# DRO or Power feed



## barnett (Dec 16, 2017)

I'm looking to make an upgrade to my, new to me, knee mill, I am looking at either a DRO or a Powerfeed. Not enough cash for both. I do not use it for anything but my hobbies, make a few engine or gun parts. 

I'm just wanting some input from some of you fine craftsmen out there, so be gentle. 
Which would you consider to be more important to purchase first ?


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## dlane (Dec 16, 2017)

For Smaller parts I'd get a DRO


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## cathead (Dec 16, 2017)

For me, the DRO is way more useful tool than the X axis power feed.


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## BGHansen (Dec 16, 2017)

DRO hands down.

Bruce


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## Ken from ontario (Dec 16, 2017)

I'm a hobbyist myself and far from being a fine craftsman but the  DRO is probably the best upgrade you can make on your mill.


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## Kernbigo (Dec 16, 2017)

dro i have both, but use the dro more often, make a power feed that is what idid


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## Alan H. (Dec 16, 2017)

As others have said already, without question go with the DRO first.  A DRO is a night and day difference on a mill.


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## tweinke (Dec 16, 2017)

I would say both, but if one or the other DRO. For me tinkering around on various projects the DRO added a whole new world of accuracy and ease to projects


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## wrmiller (Dec 16, 2017)

I'll join the chorus and add another vote for the DRO. They are just too handy to have nowadays, and while I can work with the dials on a mill, a DRO is so much faster/easier. And less frustrating, e.g., you need to crank the handle 5 times and the wife walks in and asks a question in the middle of the third turn... 

You can add a power feed later.


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## JimDawson (Dec 16, 2017)

Another vote for the DRO.


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## Doubleeboy (Dec 16, 2017)

DRO for sure.  If the DRO on my mill went out tomorrow I would order a new one right away.  I don't know anyone with a mill that does not have  a DRO on it.


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## jocat54 (Dec 16, 2017)

Like every one else---DRO.
I have both but---the DRO is much more useful.


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## barnett (Dec 16, 2017)

Kernbigo said:


> dro i have both, but use the dro more often, make a power feed that is what idid



Send me a pic if you can, please.

DRO  seems to be the favorite choice! I was leaning that direction anyway, so DRO it is. 

Thank you all for the input, I appreciate it. 
Tom


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## mikey (Dec 16, 2017)

Doubleeboy said:


> I don't know anyone with a mill that does not have  a DRO on it.



Sure you do, Mike.


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## derf (Dec 16, 2017)

Just ask yourself a simple question:    What is stronger......your eyes, or your arms?


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## kd4gij (Dec 16, 2017)

I got power feed first as I hate cranking handles. I used dial indicators before I got the Igaging scales. The PB I use at work has power feed on X, Y ,and Z  did I mention I hate to turn cranks?


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## Alan H. (Dec 16, 2017)

I made this brass shaft seal tonight.  I drilled the bolt holes and counterbored them in the mill.  This would have been a monumental PITA without the DRO.  The DRO makes this go unbelievably fast and within the tolerance needed.

BTW, the brass disc is 0.250" thick and 1.375" in diameter.  The Allen head cap screws attaching the seal to the casting are number 4's.

As you can imagine I did not use the mill's table power feed to do this work.


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## barnett (Dec 17, 2017)

That’s a nice seal !


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## Doubleeboy (Dec 17, 2017)

Alan H said:


> I made this brass shaft seal tonight.  I drilled the bolt holes and counterbored them in the mill.  This would have been a monumental PITA without the DRO.  The DRO makes this go unbelievably fast and within the tolerance needed.
> 
> BTW, the brass disc is 0.250" thick and 1.375" in diameter.  The Allen head cap screws attaching the seal to the casting are number 4's.
> 
> ...


That sure looks Like  a MLA die filer casting, looking good!!


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## barnett (Dec 26, 2017)

One more question,  2 axis or 3 axis ?


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## wrmiller (Dec 26, 2017)

barnett said:


> One more question,  2 axis or 3 axis ?



I prefer 3-axis, with the Z-axis scale on the head for a bench/bed mill, or on the knee for a knee-mill. But opinions will vary.


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## Alan H. (Dec 26, 2017)

Tom, I would advise you to spend the extra and get a three axis.   I use all three plus an indicator on the quill.   Makes the mill very usable.


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## projectnut (Dec 26, 2017)

Here's a response I wrote for someone asking a similar question:

Another vote for the DRO.  I've had my current Bridgeport going on 20 years.  It came from a high school shop without either the DRO or power feed.  I did fine for nearly a dozen years without either.  Then came the 2012 presidential campaign.  I had a couple large jobs to get done so I spent a lot of overtime hours in the shop. ​​ It seemed that in the early evening hours all the solicitors thought it was time to ask for votes.  I was getting upwards of 50 calls a day from one or another campaign.  I wanted to just let the phone ring, but then I might miss a call from a customer or supplier.   Several times a day I would stop what I was doing only to hear another line of campaign BS.  Several times I forgot to write down the coordinates I stopped the mill at, so I had to retrace my steps.  ​​ I finally gave up and made the decision to buy a DRO.  Then it wouldn't matter where I stopped, everything would be saved on the screen.  I ended up buying a DRO Pros Electronica EL400 with magnetic scales:​​​http://www.dropros.com/Electronica_...m#Electronica_Magnetic_Scale_2_Axis_Mill_Kits​:​​ The best part is that when I was talking to them on the phone they guaranteed that the installation of one of their readouts would end all political calls for a minimum of 90 days starting November 7th.  I was hesitant to believe them, but it did work. I didn't get another political call for another year.  It even had residual value in that I didn't get more than a handful of calls during the 2016 election campaign.  Best money I ever spent.​​ As for the power feed, I still haven't invested in one.  It's on the list, but the priority has fallen down somewhat.  Now it's a "nice to have" but not mandatory accessory.​
Note the DRO is a 2 scale model for the X and Y travel only.  At work we only had readouts for these axis so I quickly got used to it.  Any critical depth holes or slots can be accomplished by zeroing the cutter height and raising the table.


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## Techee (Dec 26, 2017)

DRO.....self taught hobbyist here.   24 years ago I started w/ a basic Smithy.....no DRO

2 years ago I bought a new Rong FU mill/drill & last  year a Grizzley SouthBend lathe.

I installed 3 readouts on the mill &  2  on the lathe.  I bought 5 low cost Igage battery operated units off Ebay.  3 different lengths, I the used a hacksaw & cut them to the appropriate lengths.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Re...107663?hash=item21113ca44f:g:ucUAAOSwzJ5XVi4o

They are fairly  accurate & have all the advantages mentioned above at a reasonable cost.  One caveat...I tend to forget to turn theme off & I have used up a set of batteries on three of them.

For a hobbyist...they have let me step up my game immensely!

You will not be disappointed no matter what quality/price range you choose!


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## barnett (Dec 27, 2017)

Thanks for the input !

Tom


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## Silverbullet (Dec 27, 2017)

YUPP dro , later you can build a suitable power feed under $100 .  Windshield wipers motors , power wheelchair motors even better . A few switches and power supply . Get the three line dro .


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## Buffalo20 (Dec 27, 2017)

just to be contrary, I’d go power feed. On what I do, the power feed is mandatory, after 4 shoulder surgeries, powerfeeds on theX, Y and Z axis is more important to me, than a dro.


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## BGHansen (Dec 27, 2017)

I'd go with 3-axis (X, Y and the knee) and a digital scale on the quill.  I've got that set up on my Jet JVM-830 and love it.  Have 3-axis on my Bridgeport and bought a quill scale from Shars that'll go on once the outside temp in Michigan gets north of 10 deg. (-3 F this morning).  I've got a heater in my shop, but it only raises the temp by about 40 degrees.  I can wait a bit for the weather to get at least into the 20's.

Bruce


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## barnett (Dec 27, 2017)

Never even thought about a power wheelchair motor, might look into that. I thought most of them were 24volt


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## middle.road (Dec 28, 2017)

Well crud! I passed on two 'used' scooters at an estate sale this past season. It was at the end on Sunday and the gent that was running the sale offered them up for $25. I didn't think about the motors.
Of course there is the counter-point of having to explain to my Better-Half. Already have the parts of (2) treadmills up in the attic...


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## Greebles (Dec 30, 2017)

DRO first! It will save you a lot of time.

-Denzil


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