Alignment issues

I'm still trying to get up and running again after the broken extruder. I was able to print a calibration cube but I noticed a few things, including thin extrusions which I'm still not sure what the cause is (will try leveling the bed for the 100th time).

As I was checking the travel of the head I noticed the right-side cable was a bit loose. I pulled on it a bit to check the play and as soon as I noticed a worn spot in the cable it snapped. After replacing the cable I now notice that if I move the head to the rear right corner and then move it forward along the Y axis, when I get to the front right corner there is about 1/4" of gap between the head and the XY end. I can then rotate the Y axis to make up for that 1/4".

The thing is I don't know if that was an issue before this happened or if I just need to re-tighten the cable. Is that indicative of something else, or should I go through the whole square and tension process again?

Its possible one of your X/Y cross bars is sticking out of the X/Y end and rubbing on the cable. It can also be the cable is crossing over itself and wearing out. The only other thing that has caused a cable to wear out that has been reported is the cable rubbing on the bearings in the printed case.

The only thing that I know of that causes the axis to go out of square is having the end of the cable with the loop tied in it too far under the washer so it does not actually clamp the cable as it should.

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I must have done something wrong from the start. The loops on both sides have been under the washer since my initial assembly. It doesn't appear to be slipping though, it's just like the Y axis middle rod is not entirely perpendicular to the X rods.

Its ok if the loops are under the washers. Its just if they are pulled to far through they will actually be inside the X/Y end and not under the washers.

Are you saying it is still out of square or was? If it is still out of square you will want to fix that otherwise none of your mechanical prints will usable.

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It was still out of square.

I think maybe I'm having trouble with pinning down the right amount of tension on the cables. I think I was pulling the front X cable too tight and that caused the XY end there to not be parallel with the rear XY end. I loosened it up a bit and now if I rotate through Y front to back it doesn't travel along the X axis like it was before. Now, however, if I move left or right along the Y axis both of the Y axis rods are moving on me. Are things still too tight? Too loose? Something else?

It is easiest to get it square if you have a way to hold the gears from turning (clamp or a helper), then with the carriage in one corner tighten up the cable (tight like a guitar string). Then loosen the opposite X/Y end and while holding the recently tightened X/Y end from moving turn the other gear until the carriage is against the loosened X/Y end. Then have someone hold the gear and previous X/Y end from moving and tighten the loose X/Y end while it is in the corner. Then to check if it is square turn the gear and see if the carriage stays in the corners.

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FFF Settings Calculator	Gcode post processors	Geometric Object Deposition Tool Blog
Tantillus.org	Mini Printable Lathe	How NOT to install a Pololu driver