fix – A Darker View

Ender 6 Hot End Cable Clamp

The Creality Ender 6 is an impressive 3D printer, particularly for the price. It does exhibit some obvious design issues however. One of these is the hot end cable clamp, it is just not sized well. This critical cable harness flexes constantly as the hot end moves back and forth.

The supplied clamp is one of the few 3D printed parts on the Ender 6. As you can see from the photo the clamp is simply not large enough to properly secure the cable loom. This is odd, as it would have been so simple to design and print a properly designed part.

Can you leave the clamp like this? Some hackers do, I have seen several YouTube videos of well used Ender 6’s with the original cable clamp and loose wiring. It does work, I printed my first prints with the clamp like this. However, if left alone it is likely that the wires would be stressed over time leading to premature failure of the cabling and requiring an annoying repair effort.

Fixing Slippahs

One of the necessary life skills in the islands is the ability to fix a slippah. Yes, I know the mainland calls this minimal footwear sandals or flip-flops, but here they are called slippers or slippahs.

Slippah Clip — A bit of heavy steel wire to repair a broken slipper strap clip.

The usual failure is the clip that holds the strap into the sole,a simple plastic item subject to wear as you walk. You could say this is simple bad design, but it really does not fail often and slippahs are pretty cheap to start with.

Plus, it is easy to fix.

My wife can relate a dozen slippah fixing tricks from around the school where she works. Many of the kids wear them and teachers learn all the tricks to fixing them when they inevitably break. From putting a bread clip on the central knob, to using a paper clip to replace the little side clips.

In my case it is one of the plastic clips that has failed. I used some heavy wire a touch more substantial than a paper clip.

Appliance Repair

Eventually it will break.

This is the rule for household appliances. I would just prefer that it not be a two year old microwave that I had installed into the kitchen cabinetry. Yes, I can probably fix it… after I dismount it and lower it out of place. A task much easier typed than done. No matter, I am on-call this weekend. I will be around the house all day anyway, may as well get something productive done.

An over-the-stove microwave costs a few hundred dollars, too much to just run out and buy a new one. Not enough to justify a repair call. I do not even want to think of what it would cost to get a repairman out to the house. Driving from Kona? Hawaiian rates? I can think of few easier ways to get robbed.

Naked Microwave — Microwaves are pretty easy to work on, just get the cover off and everything is right there

I can fix this. Microwaves are relatively easy. Plus, it is an LG, you can actually buy the parts without going through an authorized extortionist. I have long ago learned not to buy certain brands, restricting appliance purchases to companies for whom you can actually find the manuals and buy the parts.

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