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Post by blogwitch on Nov 20, 2016 8:57:19 GMT
I have at this time 7 glass scales fitted to my two main machines, 3 on my mill, plus a scale on the quill and 4 on my lathe. Soon to have another two fitted to my new surface grinder. I have been into this sort of thing ever since they started to appear on the hobby scene, mainly scales. They were a nightmare to keep working and I spent as much on them than I would have spent on glass scales in the first place. Touch wood, I have yet to have any faults appear over the years I have been using glass scales, I think due to the time I spent initially setting them up perfectly in the first place. chestermachinetools.forumchitchat.com/post/fitting-a-dro-to-crusader-tailstock-7282746?pid=1286071543BTW, this was all done because a company asked me to make components for them that had a 0.0002" limit on some parts. The cost was recouped in days, and I ended up with a good system on my machines. Not an easy tolerance to work to when using your machine dials, in fact I haven't looked at them in years, I rely totally on the DRO readings. It seems that magnetic ones are catching up fast, but definitely a little more expensive. If you are considering fitting DRO's, then that might be the way to travel as most problems with liquid and swarf ingress have been solved by these magnetic versions. John
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Post by blogwitch on Nov 21, 2016 8:26:14 GMT
Kipford (Dave), Like most people new to machinery, are you sure you aren't trying to climb mill in places? The usual problem is that you cut conventional going one way, and things are fine, then on the return you take another cut, and that is when you start to climb mill. It is always better to return to the start without a cut on. Just cutting in one direction only. You can get away with it on larger machines because of the weight of the table, or on small CNC machines because of the anti backlash ball screws. Even though I have a largish mill, Chester 836, and it can do climb milling within reason, I just don't. The job isn't going to get up and run away, so take your time and do those one way cuts. John
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Post by 92220 on Nov 24, 2016 12:22:27 GMT
Gents Thanks for the recent responses. Reducing the depth of cut seemes to be better. It may also be me just getting more used to the machine. One thing though the DRO's I have are going in the bin. Despite isolating them from the machine, they still eat batteries and randomly change readings whilst in use. A 4mm collegue has the same ones and similar problems. So I have two choices, go for the Warco optical version or ones the same as Steve, which I would interested to know where they came from as there are a number of similar suppliers? The option to use Warco's version which although about £80 more you does give the advantage that if they go wrong they are only just up the road. Just need to make a decision before the next Warco open day. I've used Machine DRO 3 axis optical units on my Senior mill for years, and just fitted a 2 axis to the lathe. Never had a problem with them. Repeatability and accuracy is excellent.
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Post by blogwitch on Nov 24, 2016 16:51:13 GMT
I most recently bought my latest one from China (where 99% of the others come from under different badges) I don't think you will find any cheaper or more reliable. In the long run, much cheaper than the crap scale type. Chinese DRO'sJohn
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uuu
Elder Statesman
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Posts: 2,816
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Post by uuu on Nov 24, 2016 17:37:52 GMT
At the Midlands exhibition, I was impressed the new lathe on the Myford stand, where they had hidden the cross-slide and top-slide senders within their respective dovetail/leadscrew housings. Very neatly done (invisible), and completely shielded from crud.
Wilf
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