When is a DRO setup appropriate??

I do not have one on my Logan 820 yet but did put one on my Bridgeport. WOW! Speed. Accuracy. Greatly improved. Mistakes greatly reduced. By a huge factor.

Mine also has a huge library of built in functions I have yet to learn to use for easy layouts, bolt hole patterns centering functions etcetera.

If you have not ordered yours yet, what are you waiting for?
 
The question is about a DRO in a lathe, but in my case, I bought and installed a DRO on my mill, and can say for sure that the DRO multiplied at least by three or four times the use of my mill, a "generic" chinese with some backlash in the table leading threads and with some smal error in the thread scales.
And, as I bought a good quality DRO system (not the cheap individual indicators), have A LOT of fantastic resources like finding centers, spacing holes, etc.
I will for sure install a DRO on my lathe as soon as possible.
 
I do not have a DRO on either of my machines at this time, but I have used a mill with a DRO, and I loved it. It is the next big ticket item that I have planned for my shop. I have never had a DRO on a lathe, but never found the need for one either. I got too used to working without it. Granted, I can see where it would make life easier, but I think I will benefit from a DRO on the mill much more than on the lathe.

If you are ready to purchase a DRO and install it on your lathe, go for it. I don't think you'll be sorry.
 
When I get my lathe back together, I am going to invest in the best DRO I can afford. Even if your machine is loose, if you measure the same point each time, you will get the same measurement. As long as your installation is correct, you can compensate for backlash and other factors, then you can get the repeatability that you need. I have a Taiwanese mill that I am also going to rebuild and scrape in, it will get a 4 axis dro because I want axis summing on the Z. This feature is awesome and if I convert it to CNC, the scales can be use as inputs to the controller. Having the digital readout takes out the mental math you need to do. Tim
 
I gotta add, I still have a handful of iGaging orig. ones left. same low prices since January. I've pretty much supplied everyone that want or needs one on this forum.. "flooded the market" so to speak. when this inventory is gone, I will probably just back away and enjoy my machines. . . . so if anyone is looking, contact me. my email address is everywhere, and 95% of the snow has finally disappeared :)
thanks to everyone that has purchased from me.

what next ?

the group tap / drill buy was very successful and should be shipping on Tuesday.

I have a few of those left also.

davidh ( the ol' tooldoc)

oh, I almost forgot, the specs for the igaging and Absolute dro's are on this facebook page. no need to join facebook to see it. . .

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Birch-Industrial-Tool-Serv-Inc/1406807829568869
 
Thanks Guys, for all the responses and info. My main project involved some internal threading and an internal stepped bore, it seems that the DRO will be a great help.
 
Also worth adding to the tailstock feed.

PC251142a.jpg

PC251142a.jpg
 
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