Xbox:Clearing the Xbox Jewel

The jewel on top of the Xbox is a plastic disc, painted green and silver on the back. It can be removed from the Xbox, and the paint removed from the back via sanding or chemical means. After this, a hole can be bored in the top of the Xbox using a correctly sized hole saw, and the jewel backlit. The jewel can also be painted a completely different color on the back, and returned to the Xbox. The key to a crystal clear jewel is patience! The jewel can be easily damaged, but by taking a little time, it's possible to get a reliably clear Xbox jewel.

Types of Jewels
There are multiple manufacturing processes that were used in making Xbox jewels, and thus there are slight variations in different jewels. Videos online can make jewel removal look easy, but that's only if you have an easily removable jewel! I didn't keep track of what types of Xboxes the jewels came from, but I think if others contributed information about this, it would be possible to say, "you have an Xbox of this model, or manufactured in these years, and it probably has this type of jewel."

Differences in the jewels include different adhesive (some are harder to remove than others), different painting process, and even slightly different paint colors. Depending on which type of jewel you have, the removal and polishing may range from easy to frustrating.

The main problem jewel is one with thick silver paint on the back. This is the paint used to color the Xbox letters. This paint is harder than the green paint, and it covers the entire back of the jewel. The silver paint on these jewels is also somewhat textured so the adhesive likes to remain stuck to it, even after scraped off. Not all jewels with silver paint on the back are this difficult; there is one in particular that is difficult to deal with.

Not Recommended Methods
There have been a number of methods proposed for removing the Xbox jewel. Some that are NOT recommended:

- Using a screwdriver to pry the jewel out: This seems like hey it should work, right? Actually the adhesive on the back of the jewel is pretty tough and you are going to put a screwdriver-shaped dent in your jewel. This really isn't possible to do well, unless you are really lucky and your adhesive has weakened significantly. You are also liable to snap the jewel while prying it out using this method; the adhesive can be that tough. Do not do this.

- Freezing the top of the Xbox case, and then thumping it on the jewel backing with a hammer. The freezing makes the adhesive more brittle. This has been known to work with some Xboxes; it did not work on the Xbox I tried it with. The pros are, it's fast and easy when it works. The con is, you risk breaking the top of your Xbox case (which has been known to happen with this method). If you want to try this, and it's not working, don't force it.

- Using a heat gun or hair dryer to heat the adhesive and then pry the jewel out. This is not recommended because it can cause the ABS plastic to start to deform. Or, it can get heated and look fine, then when you pull on the jewel, the plastic deforms. This heating technique is better used lightly, in conjunction with other methods.

Recommended Method
This method involves soaking the jewel in WD-40, and then sawing through the adhesive with fishing line. It may not be the quickest method,.

Required Tools
- T20 Torx Screwdriver - WD-40 or equivalent - A tiny flat head screwdriver that can fit in the gap between the jewel and the case - Fishing line (thread style recommended) - 2 graspable objects to tie the fishing line to

Optional Tools
- Heat gun or hair dryer

1. The first step is to remove the top cover from the Xbox. Remove the rubber feet with a T20 Torx screwdriver, and the two screws that are under the labels. Lift off the top of the case.

2. If you are going to be drilling a hole in your case to backlight the jewel, you may as well remove the metal shielding now, to avoid damaging it. To remove the shielding, pry up the bendable metal flaps holding it on by working a flat head screwdriver under them. Oftentimes the easier flaps on a peg can be loosened, and the more firmly planted ones can be loosened last, to avoid unwanted bending of the metal. If you are not planning to drill a hole in your case, leave the shielding on for now.

3. Place the removed case top upright, and spray some WD-40 into the recess that holds the jewel, in a well-ventilated area. The WD-40 won't damage the jewel or the Xbox case. Leave it there for an hour, or more. The WD-40 helps to weaken the adhesive around the edges of the jewel. (WD-40 is great for removing stuck-on gummy adhesive in general!)

4. After the WD-40 has soaked in for a little while, now take your fishing line and tie it between two objects. (screwdrivers work, but you have to pull in the right direction or the fishing line slides off.) There should be 2-3 feet of line available between your two "handles".

5. Using the mini flathead screwdriver, work the fishing line in between the jewel and the Xbox case. Try to find a place around the edge of the jewel where the fishing line will fit under it. Push the fishing line all the way to the bottom of the jewel recess, and try to get an inch or more under the bottom edge of the jewel. This is a touchy process, and you'll need to use the screwdriver and tension on the line to get a good "grip" under the jewel.

6. Now that the fishing line is (just barely) under the edge of the jewel, anchor the Xbox case somehow (I like to use my feet) and put some tension on both ends of the line pulling towards you. The fishing line should be hooked under the jewel. Your goal is to work the fishing line between the jewel and the case like a big piece of dental floss. Firmly "saw" with the fishing line, and clear away adhesive pad material that may or may not cling to the fishing line as you saw. The WD-40 will help weaken the adhesive as the fishing line saws, and reduce friction that can wear down the fishing line. For some Xboxes, this step is much easier than others. Some took about a minute to saw through, while others took something like 10 minutes.

7. There are two circular holes in the adhesive, under each "X" on the jewel. A part of the case protrudes into the X under the jewel. Just keep "sawing" through them. Sawing around them first can help. If using strong enough fishing line, it should be able to work its way under these protrusions without too much effort and without any special steps needed.

8. Are you sawing firmly and making very slow progress? Now it may be time to try heating the adhesive. The key is to keep it low and slow. Leave the fishing line in and secure it (so you don't have to get it in again), and turn the case over. Remove the metal shielding if not already removed. Stand back from the Xbox case with your heat application instrument and heat it a little at a time. Your goal is to warm the jewel, adhesive, and the area surrounding them, and get some heat retained in there, without risking deforming the plastic. Do not directly heat the jewel. So take your time and slow-roast these components from the back, making sure they don't get too hot. If they're too hot to touch, wait a little while for the heat to work its way into the surrounding case. Your goal is for the jewel to be pretty warm to the touch from the top, but not too hot to handle. Once it's warmed up, resume sawing! (and add some more WD-40 if needed)

9. After fully sawed through, the jewel should be able to be lifted up and removed. But, on some Xboxes, some of the adhesive may have reattached, and some pulling and prying may be necessary at this point. It's best to use the fishing line itself as the pulling/prying instrument (or pass it under the jewel a couple more times) then some kind of plastic object or your fingers to pull it out once it's lifted up a little.

Removing the Adhesive
In all likelihood, you will still have some adhesive stuck to your jewel. The best way to get this off is with a razor scraper. It's a slow process, and important to be careful with the razor.

Removing the Paint
The paint removal may range from a moderate amount of work, to very difficult.

Metal Polish Removal (Easy Jewels Only)
If you have an easy jewel, it may be able to be polish entirely with Brass-O (or equivalent metal polish). This is an abrasive polish commonly used for metals, but it works fine here. Using a microfiber cloth (or whatever cloth for this step, really), put some Brass-O on the rear of the jewel, and polish until the paint is gone. This will be a lot of work and scrubbing, but if it's what you have around and you have an easy jewel, it just might work here. Some say you can stop here; I find that Brass-O gives the jewel a fairly cloudy appearance. This polish will only go so far for repairing scratches and damage.

Metal polish would theoretically work for removing paint from the more difficult jewels, it would just take a very long time.

Sanding the Paint
This can be done with a pack of assorted sandpaper, available for cheap.

A suction cup with a "clip-closed" mechanism worked excellently for holding the jewel in place while sanding, both from the top and bottom. The suction cup needs to be roughly the size of the jewel. These are often found in car phone holders. The phone holder was clamped in a vise to hold it in place.

Sanding the paint off of the jewel with 400 grit sandpaper works well for easy jewels. To wet sand, just put some water on the jewel and keep it wet while sanding, ideally using circular motions in the area being polished to avoid gouging. Use a cloth to wipe off the sanded paint, and re-wet the jewel occasionally.

If you just aren't making progress with 400 grit, switch to a lower grit, around 300. This will be needed for most, but not all non-easy jewels. If 300 is still not working, I used 240 grit to sand down problem areas. (e.g., silver paint with adhesive still attached) If using a grit lower than 300, stop sanding that area as soon as you break through the paint, and return to it later with 300-400 grit.

Finally, wet sand the entire surface of the jewel with 800 grit sandpaper, being sure to remove any remaining paint and any visible scratches created by the sanding. The top of the jewel can also be sanded with 800 grit sandpaper, if it has scuffs. If it's perfect, you can leave it alone. After this step the jewel should have a frosted appearance on the sanded surfaces. Dry it off and carefully inspect it in the light in case there are any remaining scuffs or scratches, and wet sand those areas again with 800 grit.

One tip: The paint tends to be thickest around the edges of the jewel, and above and below the XBOX text. These areas may require finer sanding.