DRO suggestions

I have a 2 axis DRO on my mill, and if I had it to do over, I'd go with a 3 axis model. I'd put the Z axis on the knee on my mill. As it is, I am usually looking at the DRO readout for X and Y, then I have to look down at the dial on Z crank. It would be nice to have all the readouts in one place and not have to look down where it is harder to read. Heck, as long as I'm at it, why not put a second Z axis readout on the quill, too?

I am very happy with my Shooting Star DRO, but it would be nice to have glass scales, for about the same price, as long as reliability is not compromised.

Pete Stanaitis

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Ignoramus2277 wrote:

OK, I agree with you on the Z axis for the knee. As for the quill, all it takes is placing a sliding readout with its own scale, since it is easily visible right on front of the operator.

Thanks. I think that since I am spending money anyway, I should get a

Iggy

I'd definitely go with the 3 axis, in for a dime in for a dollar. Put the z scale on the knee, you'll use it for milling to size, where the quill is usually, or should be, retracted anyway. For drilling, c'boring, etc with the quill the stop provided is usually quite adequate. As you point out there are several digital caliper type scale setups available for quill installation.

I've dealt with that seller, Linear Measuring Systems, and found them to be very helpfull. I bought some Jenix scales from them to work with an existing Sargon display, the Jenix scales are quite nicely made and very reasonable. Tim at LMS was very patient and provided excellent technical advice. I'm just a satisfied customer.

Paul

Third axis is nice to have. Lock the quill, and forget about it. No dickin' around with resettable dials, or hoping that the table moved a thou or three when you wanted two.

If you are going to the trouble and cost, might as well get good!

Cheers Trevor Jones

Looking at the ebay DRO, it has two axiis and a quill readout. Kinda a gyppo setup. Get one with the Z axis on the knee. You can always stick one of those cheapo digital caliper units on the quill if you feel the need.

Better to have the ability to accurately measure along the full travel of the knee.

Cheers Trevor Jones

Lotsa guys just hook up a portable digital Caliper. Cheap and effective. Harbor freight has a 6" for $15 bucks

X bridgeport road guy

Thanks Paul. I will go with three axis. I will give them a call tomorrow to make sure that I get a system I want (Z axis to go on the knee, not on quill, in reference to another poster), and then will do a Buy It Now.

Before doing a Buy It Now, I will call to make sure that I get the following system (from their ebay auction):

Package Number: Uniq 9423K milling system 12" x 32" x 18" Travel

Fits 9 x 42 milling machines:

Yes, it does, and it works.

Definitely, yes.

They seem to have a model that should fit my mill, I will double check the X axis tonight, but I believe it to be 9x42.

I'd vote for 3-axis as you seem to have decided judging from later posts. Does your BP mill have a quill stop with adjusting dial? That Clausing 8530 you sold off a while back had that as a standard feature and I've it to be quite useful, even with a 3-axis DRO on the mill.

One advantage of the Shooting Star DRO's is that it is very easy to cut the racks to the exact size needed for your mill travels. That is somewhat harder to do with glass scales.

Mike

I thought long and hard about a three axis and just couldn't justify it. But, our milling might be different than yours, 90% is 2-axis. I'll watch a dial 10% of the time.

I thought long and hard about a three axis and just couldn't justify it. But, our milling might be different than yours, 90% is 2-axis. I'll watch a dial 10% of the time.

Don't throw your money away needlessly. 2 axis with a DIAL indicator will do everything you need. Imo, anybody using a caliper style digital display on "Z" hasn't been "enlightened" to old technolgy dials. It is WAY easier to read quill travel to a certain depth with a dial indicator without going past your target depth. Dixon

On my Sieg X3, I have a DYI DRO - Shumatech. Had it for a number of years. For more, visit shumatech.com . It is possible, for a smaller envelope mill, to have a complete 3 axis DRO for $200 or so.

There's a seller on Ebay that sells Meister DRO directly from Singapore - seems to have a ton of 100% positive feedback.

On poking in Z - you better have and use adjustable stop to make sure you don't mill/drill deeper than required. I made my own, loosely fashioned after Bport.

Useable technique : to make sure the lower "nut" doesn't wander due to vibration, I use a piece of compression spring, topped with another nut.

After setting the lower stop nut to reqd depth, I adjust the top one to where the spring compresses a bit. Now it pushes outward and it prevents the nuts from moving.

Am happier than a pig in mud with my Shooting Star DRO used on my lathe. I wish that I had one to replace the @#$%SARGON DRO on my mill.

You mainly just locate through holes?

We hardly use the quill on our mill at all. Just for holes or cut-to-a-line quality machining.

All depths of cut are adjusted on the knee.

Works for us. Would not work worth a darn if there was only two axiis to use.

Cheers Trevor Jones

I got this one:

It's worked great and the people were very helpful in selecting the correct scales. Get the Z-axis. Would you get a car without A/C and P/S?

My only concern is that someday I'll have to reverse engineer the schematic.

Sim> I am considering, very seriously, buying of a DRO. I would like to