[Newbie] Dro

Cadillac STS said:
I would have them ship it with the extra $600, professional install and get it overwith. It is better to have one and the Pro install is worth the $100
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I'll definitely agree that that's the best course. And if I can ever afford a new mill or lathe, that's what I'll do. Unfortunately, all I can go for now is a slow dribble of used tools and DIY DRO installations - 2 mills, 3 lathes so far. DIY does take a bit of figuring, especially when the surfaces you want to mount on aren't square with the world. But shucks, folks, isn't that the essence of hobby machining?

Misquoting somebody else on the forum, why spend $5 to buy something when you can make it yourself for under $20?
 
You will want/get one sooner or later. Besides no counting turns & no backlash worries ... centering: touch off one side and zero. Touch off on the other side and 0/2 ... move to 0.000. Bolt Circles: read the manual (lol). And remember, as you get older ... number of turns are harder to remember and the numbers are harder to see, lol.

$500 is pretty reasonable, even for the Ebay imports (which I have had on two mills). $100 will save a bunch of tinkering, frustration, and the job will get done much faster (have done the install on two ... still don't have Z axis hooked up).
 
:beer bottles:I would love a DRO, but, I just use a good cheater lens and the numbers are clear. It's not bad to use your memory, to count the number of turns, and so on, especially as we get older.
If I were in your position, I would have them instal at the factory, and be done with it.
I hate drilling holes in new tables, anyway, though.
Enjoy your new mill.
 
Sure wish I had DROs on my mill. I wrote a little program for my calculator that gives me the number of turns and converts the remainder to thousandths. What a pain in the neck. Then while in the middle of the count the wife yells and wants me to take out the garbage or something. Can't start counting again because I don't know where I was.


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WOW! message received, loud and clear, install the DRO. Thanks
 
Having done three ( two mills and a lathe), I would say that installing a DRO definitely takes a lot more effort than an extra $100 bill for a pre-installed DRO. However, I don't believe that any pre-installed version would have given me the same quality that I have. In every case, I either scrapped the supplied brackets or modified them to my setup. My goal in all cases was not to compromise any of the existing capability of the machine in any way.

That said, time is money. The number of hours needed to design the needed brackets, adapters, etc. and to fabricate them and then to install them probably meant that I was working for peanuts. The reward is looking back at a job well done, which is something that appeals to many of us, judging from the many posts on this website.

Anyway, it looks like you have made your decision. I don't recall seeing what your final outcome with your previous problem was but I suspect that it what is driving this purchase. I sincerely hope that it is way more satisfying than the last.

Bob
 
RJSakowski said:
Having done three ( two mills and a lathe), I would say that installing a DRO definitely takes a lot more effort than an extra $100 bill for a pre-installed DRO. However, I don't believe that any pre-installed version would have given me the same quality that I have. In every case, I either scrapped the supplied brackets or modified them to my setup. My goal in all cases was not to compromise any of the existing capability of the machine in any way.
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Probably depends on who is doing the install and supplying the DRO/brackets. Buying a generic install kit requires a bit of fabrication to get it right. The DROPros videos are very helpful, but there are many machine specific nuances of mounting a DRO/scales that one learns with experience. Having installed them before, I opted to have PM/QMT install the DRO on a PM1340GT since they have all the jigs and machined the stand offs for the scales. They did an excellent job, and saved many hours of figuring it out and additional cost of supplies. You can also request specifics of mounting, such as where you want the DRO located. If you are experienced and have the time, then install it yourself, otherwise it is money well spent in this case to have them install it.

It would probably be helpful to others if you post the resolution outcome of your previous CO mill purchase and your thoughts on your new mill when it arrives. It has been a bumpy road, unfortunately many of us have already had similar experiences to you.
 
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RJSakowski said:
That said, time is money. The number of hours needed to design the needed brackets, adapters, etc. and to fabricate them and then to install them probably meant that I was working for peanuts.
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Too true! Ever since I retired, and don't need to allocate my hours between salaried work and machining, the "opportunity cost" of my labor is $0/hour.

RJSakowski said:
The reward is looking back at a job well done, which is something that appeals to many of us, judging from the many posts on this website.
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Exactly!

But it's also true that a well designed, well executed machine or machine part soon becomes "invisible" in use because of its reliability. It's only the problems that get and keep your attention. That was kind of a difficult lesson for me to learn as a design engineer.
 
hman said:
But it's also true that a well designed, well executed machine or machine part soon becomes "invisible" in use because of its reliability. It's only the problems that get and keep your attention. That was kind of a difficult lesson for me to learn as a design engineer.
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There are things that I have made years ago that still bring a warm feeling whenever I see them. Either that or it's heartburn from last night's chili:laughing:. There are also things that I have made that I would never sell because no one would pay me enough to compensate me for my effort. I may give them away, but when someone offers to buy them it somehow cheapens the item in my mind.

Of course, things are very different when you're a hired gun!

Bob
 
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