locked away from everyone (even myself), lol. This once perfect generation 1 will now be taken around and see the world with me (21 - I do lots of things!
). I won't be afraid to drop it. I won't be afraid to scratch it with my car keys. It shall be enjoyed as it was meant to be.
Last photo is of my (one two, now three) main Tamagotchis. Note the color coordination I've got going on!
https://i47.tinypic.com/54ac9c.jpg
Dark orange = first official Tamagotchi I purchased, connection v1
Yellow = English IDL
Orange/yellow = obviously the poor gen 1 that will now be treated as royalty.
If you've actually read all of this - yay! I just really wanted to share my experience since it was pretty intense.. and as I said earlier - I used these forums as a resource before trying what I did. Not to say that it's a bad way... I'm sure it works perfectly for some, I just had an unfortunate time with it.
Cheers~!
** Sorry in advance for the quality of these photos. I am lazy and don't want to get a real camera. Cell phone + email is so much more convenient!
** Also, keeping these to links of pictures because the photos are rather large to post here.
My favourite, and first purchased, Tamagotchi is orange. A lot of things are orange in my life, and therefore liking orange Tamagotchis best comes naturally. For a while, I had been eyeing the orange/yellow Japanese gen 1 Tamagotchi... you know, the one that typically can run $50 and looks like this:
https://i48.tinypic.com/xnc9dk.jpg
I ended up stumbling across one while refreshing Ebay at work - $19.99 buy out! I snatched it immediately. Shipping was something like $5.50, so it was awesome (Canadian dollars, btw).
I was suuuper excited. This Tamagotchi is my favourite generation 1. I love the colors, and I especially love the design.
So, it arrives at my house. I'm ecstatic. Being super anal about corroded batteries, I carefully cut the tape and pop the Tamagotchi out the bottom of the package. I grab my handy-dandy screwdriver that I use for 99% of my Tamagotchis, and begin unscrewing. Well.. it's not really turning. I keep slipping. I get worried, and call up my father (works as an electrical technician of sorts - so perfect for the job!) to maybe help me. I knew it'd be worth the wait.
Dad's turn and he can't open it. The screws are so old that they aren't really holding. He turns me away saying he can't open it. I leave, being really upset because again, I'm anal and want the batteries out ASAP. Later at home, I looked on a lot of forums and guide of how to get out tough screws. I tried everything. Rubber band, oil, wet cloth - it wouldn't budge without slipping. Of course I was frustrated, and among trying all of the above ways... I had stripped the screws. Yes, of my beloved, favourite generation 1 Tamagotchi that I found for a wicked deal. I was really sad.
Again, I hit the forums looking for ways to get the screws out. I read a lot of posts with using a tiiiny drill bit to power screw them out. So - went back to my father and he was able to get parts to hopefully get these screws out.
For about 3 hours, we stood at the kitchen counter trying to get them out and it just wasn't happening. Even after the heads were finally removed, the screw tails were embedded in the plastic underneath. You'd think some pliers would pull/twist them out - but the metal was SO soft, and you couldn't even grasp it without it just breaking away.
I was frustrated to the extreme. After spending hours carefully trying to remove the screws with a drill.. this is what the back panel looked like:
https://i45.tinypic.com/51olma.jpg
My father told me before he went drilling into my toy that if anything happened to it - I couldn't complain. I followed, and kept my mouth shut. He did try as best he could to get those screw heads off. I was quite upset the holes in the back were now ruined, and unuseable. But - it wasn't over. I held my emotions back.
Even though the back was off, there was no way I could replace the screws with the little screw tails stuck in the plastic. Out of desperation, I asked my father to continue trying his best to get them out, and they weren't budging.
I was heartbroken. Heartbroken more than I would ever expect to be over a toy. Not to sound silly, but I was crying. This was my favourite faceplate/color scheme (let me stress that), and I really strive to keep my Tamagotchis in perfect condition. After removing batteries, I put them back in the package and seal it up - keeping them safe. To see this Tamagotchi's back all beaten up really hurt.
A while later, my boyfriend found out how upset I was. Heck, even my MOTHER somehow knew (perhaps he told her). They both reassured me it was just a toy and I'd find another. My Mom was even looking at Devilgotchis online (LOL, should've let her keep going). After a while, my boyfriend purchased a new one on Ebay for $50 + $15 shipping.
At this point, I was happy.. but still upset over what I had done to the original. I was frustrated with the screws, and again went back to my father asking him to get them out as best he could. We went back at it with a drill for the 3rd time.
A few yelps from me later, they came out. It's incredible how tough they were.. but the softness of the metal was what did it. The inside ended up looking like this:
https://i50.tinypic.com/w20lxv.jpg
At this point, the toy was worthless. It was no longer in acceptable condition to me, and in it's honor, I decided I'd use it. I mean, I might as well.. after all this work. It's my favourite, and if I was that upset over ruining the screw holes in the first place, it deserves to be cherished. In the heat of the moment, I decided to put clear nail polish over the top "TAMAGOTCH" decoration (it really adds to why I love it so much) because if I were to use it, I'd still not want to scuff off that banner.
Well, 5 seconds later my boyfriend asks me something to do with the back holes, and I flip it over in my hand (obviously not thinking). When I realise the nail polish is still wet, I freak out again and try and brush off where some little dust bits got caught in it. OF COURSE, next I scuff off the paint. Brushing at the nail polish also picked up the paint under it, and yep - I scratched the decoration. It's hard to see, but there's a line scratched through the "GOTCH" part:
https://i46.tinypic.com/qougwl.jpg
I don't know why it got to me so much, but I seriously broke down at this point. It was as if all my good intentions were getting horribly ruined. In my mind, I destroyed this beloved toy. It took me a while to get over it, but I feel okay at this point. I've decided to find new screws that will have large enough heads to fit in the back, and that the scuff on the front should just be a reminder of how I tried to keep it safe.
It's still very special to me. The new one in the mail will be special, as well, but I plan to keep than locked away from everyone (even myself), lol. This once perfect generation 1 will now be taken around and see the world with me (21 - I do lots of things!
). I won't be afraid to drop it. I won't be afraid to scratch it with my car keys. It shall be enjoyed as it was meant to be.Last photo is of my (one two, now three) main Tamagotchis. Note the color coordination I've got going on!
https://i47.tinypic.com/54ac9c.jpg
Dark orange = first official Tamagotchi I purchased, connection v1
Yellow = English IDL
Orange/yellow = obviously the poor gen 1 that will now be treated as royalty.
If you've actually read all of this - yay! I just really wanted to share my experience since it was pretty intense.. and as I said earlier - I used these forums as a resource before trying what I did. Not to say that it's a bad way... I'm sure it works perfectly for some, I just had an unfortunate time with it.
Cheers~!
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