DRO for ML7

[teakfreak]

I'd like to have a DRO fitted to my ML& - does anyone have experience of this? I seem to recall a trade stand for a company offering these at the Pickering exhibition in the Autumn buty didn't take any details. Ideally I'd like to find a company who will come and install it for me so any recommendations would be welcome.

[John Lee]

teakfreak said:

I'd like to have a DRO fitted to my ML& - does anyone have experience of this? I seem to recall a trade stand for a company offering these at the Pickering exhibition in the Autumn buty didn't take any details. Ideally I'd like to find a company who will come and install it for me so any recommendations would be welcome.

Chester do a kit for the Super 7, longer crosslide travel though. Google "Chester UK" and give them a ring. I don't know about fitting it though..sounds an expensive option for a simple screw on job

Regards,

John

[wayne]

Hi
I am currently fitting a sino dro from Allendale Electronics Ltd to my ML7 with long cross slide.

The main thing to ask your self is how to mount it

The above firm’s recommendations are

Carriage movement longitudinal scale fitted to the back of the bed using the bolt holes for the taper turning attachment for all options. Draw back is you can not use the taper turning attachment.

Cross slide movement they offer 3 methods

1 using the travelling steady hole as one of the attachment points. drawback is you cannot use the travelling steady.
2 mounted to the back of the cross slide (Tail stock side). This is the way the display version is mounted, you cannot get to the saddle/bed oilier, cross slide gib adjusters or the saddle lock bolt.
3 similar to 2 nut moved back, have not seen this method up close to comment, but it would foul the upright splash guard if you have one fitted.

I have overcome the cross slide problem and can use all attachments and get to all oil points and adjusters and clamps.

For the carriage I am in the possess of mounting it under the apron keeping my bed clear for my taper turning attachment.

As for why use a dro
1 No backlash error in the readings
2 setting tapers very accurately using the taper function
3 with a Dixon tool post up to 200 tools can be set to tip to center
great for measuring large diameters
4 if you want you can set it to 1 thou on 1 thou turnd off the diamiter
5 change between imperial and metric
6 longitudinal measurements can be accurately made
7 zero in any position.

Of course some people are happy to work with the dials fitted to the lathe and i will agree that this can work just as well for most of the above points, However one of the maintenance shops i used to work in had a Harrison M400 with a dro combined with indexable tooling made it a doodle to use.

I must admit if the dro is too much trouble than its worth I will just mount it on my surface grinder.

Ps Dros are available in several formats lathe milling ect and the scales can be Glass slide (best) wire or the same type as a digital venire

Regards Wayne

[Deleted]

I use the Newall 'Topaz' on my mill, after the previous one which used glass scales failed within 2 months due to the ingress of coolant. This in turn had replaced a much older glass scale one which became infuriatingly intermittent.
The Newall scales use a system of steel balls in a tube and are supposed to be very durable. I've had mine for about 3 years now and it is used daily for industrial work. Dead easy to fit and very good support from Newall. They do promotions quite regularly and mine was very competitively priced.
Whatever you buy; if it works, you will never look back!

[SteveW]

All,

I bought three linear DRO from Arc Euro and a Shumatech ( www.shumatech.com/ ) kit of parts from Lester Canne the UK poc. It provided a remote module available for either lathe or mill.

There was a thread here some while back on this one.

Some years back I also bought a set of linear DRO from Chronos at the Harrowgate MEX at a 'good' price. The problem with these was that the output format won't work with the Shumatech unit. When I looked at it it appeared to be in BCD format. Another one for the list of to-do's

[teakfreak]

I've got somer linear units ready to fit to my mill, but I have got slightly cold feet about these due to concerns about coolant getting into them as they are not the water resistant variety. I was watching sopmeone use a Colchester Chipmaster fitted with a DRO the other day and it opened my eyes as to how much work one of these devices can save when used intelligently.

[modeng2000]

I'm in the same situation as Teakfreak.

Just trying to make up my mind about the best way to install the unils on my mill.

John

[Steve M. W]

I'm looking for DRO for my bridgeport has anybody tried or used one from:
www.machine-dro.co.uk
Any comments please.

Steve

[wayne]

Hi Steve

Machine Dro is the same firm as Avendale i mentiond earlier, Fitting a dro to a mill is easy when compared to a small lathe, you have bigger areas to fasten to.

You need to work out the total travel of the axis and chose the appropriate scale

Also you can purchase purpose made covers for the scales

Using a dro on a mill allows for accurate jig drilling ect once you have set an accurate datum point

Once again i will say that it can all be done of the old fashioned way, but if you do take the plunge and purchase one, i doubt you will be disappointed, however the scales must be accurately fitted to within a thow in two planes for each scale.

Disclaimer i have no association with any of the aforementioned companies

Wayne

[steamjohn248]

I've had a two axis Newall on my Bridgeport for five years, no probs, dont know how I got on without it, it was'nt cheep but you get what you pay for. Its imp/metric which is handy especially if you do commercial work as well as modeling.

Steamjohn