# LMS5500 & DRO Install



## harrzack (Jun 24, 2017)

Here is a link to a coupla pix of my just-completed LMS5500 mill and DRO install. 

http://www.avrdev.net/newmill/

This was quite an adventure!  First I'd like to give a shout-out to the DRO vendor in the UK:
http://www.machine-dro.co.uk/  and a link to the actual package I got:  http://bit.ly/2s7QrBh

It turns out I mis-cut my X-Axis scale by 2" (ARRGH!)  - but Machine-DRO was very helpful and I was able to purchase a new AL mounting extrusion, mag scale and seal for only $20 with shipping.  With the rather large table of the 5500 that missing 2" from one end wasn't really that big of a deal - but how could leave that blemish in place???   

The DRO kit arrived in an amazingly short amount of time (coupla days!)  Previously I had less-expensive glass scales on the LMS 3960.  The magnetic's are a tad more expensive - but this company has a great low-is price.  With such a nice mill - wanted step up a bit.

I think most DRO kits come with rather large brackets - AL castings - and they seem to be "Bridgeport/Big Mill" oriented.  For the X2 and SX2.7 (and probably SX3) they are a bit large and I've come up with a very rigide and compact mounting system that doesn't take up much space.  There are some pix of the install on the 5500 and a similar scheme I used on the 3960. There are a series of views of that install that gives a pretty good example of the idea:  http://www.avrdev.net/mounting-scales-2/

This time I used 1/4" AL plates and 1/2" AL rod to make the stand-offs.  I think this may be a tad overkill - but they sure are rock-solid!

For anybody considering to add a DRO to the 5500 - take note that removing the saddle is difficult as the Y-Nut is pinned to it!  I had to drill mine out to get it off - and didn't bother putting any back - It seems pretty solid without them - but I know where to look if anything funky starts on the Y-axis...  LOL!


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## wrmiller (Jun 24, 2017)

I put a DroPros 3-axis on my little LMS when I had it. Made for quite the accurate little machine.

Have fun with yours!


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## harrzack (Jun 24, 2017)

I've seen their site - pretty pricey stuff if you go for the magnetic's.  I had a Sinpo glass-scale setup on the 3960 which I got from China. Sold it along with the mill - to get the 5500.   This DRO from the UK is about 1/2 the price of what the DroPro's are asking.


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## wrmiller (Jun 24, 2017)

I had the small glass scales on my LMS mill. I'm not sure they even had the magnetic scales then, or they were just coming out. Couldn't afford them, regardless.


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## harrzack (Jun 25, 2017)

Well - whatever sort of scale is used- I highly recommend installing a DRO. On the mini-mills it does away with the backlash worries - which can be quite significant on those small machines. 

In addition - it is a lot easier to deal with than dials. Sure - if you have 20 years experience on a Bridgeport you can get damn good at interpreting the backlash and reading the dials. But it is a whole othe story for the hobby machinist with limited time to "get good".


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## Bob Korves (Jun 25, 2017)

I was at the Bar Z Summer Bash yesterday and DRO pros has new magnetic scales that are much smaller in cross section than previous ones (relatively TINY!), and also have end brackets that fit BEHIND the scale, so the entire installation is no longer or bulkier than the scale itself.  The read head is also very small.  Very impressive, no idea on costs or current availability...


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## harrzack (Jun 25, 2017)

Bob - that does sound good!  It seems the current batch of DRO 'kits' seem to lean towards the Bridgeport crowd, and haven't been giving much truck to the hobbyists.

The set that I got from machine-dro.co.uk do not have end caps, but have seals that run along horizontally, top and bottom of the extrusion-mount.  I think an equivalent (current) package from DRO Pros would have been like $1200 or so - mine was half that.  Hopefully this move by them will signal an interest in the budget-minded hobby guy/gal.  AND the magnetic's SHOULD be a lot cheaper - they look quite easy to manufacture...

=Alan R. 




Bob Korves said:


> I was at the Bar Z Summer Bash yesterday and DRO pros has new magnetic scales that are much smaller in cross section than previous ones (relatively TINY!), and also have end brackets that fit BEHIND the scale, so the entire installation is no longer or bulkier than the scale itself.  The read head is also very small.  Very impressive, no idea on costs or current availability...


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## Bob Korves (Jun 25, 2017)

DRO pros also had on display a small mill with a CNC conversion kit they are selling.  It comes with all the conversion parts, everything to do the job.  That would likely take a lot of the frustration out of converting a small mill to CNC.  Again, I have no idea of prices or availability...


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