# can I-gagingg be adapted to a single 2 or 3 axis control screen  ????



## joebiplane (Jul 15, 2014)

I like the use of igaging magnetic strips but wish they could be adapted to a 2 or 3 axis master control  or at least  get an adapter to power with 110 V   as the batteries just don't last and I don't like the units going to sleep.   of course I want it on the cheap   less than  $ 300.00
ANY IDEAS ????


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## kd4gij (Jul 15, 2014)

Check out this site. http://www.yuriystoys.com/p/android-dro.html

Also the Shumatech will work with them If the kits are still around .http://www.shumatech.com/web/products


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## tweinke (Jul 15, 2014)

That's what I did, Yuri explains battery backup so even if the main board looses power the scales keep the position. Two AA battery last for months and even after the main power is off you can pick up where you left off later.


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## joebiplane (Jul 16, 2014)

tweinke said:


> That's what I did, Yuri explains battery backup so even if the main board looses power the scales keep the position. Two AA battery last for months and even after the main power is off you can pick up where you left off later.



I have reviewed Yuri's site  and I can't help but admire his knowledge base....Problem is MY ELECTRIC ABILITIES ARE ABOUT " 0-4 " ( that means I would have better luck designing a rocket to Uranus ) lol
I just don't speak " electrical "   I need a plug in system

What is the difference between I-gaging magnetic sscales.....   DRO Pros   magnetic scales    and glass scales   from a practical point and in Layman's terms.    I would think magnetic should be cheaper but ,   at least at DRO Pro's   glass scales are cheaper   but with a Disclainer  that they can get easily broken or  CONTAMINATED ???

Thanks for your replies
joe


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## lens42 (Jul 16, 2014)

I too have wondered why there seem to be no cheap, but more robust than caliper style, magnetic scales - sort of equivalents to the Sino and Ditron optical scales. The closest I could find are called "M-DRO" on a UK site which didn't reply to my emails. I found a US seller on eBay. Price was more than for Ditron optical, but cheaper than DRO pros. I wanted magnetic for small size.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## kevinpg (Jul 16, 2014)

hi, I have built up the project on Yuriys toys and while it is created for a mill, it adapts easily to a lathe. bear in min that you will only be using the DRO function on the lathe. Yuriy did note he was making a lathe version.

as to the 110v, there is no problem as the Arduino boards have a barrel plug and I use a 9v charging adapter, these are easily found in the power you want or in models with selectable output and with various tips. they plug into a 110 outlet and convert the AC to DC voltage. 

if you follow Yuriy's steps, the scales ger their power through the arduino project. to complete the project, you use a board that plugs directly to the arduino called a 'proto board' or prototyping board. the i-gaging scales readout is attached by a usb cable that is the wired to the proto board.

it is not hard, It was my first project electrically that was more than soldering two wires together. any mistakes made, were from missing a step and easily walked back.

still, if this is daunting, someone on ebay (i read somewhere) is selling an aluminum housing milled to accept the readout displays that come with the i-gaging scales. the all you have to do is mount them in the display, label youe axes and go from there.  your username includes 'biplane' and if you build models or full scale, you know that building an airplane is mostly about mounting things to the cruciform planform. Yuriy provides a great deal of versatility and was less daunting to me than opening a box from a Proctor Museum scale kit.

I bought my scales fum a guy here on the forum and the cost in parts tobuils out the scales was less than 150 total. however, if I add in the new tools and toys along the way and the extra arduino r3 and proto board, the the motor control board, well, you get the idea.

if you have a local machine hobbyist club or even a vo-tech, maybe a trade school, it may be possible to get a student interested in real world practice and get them to build it for you.

i did it because I wanted to learn and do things interesting to me, the same reason I got the lathe. I look at all of this in this way, if I fail, I can always pay someone to build what I want but at least all I have lost is time and nore more money than by golfing or any other hobby.

good luck!


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## markknx (Jul 16, 2014)

"110 V as the batteries just don't last and I don't like the units going to sleep."   I have had great luck with the batteies in mine. I have had the I gagging scales for about a year and have only changed the batteries once and that was not that long ago. Also I have left them on over night and a couple times for days. Not sure why some guys have battery issues andsome don't. Could be in the handling of the batteries, Your not supposed to Tutch them when you install them it can make them bleeb voltage.I would like a better display though.


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## chuckorlando (Jul 16, 2014)

I have done the same leaving mine on. No problems thus far. There is a guy on ebay that has a whole set up with glass scales for 400 or so new. So I would weigh your pennies here. I went igaging cause they were a cheap solution for the mean time. If you get up in the 300-400 range I would just buy a real dro.

Your right at 400 here http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-axis-mTEC...042?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3391d68482


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## ycroosh (Jul 17, 2014)

kevinpg said:


> hi, I have built up the project on Yuriys toys and while it is created for a mill, it adapts easily to a lathe. bear in min that you will only be using the DRO function on the lathe. Yuriy did note he was making a lathe version.
> 
> as to the 110v, there is no problem as the Arduino boards have a barrel plug and I use a 9v charging adapter, these are easily found in the power you want or in models with selectable output and with various tips. they plug into a 110 outlet and convert the AC to DC voltage.
> 
> ...



Kevin,
New version is lathe and mill. It's officially a "beta", but I've been using it since February (as have about 200 other people at this point) and it's pretty stable. 

Joe,
For iGaging scales the build process is pretty trivial, especially when using MSP430 (Arduino needs about 6 more parts...). 

Regards
Yuriy


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## kevinpg (Jul 18, 2014)

*t*


ycroosh said:


> Kevin,
> New version is lathe and mill. It's officially a "beta", but I've been using it since February (as have about 200 other people at this point) and it's pretty stable.
> 
> Joe,
> ...


thank you Yuriy!


I have the beta on a cheap android 4.2 with bluetooth. it insists on using a pair code and the commom ones do not work so I hae to pull the lierature from the bt module I bought.

amazing contribution you created there, many thanks.

kevin


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