# DRO on my new PM 1236



## outsider347 (Jan 3, 2018)

Finally installed the PM supplied DRO  on my new 1236. 
Reading the supplied operators manual.......how to use is about clear as mud

Wondering if there might be a better guide available?

To answer the question, Yes I'm old
Tks


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## MSD0 (Jan 3, 2018)

What brand is the DRO? If it’s a SINO, this helped me. http://www.compufoil.com/sino_dro/sino_sd26-2v_dro.pdf


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## outsider347 (Jan 3, 2018)

???
Purchased the DRO from P Matthews


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## gman10259 (Jan 3, 2018)

PM sells Easson Brands DROs. You can go to http://www.dropros.com/ and look at their Lathe DROs. Find the one that looks like yours. They have a lot of free instructional information on their website that may answer some of your questions.


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## outsider347 (Jan 3, 2018)

gman 10259
Nothing at the DRO PRO site looks like what I have


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## Fallon (Jan 4, 2018)

gman10259 said:


> PM sells Easson Brands DROs. You can go to http://www.dropros.com/ and look at their Lathe DROs. Find the one that looks like yours. They have a lot of free instructional information on their website that may answer some of your questions.



They sell PM branded DROs & Easson DROs. Easson was $200-300 more than the PM branded ones. I'm assuming the PM ones are re-branded Chinese DRO. I was actually on the phone with Matt today & asked him the difference. Mostly it's the display, Easson has a PC type display with rendered graphics, the PM one is just a multi-segment LED like on your microwave that only displays numbers.


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## Doubleeboy (Jan 4, 2018)

I have a PM DRO on my 1640, its a no name DRO with PM on it.  I know I could have bought a similar DRO on aliexpress or epay and saved a lot of money.  I went for customer service.  The cross slide scale is very slim, I have .0001" resolution on diameter of cross slide and it measures exactly as it cuts.  I can hold 2 tenths all day long with out trying, probably hold a tenth if I was more careful, pretty nice for $400.  I would do it again in a heartbeat.  If I was running flood coolant I would be tempted to go magnetic, but the cost seems a bit much.  For those not interested in bad manuals, questionable customer support buying from Matt is a nobrainer.

michael


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## qualitymachinetools (Jan 5, 2018)

Im going to make a video on them shortly here, but let me know what you have a question about.  Normally I just use them to zero and measure so I have to learn a bit too, but I know the basic functions in them pretty well


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## wrmiller (Jan 5, 2018)

Videos? Cool...


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## outsider347 (Jan 5, 2018)

qualitymachinetools said:


> Im going to make a video on them shortly here, but let me know what you have a question about.  Normally I just use them to zero and measure so I have to learn a bit too, but I know the basic functions in them pretty well


Thanks Matt 
Nothing special...... I am interested in learning basic operations, calibrations, & dimension verification . I think that my problem is understanding the "China speak" in the user manual.


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## qualitymachinetools (Jan 5, 2018)

Its hard for me to judge anymore, thats all I deal with, looks normal to me ha ha


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## wrmiller (Jan 5, 2018)

qualitymachinetools said:


> Its hard for me to judge anymore, thats all I deal with, looks normal to me ha ha



Now that's just terrible...   

Do you have a automatic translator in your head now, after years of having to read that stuff?


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## MSD0 (Jan 6, 2018)

Fallon said:


> They sell PM branded DROs & Easson DROs. Easson was $200-300 more than the PM branded ones. I'm assuming the PM ones are re-branded Chinese DRO. I was actually on the phone with Matt today & asked him the difference. Mostly it's the display, Easson has a PC type display with rendered graphics, the PM one is just a multi-segment LED like on your microwave that only displays numbers.


When I got my 1127 a few years ago, they were using SINO DRO’s. I haven’t had any problems with it, but I wish the manual/interface was easier to understand.


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## SSage (Jan 14, 2018)

I found that the videos from DRO PROS were the most useful to me as a total DRO noob. They are mostly using 3 axis mill units, but the basic functions are the same. Like using the REF memory, finding center, changing reading direction, SDM points etc. There are youtube videos covering lathes. The Easson is similiar to the PM branded one. I just got mine last week on a mill, so I'm just scratching the surface. But, now I want DRO on my 1236! It never ends....


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## freeqgeek (Jan 15, 2018)

I found the enclosed manual lacking as well but did find the PM had a much more detailed manual on their site: 

http://www.precisionmatthews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/ES12B-Manual-Reduced.pdf

Still attempting to figure this unit out myself. So I can’t be much more help. But hopefully the larger and more detailed manual will make more sense...

One of the first things that confused me is that it was set up for X & Y axis instead of X & Z. That is the standard “lathe” setting on this unit. I suppose one could reset the unit into “Mill” mode to get the Z for longitude. Thinking about doing that myself just to keep the axis nominclature standard so that when I purchase my mill next year I don’t confuse myself 
‭


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## SSage (Jan 15, 2018)

freeqgeek said:


> I found the enclosed manual lacking as well but did find the PM had a much more detailed manual on their site:
> 
> http://www.precisionmatthews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/ES12B-Manual-Reduced.pdf
> 
> ...


If you want a different X or Y, you just change the cable inputs right?

I've only used a mill dro and on mine Z is used for the column and the quill has its own dro built in. I'm guessing with a lathe you make the carriage X and the cross slide Y?

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## magicniner (Jan 15, 2018)

SSage said:


> I'm guessing with a lathe you make the carriage X and the cross slide Y?



The convention for machine tools is to set the axis moving parallel to the spindle rotational axis as Z, so carriage is Z, cross slide is X


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## Robert LaLonde (Jan 15, 2018)

Just remember all the same issues exist as using the dials.  You still need to mic it, take spring passes after heavy passes, etc.  On non critical stuff I admit I don't always mic it once I have the basic cuts down.  Things like turning a threaded stud for a generic non critical application.  Now making a pivot shoulder bolt you better mic it and sneak up on the shoulder dimensions.

On a really critical diameter I'll mic it two or three times and reset the DRO as needed so I can "know" when I am getting close.


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## SSage (Jan 15, 2018)

magicniner said:


> SSage said:
> 
> 
> > I'm guessing with a lathe you make the carriage X and the cross slide Y?
> ...


Got it... 

I found this note in the accu-rite manual too. 

Note: On a lathe the x-axis is the diameter (cross slide) andthe z-axis is the longitudinal. When lathe parts are inspected they are set up vertically and therefore, the lengthbecomes the height and the diameter is checked horizon-
tally.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## freeqgeek (Jan 15, 2018)

SSage said:


> If you want a different X or Y, you just change the cable inputs right?
> 
> I've only used a mill dro and on mine Z is used for the column and the quill has its own dro built in. I'm guessing with a lathe you make the carriage X and the cross slide Y?
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk



Yes, you change the cables. But you also have to reset the unit and set it up as a mill, otherwise the display doesn't show the Z axis. At least that is what I have gathered from reading thru the manual. I haven't tried it yet. Maybe tonight. If there is a way to leave the display showing only the X and Z axis without reconfiguration, that would be preferable. I am all ears if someone knows how to do so. I prefer to keep the standard axis nomenclatures in place myself as well...


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## SSage (Jan 15, 2018)

freeqgeek said:


> SSage said:
> 
> 
> > If you want a different X or Y, you just change the cable inputs right?
> ...


If you have the PM 2 axis version it has buttons labeled Y/Z to use either way.

Once you use it the display makes sense. The Dro Pros videos make the learning curve easy, the main difference is the PM system uses the period button to access the parameters instead of the enter button on the old easson they show. But the dro pro videos explained it enough that I found it more informative than the pm manual. 

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## freeqgeek (Jan 15, 2018)

SSage said:


> If you have the PM 2 axis version it has buttons labeled Y/Z to use either way.
> 
> Once you use it the display makes sense. The Dro Pros videos make the learning curve easy, the main difference is the PM system uses the period button to access the parameters instead of the enter button on the old easson they show. But the dro pro videos explained it enough that I found it more informative than the pm manual.
> 
> Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk



I ordered mine with the DRO installed. Didn't want to hassle with it... As a result it came with the three axis model. Here is what my panel looks like. When I powered it on it showed only the X & Y axis on the screen though it is capable of showing Z. Little digging into the manual leads me to believe that you have to reset the unit and program it for mill use to get the screen to show the Z axis. Though, I could be wrong...


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## mksj (Jan 15, 2018)

Some of the other parameters and soft keys/functions probably change between mill and lathe functions. Also the R/D only works on the X, at least on my older ES-12. You just get use to it either way. My Easson is setup in the lathe function, I kind of like having the diameter on the X axis as it is on top of the screen. The nice thing with the Easson 12B/C is you do not pay extra for the 3rd axis, so you could use it for a the tailstock or tool post slide. I had a recent discussion with DRO Pros about using magnetic scales on the ES-12B/C, they mentioned that you need an adapter plug to switch the wires, and they are a bit hit/miss as to working with the mag scales. Really like the display and the layout of the new 12B, too bad they do not play nicely with the mag scales.


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## SSage (Jan 15, 2018)

freeqgeek said:


> SSage said:
> 
> 
> > If you have the PM 2 axis version it has buttons labeled Y/Z to use either way.
> ...


Well, that explains my confusion. I have the cheaper PM unit. Your showing an es12, I haven't read that manual. I would expect it to be more flexible than the basic PM unit. 

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk


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## MSD0 (Jan 16, 2018)

Hopefully not too far off topic, but are the DRO head unit compatible with different types of scales? For example, could I replace one of the glass scales with a magnetic scale?


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## freeqgeek (Jan 16, 2018)

MSD0 said:


> Hopefully not too far off topic, but are the DRO head unit compatible with different types of scales? For example, could I replace one of the glass scales with a magnetic scale?



Good question. Mine came with optical scales. DRO Pros also sells this same unit as a package with optical scales. So not sure... Maybe Matt can chime in. I would think it would be possible, though some type of adapter might be required.


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## bakrch (Nov 27, 2018)

Is there a trick in using more than 9 subdatums for the Lathe application (Easson)? The manual states mill and lathe have 199, but any time I try to go above "Tool 9" it does nothing (whether I try to arrow past it, or push 'sdm - 10 - enter').


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## wrmiller (Nov 28, 2018)

MSD0 said:


> Hopefully not too far off topic, but are the DRO head unit compatible with different types of scales? For example, could I replace one of the glass scales with a magnetic scale?



From my understanding, no.

Read head for glass scales uses some type of optical/laser mechanism for reading a scale. Magnetic head 'reads' lines of magnetic flux in the scale. Different technologies.

Or so I've been led to believe.


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## MSD0 (Nov 28, 2018)

wrmiller said:


> From my understanding, no.
> 
> Read head for glass scales uses some type of optical/laser mechanism for reading a scale. Magnetic head 'reads' lines of magnetic flux in the scale. Different technologies.
> 
> Or so I've been led to believe.


I should have been more clear, but I was wondering if the actual DRO display is compatible with different scale technologies.


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## wrmiller (Nov 28, 2018)

MSD0 said:


> I should have been more clear, but I was wondering if the actual DRO display is compatible with different scale technologies.



Ah, sorry about that. 

I seem to recall asking a similar question of the guys at DroPros when I bought my last DRO. IIRC, I was shown the difference between the signals that a optical head returns vs. that of a magnetic head. Again, I'm not 100% on this but I believe the answer was no.

A call to DroPros would give you a answer though.


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