Assembly Problem: Motor Screw

I am near the end of the build, really only have to assemble the extruder, but I have run into a problem I can't solve, hoping someone can help.

I need to remove two screws from the bottom of the step motor to mount the motor bracket to it, but the one screw is stripped out (from trying to remove it) and the other is in so tight I am afraid I will strip it out if I try and get it out. So any suggestion for getting these two screws out? Seems that they were excessively tight and the metal of the screw was so soft it just gave away really quickly. If I can't get the screws out I am going to have to get another motor?

(Related has anyone else had this problem? or is it just me?)

I stripped the head off one of my screws too. Since none of the motor wires had been snipped at this point, it was possible to re-allocate this motor to a position where I didn't need to remove the screws.

I also have various tools for removing stripped screws, but I decided against using them because they destroy the screw in the process. As we don't have spares of these, it's probably easier to just move the motor elsewhere.

Unlike the other screws in the kit, I think they are Phillips head, rather than Pozidriv. Using the wrong driver is more likely to strip them. I have done at least half a dozen and not had a problem. Nobody has reported it before.

The orientation of the extruder motor is not critical as long as the wires will reach, so you can rotate it and use the other two.

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[www.hydraraptor.blogspot.com]

Yes, I have been using a philips as I realized that it wasn't a pozidrive. But on this motor none of the screws come out, so I can't even rotate the motor. All four are in so tight that trying to get them out strips the screw. So I seem to have three options. 1. Would be to pull the motor on the Y axis and sub it out. This would involve though soldering wires back on the to the motor with stripped screws as I already trimmed the wires and they would not be long enough to replace the Y motor. 2. Get something to remove the stripped screw with, i.e. try and drill it out. 3. If one and two don't work go for a new motor.

Is number 1 an option? ie will resoldering wire back to make the wires longer on the motor after they have been trimmed cause a problem? I assume not but just want to make sure before I think about doing this . . . I can get the screws out on the x-axis motors as I tried without even taking off the frame and it was relatively easy.

Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 01/16/2014 05:53AM by academicdave.

Extending the wires is not a problem as long as you insulate them. Fortunately the join will be under the base, so won't show.

One trick is to cut them all different lengths so the joints don't overlap. Then you can simply wrap all four together with insulation tape or a single piece of heat shrink.

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[www.hydraraptor.blogspot.com]

Good idea to cut them at different lengths. I have extra heat shrink lying around that I can use so that's not a problem.

Might be worth adding to the list of things at the beginning of the build documents to try and remove the screws before you use any of the motors, that way if you strip the screws as I did, you aren't on your last motor necessitating undoing and extra wiring. I wonder if some of the motors have screws that are more difficult. The one motor I couldn't get any of the screws out, but the other two that I tried were no problem.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/16/2014 09:29AM by academicdave.

I had the same problem as Academicdave with one extruder motor screw. Removing another screw and mounting the motor turned by 90° has resolved the problem for me.

Yeah, on this one motor I couldn't get any of the screws off, they are all four starting to strip now. So going to have to sub out one of the motors (see solution 1 above).

Is it very warm or very cold where you are? The screws must have been tightened with the same head, so unless they are glued in the only way I can think they could get tighter is due to thermal expansion or contraction.

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[www.hydraraptor.blogspot.com]

No, not very warm or cold. And like I said all of the other motors were easy to get out, but that one motor, all four screws are now stripped. The whole box and printer have been inside in 60-70 degree temperatures. Again not really a big problem, especially if this hadn't happened on the last motor. . . .

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/17/2014 09:32AM by academicdave.