# Cracked/broken plastic **URL:** \ **Category:** Hardware\ **Tags:** m4\ **Created:** [November 20, 2024, 10:40pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/cracked-broken-plastic/22787 "2024-11-20T22:40:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ronlawrence3](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/ronlawrence3/32/7886_2.png) [@ronlawrence3](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/ronlawrence3)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2024, 10:40pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/cracked-broken-plastic/22787/1 "2024-11-20T22:40:12Z")
So I got my new boards and connectors and went to take apart my M4 to install them. I saw that the parts holding the arms together on the top and bottom of the arms were both broken. I’m not sure what I did, and I’m SURE there are tons of more hours on most people’s machine than I have run. Has anyone else seen this? ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/maslowcnc/original/3X/c/0/c09718b3e3d28901105f0565e29063fcbb54f676.jpeg) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/maslowcnc/original/3X/b/2/b2087a46f4691a612e742620f608f795a2def607.jpeg) I don’t imagine my 3d printing them would be strong enough especially given I don’t print in tough materials nor will my printer handle it. So I’m ordering more, but I’m not sure what might have caused this… ---
**Author:** ![md8n](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/md8n/32/28197_2.png) [@md8n](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/md8n)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 2:10am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/cracked-broken-plastic/22787/2 "2024-11-21T02:10:40Z")
yep - I have definitely seen this. I reprinted stuff using PETG, still seems OK, I did try PLA and that wasn’t quite good enough ---
**Author:** ![ISDNiki](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/isdniki/32/22906_2.png) [@ISDNiki](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/ISDNiki)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 3:50pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/cracked-broken-plastic/22787/3 "2024-11-21T15:50:49Z")
Yes… broken clamp… First only the little bracket thingy. I made one from steel as replacement. ![IMG_20240919_153043](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/maslowcnc/original/3X/3/c/3cbbdfbc48969b0e6894ee33bfd9cbbc97491f23.jpeg) ![IMG_20240919_173105](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/maslowcnc/original/3X/c/a/cab1c42ef65062345c3ac0441b4f7e5167cf2808.jpeg) ![IMG_20240926_204721](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/maslowcnc/original/3X/7/0/706bd2567ce930cb32ece5ff4fa64fb126491a58.jpeg) Later the whole upper clamp broke… its a weak spot. I noticed when i was setting z axis and the router just moved out of the maslow. ---
**Author:** ![Andith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Andith](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Andith)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 10:20pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/cracked-broken-plastic/22787/5 "2024-11-21T22:20:45Z")
I haven’t cracked a clamp yet, but my biggest issue is getting them to exert enough pressure on the router to keep it still. It gets reasonably tight, but, often when I’m tightening a bit down, the router will then turn a bit in the clamp which then throws off the alignment for the spindle lock button. ---
**Author:** ![md8n](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/md8n/32/28197_2.png) [@md8n](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/md8n)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 10:55pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/cracked-broken-plastic/22787/6 "2024-11-21T22:55:39Z")
Here’s my design for a different clamp wedge - that will not lose the nut if you happen to loosen everything up too much > [@Clamp Wedge Just Couldn't Take It No More](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/clamp-wedge-just-couldnt-take-it-no-more/22253): > > One of the little clamp wedges decided enough was enough and parted ways with itself. Also, not losing the little nut somewhere inside the clamp, because you’ve backed off the tension too much is suuuper annoying. So I figured, now’s the time to design my own clamp wedge (stop sniggering, I can hear you from here), and include captive nuts (oh go on then). I ended up with this Not quite captive nut, but it’s close enough to “not going anywhere… ---
**Author:** ![bar](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/bar/32/10_2.png) [@bar](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/bar)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2024, 5:50pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/cracked-broken-plastic/22787/7 "2024-11-22T17:50:14Z")
This is excellent feedback. I am going to talk to the factory about reducing the glass fiber content in these parts. It seems like they are a little to brittle at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![ronlawrence3](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/ronlawrence3/32/7886_2.png) [@ronlawrence3](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/ronlawrence3)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2024, 6:48pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/cracked-broken-plastic/22787/8 "2024-11-23T18:48:26Z")
As I was dis-assembling again, I found some more weak points around only the bearing side. ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/maslowcnc/original/3X/8/4/841f21f48b995ec0fa747ec3ec32e60151aa88c4.jpeg) ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/maslowcnc/original/3X/c/6/c6c311001001197fc28e16284f79e2d325dc65e6.jpeg) Also, here is another pic fully disassembled of the clamp parts: ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/maslowcnc/original/3X/0/d/0d9e1d9bf37de8bc111b47d01e9219538309fd24.jpeg) Also, my garage temperature probably has not quite gone below freezing yet, but surely will at some point, and in the summer gets up to ~110F at times. Maybe when not cutting actively, the maslow should come inside to prevent any issues with the plastic? I also notice the clamp wedges were almost a crumbling texture where they fractured (same on the clamps where they broke), and I wonder if a material more “stretchy” like abs would be better? Also to be clear I’m not mad about this… just trying to help iterate on it. I know plastic keeps the cost down, but I wonder if other materials might be better suited for some parts that are under stress, even at increased cost.