An Electronic Lead Screw controller using a Teensy 4.1

[WobblyHand]

The bracket for the cross slide is done and mounted. Have to figure out how to mount the read head. Think I will pull the whole saddle off and mill the casting vertical. Right now there's about a 4-5 degree angle from vertical. That area is indicated by the black arrow.
Suspect I will have to slide off the whole saddle/apron off the end, after removing the lead screw bracket near the tail stock. That will be fun.

 

[TorontoBuilder]

The bracket for the cross slide is done and mounted. Have to figure out how to mount the read head. Think I will pull the whole saddle off and mill the casting vertical. Right now there's about a 4-5 degree angle from vertical. That area is indicated by the black arrow.
Suspect I will have to slide off the whole saddle/apron off the end, after removing the lead screw bracket near the tail stock. That will be fun.
View attachment 442701View attachment 442702View attachment 442703

On my brother's colchester master I'm setting the scale towards the rear, and installing the read head to the saddle on the back side so I avoid this issue and so I can bring the tail stock in closer without interference from the read head.

You've already mounted the scale so you may not wish to investigate that option

 

[RJSakowski]

You can separate the saddle from the apron by removing the two socket head cap screws (937 & 938). You may have to loosen or remove the three rear screws (926) to be able to lift the saddle off.

 

[WobblyHand]

On my brother's colchester master I'm setting the scale towards the rear, and installing the read head to the saddle on the back side so I avoid this issue and so I can bring the tail stock in closer without interference from the read head.

You've already mounted the scale so you may not wish to investigate that option

I thought about several ways of doing this. None were great. I'm leaving the design as is, at least until I use it. Issue for a rear installation is interference with the chip guard. My shop is tiny and I don't have room to extend the guard further, nor to move the lathe. Wish it were different, but have to work with what I have for now.

 

[WobblyHand]

You can separate the saddle from the apron by removing the two socket head cap screws (937 & 938). You may have to loosen or remove the three rear screws (926) to be able to lift the saddle off.

I thought that might be true, but wasn't sure. Will need to prop up the apron first, because that's a lot of weight on the lead screw.

 

[TorontoBuilder]

I thought about several ways of doing this. None were great. I'm leaving the design as is, at least until I use it. Issue for a rear installation is interference with the chip guard. My shop is tiny and I don't have room to extend the guard further, nor to move the lathe. Wish it were different, but have to work with what I have for now.

I hear you.

I debated this myself and have been thinking of how to mount the DRO since we got the lathe home on sunday. We have the advantage that the lathe is not yet pushed back but rather is sitting on the pallet still, and the splash guard is off.

I was worried about the clearance to the guard but I just found someone else used the same method on the same lathe so I should be okay... unless they left their guard off

 

[WobblyHand]

I hear you.

I debated this myself and have been thinking of how to mount the DRO since we got the lathe home on sunday. We have the advantage that the lathe is not yet pushed back but rather is sitting on the pallet still, and the splash guard is off.

I was worried about the clearance to the guard but I just found someone else used the same method on the same lathe so I should be okay... unless they left their guard off

View attachment 442704

Does this maintain full travel of the cross slide? That's what I was trying to do, as well as not compromise cross slide height and tail stock travel. Looks like that design is above the cross slide, if I am not mistaken. I only have a 10" lathe, so I made sure my scale was below the cross slide.

You'd best check on whether they left the guard off. I hadn't anticipated the amount of rearward stick out of the scale, and found I needed to move the guard. Haven't done it yet - but determined a need to space it rearward about 1/2".

 

[TorontoBuilder]

Does this maintain full travel of the cross slide? That's what I was trying to do, as well as not compromise cross slide height and tail stock travel. Looks like that design is above the cross slide, if I am not mistaken. I only have a 10" lathe, so I made sure my scale was below the cross slide.

You'd best check on whether they left the guard off. I hadn't anticipated the amount of rearward stick out of the scale, and found I needed to move the guard. Haven't done it yet - but determined a need to space it rearward about 1/2".

yes it permits the full cross slide travel. I had my brother check last night before I found this example.

Now these are glass scales, so the slot needs to be protected. In this case the slot faces down and the height does indeed project above the cross slide. There is no way to avoid that with the glass scales. I'd bought the scales for a different lathe that had more room, but the opportunity came up to buy the Colchester so we will make do. There is still plenty of space and having the scale set towards the back keeps the compound handle away from the scale for the most part.

Oh and yes, the guard is in place.

Here is the rear view

 

[WobblyHand]

There is no way to avoid that with the glass scales.

I realize you are making do with the scale you have - but they do make smaller scales. They are called slim. Hope neither you nor your brother get caught by the scales being over the cross slide.

I'm also jealous that you have room to walk around the lathe, that's a luxury I don't have right now. Sure would make the installation a lot easier, than having to contort myself to even see what's on the backside, never mind work on it. I have a way to do it, but it involves ducking and crawling, which gets harder and harder as the days go by.

 

[TorontoBuilder]

I realize you are making do with the scale you have - but they do make smaller scales. They are called slim. Hope neither you nor your brother get caught by the scales being over the cross slide.

I'm also jealous that you have room to walk around the lathe, that's a luxury I don't have right now. Sure would make the installation a lot easier, than having to contort myself to even see what's on the backside, never mind work on it. I have a way to do it, but it involves ducking and crawling, which gets harder and harder as the days go by.

The pics are not mine but another similar machine, so not my scales

I ordered from Ditron and got a 150mm travel slimline scale for the cross slide. I can mount the scale to be below the top of the cross slide, with the slot facing the tail stock if I wish. I may need to make my own wider splash cover.