Can y'all post some photos of your quill DRO setups?

ycroosh

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Hey folks,
I'm having a bit of trouble with ideas for a quill DRO for my knee mill (PM-935). The casting is "weird" and there is a lot going on there. I have a pile of different scales (Mitutoyo, various magnetic scales, AcuRite SENC 50, Newall Microsyn, and a bunch of others) and nothing really fits there well. I would like to keep the depth stop functionality. If you have a DRO scale on the quill, can you post some photos, and your thoughts on what worked and what didn't?

This is what I have so far:
20240524_171037.jpg


20240524_173437.jpg


Regards
Yuriy
 
I am going to have to make it so I can move the scale up next to the block as there is a little movement from left to right on the quill block. It causes about .0002-.0003 error when I move it by hand. Although the error is still a lot less than I can hold as the operator.:tranquility: I have also added some cable clamps for cable management.

IMG_5930.jpgIMG_5931.jpgIMG_5932.jpg
IMG_5933.jpgIMG_5935.jpgIMG_5936.jpg
 
Mine was pretty involved but I am super happy with the result. I had to weld material to the quill stop block so I could mill it into a new shape to allow for the read head to mount to it.

In this image you can see it in the factory original shape and black color.
IMG_9928.JPG


Here it is after the modifications.
IMG_9937.JPG


Here are couple of shots from different angles of the completed install.
IMG_9946.JPG


IMG_9944.JPG
 
Hey folks,
I'm having a bit of trouble with ideas for a quill DRO for my knee mill (PM-935). The casting is "weird" and there is a lot going on there. I have a pile of different scales (Mitutoyo, various magnetic scales, AcuRite SENC 50, Newall Microsyn, and a bunch of others) and nothing really fits there well. I would like to keep the depth stop functionality. If you have a DRO scale on the quill, can you post some photos, and your thoughts on what worked and what didn't?

This is what I have so far:
View attachment 491190

View attachment 491191

Regards
Yuriy

Hi, Yuriy,

I think James (Clough42) has the same mill and replaced/upgraded the quill DRO: give me a chance to search tomorrow morning (can’t search a user’s videos on YT on the mobile app so I need to get at my workstation).


Regards,


Charlie
 
Hi, Yuriy,

I think James (Clough42) has the same mill and replaced/upgraded the quill DRO: give me a chance to search tomorrow morning (can’t search a user’s videos on YT on the mobile app so I need to get at my workstation).


Regards,


Charlie
Charlie,
I watched that video. James was the one who talked me into getting PM-935 (as opposed to a table top machine). and I watched his PM-935 playlist a few times. His setup is pretty bulky, though. I'm trying to make mine a bit more compact.
Thank you
Yuriy
 
Charlie,
I watched that video. James was the one who talked me into getting PM-935 (as opposed to a table top machine). and I watched his PM-935 playlist a few times. His setup is pretty bulky, though. I'm trying to make mine a bit more compact.
Thank you
Yuriy
Just dove into the office before heading to bed and found the playlist, so you beat me to it. I need to refresh my memory on the install since I originally watched it for the thought process and techniques involved (at 72 it's unlikely I'll gradate to a knee mill, but I have hopes for a PM Bench Mill like Quinn upgraded to when she moved).

Have a "restful" ling weekend (while working on the App, etc.).


Charlie
 
Nice, shiny looking mill!

I have a First LC1-1/2TM and to me it looks like your head casting is similar so what I did could work for you.

What I did is this:

1716605271064.png

The aluminum read head bracket is held on the quill stop block using a shop made expanding anchor.

1716605995771.png

The scale is a length of mag tape I had in hand and it's mounted on a cut down piece of architectural extrusion which I trimmed to fit the tape thickness and location on the head. It is attached to the head using 3M Very High Bond (VHB) automotive trim tape. VHB is very tenacious so I don't have any concerns about it falling off! First was kind enough to mill a nice & flat face there for my convenience. :) The extrusion allows precise positioning before attachment of the scale.

It works! I really like that it gives an uncluttered finish with good access to the depth stop assembly and no mods to the machine.
D :cool:

 
I used the 6" iGaging EZ View DRO on my BP clone mill. Straightforward installation and works fine. The only feature that may be somewhat different is that the scale mounting bar is mounted on stand-off's about 1" long. Only thing I have never gotten around to doing is shortening the USB cable.

iGaging - 1.jpg
iGaging - 1.5 .jpg


igaging - 3.jpg
igaging - 2.jpg
 
Here's a link to how I mounted the DRO scale to my mill's quill:
 
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