# Need Help Installing Aliexpress Dro--



## Bob V (May 23, 2016)

Hi,
I have an old Van Norman 16 mill, and I just got an aliexpress DRO to install on it--need a little help here--
-I was reading about installing these DRO's on this forum and one fellow said "one hole was off by a few thou-- but I fixed it" (may not be exact quote but close enough). -- So this got me thinking-- I've just learned how to drill accurate holes where I want them using my mill, edgefinder, center drill etc.  --but now I'm installing the DRO on the mill and I suppose I have to drill the holes for the dro sensors and rails using a hand drill??  How can I get within a "few thou" using a hand drill--much less have the holes really straight/true??
Any help appreciated-- not too happy about having to drill on my nice old mill (born the same year as me!),
Thanks in advance,
Bob


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## RCWorks (May 24, 2016)

It may be time to add a drill press to your shop. Comes a time you'll want to drill a hole while your mill is busy...


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## Wreck™Wreck (May 24, 2016)

Does not the manufacturer of the scales provide the user with a reference surface for installation?


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## Bob V (May 24, 2016)

RCWorks, thanks, but the holes have to be drilled in the mill-- can't do that on a drill press-
Wreck- I got some installation instructions emailed to me by a member of this forum-- very helpful!
This forum is great.
Bob


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## jocat54 (May 24, 2016)

Bob,
Just take your time with the hand drill--use some aids if needed to align the drill straight (90* angle or just a block of wood will help)
There is really quite a bit of "play" when locating the holes for mounting the scales (if you lay them out right the first time--which I did not) Got in to big of a hurry.

It does suck drilling holes where none were before---but it is well worth it. I really like my DRO and it works great for my hobby needs.


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## Bob V (May 25, 2016)

Thanks, Joe.
Much appreciated--


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## Eddyde (May 25, 2016)

What I did and others have done is mount the Scales to aluminum bars machined on the mill, then mount the bars to the mill, This arrangement allows you to locate the screws to the mill exactly where you want them. It also allows you to use existing tapped holes that may be present on the mill. As was the case with my Y Axis, I used 2 of the tapped & counterbored holes that are in the base of my mill, I used convex/concave aligning washers (available at McMaster Carr)to get the mounting bar vertical. Here is a link to the thread I started on my install:
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/dro-install-on-mill.46586/#post-396019
Hope that helps.
Eddy


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## RCWorks (May 25, 2016)

Yeah, I forgot about the slide on the base...


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## Bob V (May 25, 2016)

Thanks,  Eddy-- much appreciated-- I think I'm getting it figured out-- with the help of all you guys.
I got one scale/sensor that works about half the time when I hook it up-- don't know if it will settle down or remain a problem--
Best regards,
Bob


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## jocat54 (May 25, 2016)

Bob,
The one thing I don't like about my DRO is the wiring connections to the reader head are really touchy, especially the power cord, maybe be the connections.


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## minions (May 30, 2016)

Once you get going, drilling into your mill isn't nerve racking at all.  Pick up a cheap set of transfer punches at harbor freight.  I used a small square wooden block, everything worked out fine on my mill and lathe install. You'll likely need to custom make your own brackets.


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## Bob V (May 30, 2016)

MI, 
Thanks,  several guys in this thread have talked about using a block of wood to get close to square when drilling with a hand drill-- exactly how do you use the block of wood?  do you drill a hole in it on a drill press then use that as a guide?? Do you just hold it beside the drill bit to align it?
Thanks for all the help---from everyone here!  
I'm getting there-- made my own brackets and installed the x axis-- I think the other two will go quicker.
Bob V


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## Eddyde (May 30, 2016)

Yes just drill a hole in a block of wood on the drill press and use it to square the bit to the surface. Center punch the location and make a shallow dimple with the drill, not using the block, then put the block over the hole and locate the drill in the dimple. You can make another block for guiding the tap as well.


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## Bob V (May 31, 2016)

Thanks Eddy,
If I had posted this question on Practical Machinist-- they would have flamed me out.
This forum (you in this case) is just plain helpful!
Much appreciated.
Bob


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## Eddyde (May 31, 2016)

Bob V said:


> Thanks Eddy,
> If I had posted this question on Practical Machinist-- they would have flamed me out.
> This forum (you in this case) is just plain helpful!
> Much appreciated.
> Bob


Hey Bob,
You are welcome, I'm glad to help. Yeah I don't know what is with the PM site, seems like lots of unnecessary hostility there. I guess the tone of a site is a reflection of its administrators....


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## Bob V (Jun 9, 2016)

Hi guys,
I finally got all 3 Ali Express DRO's installed yesterday-- and I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have helped me do this project.  I'm a "newbie" so the project gave me practice at milling (brackets), measuring ( Making sure scales were parallel), etc. etc.  It took me 2 weeks!! Probably would have taken you guys 2 days-- but at least it's done and it works.  I took pics but don't see the need to upload them unless someone requests more "Ali Install pics" -- there are already a lot out there.

A few notes for other new guys who might be contemplating this:

*Ordering the correct scale length*:  on their website they say: 
_"After you place order, pls leave a massage with the travelling length or total length of X, Y, Z scales that you need, thanks"_.  I took them at their word and just sent them the actual mill travel distance in mm, and _they_ added a little "cushion" of about 1.5 cm of additional sensor travel on each end.  This worked out just fine.

*I received a scale that was erratic--read sometimes and flashed without reading other times:* Wilson Huang at Aliexpress was actually very responsive and helped me take apart the erratic "x" axis. He responded to my questions by email or using the Message Center on Ali Express website within 24 hours and extended the warranty 60 days.  The problem with my "x "scale actually turned out to be not the scale, but a tiny bit of plastic on the plug that plugs into the monitor that was not cut off after the plug was removed from the mold or however it was made (this prevented the plug from seating correctly in the female plug on the display)-- now it works reliably.  As others have noted-- the plugs are pretty cheaply made--we'll see how they hold up.  

*The red plastic packing between the reader and scale:  *held in place by 4 tiny phillips head screws-- the guys on this forum were a great help-- but here's some add'l info:  remove only the two screws that attach the reader head to the scale until the scale is completely installed, then install the scale/reader and use the red spacer as a guide--it  is just the thickness of the space you need between the reader and the scale- then remove the second set of tiny screws that attach the red plastic to the reader and remove the red plastic thing. I found out during the install that one end of this red spacer prevents the reader from traveling an extra cm to the end of the scale-- so you have a bit more travel than you think if you just consider the reader travel with the red spacer in place--.

*Protecting the glass scale inside each unit: *I had to mount my "z" axis in such a way that oil/chips/etc. will fall directly on the reader head and can easily get inside the scale and onto the glass scales that are etched with the .005mm marks that the scales read.  The supplied cover does not protect against this in my case. The only way I could figure to protect this is with a rubber mat over the area were the stuff falls down onto the reader/scale.  I hope this doesn't become a problem!

*More on glass scales:  *had I known there was so much fuss about keeping the glass scales on these things clean-- I might have opted for magnets scales-- I suspect they're not so sensitive to dirt/dust that WILL find it's way onto the glass eventually.  BTW-- does anyone know if the glass scales can be cleaned??

Once again THANKS for all the help on this forum-- don't honestly know if I would have bought a DRO direct from China if I had not had the help available on this forum.

Best regards,
Bob


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## Bob V (Jul 5, 2016)

--Additional note-- my x-axis scale started acting up again about June 15, so I had to take a video of it and with some prodding, Wilson Huang at Ali Express sent me a replacement that I installed yesterday--- the replacement seems to work fine-- we'll see!
Thanks again for all the help--
Bob


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## Bob Korves (Jul 5, 2016)

A good way to level a hand drill is to slide an oversize flat washer onto the drill bit, like a 3/8" washer over a 1/4" drill bit.  Keep the spinning washer in the center of the drill bit length and you are level, accurately enough for a hand drill...


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## 4GSR (Jul 5, 2016)

As long as you are not blowing chips around using air, you should get many years before there's a need to clean the glass scale. Install some kind of protection to the scales from falling chips, yeah, z-scale will be a tough one to guard.  This one guard it the best you can.  Occasionally wipe down the outside of the scales.  As for cleaning the scales, only do so if you start getting error readings on your readout.  And consult the guys you bought the readout from on cleaning them.  They will recommend a cleaner to use.


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## jocat54 (Jul 5, 2016)

Bob, I'm glad you have it working.
Hopefully you won't have any more problems.


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## Wreck™Wreck (Jul 6, 2016)

Bob V said:


> Thanks Eddy,
> If I had posted this question on Practical Machinist-- they would have flamed me out.



PM is populated by Grumpy Old Man Machinists that do it for a living (that is not the place to go for hobby machining questions), as such they know the answers to many of the beginners questions and can not be bothered to actually help anyone. I personally am a GOMM yet try to help, this often involves a good deal of shutting up on my part, I work in a shop full of them as there are few younger people that have the least bit of interest in such a career. This has a positive effect on my income improving every year. Selfish of me I suspect.


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## Tony Wells (Jul 6, 2016)

Yeah, Wreck......we're supposed to be training our replacements, remember?


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## JimDawson (Jul 6, 2016)

This site is populated by a bunch of Grumpy Old Men Machinists too, we just have a better attitude than some.


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## bfd (Sep 20, 2016)

hey after 35 plus years as a maint. machinist I take exception to the grumpy old machinist label I am one but will help whenever I can just ask g.o.m. bill


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## bfd (Sep 20, 2016)

like many others I have installed many dros all the ones I have installed had some adjustment and the holes didn't have to be that close, I too hated drilling into virgin cast iron on my mill and lathe. funny (odd) story for my lathe enco 16x60 the bed way digital readout was only 48 inches long but the travel is 60" so what was done ? someone put a allen head bolt in the rear way to stop overtravel. making my lathe a 16x48 lathe that was stupid in my opinion. so I had to purchase a 60" scale and change the  readout to fit the lathe. question I Have alt of stories to tell about general machining where do I post them? bill


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