Any Reliability Experience with the low cost DROs

Hello Keith Yes they are good but like all things there are some misgivings compared to say Mitutoyo. When you select imperial it doesn't count in full tenth steps, metric no problem, there are to many trailing zeroes which can be a pain when trying to get the reading spot on as the machine hand movements aren't accurate enough, better points about them is they remember your position even when switched off and even if you move the handwheel when switched off, the manual could do with someone sitting down with plenty of spare time and re-writing it in proper English with some good examples, this would make it easier to get used to all of the functions. All in all though they are very good for the price I have a mill version on a Bridgeport, Lathe version on a Hardinge and a Mitutoyo setup on a Bridgeport, I also have Quillstar units on the quill this makes for very accurate Z axis feed . Mounting them is not to bad but the fitting kit is not the best. Hope this info helps I have had them over a Year and had no problems Cheers Colin

Don't know about reliability ... my friend bought a dro recently ...sino from machine dro dot com

Very impressed with the quality of the fittings and the alloy housing for the read out.

downside.....

all the best.markj

You could always stand on a stool...

Peter

Colin hi, thanks for that - excellent information and just what I needed. I'm currently using an old Anilam on the Bridgeport which is fine but of course won't be of any use if I get a smaller mill. While mine is a bit basic in function it still makes the machine a pleasure to use. I see you have a good selection of DROs there so if you are happy with them I'm sure they will do me fine. It does make me wonder though why they continue to spoil reasonable tooling with crap instructions that you can hardly comprehend. While it can raise a smile on something as simple as a milldrill it is frustrating when the function set is more comprehensive and I do really want to use some of the more advanced abilities.

Best regards

Keith

Thanks Mark, as I've just said to Colin it beats me why they continue to spoil very reasonable kit with crap instructions. I'll have to have a good look at an instruction manual as I'm no expert with DROs; if I can make the midlands exhibition I can see what I will be doing for a couple of hours :-)

Best regards

Keith

Peter

The only benefit I can see of standing on a stool is that I can refute the wife's charge of always having my head in the clouds as it would actually be in the rafters :-) The problem with the Bridgy is that it is just too bulky and I haven't really used any of the bigger capacity. If I am really honest, either the Bridgeport or the little Westfield needs to go. If I thought next summer was going to be as wet as this one the Bridgy would certainly stay. Perhaps I should do a JS and build another couple of thousand square feet on the end

Best regards

Keith

I believe he's taken to measuring his workshop in hectares recently...still less spare floor space than the average aircraft kazi though

Regards, Tony

On Tue, 23 Sep 2008 05:59:07 -0700 (PDT), jontom snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote: Hi keith

I have a Sino unit fitted to Peters old Warco VMC mill and I have found it to be excellent. Its been fitted well over 12 month and I have had no problems at all.

I orderd it at the Midlands show and got a bit of discount from Machine DRO (Allendale)

I only tend to use the very basic functions but as stated the manual is not brilliant for the more advaces user.

My advice is to buy one ASAP

All the best

Paul

Paul thanks for that, actual experience is always the most reliable teacher. I will certainly spend some time on their stand at Warwick and hope I can make up my mind before the current financial situation affects the price of things.

Glad to hear that Peters VMC (don't think it was "old" though ) is still keeping you entertained and productive.

Best regards

Keith

On Fri, 26 Sep 2008 03:51:01 -0700 (PDT), jontom snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com

Just being nosey here keith, but what's going to replace the Bridgy? Do you perhaps have a KX1 or KX3 in mind?

Peter

I recently bought a new DRO for the Bridgy when the old Heidenhain packed up, sooner than look for 20 year old scales to fit I bit the bullet and looked around. The best deal I could find was from Jade Products who advertise in MEW. Left a a message on Saturday morning and got a return call that afternoon. Everything was in stock and I agreed to collect it on the Monday as I was passing there on my way down south although they will ship the whole lot for 6 quid !

I bought the 3 axis model as for about 50 quid you get a 3 axis readout instead of 2 and another scale. I decided to fit one scale to the knee as I have a caliper type on the quill that works fine. Fitting was a doddle, took about 2 hours to get both scales on, not fitted the knee one yet. Plenty of screws and brackets in fact enough to upgrade my No # 7 Mecanno set to a # 34 Yes the manual is in Chinglish but after two reads it became clear and I DON'T have a classical education. Only thing i haven't studied that does need some attention is the sub routine that remembers 256 different way points. Not too bothered about that as after 124 the Alzheimer's kicks in and I can't remember what I'm doing anyway, what Bridgeport, do you live here, why am I being keep a prisoner ?

Just need to save some more beer tokens and get a couple more for the lathes.

John S.

I've had a Sino DRO on a CVA lathe for a couple of years now, it's given no trouble at all although granted it doesn't get used every day. I'm happy enough with it to have bought another kit earlier in the year for the other lathe, I've got a bit of space at last to do the job. Just need a bit of time but people keep asking me to do odd things like fixing very large 50 year old marine gearboxes. Veering off topic, I took delivery of a new thrust bearing (dual spherical roller race) for the box yesterday, it came in it's own wooden packing case on its own pallet, I can just about pick up the bearing in its case but wouldn't want to have to carry it far!

Tim

Peter Hi, apologies for the very slow reply but I have been unwell for a couple of days. The wife says I was just tired of doing "jobs" and she might have a point but I was ill all the same.

The quick answer is yes the KX3 is definitely "in mind" but my financial controller says that is just where it will stop - "in my mind". :-(

Apart from the fact that it does not comfortably share my limited space with the Westfield, the initial thought to replace the Bridgy was due to a "friend of a friend of a friend" offering a nice, cheap and well equipped Elliot Omnimill which I have always fancied but could never find or afford in the condition I wanted. Now that he has got me planning he has decided (wisely I suspect) to keep his machine and fit a DRO himself. I blame Chris Edwards for my "green eyed envy" as he showed me his superbly rebuilt machine when I was down there and I was taken by its' versatility and convenient size. Anyway no such luck so I need to rethink things yet again. With time to think over the last couple of days I have concluded that as the Bridgy is reasonable and already fitted with a working Anilam and as I would be unlikely to get anything much for it I might just as well keep it. So thoughts are changing to complimenting it with a smaller mill and finding somewhere else for the Westfield to live.

At the moment one of the smaller Warco mills or the X3 from ArcEuro would seem to fit the bill and the later would appear to offer the possibility of a later conversion when (if?) I have earned enough "smartie points" in the domestic area to allow a serious spend.

Best regards

Thoughful of Wales

Tim, John, Et al, thanks for all the advice, experience and ideas. It seems the Sino is well regarded and also available (at least from one supplier) at a very reasonable price. Although my plans are a bit fluid to say the least at the moment I will add a system to my shopping list as soon as I have decided what to do about the machine. I just need my head to stop aching and my ears to stop ringing :-)

Best regards

Keith

I know what you mean Keith.

If I had the space I'd have a small CNC like the X3 or Tormach in like a shot. Don't know a thing about programming, but can't be that hard to learn. I had a couple of prototype jobs for a customer last year that had to be subbed out, perfect for CNC but too much for a manual machine.. With just those three jobs I could almost have paid for a Tormach....

I like the size and versatility of the Bridgy, so don't want to replace it, but a small CNC would be sooooooo nice.

Peter

Hi John

its Alwyn who has the dro

he's struggling with the manual

I made a mistake ...he did buy it from jade not machine dro

wonder if you could help

he has put one on his lathe

and cant work out, how to make it . MEASURE....half the diameter ..radius function...which you need on a lathe

There is a half function on it ...but it does not work like it should do

it works the opposite of what he was expecteing...and doubles up.

so would you mind ...if he phoned you up ...if you know how it works .

he's tried to ring jade over 20 times ......gets bt message saying ...no calls accepted

NOT GOOD SERVICE.

ALL THE BEST.MARKJ

Dear Mark J,

My name is John Devonport, of Jade Products, and i just wanted to respond to your post above, where you detail alleged poor service we afforded to Alwyn.

After Alwyn contacted us, we told him how to operate the radius - diameter function, going through it with him keystroke by keystroke.

As the function did not work the same as with his Accurite experience, we reported his concern to the manufacturer Sino, who gave us some further tips and procedures Alwyn could follow, to overcome his problem.

Then we phoned for him 3 or 4 times, leaving our telephone number, which is 01788 573056, which is our main business line that you can find in all our web and media presence. - We always answer our phone, and we always call people back, and we always conclude matters in a professional and courteous manner.

As Alwyn did not return our calls, we assumed he was satisfied, and the matter was closed. According to your bt message part above, maybe it's a wrong number that Alwyn dialled.

I'll call him on Monday, as it seems his problem is still live in his mind

To conclude our reply to you, - if you purchase a Sino system from Jade Products, you can be sure that it is a UK spec system, with full

Regards, John Devonport

Well that's not bad service in my book. The two times I have had to ring Jade over buying a system to fit the lathe I have got thru both times straight away, perhaps as JD says he was dialing the wrong number.

Did he use the English country code if he was dialing from abroad - Wales ?

-- Regards,

John Stevenson Nottingham, England.

Visit the new Model Engineering adverts page at:-

It's not the dialing code he needs, it is just that DEFRA have added a 6 month quarantine on calls from Wales :)