Aza's Maslow 4.0 to 4.1 upgrade notes/questions

Troubleshooting
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Sharing some notes and questions in this topic now that I’m finally getting around to tinkering with Maslow 4.1.

Been a while, so I’m behind/hazy on what the 4.0 to 4.1 migration steps are. Below is my understanding, please confirm, correct or redirect me to latest greatest process folks should follow. Cheers!

Plan…

Upgrading Maslow 4.0 to 4.1

Community tips

  • Hardware:
    • Bolts to consider:
      • Consider Socket cap heads where possible, check clearances of near by parts though… Beagle’s post
      • Consider using some 12mm and 16mm bolts when needed to help better engage Nylock, Dlang’s post.
    • Dealing with stripped bolt heads:
      • Drill out stripped heads using 3mm, start with 2mm, see Beagle’s post.
      • Use vice grips to twist out and remove headless bolts, see Aggie.wes’s post.
      • Consider using rubber band between bit and bolt head for extra grip, seeronlawrence3’s post.
      • Consider #2 triangle bit, not common but could be great?, see GESDesigns’s post
      • If all else fails, ensure sufficient home and medical insurance policy coverage, try blowtorch/hot-blade to cut the screws out, TebrynNym’s post.
    • Dealing with nut spin:
      • Try jamming small straight screw driver between nut and plastic recess. see DLang’s post.

Feedback…

Maslow Packaging

  • Arrived nicely packaged, bundled and looked organized to me.
  • Consider reducing unboxing and getting started friction/frustration by including sticker with Maslow CNC logo + QR Code. Depending on whether upgrade/full kit, the QR Code points to either 4.0 to 4.1 migration doc, or, full 4.1 assembly-setup docs. Consider using intermediate forwarding URL for QR Codes so you can update URLs.

@ Admins, feel free to edit my posts if that’s faster/easier than responding back and forth. Maybe there’s a wiki with 4.0 to 4.1 upgrade roadmap already?

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Looking forward to trying out the Torx bolts :slight_smile:

Struggled with removing the thread locked buttery soft button head M3 bolts mounting the motors. The other nylock nut secured M3 bolts removed ok, only the motor mount ones were a problem.

Is anyone using M3 socket head cap bolts (with deeper hex recesses that are harder to strip)?

Would be neat if future motors attached using M4 or M5 socket head cap bolts.

Thought my hex/allen keys were good enough and not too worn/bad. But I managed to strip 75% of the motor mounting M3 bolts. Am ordering the damaged screw extractor set removal tool in recommended in the 4.1 migrate doc, cheers for the recommendation.

20250619_184053
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Silicone lube?

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Yeah, SuperLube https://www.amazon.com/Super-Lube-21030-Synthetic-Grease/dp/B000XBH9HI, being food grade safe was appealing, ingredients.

Any tips for removing gear from motor shaft when you’ve stripped the grub set screw :man_shrugging:?

I failed to make progress with the screw extractor, so leaning towards drill press, or angle grinder. I don’t want to just write off the entire motor, but it’s tempting when weighing up time spent.

I greatly appreciate the various community tips for dealing with the bolts, have compiled some notes/links in my first post, hope that helps future folks.

Man… The screw extractor helped for quite a few bolts, but, ended up using drill bit, force and patience to drill heads off a few stubborn bolts. Rubber band trick didn’t work for me. Awaiting delivery of some triangle bit heads to try out on the remaining motors, mainly out of curiosity.

In the mean time am screwing around with trying to control the motors using custom firmware loaded onto the 4.0 PCB, would be neat to repurpose the board for another project. Curious if anyone’s done something similar? I don’t need full FluidNC functionality, I just need to move the motors when a button is pressed, for now. I appreciate the open sourced PCB schematic, layout and forked fluidnc firmware are all shared to play with, thank you!

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EDIT: :slightly_smiling_face:, reading this gave me a much needed laugh…

// Use of this source code is governed by a GPLv3 license that can be found in the LICENSE file with
// following exception: it may not be used for any reason by MakerMade or anyone with a business or personal connection to MakerMade
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Just finished the hardware upgrade to 4.1 from 4.0, i was able to complete calibration after updating to latest firmware v1.7

Now for the problem: i’m able to retract and extend belts and apply tension, but when i go to jog the machine, i get an error that “Maslow is not ready to move”.

log below:
Serial Messages
Index.html Version: 1.07
[MSG:INFO: FluidNC v0.87 (Maslow-Main-ec171155-dirty)]
[MSG:INFO: Compiled with ESP32 SDK:v4.4.7-dirty]
[MSG:INFO: Local filesystem type is littlefs]
[MSG:INFO: Configuration file:maslow.yaml]
[MSG:INFO: Machine Maslow S3 Board]
[MSG:INFO: Board Maslow]
[MSG:INFO: UART1 Tx:gpio.1 Rx:gpio.2 RTS:NO_PIN Baud:115200]
[MSG:INFO: SPI SCK:gpio.12 MOSI:gpio.11 MISO:gpio.13]
[MSG:INFO: SD Card cs_pin:gpio.10 detect:NO_PIN freq:8000000]
[MSG:INFO: Stepping:Timed Pulse:4us Dsbl Delay:0us Dir Delay:0us Idle Delay:240ms]
[MSG:INFO: Axis count 3]
[MSG:INFO: Axis X (-2438.400,0.000)]
[MSG:INFO: Motor0]
[MSG:INFO: Axis Y (-1219.200,0.000)]
[MSG:INFO: Motor0]
[MSG:INFO: Axis Z (-100.000,0.000)]
[MSG:INFO: Motor0]
[MSG:INFO: tmc_2209 UART1 Addr:0 Step:gpio.15 Dir:gpio.16 Disable:NO_PIN R:0.110]
[MSG:INFO: Motor1]
[MSG:INFO: tmc_2209 UART1 Addr:1 Step:gpio.46 Dir:gpio.38 Disable:NO_PIN R:0.110]
[MSG:INFO: Z Axis driver test passed]
[MSG:INFO: Z2 Axis driver test passed]
[MSG:INFO: Kinematic system: Cartesian]
[MSG:INFO: Using spindle NoSpindle]
[MSG:INFO: Connecting to STA SSID:Aggienetwork]
[MSG:INFO: Connecting.]
[MSG:INFO: Connecting..]
[MSG:INFO: Connected - IP is 10.79.1.56]
[MSG:INFO: WiFi on]
[MSG:INFO: Start mDNS with hostname:http://maslow.local/]
[MSG:INFO: SSDP Started]
[MSG:INFO: HTTP started on port 80]
[MSG:INFO: Telnet started on port 23]
error:3
error:3
[MSG:INFO: Channel auto report interval set to 50 ms]
[MSG:INFO: Caution: Unlocked]
Retract All
[MSG:INFO: Retracting all belts]
[MSG:INFO: Top Left pulled tight with offset 0.000]
[MSG:INFO: Bottom Right pulled tight with offset -0.011]
[MSG:INFO: Bottom Left pulled tight with offset -0.064]
[MSG:INFO: Top Right pulled tight with offset -0.075]
Extend All
[MSG:INFO: Extending all belts]
[MSG:INFO: All belts extended to center position]
Apply Tension
[MSG:INFO: Measured waypoint 0]
[MSG:INFO: Center point deviation: TL: 0.101 TR: 0.084 BL: 2.837 BR: 5.802]
[MSG:INFO: Center point deviation: TL: 0.101 TR: 0.084 BL: 2.837 BR: 5.802]
[MSG:INFO: Center point deviation within 12.000mm, your coordinate system is accurate]
Maslow is not ready to move.
Could not perform Jog. Belt lengths are unknown.

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encountered the same problem, you have to upgrade the firmware, see After Calibration: Maslow is not ready to move - Belt lengths are unknown :slight_smile:

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Thanks for the help. That’s very interesting, as I previously upgraded to 1.0 via the USB interface. Or at least I went through the steps and thought it was successful… I’ll try it again and see what happens.

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You can find the version numbers under Maslow, Setup then Test and it will reply with version nos. and status currently loaded.

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If you are still stuck on stripped setscrew sockets, a Sock-It-Out might save you. Argh. They seem to have folded… It was a set of special tapered allen keys. Put it in the stripped hole, tap with a hammer, unscrew. Great tool! Might still find them if you hunt enough.

Left handed drill bits are also a good trick. When they catch they try to unscrew the fitting :slight_smile:

If you loctited the setscrew then stick a soldering iron in the hole and get it hot before trying to remove it.

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Cheers for the Sock-It-Out suggestion. I appreciate all the M3 button head bolt removal suggestions the community have been sharing on other topics too.

Ended up having to try out more approaches than anticipated, including angle grinding to release gear after I stripped a set screw (grub screw)…

After that fluff up, for one of the other motors, I had better success by pre heating set screw with a soldering iron first (~20-30 secs) before loosening with a regular Allen key, the heat definitely helped soften the thread locker.

Noticed what looked like white thread locker on the brushed motor mount screws when removing them, but, I don’t remember using white thread locker during 4.0 assembly. So, guessing the motors originally came with pre applied dry thread locker?

I will be using blue Loctite 243 for my 4.1 build when mounting the motors to the new PCBs and arms. Hoping blue will be good enough, and less frustrating if/when modding/updating in the future.

I can share details on other approaches tried if anyone’s interested in info/fluff-ups?

image
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Dude… Sorry to hear about your “Labors of Hercules”!

Powdery white stuff on a screw coming out of the motor might be a corrosion product from aluminum or zinc.

Honestly, ANY loctite is better than none. I don’t think you need anything more fierce than the “small screws easy removal” type. The strong ones are WAY too strong for tiny screws.

Yeah, soldering irons and soldering -guns- are a great tool when loctite is involved!