# PM932-PDF Igaging Dro Install



## Jamespvill (Feb 26, 2014)

So, thanks to David H here on the forum, I was able to score a few Igaging Dro's for a more than fair price. Thanks David! I figured I'd post my mounting of them even though it's been done a few time already. Anywho, I got 4 in total; one 12 inch, two 24 inch, and one 36 inch. The 12 and 24 are for my mill, while the other 24 and 36 are for my lathe.

I drilled another hole in the bracket above the preexisting one for mounting the dro to the aluminum angle, mostly because I figured 4 mounting points are more rigid that 2 and I had spare room.







Nothing too exciting with the X-axis, This one was the easier one. I didn't get any pictures of the mounting process for that one unfortunately, but here is the aftermath. It tuned out quite nicely, I think Im going to anodize the aluminum angle Precision Mathews blue soon...might add that extra bit of class to my shop.




The more exciting was definitely the Y-axis. I wanted it strait up and down like the x, and also didn't want to cut or tinker with the x-axis chip guard in any way (So nice compared to my last grizzly's one). I decided to mount it down a little lower where I had easy access to a fat surface. This worried me a little because I thought I might loose some rigidity with a longer bracket, but so far I think it's plenty solid!

Regardless, I still wanted to keep the chips off my dro so I milled an 1/8" slit on top for the bracket to stick out. I managed to break my first end mill, then proceeded to toast another 2 because I accidentally left the broken tip wedged at the beginning of the cut. It was hiding under some chips and mangled the tips of both end mills before I *finally *realized that the loud clacking sound was not the sound aluminum makes. Ooops! Sometimes I get too excited and neglect those all-so important little details. On top of that, I also had to take out some meat on the angle to accommodate for longer screws. 




I didn't realize that I needed more room for the screws until after I milled the slot, so I just used a parallel to fill the gap while I vised it up so I didn't warp the piece at all, worked great!

Ta Da!





Oddly Enough, I am having the most trouble simply figuring out where to mount my dro screens...
Anyways, I also made an extension for my Y hand wheel, got an extra inch or two of travel now so maybe I'll post that build, even as simple as it was.

Thanks all!


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## Ray C (Feb 26, 2014)

Hey, very nice indeed.  That is really going to help your milling. 



Ray


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## chuckorlando (Feb 26, 2014)

Good work.  I understand being excited. No matter how many times I have seen it, it's still pretty dang cool to cut metal with metal.


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## fastback (Feb 26, 2014)

Nice job, there is nothing like using DRO's.

Paul


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## woodrowm (Feb 26, 2014)

Good morning - Hey good work! Did you get that vise from Quality Machine Tools if so what do you think of it so far?

Thanks,
Woodrow


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## master53yoda (Feb 26, 2014)

Jamespvill said:


> Anyways, I also made an extension for my Y hand wheel, got an extra inch or two of travel now so maybe I'll post that build, even as simple as it was.



Post it because what is supper easy or obvous for some of us can also be the solution to someone elses problem.

   I don't know how many times the resolution to my current problem has been something totaly easy, obvious or staring me in the face and i can't see it from the direction i am looking,  some one will say "did you think of this" and the solution hits you between the eyes.   I don't know how many times reading through threads I say "why didn't I Think of that" at someones solution to their problem.    I always try to give the reaon behind the modifications I make to the machines I'm working on as well as the how tos.


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## WeirdBeard (Feb 26, 2014)

master53yoda said:


> Post it because what is supper easy or obvous for some of us can also be the solution to someone elses problem.
> 
> I don't know how many times the resolution to my current problem has been something totaly easy, obvious or staring me in the face and i can't see it from the direction i am looking,  some one will say "did you think of this" and the solution hits you between the eyes.   I don't know how many times reading through threads I say "why didn't I Think of that" at someones solution to their problem.    I always try to give the reaon behind the modifications I make to the machines I'm working on as well as the how tos.



I'll second that. As a rookie, this is all foreign to me and would love to see that, especially since I've got the same machine coming.


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## Plas62 (Feb 26, 2014)

I'd like to see the extension you made for your Y axis, please post it.  I'd like to do the same mod to my mill.


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## Jamespvill (Feb 26, 2014)

Alright Gentlemen, The handle extension should be popping up in another hour or so, and maybe another post or two!

Thanks for the kind words!


-James


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## Jamespvill (Feb 26, 2014)

woodrowm said:


> Good morning - Hey good work! Did you get that vise from Quality Machine Tools if so what do you think of it so far?
> 
> Thanks,
> Woodrow




Woodrow,

I'll try to post a full write up on the vice in an hour or so for you...spoiler alert though, I like it!

-James


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## Jamespvill (Feb 26, 2014)

So I got around to mounting my displays for my DRO's. Figured I would post my last update on it. Nothing too exciting unfortunately. I do have to give kudos to good quality double sided sticky tape though!


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## drs23 (Feb 26, 2014)

Jamespvill said:


> So I got around to mounting my displays for my DRO's. Figured I would post my last update on it. Nothing too exciting unfortunately. I do have to give kudos to good quality double sided sticky tape though!



Good looking install and second the BA double sided sticky tape. That's what my Z is installed with and I occasionally give it a tug and it's still like the day I stuck it on there.

Cudos to you.


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