[Newbie] Dro

If I already had the lathe and was retrofitting I would lean toward the Yuri one. It is always being updated.

If I was ordering I would strongly lean toward having the vendor install one tight out of the gate and go with it.

I would also add one of these tachometers. Not just for rpm but you can set it for surface feet per minute and dial the right speed in easily. This is one thing that I think the Yuro folk are working on as an update for their system.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MachTach-Ma...Drill-Press-/321810507635?hash=item4aed66a773
 
Think you got the message, but I'll pile on! I put a 4-axis DRO from TPAC tools ($485 delivered) on my Jet JVM-830 mill. Best $485 I ever spent. I haven't used the bolt circle feature or holes on a line feature or the machining a contour feature or (you get the idea) yet. It is soooo nice to go to ABSolute mode, find the face and edge of the vice, zero out the X & Y. Drop a piece of stock in the vise, use a parallel to flush it up to the jaw edge. The LH side edge of the fixed jaw is at 0,0; move from there to your first "target". No need for me to ramble on with all of the time saving and accuracy features at this point. It's like building a new home in Texas and wondering if you should add A/C. You could get by without it, but you'd never live without it once you've had it.
 
Watch the DRO PROs videos on You Tube.
Install them yourself.
I installed my 3-axis mill and 2-axis Lathe on a lazy Saturday.
Easy-Peezy... Dials?, Dials? We don't use those Stinking Dials...
 
I use Yuriy's TouchDRO and it is fantastic. The touch interface is much more configurable and intuitive than a hardware interface. It's also still being updated with new features. Plus, since it runs on a tablet, how many DROs do you know which can also browse the internet and play music while you work?
 
springer said:
Get the DRO. Money well spent. Makes things go so much faster and more accurate. Also, pay the $100 to get it installed. That was a huge headache and took me tons of time for my ocd to let it be ok when installing. I'd pay $100 to not do it again.
Click to expand...
I will second all of the above.
 
The best "Cheap" DRO you can get (IMO) is a DIY project that can be found here ( http://www.yuriystoys.com/search/label/DIY DRO Project ) . Yuri, the owner and mastermind of this site has spent several years and many hours creating a DRO that uses any type of DRO sensor, such as iGaging, glass scales or even cheap Chinese calipers, as a DRO input. Yuri uses an inexpensive, Android touch tablet as the view screen so if you install gauges on several different machines, such as a mill and a lathe, you can use one tablet for all of your DRO equipped machines. The connection is through Bluetooth so there are no wires and you can mount the tablet anywhere that is convenient. You can use a tablet as small as a cell phone or as large as you want (or can afford). I personally use a 10" tablet that cost me $85.

You can buy a 7" Chinese tablet, brand new, for as little $43, post paid. The tablet software is free on Google play and can use up to four sensors plus a digital RPM sensor. The electronics are easy to assemble even for someone without much experience with such things and Yuri has done a wonderful job giving step by step instructions how to build the working "guts" of the project. The total cost of the DRO depends on the type of sensors you buy but a typical 3 axis mill will cost you about $50-130 per axis for xyz, $50-100 for a tablet and the electronics can be purchased on eBay for about $30-50. That is under $300 for 3 axis and RPM. A Lathe with 2 axis and RPM will run you just over $200. Even less if you are an electronics hobbyist with a well stocked junk box. The SS iGaging (Absolute) scales can be found on Grizzly's site for $50 for the 6", $75 for the 12", $110 for the 24", $125 for the 32" and $130 for the 38".

If you can read and use a soldering iron you can construct a fantastic DRO for under $300 over a weekend. The best part of this DRO is it's flexibility. Because the readout is a tablet Yuri has programmed into it the ability to do calculations for bolt patterns and many other nifty, and useful, things. Yuri is a hobby machinist himself so every function is well thought out and useful for doing the things that we do all of the time. Also, you can check your email and read this blog while you are machining or just need a break. The ability to upgrade your DROs precision, as you can afford it, is a real plus. You could start with iGaging scales then upgrade to the SS ones and later on as you improve your skills or equipment you could look for a set of glass scales. I especially like the RPM readout because I am going to upgrade my 9x20 HF bench lathe with a variable speed drive motor from a treadmill so I will have a way to know exactly what the spindle speed is. Also, Yuri is a fantastic person who has, without charge, made this DRO project available to anyone who has a few bucks, a little time and a modicum of skill to build their own, high end, DRO cheap. Time and again Yuri answers questions and helps users with problems although his site is so well laid out and the project is so well documented that most all questions have been answered in detail along with great pictures and step by step instructions.

If you are looking to build or even buy a DRO for your machines I recommend that you check out Yuri's site because he has a lot of great information about DRO scales, how they work and their strengths and weaknesses. There is also some good information about mounting the scales on your machine. BTW, I'm not affiliated with Yuri, I'm just an admirer of his efforts on behalf of hobby machinist's everywhere.

http://www.yuriystoys.com

MisterFixIt1952
 
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