first phase of dro mounting on atlas/craftsman lathe

[davidh]

i have completed the brackets for thecraftsman 12 lathe that i have. Theguard is the only thing I am lacking. Maybe because the reader is actually hiding behind the cross feed casting,it will not be required if a person is a bit careful with the swarf and fluids.
I may use mine the way it is and justbe very careful. . . . possibly its not a problem after all. Ive seen a few applications where they areright out in the open, laying flat.
on this installation, I have securedthe reader to the cross feed and attached both ends of the bar to the bed. This means the wiring to the head must movefreely. there may be a way to mount itjust opposite. I think a lot ofbracketry would be required. Anyonewant to think outside the box here ?
the attached pictures show the mount/ mounts (I made 6) that will require some additional tweaking with a file ordie grinder, and of course some paint to pretty it up. They’re crude but functional.
I am certain I will never need thetotal length of the lathe for turning anything as my machining is usuallylimited to fixing small stuff. . .
next I wll figure out a cross feedmount for a 6” dro . Being it’s a 12”lathe, I can’t see a need for over half the max diameter of it. Please correct me if im wrong.
Questions ?

 

[kd4gij]

Looking good. AThat is going to be a big help.

 

[Kroll]

Now that is neat David,thanks for the pics I can see how to mount mine that I purchase from you.Please do post pics when you get to the 6" DRO.----kroll

 

[Old Iron]

Nice work David, Thats the way I had mine mounted on my S.B. but it was to short I was running in to the end all the time.

Paul

 

[chevydyl]

I was just looking at DRO kits and I would get the 12x36 kit which comes with 8" travel and and 40" travel. I can see where the extra travel on the cross slide would be helpful, I find myself running the cross slide out to the end of the travel limits to oil and clean the ways, so if you used a 6" travel scale it would stop you causing you to have to take it apart. that's just my take on it, but anyway im glad to see someone installing the DRO on the Atlas/Craftsman.

 

[Kroll]

Wondering if these can be cut to length,good point chevydly---kroll

 

[kd4gij]

Wondering if these can be cut to length,good point chevydly---kroll

Kroll

yes the igeging scales can be cut to lingth verry easy.

 

[davidh]

I was concerned about the lathe having a 42" bed also but after careful considerations and the fact that 36" is the longest (it measures nearly 44" overall) I don't think I will ever work on anything that long without a tailstock being used and that limits the length of necessary reading. at least that's my initial feeling. no one else ever uses my machines so I will be very aware and just disconnect it from the back of the crossfeed base.

"as far as the crossfeed length I backed off the crossfeed and then measured the travel it had and I believe it was just about 6" and the 6" scale is able to read a little more than that. I still don't have the brackets made for that but could be working on them later today and tomorrow. I would like to have both units installed simply and easily disconnected if required. we'll see how that goes. "

well I must retract my opinion about 6" being long enuf for the cross feed. as that may be a fact, it will be far easier to mount a 12" one. . . I will post pictures tomorrow if I can get it done. . .






of course i'll try to make a few of them for others that are unable to make their own. . . . .

I still have 6, 12, 24 and 36's looking for a homes. and of course some angle cubes too. .


this really is fun to do. . .