DRO on old lathe

wpala said:

Hi
So here is the deal I would like to add DRO on my '70s SM 13x40 lathe do I go 2 axis or 3- long, cross and compound or just long and cross also what size of glass scale should I use any help would be appreciated

Paul

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AMAZON, look up IGAGING

fixit

Depends what type of work you're doing. I put the Igaging scales on my mill. I wouldn't use them on the lathe. No offense to the guys using them but IMO they're not accurate enough. I went with a used SINO 2 axis setup I got cheap off Ebay. I intended to put it on my Heavy 10 but the Heavy 10 didn't lend itself to easy installation cuz she's s sexy, curvy beast. The more squared parts or more modern lathes are a lot easier to install scales into. I'm going to put the SINO on my G4003G. If you're going thru all that trouble to install a DRO you might as well make it a decent one unless you know for certain that down the road you won't regret going cheap.

Splat said:

Depends what type of work you're doing. I put the Igaging scales on my mill. I wouldn't use them on the lathe. No offense to the guys using them but IMO they're not accurate enough. I went with a used SINO 2 axis setup I got cheap off Ebay. I intended to put it on my Heavy 10 but the Heavy 10 didn't lend itself to easy installation cuz she's s sexy, curvy beast. The more squared parts or more modern lathes are a lot easier to install scales into. I'm going to put the SINO on my G4003G. If you're going thru all that trouble to install a DRO you might as well make it a decent one unless you know for certain that down the road you won't regret going cheap.

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Therein lies the problem (for me at least):
1. multitude of brands and models available
2. wild variation of prices
3. most, or nearly all of them are made in china
4. a great number of different brands are made by the same manufacturer
5. higher selling price does not necessarily guarantee or indicate better quality
6. most hobby folks are necessarily frugal
7. many of us are not professional machinist or electronic engineers, so we garner what information is available and and forge ahead.
8. there simply is not enough information available such as product reviews on which to formulate an intelligent purchasing decision. That is why this forum, your post and others like it are so valuable.
Thanks
Chuck

Believe me, Chuck. I totally understand. After using the Igaging scales on my mill I was happy as heck that I did install them but I wished they were more accurate, too. That led me to looking at real DRO's for my Heavy 10. The SINO SDS6-2V I bought used had received quite a few good reviews so that's why I went with it. You can use 5µm (0.0002") or the higher resolution 1µm (0.00005") scales, glass or magnetic. One of the glass scales I got needs to be shortened but from what I've seen it can be done somewhat easily. Magnetic scales are more impervious than glass to coolant, liquid or dust and are slimmer too. For more information check out the DRO Pro's website. There's lots of info on there to help measure your lathe and choose a DRO system. I've not bought from them but they come highly regarded. You don't need a top-shelf DRO system but IMO if you're going thru all that trouble to install scales than don't go dirt cheap either.

Heres a link to the store I bought my DRO from, I got a three axis Easson brand for my mill but they have many different DROs in stock, this one looks like a good deal:
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/pr...eces-0-1000mm-Linear/1021179_32410015009.html
Yup you will be buying directly from China but the seller "Willson" was very easy to communicate with and the site Aliexpress has buyer protection similar to eBay. It's way to save hundreds on the same DROs being sold on eBay Dro Pors etc.

the cheap eBeast ones work ok, especially when ur lathe is metric and ur brain isn't, but u still need to mike and nudge in for any accuracy.

I installed the iGaging scales on x, z, and tailstock on my Grizzly G602. I also am using Yuriy's Touch DRO which can access the full resolution of the scales which is .01mm. On the inch scale, this gives a .0004" resolution on the radius or .0008" on the diameter. The Touch DRO readout can display in either radius or diameter.

The tailstock was the first scale I installed to permit a reasonably accurate measure of depth of drilling or boring. I use the cross feed readout as it saves me counting turns on the crank or dealing with the metric/inch approximation (1 turn = 1.5 mm =.0591" instead of .0600"). For critical diametrical work, I come up close and use a micrometer for the final cuts.

If there were a practical way to mount a readout on the compound, I would add that as well as I do use the compound frequently. However, on a small lathe you just run out of space.

I agree with everything said so far, and add my 2⍧.

The DRO I added to my HF mini-mill several years ago is a simple, cheap unit that only displays down to 0.001", and whose accuracy is probably 0.002-0.003". But it's just fine for that purpose! A more precise set of scales would be as expensive as the original mill. And because this mill is not too rigid, I seriously doubt I could get to better than 1 or 2 thousandths anyway.

So, along with all the other factors you're considering when choosing a DRO, you should include the machine's capabilities. And, at least as far as I'm concerned, any DRO is a vast improvement over squinting at dials.

I bought the SNS-3V (5um 3 axis kit) for my G0755 mill and the GCS900-2DB (5 um 2 axis kit) for my G4003G lathe. Both from AliExpress for $499.60, which was only a couple of dollars more than one single Sinpo 3 axis, so basically I got DRO kits for 2 machines for the cost on one Sinpo. I have not had the opportunity to instal them yet and I agree with you guys, the DroPros videos on DRO installation is the best available, I only wish my budget would have alowed me to buy from DroPros but being retired and on a fixed frugal budget I do the best I can with what I have.
I do not have a machinist background, my first lathe was a 12X36 Craftsman that I bought off of a local gunsmith to do a little gunsmithing work for myself, next I bought a used Enco table top mil/drill (Tiawan made) and was perfectly happy with their capabilities, A Millwright friend (who to my deep sorrow has since passed away), along with trial and ERROR taught me what little I know about useing metal machines.
A short circuit in an extension cord to a trickle charger attached to my beloved Harley caused a fire that cost me 2 Harleys, the lathe, the mill, and many tools & machinery collected over the past 40+ years. So I am in the process of rebuilding my workshop. I would like to send thanks to all of you guys who take the time to post and share your hard earned knowedge and experiences with the rest of us, I guess you have taken the place of my departed Millwright buddy.
Thanks
Chuck

Chuck, sorry to hear of your loss. Wow! I don't even wanna think about that! I am glad to hear you had a good experience with getting your DRO's. Now you gotta get'em installed buddy! ...and then we want pictures!