# DRO



## bbolling77 (Oct 19, 2013)

Does anyone know of a good DRO kit around $400 for a Rung Fu RF-45 mill.


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## DaveD (Oct 19, 2013)

I have a Dropros setup on my RF45 clone. 3 axis with the 3rd axis on the quill. More than $400 though but real happy with it.


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## PurpLev (Oct 19, 2013)

I recently installed and wrote a thread here about my install process of a 3 axis LCD DRO unit from drostore.com .it is comparable to other places on terms of quality and prices l like drokit but in my opinion had better selection of displays as well as more custom lengths for scales.


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## fastback (Oct 19, 2013)

I have one from DRO PROS.  So far very happy with mine and they were good to deal with.  I had a lot of questions and they answered them all.  If I were to get one for my lathe I would definitely give them a call.


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## bbolling77 (Oct 20, 2013)

Thank y'all for all the information I'm not ready to get one right now just doing some research before I get one.
                                         Thanks, Brian


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## L98fiero (Oct 20, 2013)

Several years go I got a couple of DRS from the drostore as well but I have issues with them.
They are fairly good on a mill but I have issues with the accuracy, especially on a lathe. When you set an axis in Imperial it does some weird rounding and seldom do you get the required dimension, it seems to be that the internal program is in metric and does a couple of conversions, with associated rounding errors, before it displays the Imperial dimension. On the z axis this isn't much of an issue as you typically have a +/-0.002 tolerance or more but bore tolerances are often much closer. I've found that for bores I usually just use the DRO for rough dimensions and the dial for fine finishing, kind of a shame but that's what I've found. The other issue is that the scales for the X-axis in a lathe should be 2 micron instead of the standard 5 micron scales but I don't know if those units support the higher resolution.


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## 4GSR (Oct 20, 2013)

I installed one on my 13" lathe several months back, bought from Drostore.  So far has done well.  I did get the 1 micron scale for the cross slide.  I know on the readout, you had to set some parameters for the scales I installed.  I haven't really used it much since installing.  I decided to do some major rebuilding on that lathe and still have a good ways to go.


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## drs23 (Oct 20, 2013)

I recently purchased and installed this unit:


8" x 40"$434<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post"><input type="image" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_buynow_SM.gif" border="0" name="submit" alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!"> 
	

		
			
		

		
	



	

		
			
		

		
	
</form>Cross Slide (X)  1 µm Slim.00005" ResSwing ≤ 16" or X travel ≤ 8"Carriage (Z)  5 µm Std.0002" ResZ Travel ≤ 40" 

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 from drokits.com. I was not pleased at all initially because I didn't know what I was doing and couldn't make hide nor hair from the instructions, which I hear is pretty common. I'm very pleased today though. What a difference it makes when a buddy who knows what he's doing comes by and programs it properly in about 15 minutes! Corresponding with Sharon via PM I told her I wasn't pleased with the accuracy of the dials on my G4003G. Well, I need to retract that statement. The DRO proves them to be dead nuts. This goes to show how much this green operator learning on the fly still has to learn!

The 40" scale proved to be too long and is being exchanged.

It sure is nice to be able to establish a start point, dial in the finish target and let it eat! I see a whole lot of time saved as well as a great reduction in dead parts, eer, custom made paperweights. :whistle:


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## 4GSR (Oct 20, 2013)

Boy!  Don't hit that "Buy it Now" button!!!

It works!!!


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## drs23 (Oct 20, 2013)

4gsr said:


> Boy!  Don't hit that "Buy it Now" button!!!
> 
> It works!!!



Well then, gitcha' one!:rofl:


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## 4GSR (Oct 20, 2013)

drs23 said:


> Well then, gitcha' one!:rofl:



Don't need another one!  

You mentioned the scale being too long.  I had just the opposite problem.  I needed one just the next size longer.  But I made it work!


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## bkcorwin (Oct 20, 2013)

L98fiero said:


> Several years go I got a couple of DRS from the drostore as well but I have issues with them.
> They are fairly good on a mill but I have issues with the accuracy, especially on a lathe. When you set an axis in Imperial it does some weird rounding and seldom do you get the required dimension, it seems to be that the internal program is in metric and does a couple of conversions, with associated rounding errors, before it displays the Imperial dimension. On the z axis this isn't much of an issue as you typically have a +/-0.002 tolerance or more but bore tolerances are often much closer. I've found that for bores I usually just use the DRO for rough dimensions and the dial for fine finishing, kind of a shame but that's what I've found. The other issue is that the scales for the X-axis in a lathe should be 2 micron instead of the standard 5 micron scales but I don't know if those units support the higher resolution.




Looks like the new ones from thedrostore.com are 2 mic resolution

http://thedrostore.com/promo-3axisdro.htm


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## jmarkwolf (Oct 21, 2013)

DaveD said:


> I have a Dropros setup on my RF45 clone. 3 axis with the 3rd axis on the quill. More than $400 though but real happy with it.



Same here.

Installed it first on my RF-30 clone, then transplanted it to my Bridgeport when I sold the RF-30 clone. 

Had to buy and cut one of the scales due to travel distance increase.


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