# What Dro For The Home Shop Guy... G4003g



## Dman1114 (Apr 20, 2015)

So  Since my lathe will be pulled away from the wall and down for a few days... Ill be installing a 3 phase motor and a VFD.

I figured i mine as well do the Dro at the same time.

I don't use coolant.    I mostly machine aluminum and delrin with the occasional gun barrel.

When I'm machining aluminum and delrin i like to use WD40.   so it goes everywhere.  


The one Dro that has peeked my interest is the TPAC tools dro....


what all does everyone recommend ?

Id love to go with magnetic scales but the prices are quite high.   

So those that are running dro's do u have any regret for the one u chose?  if you could do it over what would u go with?


need some advice here


Thanks


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## darkzero (Apr 20, 2015)

I have glass scales & I don't have any regrets buying them nor have I ever had issues with them. I have glass scales on my my lathe & mill but they are also shielded though.

When I was in the market for my lathe DRO I shopped around for a while. It sucks that there isn't a whole lot out there with the features I wanted. Finally I found one that met my criteria. I won't mention what model it is as it's no longer available. But I wanted a lathe specific display & not a universal mill display. I wanted my display to marked X & Z instead of X &Y & without all the useless mill functions that can't be used on a lathe. That was not a deal breaker for me though.

Main thing was I wanted the radius/diameter mode button which I use very often. Universal displays often just have a setting for it. The button allows you to change back & forth on the fly. I also wanted the display for tool offsets available without having to go through a menu. These are just convinces, most all work the same & for a lathe you really only need basic functions. IMO, at the least is should have absoltue/incremental modes, radius/diameter setting, SDM, & inch/mm.


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## Boswell (Apr 20, 2015)

I went with the DroPros magnetic scales for my G4003. I agree they are a bit higher price but I have been very happy with no regrets. Installation was easy and I liked that I could cut the scales to the exact length needed.


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## Joe Harlan (Apr 20, 2015)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321607739554?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
I just purchased and installed this Lathe specific unit on my Jet 13x40 Lathe, Fairly easy install. It has glass scales and so far so good as  far as I can tell.


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## Chip (Apr 20, 2015)

FYI the DroPros How-To videos on their website use a G4003g as the installee lathe.


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## Dman1114 (Apr 20, 2015)

Hey dark Zero.... that looks like the Miester BC-10L Dro......   Same one that steve beadair did a write up on...


Thats the one i want.


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## coolidge (Apr 20, 2015)

Boswell said:


> I went with the DroPros magnetic scales for my G4003. I agree they are a bit higher price but I have been very happy with no regrets. Installation was easy and I liked that I could cut the scales to the exact length needed.



Ditto I have the EL400 on my G4003G


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## Dman1114 (Apr 20, 2015)

Man the more i look at the EL400 .....  The more i like it.    

Its got the X Z axis labeled properly.... and has everything ill need plus magnetic scales...     Looks like i may need to just spring the extra coin


Plus the 6 yr warranty sounds like a deal too.

Being veteran owned you think he gives a discount to his fellow Vets?


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## Boswell (Apr 20, 2015)

_Being veteran owned you think he gives a discount to his fellow Vets?_
_
It never hurts to ask. I would also tell them you heard about them from the Hobby-Machinist forum. 
BTW, the installation videos are some of the best how-to videos I have have seen. Made what could have been a big job, easy.  I also have the EL400_


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## coolidge (Apr 21, 2015)

If you go with the EL400 here are some installation tips and pictures.

1. Note the thick aluminum bar bolted to the back of my G4003G in these first two pictures. Note the gap behind it at each end required to clear the bow in the middle of the lathe casting. My casting was bowed left/right and up/down. Yes the kit provides brackets and gib adjustment screws, they FAIL for a couple of reasons on my lathe. Due to the length of this Z axis scale its pretty flexible, if those brackets are not perfectly flat and parallel to each other just a slight turn to a gib screw will twist and bow the scale. Even if you could get them all adjusted what you will find is then the paint/bondo gives way and the scale is twisted and bowed again. Trust me on this just spend a few dollars for some aluminum bar, this made installing this scale so incredibly easy after struggling for a couple days with the bracket/gib screw method. I was able to dial the scale in with a high degree of accuracy and its rock solid bullet proof. Also gave me a surface to mount the scale cover. Way easier installation method.



Look at the gap at this end wow! I used the lathe to turn the shims so that it is parallel to the ways. Those stainless sheets are chip shields.



1. Here you see the Z axis read head bracket, it fits fine using the stock bolt holes in the saddle. As I recall I did have to hog out the holes to fit the bolts. Note the simple brass scale cover on the X axis, the supplied cover was not suitable without a lot of machining. Frankly I'd just buy some proper size L extrusion vs trying to use what was provided. Note the read head cable exits left from under the scale cover, if turned the other way it gets tight when the carriage is up near the head stock.

If I could do one thing over I might buy some cable carrier from McMasterCarr like I just purchased for my mill and get the DRO and light cables up out of the oily chip pan mess.



3. Important note, notice how close to the back V way you have to position the read head, it needs to be all the way back there to give you the full X axis travel, there's not a lot of room left when the cross slide is fully to the rear. You will therefore need a long drill bit and I had to fashion a long reach tapping extension (see pic below) and drill and tap that hole with the carriage run way over to the tale stock end.


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## darkzero (Apr 21, 2015)

Dman1114 said:


> Hey dark Zero.... that looks like the Miester BC-10L Dro......   Same one that steve beadair did a write up on...
> 
> 
> Thats the one i want.



Yes, it's a rebranded BC-10L. At the time, I did not buy the Meister cause they changed the colors of the membrane. I hated the blue, yellow, orange, red buttons. I wanted the older one that was simply black & white like the one Bedair reviewed but it was no longer available. That was in 2010.


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## mksj (Apr 21, 2015)

Coolidge, nice install. Agree with having a beefy backing or standoffs. I also usually add 4 set screws to the scale mounting back plate and add a small slot for the mounting bolts so yo can true up the scale in all 3 dimensions. Did a tailstock DRO, nothing was parallel, the set screws and mounting slot allowed me to tweak the mounting of the reader.

I have Acu-Rite DRO on my mill Easson on the lathe, both with glass scales. No complaints on either, magnetic scales are nice, but if you have a cover over the scale, I do not think they add anything. A few posts have had issues with El400 magnetic scales becoming erratic, I believe that the issue was the read distance of the head to scale was not kept very consistent. The EL400 looks really nice, but you can get an Easson ES-8A (or 12) with glass scales for quite a bit less and work just as well.


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## coolidge (Apr 21, 2015)

The nice thing about the EL400 magnetic scales is you can cut them to length.


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## coolidge (Apr 21, 2015)

mksj I like that setup on the tailstock, I especially like the large numbers. Only why didn't you install it on the top vs the side?


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## mksj (Apr 21, 2015)

I did give the position of the scale/head a bit of thought and did consider a top mount. If you mounted the scale/head on the top, it is more likely to get fowled by chips and fluids, and may interfere with grabbing the clamping lever. I would have preferred mounting the scale/head on the back of the tailstock, but there is no room. Mounting on the front side adds minimally to width and does not interfere with anything. The display is on a pivot in two axis, so can be positioned for easy reading from many positions. Not sure if the scale is a magnetic or capacitance type, but the hardened SS on the Igaging Absolute series is tough to cut, and needed to be shortened by about 1". As mentioned, magnetic scales are easily cut to size, but there are enough sizes of glass scales for the main DRO that this shouldn't be an issue (you just need to order the correct length or slightly longer).


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## coolidge (Apr 21, 2015)

The slot for my drift is on the side so I'd have to mount one on top.


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## darkzero (Apr 21, 2015)

Is the drift the only way to eject a MT arbor on the G4003G? Does it not eject when you retract the quill all the way with the handwheel?

I'm going to mount mine on the top too but not for that reason.


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## Dman1114 (Apr 21, 2015)

Id love to go with the EL400..... But that price tag is just intimidating.   After reading MKSJ's post.... i think ill be fine with glass scales.

But i still want my display to read X Z....  so now I'm looking at that Dro Pros 2L  with a 1 micron scale for cross slide (extra 50$)

Anyone else use the 2L?


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## mksj (Apr 21, 2015)

Ejects when you retract the quill. If anything you loose almost an inch of travel with use of a tang, non-tang about 1/2".


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## wrmiller (Apr 21, 2015)

Dman1114 said:


> Id love to go with the EL400..... But that price tag is just intimidating.   After reading MKSJ's post.... i think ill be fine with glass scales.
> 
> But i still want my display to read X Z....  so now I'm looking at that Dro Pros 2L  with a 1 micron scale for cross slide (extra 50$)
> 
> Anyone else use the 2L?



I have DroPros 3-axis glass on both of my mills and have had zero problems with the scales. Only reason I ponied up the extra for the EL400 on the lathe was because I may use coolant on the lathe at some future point and didn't want to run the risk. Functionally I see no difference between the two.


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## coolidge (Apr 22, 2015)

The magnetic scales are also much smaller/slimmer.


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## Earl (Apr 27, 2015)

I have the TPAC dro on my g4003.   Works fine.   I have a Newall C 80 on my heavy 10.   The only advantage of the Newall is the scales are impervious to about everything except maybe a hammer.  I have had the TPAC (2L) dro for about a year now.  The manual sucks but you just can't beat the price / performance.  It is not really difficult to set up and just takes a little while to figure out how it works (without using the manual  )

I am considering getting the 3L version of the dro for my mill.  I don't know if the TPAC mill version has an input for a probe or not.   There is no input port on the 2L version of the device.   That is the only reason I would not buy one for my mill.


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## Dman1114 (Apr 27, 2015)

Earl what size scales did u get for the g4003g ?


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## Earl (Apr 27, 2015)

I don't recall specifying any particular length of scales.   I just ordered for a 12 x 36 lathe.    I just went out and looked and found that the cross slide scale is approximately 12 1/2 inches, end to end  (+ or - 50 thou)   I can't get to the x scale without removing the chip shield on the back of the lathe and the scale cover but end to end the scale cover is approximately 42 inches.  Steve Bedair has a web site and a description of how he installed a similar dro on his 12 x 36.    He milled a slot in his apron for the cable.   I found that completely unnecessary.  I have the scale flush with the top of the cross slide and there is plenty of clearance for the cable.


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## Dman1114 (Apr 27, 2015)

Well i think the X Y on the screen would drive me nuts.... Im trying to keep the budget down.  so i called dro pros to see about the 2L but they are out of stock till june.

so i was checking eBay and i found the same one http://www.ebay.com/itm/SINPO-2-axis-digital-readout-kit-for-Lathe-applications-/221078186670?

but a SINPO and they they only charged me 29$ to upgrade the slim scale to 1um.  .00004     for the cross slide.  

so i saved a 170$ lets hope its worth it .     should get it by the 8th .....

i measured the lathe and the carriage gets right around 29.5" travel and the crossslide is right around 6" travel.....   so i went with a 170mm and a 850 mm


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## coolidge (Apr 27, 2015)

Dman isn't 170mm too short for the cross slide, what's the length of the read head?


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## Dman1114 (Apr 28, 2015)

170mm is 6.7" when i measured i was only getting 6 inches of travel...actual length is 12.3"...  if i go with the next size up it would be over 14" long.


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## astroracer (Apr 28, 2015)

I ordered a Tpac 2 axis for the FrankenMill on the 24th. It will be at my door today. The nice thing about the Tpac kits are the scales come in length increments of 2" or so up to 16" so fitting one to the 8" Y on my machine was easy. We'll see how the install goes. I don't want to hi-jack this thread so i'll post a new one after I get the installation going. 
Mark


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