# Installing DRO on Lathe



## Buggy Chief (Apr 4, 2017)

I am installing glass scales on my PM 1228.  It is most optimal to install on the cross slide on the chuck side, but not ideal due to coolant, chips, etc.  This is because the gib adjustment and cross slide lock is on the tailstock side.

Question:
Is it ok to install on the chuck side with a cover over glass scale?
If not, wonder if you can turn the table 180 degrees and have gib adjustments and cross lock on chuck side?

Thanks for any input.


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## dennys502 (Apr 4, 2017)

The cross slide dro is a hard one as there is never enough room. My scale was pretty small but I still had  to machine the carriage for clearance so it would fit.


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## Buggy Chief (Apr 5, 2017)

Thanks for the response 502!  I am slowly making progress as there is quite a bit of modifications taking place.  Will post pics once completed.


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## harrzack (Apr 13, 2017)

Just wondering - wouldn't mounting it on chuck-side would reduce how close you can get the carriage to the chuck?


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## Groundhog (Apr 13, 2017)

Buggy Chief said:


> Thanks for the response 502!  I am slowly making progress as there is quite a bit of modifications taking place.  Will post pics once completed.


Please keep posting pics, especially of any difficult or problem areas. I will be adding a DRO to my 112x36 soon and would love to have another illustrated guide!


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## fradish (Apr 13, 2017)

I have a PM1228 too.  I have not yet installed a DRO on it, but wondered if there would be enough
room to mount a cut down magnetic scale sticking out from the back of the carriage?   I'm at work so I can't
measure how much space there is between the end of the carriage and the splash guard. 

I was sort of thinking something like this:

http://www.micro-machine-shop.com/lathe_x_axis_scale.htm

One thing I don't care for in that example is taking off the cross slide and
drilling holes in it.  I would think you could just make the bar that connects to 
the reader head connect to one of the T-Slots.


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## Cheeseking (Apr 13, 2017)

Guys I feel your pains.  Put a DRO Pro EL-400 on my lathe few years ago.  Went thru the same mounting dilemmas trying to do a neat install that protected the reader, did not interfere with the normal operation and adjustments on cross slide like lock, gib screws etc.   Mounting it like they show in the videos to the side of the cross slide would cover the gib screws.  Yet another complication was the fact that I have a taper attachment bracket in back of the carriage and although its a rarely used accessory, I wanted to be able to mount it and not have issues with the DRO scales or cables getting in the way.   Then as the ultimate self imposed OCD requirement, I had to do it in a way that did not require drilling any additional holes and could be removed in the future like it was never there.  Goofy yeah.  I admit it.  I have some strange fondness for this machine and want to keep it as "stock" original as possible and slapping a Chinese pc of electronics on it was already making me uneasy.     Far too many details to describe in one post and show everything (I don't want to take over this thread) but I did take a bunch of pics of the install.  Here are a few


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## Cheeseking (Apr 13, 2017)

Arg...darn red X's again.  are pics showing up?  they show on my phone but not on PC


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## darkzero (Apr 13, 2017)

Nope, not showing but fixed it for you.


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## Splat (Apr 14, 2017)

FWIW Steve Bedair has a nice writeup on his site about putting a DRO on his G4003G.


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## Buggy Chief (Apr 16, 2017)

I finally finished my Precision Matthews DRO installation on my PM 1228 lathe.  Not hard, just time consuming.  The biggest challenge is to mount on the tailstock side of the carriage requires a lot of thought if you don't won't to give up gib adjustments and travel locks.  Changed out the Socket Head cap screws that were for the locks to hex bolts so I can still access them.


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