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which dro option is best suited for a 3 in 1 machine?

I'm looking at a shumatech dro kit for my smithy 1220ltd. I'm a complete amateur with my machine and can't decide if the milling version or the lathe version is best for my use.

I'm leaning toward the mill version because I seem to use it more than my lathe but some of the lathe options in the shumatech dro look pretty nice.

I'm also considering getting both lathe and mill dro face plates and just reprogramming the dro whenever I switch operations.

any thoughts or advice welcome.

Thanks

Reply to
Modat22
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I've been looking for a good solution for a cheap DRO as well. Shumatech looks great but I've found another option I've decided to go with and it sounds like it would be even better in your case. It's YADRO at:

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It's an interface between cheap digital scales like those used by the Shumatech DRO and a PC serial port. You can connect up to 4 scales and if I understand how it works correctly you would be able to run either the mill or the lathe program, whichever you needed at the time.

Nick Müller is the creator and frequents this newsgroup so you'll likely hear more details from him.

I'm in the process of ordering the kit. I say "in the process" because the guy that sells it in the US and Canada has recently suffered a heart attack so his brother's handling things for him along with his regular job and that's slowed the process a bit.

Best Regards, Keith Marshall snipped-for-privacy@progressivelogic.com

"I'm not grown up enough to be so old!"

Reply to
Keith Marshall

If you're a complete amateur, I suggest learning manual layout and machining techniques first. Sometimes you have to rework a part you don't have a drawing for, which doesn't have a good reference for your zero, and you have to work from scribed lines and punch marks and cut to fit. It's a good skill to learn and not always slower than using a DRO.

I'm happy to use the CNC Bridgeport if a company shop has one, but my own machines have only dials.

Jim Wilkins

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

Only when I'm asked. :-)

Oh sh*t! Hope he recovers quickly. Both are nice chaps.

Nick

Reply to
Nick Mueller

I had the same decisison to make for my Shoptask. I went with the milling version. The thing I think was best about the lathe version is the diameter/radius setting, but I am so used to doubling the cutting depth on the cross slide on mnaual lathes that it isn't any real disadvantage. Whereas the milling version has great features like bolt circles that are huge time savers.

We had a discussion with Scott on the forum several years ago on this topic. There simply isn't enough memory on the chips to support more functions and make a switchable version, but there is enough to add the diameter function to the milling version by dropping something as I recall.

Reply to
DT

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