Budget Friendly DRO (redux)

MyLilMule

MyLilMule

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This has been done before, but the threads are all stale, and technology moves fast.

I have a 13" lathe and a Bridgeport that I would like to add DROs on (the mill more so than the lathe). I don't do Android so TouchDRO is not a likely candidate.

Interested in feedback of YOUR budget friendly 3 axis DRO. Here are a few questions that might help with what kind of information I am looking for:

What did you get?
Glass or magnetic scales?
Was it a "complete" kit or did you have to buy extra pieces?
Any difficulty installing it?
What's the level of precision? I don't need sub micron precision.
Would you buy it again had you to do it all over?
If you don't mind sharing, what was the cost?

I have some time before I will need it for the mill, but I want to start budgeting for it now. Thanks for the information.
 
I bought an HS800-3 from Shenzhen Siton Tech. Co., AliExpress. Included 3 glass scales, delivered for $270 total, Oct. 2021.

I didn’t buy anything else. I made brackets for mounting the read heads, incorporating the supplied bracket in my z-axis. I enjoyed figuring out and making the mounting. I posted a thread about it.

I’m happy with it. I haven’t checked accuracy but have relied on it to make parts and they come out as desired. My goal was to spend about as little as I could. The only thing I’d prefer different is a fourth axis for the quill. That wasn’t an option around the price point, with some limited poking around.
 
You don't need to "do Android" to use TouchDRO. An Android tablet with the TouchDRO app is not much different than loading an app on an iPhone.
I bought scales from Shars, TouchDRO scale adapter, and an Android tablet. It was the most cost effective way to go.
Cost (and precision) will depend mostly on the type and length of scales that you purchase. I believe that TouchDRO is under $100 and an Android tablet can be had around $100.

If you are not using the lathe and mill at the same time I think you can have one display for both.
 
jwmelvin said:
I bought an HS800-3 from Shenzhen Siton Tech. Co., AliExpress. Included 3 glass scales, delivered for $270 total, Oct. 2021.

I didn’t buy anything else. I made brackets for mounting the read heads, incorporating the supplied bracket in my z-axis. I enjoyed figuring out and making the mounting. I posted a thread about it.

I’m happy with it. I haven’t checked accuracy but have relied on it to make parts and they come out as desired. My goal was to spend about as little as I could. The only thing I’d prefer different is a fourth axis for the quill. That wasn’t an option around the price point, with some limited poking around.
Click to expand...
I agree, I did one of the Ebay/Aliexpress sets, and was quite happy. I found the accuracy with the glass scales to be right on, and they seemed to be perfectly reliable (as well as cheap to replace!).

The DRO head I had left a little to be desired (but the problems were all ones that ALL the Chinese heads have, like the bolt-circles being N+1, etc), but the newer ones seem to be quite a bit nicer.

On my mill, I upgraded to the 1um scales for more accuracy, though now that my new mill has 5um scales, I don't know how valuable it was to have upgraded. It was NICE to see up to a tenth accurately, but I'm not sure I really was machining with that accuracy anyway thanks to the machine.
 
jeffkash said:
You don't need to "do Android" to use TouchDRO. An Android tablet with the TouchDRO app is not much different than loading an app on an iPhone.
I bought scales from Shars, TouchDRO scale adapter, and an Android tablet. It was the most cost effective way to go.
Cost (and precision) will depend mostly on the type and length of scales that you purchase. I believe that TouchDRO is under $100 and an Android tablet can be had around $100.

If you are not using the lathe and mill at the same time I think you can have one display for both.
Click to expand...
Let me expand - I won't knowingly own anything with Android OS on it. Period. But thanks - that information may help someone else reading this thread. If it was available on iOS, I would consider it.
 
jwmelvin said:
I bought an HS800-3 from Shenzhen Siton Tech. Co., AliExpress. Included 3 glass scales, delivered for $270 total, Oct. 2021.

I didn’t buy anything else. I made brackets for mounting the read heads, incorporating the supplied bracket in my z-axis. I enjoyed figuring out and making the mounting. I posted a thread about it.

I’m happy with it. I haven’t checked accuracy but have relied on it to make parts and they come out as desired. My goal was to spend about as little as I could. The only thing I’d prefer different is a fourth axis for the quill. That wasn’t an option around the price point, with some limited poking around.
Click to expand...
I've never tried AliExpress - I've heard there can be customs and duty issues with that sometimes. Any truth to that or just a rumor?
 
MyLilMule said:
I've never tried AliExpress - I've heard there can be customs and duty issues with that sometimes. Any truth to that or just a rumor?
Click to expand...
I've never had a problem with customs or duties into Canada. I ordered all the major components for my CNC router from Aliexpress, in excess of $1200CDN and I only paid shipping which itself was reasonable.
 
DavidR8 said:
I've never had a problem with customs or duties into Canada. I ordered all the major components for my CNC router from Aliexpress, in excess of $1200CDN and I only paid shipping which itself was reasonable.
Click to expand...
I ask because the HS800-3 on AE is $140. And on eBay it's $390. No scales in either option.

"Please note that buyers are responsible for all additional customs fees, brokerage fees, duties, and taxes for importation into your country. These additional fees may be collected at time of delivery. We wiil not refund charges for refused shipments.
The shipping cost does not include any import taxes, and buyers are responsible for customs duties."
 
eBay is going to be more expensive because eBay takes a cut and you may or may not be buying from the actual mfg so there will be additional markup.
They put the disclaimer about fees etc for their protection because fees into various countries vary considerably and are subject to change without notice.
I had a completely painless experience on Aliexpress. Once I placed the order, they contacted me about scale lengths. I told them what I needed and they sent accordingly.
 
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