New DRO's

[-steves-]

Here is a sneak peek at my DRO system on the X2 mill.  The scales are installed, but the chip covers are not on in this photo as I still have some milling to do on them before they are ready to be installed. 

I was worried about the life span of the watch batteries in the readouts so I soldered wires to the battery terminals and hooked them up to two "D" sized batteries.  Two "D" batteries cost $3.00 and should last over a year, while six watch batteries are around $19.00 and if they are like my calipers they will only last 6 months so making the up grade was an easy decision. 

I should have the chip covers done by the end of the week and post pictures of the whole project.

Dale P.

Absolutely awesome, thats just what I would like to do with mine, given the time and money to do so. I like that very much, great thinking on the batteries too 

[Davo J]

You did a good job on that, and those covers will keep anything off them.

Dave

[Pete.]

Wow, all sold out. Looks like they were very popular.

I'll have to wait until they are back in stock I guess..

[ketanswali]

May be...Perhaps...Hopefully...end-March 2012....Sorry!

[Jonny]

Thanks for bringing X and Z up up Davo, had to check even though use daily and yes two Z axis Z0 and Z1  http://www.machine-dro.co.uk/images/detailed_images/ae10_3l_web.gif
Mills are X, Y and Z though.

I am one of the few that can actually compare glass to magnetic but dont want to disturb the glass Sino on the mill that play up. Would yo settle as an accurate comparison a Mitutoyo IP67 caliper firmly clamped?

[Davo J]

Hi Jonny,
No need for a comparison, I was just quoting the accuracy off the manufacturers specs and don't want to run this thread off track, as I am sure it will be added to latter when new stock come in from ARC.

Dave

[-steves-]

Wow, all sold out. Looks like they were very popular.

I'll have to wait until they are back in stock I guess..

Indeed, they did sell out quick, I too am waiting for the next stock to arrive so i can get hold of some

[Jonny]

If you are going to install any cheap scale dont use the supplied brackets, rather defeats the object of having a readout.

It got the better of me today and decided to compare cheap scale, magnetic and glass scales of which i'll start a new thread with piccies that dont lie.

[jim]

i'm still chuffed with mine

if i want real accuracy i'll break out the Drop Clocks!

[Jonny]

One mans accuracy is another mans inaccuracy, i dont call an error of .27mm accurate. All these brackets are the same they flex before actually moving.

[fixerup]

I've just finished installing a 6" Igaging from American eagle on my mill  Y axis. I made sure there was no binding between the scale beam and the reader the whole 5.5" travel. I've compared the accuracy with my mill dial and I get a +.010" over 5" travel.
I double checked with a  1" dial indicator and got a .003" error over an 1"
Here is my numbers
Milling dial        1"dial indicator      Igaging
.000"                 .000"                     .000"
.100                   .100                      .099
.200                   .200                      .199
.500                   .501                      .498
.800                   .801                      .798
1.000                 .999                      .997
2.000                                             1.994
3.000                                             2.992
5.000                                             4.990

I've bought all my linear scale to do my mill and one for the lathe apron (6", 12",24" and 35")
But I'm debating installing the other scale if the resolution is going to be .011" per 5" travel. ( spec are - + .002" per 6")
I need to investigate more.
I've pull and push on the mill table and there was no change in the DRO and my dial indicator. (somewhat checking gib and worn screw nut ?? )

Has mention in the previous post, I will mount a dial indicator on the provided scale mounts to see if I get any deflection while moving along the total travel on the Y axis.

Any advise is welcome!

Thanks!
Phil

Update

Well  after looking at the bracket deflection (none was found)I realize my initial mounting was not that great after all.  The digital scale beam bracket installation was off of parallel to the y axis by .020"  DuH!   So after some shimming I managed to improve the accuracy to .003" over the 5" travel.  I'll be tweaking some more when I get some more shop time available

Cheers!
Phil

[Jonny]

In all fairness this is what i am refering to, piccies dont lie.

Cheap scale registers 0.01mm because thats initial movement registered from zero.


This is the actual movement minus the 0.01mm = 0.135mm. This is the supplied bracket flexing in one direction and same again in opposite direction. Brand new brackets never used, when i did use the readout was bolted direct.


All i am saying is dont assume because you have a dro of some sort its accurate. Quick easy method of checking is a DTI as well.
Incidently the glass and magnetic gave the same result within 0.005mm in favour of the magenetic as that moved first.
X is the glass scale plugged in.
Z0 middle is the Magnetic wound in until the glass started to register.

So that answers all the concerns over magnetic not being accurate, well in relation to the Sino glass.

[BarryG41]

Many Thanks black velvet.
 I ordered  from Grizzly and  because my order was less  than $200  they would not ship to Australia.  Eagle America has accepted the order and a better price anyway.

Barry G

[ibuildstuff4u]

     I read this post before I went to bed and couldn't sleep.  I had to get back up and check my machine to see if my new scales were accurate or if they had issues as some of you suggest. 

     I ran the table back and forth on the X and Y axis and verified the scales with the dials.  On the longest travel, 7.5" the scale only deviated .0005 to .001 during my tests.  I also checked the table with a dial and could only see a .0005 difference in 1" of travel which could be simply due to the placement of the dial indicator.  For a crappy little mill such as the X2 I think this is good enough.  I really only trust this milling machine to + or -.005 anyway.

     I'm not sure how some of your guys are mounting your scales, but they MUST be mounted parallel to the table or you will have an error in your readings as well as put undue stress on your scales as the table moves back and forth.  They also must be mounted in a rigid manor so you can't see any movement on the LCD screen when you wiggle on the black box attached to the scale.  I made my own mounting brackets, but can't see how the supplied brackets would flex unless you have some kind of undue stress being put on to the scales as they should move very easily and shouldn't be flexing a metal bracket. 

    *** If you need a more accurate gauge Grizzly now sells a stainless steel version of these gauges and they claim an even better tolerance than the aluminum ones.

The  6" scale is $43.95  and is .001 in 6"
The 12" scale is $61.95 and is .0015 in 12"
The 24" scale is $99.95 and is .002  in 24"
The 38" scale is $109.95 and is .003 in 38"

I wish I would have known about these stainless steel scales before I bought mine as I would have up graded them.  The three scales cost me $110.00 plus shipping for my milling machine.  If I bought the new stainless scales it would have cost $168.00 plus shipping.  The extra $58.00 would have been worth it for a more accurate gauge. 

I'm about to buy scales for my lathe and will have to consider the stainless steel ones.

Aluminum scales for the lathe will be $75.00 plus shipping, and the stainless steel ones will cost $145.00 plus shipping.  So $70.00 more for a more accurate DRO.

OK it's off to bed!

Dale P.