Quill or Knee DRO

[HSS]

I noticed today that Enco sales catalog has a mill with DRO installed for either the quill or the knee. In 100 words or less, what would be your preference, the quill or knee, and why? Your answer will affect your final grade.

Patrick

 

[Frank Ford]

Knee, for sure! It's dead simple and relatively cheap to add the quill when you later find out you want it.

That's what I did, and I lasted about six months before adding the quill DRO.

Besides, you'll make your finest adjustments in height with the knee, and that's where the DRO is the most useful, I think.

 

[Tony Wells]

Both. The quill has a 5 inch travel, good for drilling to set depths, etc. The Knee DRO is far longer in travel and is best for setting cutting depth on milling cutters, since normally you don't want any more quill extension than necessary, so it should stay short, and locked.

 

[randyjaco]

I am with Tony, but I'd get the DRO on the knee first. There are plenty of cheap options for the quill. Currently on my quill I have a modified ten buck HF digital caliper. It works great for the few times I need it.

Randy

 

[8ntsane]

Hi
Get the knee DRO, and use the elcheapo caliper modded to use as the quill DRO.
I have both on my mill, and a proper knee DRO is very usefull. The quill DRO is usefull, but I mainly keep the quill retracted , and locked, to keep things ridgid.

Paul