Five days out from July 3rd. Two projects in one session: cutting the LCD opening in a clear N64 replacement shell, and locking in the LED wiring. Both done by end of stream.
The Shell Surgery
Getting an LCD to fit inside an N64 shell means removing the plastic where the screen lives. Rotary tool, then snips, then a fine bit for the detail passes. This was Rob’s fourth or fifth time through this process on an N64. Each one teaches you something. This stream’s lesson: the corners are the fight. The flat runs are just time.
The test fit method matters: you use a sacrificed broken screen, not the real one. The rigid glass won’t forgive a measurement error, and you can’t back out of a cut. Multiple passes. Large bit first. Fine bit for cleanup. Then the fit — and it fit. Rob’s exact words on stream: “winner winner fitment dinner,” said to nobody, with the camera still rolling.
The clear shell was chosen over the blue one. Better LED interaction for the lighting colorway Rob was working with. The edges still need plastic putty, and the shell needs a dish soap rinse before final assembly. But the hard part — fitment — is done.
The LED Wiring
The second project was the WS2812B LED strip, which got fully wired and locked in this session. The strip runs inside the shell and is controlled by a separate ESP32 running WLED firmware. This is the internal lighting system that makes the UltraJewel64 display work as a complete visual piece — the LCD cycling logos in the cartridge window, the LEDs driving the colorway behind it.
Both of these were blocking items for final assembly. Both cleared.
Where the Build Stood
After Stream 14: clear shell cut and fitted, LED wiring complete, RGB mod done on both boards, UltraJewel64 display ready. Remaining before July 3rd: BlueRetro Bluetooth module installation, final testing, packaging. Five days.
Rob streams live repairs and builds on Twitch. The Bonus Life N64 — a completely rebuilt, RGB-modded custom Nintendo 64 — was given away July 3rd, 2026. Miguel V and Bryan B are the winners. Thanks to everyone who watched.