# spindle RPM digital readout on sale in Canada.



## Ken from ontario (Jul 2, 2017)

This RPM display fits many smaller Chinese lathes or mills such as LMS, HF, etc,(note: may need to change the cable to fit the older lathes/mills) they are always handy to have if the price is right,  LMS for example sells them for $134.95, others may sell slightly cheaper but I have never seen them for under  $100 CAD which is like $77 USD.
http://www.busybeetools.com/products/digital-read-out-for-cx612.html


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## Ed ke6bnl (Jul 2, 2017)

I purchased one like it for about $17 usa money on ebay works great item # 181299070299


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## Ken from ontario (Jul 2, 2017)

Ed ke6bnl said:


> I purchased one like it for about $17 usa money on ebay works great item # 181299070299


Thanks Ed for the item # , it is probably a good alternative to the dro I mentioned but it's not quite the same thing, I've seen a few rpm displays such as the one you linked for cheap,on Amazon or ebay. some owners of these imported lathe /mills have modified it and made it work .the one I linked is plug and play for specific busy bee/LMS  machines.


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## hman (Jul 2, 2017)

There's frequently a trade-off between a more expensive, but fully engineered plug-and-play, and a less expensive "kit."  My own approach is generally to go for the kit and have fun making it work.  But then, my tool budget is pretty low and my hourly labor rate is very low


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## Ed ke6bnl (Jul 2, 2017)

It wouldn't surprise me if the ebay ones are a direct plug in for the one made for the LMS machine. Power supply 8-16volts dc. So a lot of wall warts will work


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## hman (Jul 2, 2017)

Ed ke6bnl said:


> It wouldn't surprise me if the ebay ones are a direct plug in for the one made for the LMS machine. Power supply 8-16volts dc. So a lot of wall warts will work


Not quite - the LMS and Busy Bee tachs plug into a specialized connector on the motor control box of recent mini-mills and mini-lathes.  Older minis, like the HF 44991, Grizzly G8689, and current HF mini-lathes, use a previous version motor speed control board and do not include this connector.  The connector supplies both DC power and the tach signal.  

The eBay and similar tachs include a prox sensor that you have to find a way to mount.  As you mentioned, you have to provide power.  You also need some kind of enclosure, as the back side of the tach is open.  The LMS and Busy Bee tachs are fully enclosed, with a magneic back that allows you to simply stick them to the head stock.


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## brav65 (Jul 2, 2017)

hman said:


> There's frequently a trade-off between a more expensive, but fully engineered plug-and-play, and a less expensive "kit."  My own approach is generally to go for the kit and have fun making it work.  But then, my tool budget is pretty low and my hourly labor rate is very low


Hey John I am always looking for cheap labor, what's your rate?


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## hman (Jul 2, 2017)

Zero (though I doubled my salary both this year and last year) ... but I'm pretty well booked up for the summer and fall.  Judy and I are gonna be super busy moving out of two houses and buying/moving into a larger one (with shop space!) somewhere in this area. 
Give me a holler some time after October


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