# Wiggle room on arms - normal or problem?

**URL:** <https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/wiggle-room-on-arms-normal-or-problem/26204>\
**Category:** Hardware\
**Created:** [September 6, 2026, 9:26am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/wiggle-room-on-arms-normal-or-problem/26204 "2026-09-06T09:26:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RPGeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/439d5e/32.png) [@RPGeiger](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/RPGeiger)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 9:26am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/wiggle-room-on-arms-normal-or-problem/26204/1 "2026-09-06T09:26:45Z")

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Hey there,

I replaced the Makita clone router by a DeWalt /EU version) and printed the inner Posts and run into the following problem:  
There seems to be a lot of wiggle room for the arms now.

With the other router and the adaptor cylinder everything was very tight but it ran very smoothly.  
Now the arms seem to wobble somehow.  
They are not sitting tight on the router core like the Makita version with adaptor.

So there are two kinds of wiggle room:

1. on the z-axis as shown in the first video, around 3mm
2. on the x-axis as shown in the second video, around 0.5 to 1mm

What am I doing wrong?  
Thanks a lot in advance for hints and solutions

Cheers

Roland

  
 ![17886846441114310295572884480227](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/uploads/maslowcnc/original/3X/5/d/5dc8f24388a6a8a84b9dadecba02a6ed141e4922.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![Lasse](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/lasse/32/27131_2.png) [@Lasse](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Lasse)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 11:45am UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/wiggle-room-on-arms-normal-or-problem/26204/2 "2026-09-06T11:45:53Z")

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I have the exact same wiggle room as you describe. Thought that this was normal 🙂 I also run a EU DeWalt router. I’ve been running projects successfully with quite some precision. Tight radius corners or circles smaller than 10 mm does not come out evenly, but that’s maybe a Maslow thing in general.

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**Author:** ![RPGeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/439d5e/32.png) [@RPGeiger](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/RPGeiger)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2026, 12:59pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/wiggle-room-on-arms-normal-or-problem/26204/3 "2026-09-06T12:59:42Z")

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Thanks for your reply, Lasse.  
I just reassembled the Makita clone version and yes…there is also the 3mm gap in the z-axis.  
But the tight fit to the router aluminum core feels so much better and prevents the arm (especially the upper ones) from being torn down on the belt exit side.  
This should avoid weird vector forces I hope.

I really want to avoid having broken arms in the end due to the weak plastic material.  
Already replaced the following parts due to this problem:

- the clamps (replaced by turtle clamps ❤)
- the inner posts
- the (worn out) plastic z-axis lead screws by metal versions
- before I made my own clamp wedges with melt-in bolts – with turtle clamp they are kind of obsolete

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**Author:** ![IArchi](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/forums.maslowcnc.com/iarchi/32/25496_2.png) [@IArchi](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/IArchi)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2026, 12:24pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/wiggle-room-on-arms-normal-or-problem/26204/4 "2026-09-07T12:24:47Z")

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I’ve 3D printed a 3mm donut and add it to the last (upper) position. Now everything is more rigit and the fitness is still great.

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**Author:** ![Dano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Dano](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/u/Dano)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2026, 6:19pm UTC](https://forums.maslowcnc.com/t/wiggle-room-on-arms-normal-or-problem/26204/5 "2026-09-07T18:19:06Z")

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The few mm gap in the z direction is “normal” as designed by Bar. Some people have added spacers and most have lived with it.

The gap between the router and the arm spools are not normal. The math of the machine expects the center of the spool to be also centered on the router. If possible fill the gap. Several others have 3d printer a cylinder sleeve to make up the space.

Dano