Another Chinese Magnetic Scales Thread

[ycroosh]

Now that I think about it, the scale I'm using on my mill isn't even ditron branded. Who knows what brand it is. I cut the cable off the shattered accu-rite scale to make an adapter, changed the dip switches inside accu rite III box to match the resolution and it works fine. I did buy a full Ditron kit for my lathe but I haven't fitted it and it's been in the garage for at least 18 months. I have bought the Touch DRO TDA420 for the mill and will hopefully get it fitted in the next 6 months

It's "water under the bridge", but it's a good idea to test stuff that comes from China as soon as you get it. Warranty from AliExpress sellers is worthless, so you really only have some degree of protection for the first 30 days. Hopefully your stuff works out.

 

[SouthernChap]

Ditron sells direct as well as via AliExpress. I bought my Ditron scales from AliExpress, via Ditron's official factory store, and the rep there told me they also sell direct to the consumer.

I'd be wary buying "Ditron" scales from other suppliers on AE, as they could very well be thirds or rejects. I bought a different brand scale which didn't work out for me (physical size just wouldn't work) and all I got from them was the scale and a couple of worthless chrome plated plastic brackets. With the Ditron, I got an actual manual, written in English, that covered their various products and very helpful instructions on installation (and some worthless brackets). With brand X, there was zero documentation.

Well, I've just ordered 4 scales (3 standard size for the mill, 1 slim size for the lathe) on the official Ditron store on AliExpress.

@ycroosh I have a dirt cheap DRO display, and single single dirt cheap no-name glass scale on the longitudinal axis on my lathe. It works but I hate it; the display feels like something from Poundland (British version of your 99 cent stores) and sometimes takes a moment to catch up.

Expect an order for a TDA-420 Plus adapter for my mill early next year (yeah, I said that before a few months ago but life got in the way! I've bought the scales now so no point them sitting around). I already have one 10" Fire tablet I got in an earlier Amazon sale, so that'll do duty for the mill.

My question to you is what do I replace the lathe DRO with?

Given it's for a lathe, if I were to go with the self-assemble kit (I'm an okay solderer, particularly when someone else has designed the PCB and done most of the work; my designs are rubbish, I've never particularly enjoyed soldering or electronics assembly and I get bored with assembling electronics), would the lack of Plus features fill me with self-loathing and regret, leading to a descent into substance abuse and homelessness?

Or will I really not mind?

 

[carl0s]

Well, I've just ordered 4 scales (3 standard size for the mill, 1 slim size for the lathe) on the official Ditron store on AliExpress.

@ycroosh I have a dirt cheap DRO display, and single single dirt cheap no-name glass scale on the longitudinal axis on my lathe. It works but I hate it; the display feels like something from Poundland (British version of your 99 cent stores) and sometimes takes a moment to catch up.

Expect an order for a TDA-420 Plus adapter for my mill early next year (yeah, I said that before a few months ago but life got in the way! I've bought the scales now so no point them sitting around). I already have one 10" Fire tablet I got in an earlier Amazon sale, so that'll do duty for the mill.

My question to you is what do I replace the lathe DRO with?

Given it's for a lathe, if I were to go with the self-assemble kit (I'm an okay solderer, particularly when someone else has designed the PCB and done most of the work; my designs are rubbish, I've never particularly enjoyed soldering or electronics assembly and I get bored with assembling electronics), would the lack of Plus features fill me with self-loathing and regret, leading to a descent into substance abuse and homelessness?

Or will I really not mind?

Buy the TDA 420 ;-)

 

[ycroosh]

Buy the TDA 420 ;-)

Well, this, obviously (TDA-410, though; 420 is for a mill).
Seriously, though, it depends on a couple of things:
1. If you want to hook up your tailstock scale to TouchDRO, you need the "Plus" firmware
2. If you are ever planning to do fancy shapes, i.e. use your lathe as a giant "Etch-a-Sketch" (not sure if this is an American thing. If it is, Google...) to trace a drawing on screen, get the Plus version.
3. If you want to have access to not-yet-implemented stuff for cutting and measuring threads, get the Plus version.

Now, here is a twist - in a couple of days the kit will have a Plus option. I am getting rid of the basic kit (weirdly, I sold around 5 of those in a year; the TDK-40T is for some reason more popular). I'll drop the price to $149 (it's $159) and add an add-on for additional $50 to upgrade the firmware to "Plus". It will give you TouchDRO Plus activation in the app, and serial protocol decoders. Not quite full-blown TDA-410, but $60 cheaper.

Twist #2 - as we speak, I am writing the new DIY build instructions for a design that is pin-compatible with the kit module. The new firmware is a stripped down version of the TDK-40, but without the stuff that deals with adapter identification (I can't have private encryption keys in unencrypted bin file posted on the internet). Core functionality and performance are the same, though. The "twist" part of this is that I need to add a store listing for a replacement TDK-40/T module (some people manage to destroy theirs and I'm getting tired with doing one-of replacement transactions). The module will be $59 (programmed, tested, etc.) + $50 for the Plus version.

The links to all this will be in the "how-to" in a couple of days.

 

[SouthernChap]

Buy the TDA 420 ;-)

Why? I'm genuinely asking the question.

I mean I like the cut of Yuriy's gib and think he deserves every success he has and more but it's a lathe and a (albeit definitely improved and upgraded) Chinese 7x14 at that. I can't see much in TouchDRO Plus over the TouchDRO Basic that's particularly compelling for a lathe.

Happy to give him the £240-odd for the adapter for the mill and I will, but for the lathe, if I can get away with it, I'd prefer to just give him the £105 and grit my teeth and drag my soldering station out for the small amount of annoying work.

Mind you, when the day comes that the little 7x goes into storage awaiting one of my grandchildren (only got one so far, but he's only just had his first birthday, so it's a little tricky to tell if he'd be interested) to use, and is replaced with a Boxford Harrison or Colchester, I might well treat that special fella to the latest and greatest from Yuriy.

 

[SouthernChap]

Well, this, obviously (TDA-410, though; 420 is for a mill).

Seriously, though, it depends on a couple of things:
1. If you want to hook up your tailstock scale to TouchDRO, you need the "Plus" firmware

Hmm...I thought that the TDK-40T (I got the price wrong in my reply to @carl0s , I see it's £128) had 4 axes? What am I being an idiot about?

2. If you are ever planning to do fancy shapes, i.e. use your lathe as a giant "Etch-a-Sketch" (not sure if this is an American thing. If it is, Google...) to trace a drawing on screen, get the Plus version.

Probably not, I think. I could see that being very compelling on a mill but less so on a lathe. Again, I'm almost certainly missing something here

3. If you want to have access to not-yet-implemented stuff for cutting and measuring threads, get the Plus version.

Now that sounds like a seriously good benefit... except Tranche 3 of my upgrades and improvements plan (which, I'll grant may never be realised, depending on how soon the funds arrive to replace it with some old English iron) involves putting an ELS system on the lathe.

Now, here is a twist - in a couple of days the kit will have a Plus option. I am getting rid of the basic kit (weirdly, I sold around 5 of those in a year; the TDK-40T is for some reason more popular). I'll drop the price to $149 (it's $159) and add an add-on for additional $50 to upgrade the firmware to "Plus". It will give you TouchDRO Plus activation in the app, and serial protocol decoders. Not quite full-blown TDA-410, but $60 cheaper.

Well, there you go. That's my solution, right there. I'll get the TDA-420 for my mill in January and then a few months after, the new version of the kit with the Plus upgrade will be waiting for me.
It will be a joy to take the flimsy, janky DRO display I currently have to the recycling centre.

I know the promise of "Jam Tomorrow" may not be the most exciting news you've had all year, but honestly, you will be getting at least two orders off me next year (maybe three if I can get the funds together for the Boxford A/B/C model, Harrison M300 or Colchester Bantam that I long for.

 

[ycroosh]

Now that sounds like a seriously good benefit... except Tranche 3 of my upgrades and improvements plan (which, I'll grant may never be realised, depending on how soon the funds arrive to replace it with some old English iron) involves putting an ELS system on the lathe.

Well, so the part naming convention for my hardware is:
Touch DRO Adapter/Kit - <number of primary inputs> <number of secondary inputs> <optionally - number of outputs>. There is a reason why TDA-410 and 420 have three digits... There might or might not be a version in development that might or might not have a number different than 0 at the end... (a "2", for instance...) Such model, if it ever existed, could be used for coupling a spindle encoder or linear scale to a stepper motor (for driving a dividing head for gear hobbing, or driving a lead screw ...). This might even be somehow related to a Vortex dividing head that is sitting on my desk...

 

[ycroosh]

Hmm...I thought that the TDK-40T (I got the price wrong in my reply to @carl0s , I see it's £128) had 4 axes? What am I being an idiot about?

Probably not, I think. I could see that being very compelling on a mill but less so on a lathe. Again, I'm almost certainly missing something here

Now that sounds like a seriously good benefit... except Tranche 3 of my upgrades and improvements plan (which, I'll grant may never be realised, depending on how soon the funds arrive to replace it with some old English iron) involves putting an ELS system on the lathe.

Well, there you go. That's my solution, right there. I'll get the TDA-420 for my mill in January and then a few months after, the new version of the kit with the Plus upgrade will be waiting for me.
It will be a joy to take the flimsy, janky DRO display I currently have to the recycling centre.

I know the promise of "Jam Tomorrow" may not be the most exciting news you've had all year, but honestly, you will be getting at least two orders off me next year (maybe three if I can get the funds together for the Boxford A/B/C model, Harrison M300 or Colchester Bantam that I long for.

I realize that we are about three levels deep into "off topic", but this is what the DIY DRO adapter looks like (fresh off the press):
Top

Bottom:

Ended up being a lot less evil build than I expected, but it also reminded me the level of passion with which I have building prototypes on strip boards

I will have the firmware, schematic, BOM and the instructions posted in a couple of days - need to proof read them, format, etc.

 

[ChazzC]

I realize that we are about three levels deep into "off topic", but this is what the DIY DRO adapter looks like (fresh off the press):
Top
View attachment 509974
Bottom:
View attachment 509975

Ended up being a lot less evil build than I expected, but it also reminded me the level of passion with which I have building prototypes on strip boards

I will have the firmware, schematic, BOM and the instructions posted in a couple of days - need to proof read them, format, etc.

Boy that takes me back (5+ decades!)