Three DRO questions (just want to confirm)

I just installed the iGaging DRO's on my mill last month. Makes life so much easier. You'll love them. I don't get as much time in the shop but when I need it, I smile every time haha.................easy to install. To protect the X axis I just put a piece of aluminum angle on. Work like a champ
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Not adding anything not already covered above other than opinion on productivity of a DRO. I used hand wheels on my mill for close to 30 years and put a 4-axis DRO (TPACtools.com) on it a couple of years ago. Other than marrying my wife, best move I've ever made. Maybe even on a par with our decision to start a family . . .

No worries about backlash. No counting dial turns. No doing math in my head (dial is at 0.050" and I need to move 0.023"). Absolute/Incremental indexing: Zero out on your vise jaw edge and locate the part relative to the corner. Move to the first hole (assuming things are located off from it) and zero out incrementally on it. Mine has holes on a circle, holes on a line and some crude surfacing. My shop got really cold last winter (on demand propane heat) and my DRO wouldn't display at > 20 F temps. Had a quick job to do and went back to hand wheels. It worked, but I really missed the read out. I ended up putting a heating pad on the read out to get it working.

I am much faster with the DRO. Your only regret will be you didn't add it sooner.

Bruce
 
Other than marrying my wife, best move I've ever made. Maybe even on a par with our decision to start a family . . .

I shot coffee out of my nose!!!!! BG if I didn’t already have a dro on my mill this would have sold me!!!!!!!!!! But seriously just pick em up if you’ve got the cash you’ll not regret it
 
Indy, is there a scale on that Y axis in the third pic?
Yes there is. I can't seem to find a pic of it but I did include (3rd pic) of tapping one of the holes for it. I used a screw taped to it to get the angle of the dangle close. I will take a pic tonight and post it but it is there
 
Yes there is. I can't seem to find a pic of it but I did include (3rd pic) of tapping one of the holes for it. I used a screw taped to it to get the angle of the dangle close. I will take a pic tonight and post it but it is there
Ah, so that's what the screw was for. Glad you mentioned that. Was trying to figure out what it was about. good idea.
 
I shot coffee out of my nose!!!!! BG if I didn’t already have a dro on my mill this would have sold me!!!!!!!!!! But seriously just pick em up if you’ve got the cash you’ll not regret it
Sorry for causing the mess! I was going to put something down like "not have a DRO is like getting out of your car in the rain to open the garage door. DRO is pushing a remote button for a dry drive in". I figure more of us could relate to our kids than our garage doors.

Bruce
 
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