# Mitutoyo Quill Dro Questions



## Sandia (Nov 16, 2014)

I was wondering if anyone has installed one on their mill. I have an Acer mill and would like to install one on mine, but have some questions:

1. Will the dro clear the fine feed wheel
2. Do you still have access to the depth stop.
3. Any other pertinent information.

Did a search but couldn't find anything.

Thanks, Bob


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## darkzero (Nov 16, 2014)

I have a Mitu DRO scale mounted on my mill for the quill, but my mill is not a BP/clone. :lmao:

As I don't have a BP with one mounted so I can not say for sure but on the ones I have seen the fine feed hand wheel does clear & is still useable. But the DRO does cover most of the depth. The depth stop might still be able to be used but it looks like it would be a pain, especially if you have big fingers.

If the depth stop use is that important (it would be to me), if I had a BP/clone, I would just get the scale & make my own mounting brackets as some people do. I would make the brackets longer so the DRO would sit further to the right to allow more access to the depth stop. 

I say more because if you go too far to the right you will cover the quill lock & bolts for angle/tramming the head. But you could come up with a medium or avoid that depending on how the brackets are made for placement.


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## DavidL (Nov 16, 2014)

Sandia said:


> I was wondering if anyone has installed one on their mill. I have an Acer mill and would like to install one on mine, but have some questions:
> 
> 1. Will the dro clear the fine feed wheel
> 2. Do you still have access to the depth stop.
> ...



Hi Bob, For what it's worth I made a quill DRO for my mini mill using a cheap car tyre tread depth guage.  It is accurate to 0.01mm.  Here are a couple of photos.  The tyre guage is modified by gluing a magnetic mounting for support and fixing a tiny magnet to the probe.
Regards


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## Sandia (Nov 16, 2014)

darkzero said:


> I have a Mitu DRO scale mounted on my mill for the quill, but my mill is not a BP/clone. :lmao:
> 
> As I don't have a BP with one mounted so I can not say for sure but on the ones I have seen the fine feed hand wheel does clear & is still useable. But the DRO does cover most of the depth. The depth stop might still be able to be used but it looks like it would be a pain, especially if you have big fingers.
> 
> ...



Thanks darkzero, that is kinda what I figured. I have a dro on the knee but a dro on the quill would really be handy often. The depth stop is a must for me as well, especially when using the power down feed. I appreciate the feed back, now to find one at a decent price.

Bob


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## Sandia (Nov 16, 2014)

DavidL said:


> Hi Bob, For what it's worth I made a quill DRO for my mini mill using a cheap car tyre tread depth guage.  It is accurate to 0.01mm.  Here are a couple of photos.  The tyre guage is modified by gluing a magnetic mounting for support and fixing a tiny magnet to the probe.
> Regards
> View attachment 87929
> View attachment 87930



Neat idea David.
Thanks


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## darkzero (Nov 16, 2014)

Sandia said:


> I appreciate the feed back, now to find one at a decent price.
> 
> Bob



No problem Bob. You'll love the Mitu if you get one. I love all my Mitus. The Mitu quill scales are expensive but worth it IMO. Because of my setup I needed an 8" (where in your case a 5"-6" would be sufficient) which costs $300 from Enco. Waited for a 20% off + free shipping sale day to get mine. If you can't wait for one of those days, take a look at Neimic.net, they have excellent prices, I have purchased from them too.


Mine is mounted on a RF45 style mill. But when time comes for a BP/clone, that Mitu will be going right on the new mill too.


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## Holescreek (Nov 16, 2014)

I don't have one of the Mitutoyo dedicated DRO scales, I have a generic one from Ebay and a converted digital depth gauge on my Bridgeports.  I could be wrong (having never bought one) but I think that you have to figure out how to mount them anyway right?

Here's my generic:




And my depth gauge:




Of course the numbers on the depth gauge are sideways, but honestly, it doesn't matter to me at all. Mounting them off to the side makes it easier to use the educated nut and they clear the handwheels.


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## darkzero (Nov 16, 2014)

Holescreek said:


> I think that you have to figure out how to mount them anyway right?



Yup, in the case if you buy one of the vertical scales like I did. But I was assuming he was talking about the quill DRO kits made specifically for BPs that Mitu offers. They bolt right on with supplied brackets. The placement is not the greatest to still be able to access the depth stop.


http://www.use-enco.com/1/1/35084-053906b-mitutoyo-quill-dro-system-kits.html


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## atlasdc (Nov 18, 2014)

Sandia said:


> I was wondering if anyone has installed one on their mill. I have an Acer mill and would like to install one on mine, but have some questions:
> 
> 1. Will the dro clear the fine feed wheel
> 2. Do you still have access to the depth stop.
> ...



Hi Bob,

Here are a couple pics of my BP Series 1 with a quill mounted Acu-Rite 3 axis DRO.  I milled a piece of 3/8" aluminum plate for the bracket as 1/4" had some play in it.  Bridgeport did not leave a lot of meat to sit on the aligning faces and the plate would rock back on the bottom one.  I also milled the block that attaches to the the quill stop knob, Acu-Right gives a nice how-to install a scale to the quill and that was how I designed mine.  All parts work such as the feed feverse knob and manual feed fandwheel, micrometer nut & the quill feed handle.  This was a much needed addition for me, and I think a more accurate read for depth measurements than the knee adjustment, just my 2 cents.



I hope this helps.  Also, I don't know what happened with the pics but everything is square and aligned.  The pics make it look like things are cut on an angle and the square is mis-aligned.  They are all running true and square to each other.  All the best on your install.


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## darkzero (Nov 18, 2014)

atlasdc said:
			
		

> I don't know what happened with the pics but everything is square and aligned.  The pics make it look like things are cut on an angle and the square is mis-aligned.  They are all running true and square to each other.



Fixed it for you.


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## atlasdc (Nov 18, 2014)

darkzero said:


> Fixed it for you.


Thanks, it was just the way the camera (could be operator error, no way) took the pics. Thanks again.


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## darkzero (Nov 18, 2014)

atlasdc said:


> Thanks, it was just the way the camera (could be operator error, no way) took the pics. Thanks again.



Oh I see what you are saying, I was referring to the photo placement in the thread.


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## Sandia (Dec 3, 2014)

darkzero said:


> I have a Mitu DRO scale mounted on my mill for the quill, but my mill is not a BP/clone. :lmao:
> 
> As I don't have a BP with one mounted so I can not say for sure but on the ones I have seen the fine feed hand wheel does clear & is still useable. But the DRO does cover most of the depth. The depth stop might still be able to be used but it looks like it would be a pain, especially if you have big fingers.
> 
> ...




OK, I got the Mit Dro for the quill on my mill and got it installed. Went on just as instructions said with no alterations. Works great and does not get in the way of any of the other controls on the mill. Working on a hit and miss engine and have used it several times already. Love it. Thanks for the advice.

Sandia


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