Need advice for DRO for Grizzly 12*36 lathe-

[Bob V]

Good morning everyone,
I have the above lathe and want to put on a DRO. I have an old Mill-- and I put on a 3 way dro on the mill 4 years ago but haven't kept up with the field--and I'm suspecting there may have been some technical improvements in DRO's since that time, maybe making install easier and better performance.
I've done some searching and reading on this site and am thinking about the "Slim" magnetic scales (I understand they can be cut to length and are easier to install
"out of the way" because of smaller dimensions. --
I got the DRO for my mill from Aliexpress (cheap one with glass scales) and it has performed flawlessly for my limited use on my farm.

For the lathe: what has changed in this area in the pase 5 years?
Also, few quetions:
I chamber barrels, so a dro on the tailstock could be very helpful but I don't see much discussion about this.
I want to spend $3-400 for this system (maybe less)-- any advice on specific systems? There seem to be dozens of possibilities and I'm trying to narrow this down.
Is there any reason to get a Z axis on a lathe? I can pretty well eyeball the tool height on a center in the tailstock.
Is there a way to put the third (Z) axis on the compound-- and make it read like the "Y" axis on the carriage?

Sorry for all the questions-- but I've fould people on this forum to be so helpful-- no need for me to "reinvent the wheel" if someone has just been through this process. If I missed a recent posting of this type project I appologize.

Hope all is well,
Bob

 

[DLF]

Good morning everyone,
I have the above lathe and want to put on a DRO. I have an old Mill-- and I put on a 3 way dro on the mill 4 years ago but haven't kept up with the field--and I'm suspecting there may have been some technical improvements in DRO's since that time, maybe making install easier and better performance.
I've done some searching and reading on this site and am thinking about the "Slim" magnetic scales (I understand they can be cut to length and are easier to install
"out of the way" because of smaller dimensions. --
I got the DRO for my mill from Aliexpress (cheap one with glass scales) and it has performed flawlessly for my limited use on my farm.

For the lathe: what has changed in this area in the pase 5 years?
Also, few quetions:
I chamber barrels, so a dro on the tailstock could be very helpful but I don't see much discussion about this.
I want to spend $3-400 for this system (maybe less)-- any advice on specific systems? There seem to be dozens of possibilities and I'm trying to narrow this down.
Is there any reason to get a Z axis on a lathe? I can pretty well eyeball the tool height on a center in the tailstock.
Is there a way to put the third (Z) axis on the compound-- and make it read like the "Y" axis on the carriage?

Sorry for all the questions-- but I've fould people on this forum to be so helpful-- no need for me to "reinvent the wheel" if someone has just been through this process. If I missed a recent posting of this type project I appologize.

Hope all is well,
Bob

Device wise I would recommend the Ditron D80 (from china off-course). Big 7” color LCD screen, 3 axis, lathe functions including tool library.

The DRO has vectoring function which basically sums up the X + Z taking into account the compound angle (angle input is manual)

Also has RPM sensor input. Not that useful on a gear lathe, but nice for a vario machine.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[macardoso]

I have an Enco 12x36 that is identical to the G9249. Starting at this post, I detailed installing the DRO.

After several months, I am still very happy with my selection. Think it cost me $300 shipped with some bonus options.

Enco 12x36 Lathe Rebuild (Picture Heavy!)

OK, so spindle measured 2.2633 over .0717 wires so its right on the money if not a touch small. Took the backplate back to Small Tools and they offered to exchange it. They didn't have another in stock so they said they would re-tap the hole and gauge it. Again, it is nice shop run by very...

www.hobby-machinist.com

 

[macardoso]

Good morning everyone,
I have the above lathe and want to put on a DRO. I have an old Mill-- and I put on a 3 way dro on the mill 4 years ago but haven't kept up with the field--and I'm suspecting there may have been some technical improvements in DRO's since that time, maybe making install easier and better performance.
I've done some searching and reading on this site and am thinking about the "Slim" magnetic scales (I understand they can be cut to length and are easier to install
"out of the way" because of smaller dimensions. --
I got the DRO for my mill from Aliexpress (cheap one with glass scales) and it has performed flawlessly for my limited use on my farm.

For the lathe: what has changed in this area in the pase 5 years?
Also, few quetions:
I chamber barrels, so a dro on the tailstock could be very helpful but I don't see much discussion about this.
I want to spend $3-400 for this system (maybe less)-- any advice on specific systems? There seem to be dozens of possibilities and I'm trying to narrow this down.
Is there any reason to get a Z axis on a lathe? I can pretty well eyeball the tool height on a center in the tailstock.
Is there a way to put the third (Z) axis on the compound-- and make it read like the "Y" axis on the carriage?

Sorry for all the questions-- but I've fould people on this forum to be so helpful-- no need for me to "reinvent the wheel" if someone has just been through this process. If I missed a recent posting of this type project I appologize.

Hope all is well,
Bob

I bought a 3 axis DRO (like one would for a mill) so I could later install a tailstock DRO. Compound might be nice, but I do not use mine that much. You may also find it difficult to fit a compound DRO on a 12x36.

Many DROs come with a vector summing feature for the compound. Nice, but you have to type in the angle every time you move the compound.

No DRO is needed for tool center height.

 

[DLF]

Do you need the DRO for the whole tail stock or for the tail stock quill?

For the tail stock quill I saw somebody using a digital caliper to measure tail stock movement. Caliper installed between the tail stock body and quill. But it was an independent unit, not connected to the DRO


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[macardoso]

Do you need the DRO for the whole tail stock or for the tail stock quill?

For the tail stock quill I saw somebody using a digital caliper to measure tail stock movement. Caliper installed between the tail stock body and quill. But it was an independent unit, not connected to the DRO


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I would only do it for the quill travel. I've never seen anyone do the whole tailstock.

 

[Bob V]

Thank you to everyone! --saved me a lot of searching!
Best regards,
Bob

 

[Bob V]

DLF and anyone else who can help:

I have been using a 2" dial gage indicator on the tailstock quill-- so I think I'll continue to use this instead of installing a DRO on the quill.

OK, so I think I'll get the Ditron D80 (3 axis)-- I like the "vector summing" function to figure out compound advancement.

I still have questions about the scales:
I put glass scales on my mill 4 years ago and I had to pre-measure them, and Aliexpress cut them to length. I can't remember if there were scale measurement instructions or not.
---But as mentioned above I'm thinking about splurging and getting a magnetic "Magna Slim" scale for my carriage (cross) scale because this gets quite oily and dirty and the magnetic might hold up better? ---So can I use one "magna slim" scale for the cross measurement and a glass scale for the long bed scale on the back of the machine? (I understand I can cut the magnetic scalses myself-- but, again, how do I tell which length magnetic scale to order uncut?
---for the input connector on the scales-- are they standardized for all the DRO displays? --Do I have to specify which I need for the Ditron D80 when I buy the scales?
Will the Ditron D80 handle input from two different types of scales: one glass and one magnetic?

Again, my appologies for the blizzard of questions-- but when coming from China-- I don't really want to deal with getting the "wrong item"!!
Thanks in advance for the help,
Bob

PS why is the scale measurement along the bed length called the "Z" axis? -- on my mill this is the "X" axis?

 

[macardoso]

DLF and anyone else who can help:

I have been using a 2" dial gage indicator on the tailstock quill-- so I think I'll continue to use this instead of installing a DRO on the quill.

OK, so I think I'll get the Ditron D80 (3 axis)-- I like the "vector summing" function to figure out compound advancement.

I still have questions about the scales:
I put glass scales on my mill 4 years ago and I had to pre-measure them, and Aliexpress cut them to length. I can't remember if there were scale measurement instructions or not.
---But as mentioned above I'm thinking about splurging and getting a magnetic "Magna Slim" scale for my carriage (cross) scale because this gets quite oily and dirty and the magnetic might hold up better? ---So can I use one "magna slim" scale for the cross measurement and a glass scale for the long bed scale on the back of the machine? (I understand I can cut the magnetic scalses myself-- but, again, how do I tell which length magnetic scale to order uncut?
---for the input connector on the scales-- are they standardized for all the DRO displays? --Do I have to specify which I need for the Ditron D80 when I buy the scales?
Will the Ditron D80 handle input from two different types of scales: one glass and one magnetic?

Again, my appologies for the blizzard of questions-- but when coming from China-- I don't really want to deal with getting the "wrong item"!!
Thanks in advance for the help,
Bob

PS why is the scale measurement along the bed length called the "Z" axis? -- on my mill this is the "X" axis?

The glass scales I have seen on AliExpress come in pre-defined lengths (although some may cut to length at added cost). The length is advertised as travel (e.g. 200mm) and overall length (e.g. 340mm). In this example the scale is 140mm longer than the distance it can travel, equally split (70mm) on each side. You want to make sure you have about 1/4" or more of overtravel on each side of the read head so you never risk crashing it. Fortunately, all of mine had a bit more travel than advertised for the given length as the seller told me this.

If you need to cut at home, it is very possible. Google around and you'll see plenty of people having done it. You just need to be very clean when working inside, and eliminate all the dust.

Fitting scales of any kind is tricky. I like to make cardboard cutouts of them to make sure they fit. The cables are extremely inflexible and can be quite difficult to route where you want them to go.

The DRO scale input is not standardized, even though they all usually use a 9 pin D sub connector. Make sure you tell the seller which readout unit you will use, so they can furnish the proper wiring.

My best tip, be succinct in your questions and explanation. Use easy to understand english and don't provide any more info than is needed. There is a 12 hour time delay in getting a response from them and the language barrier is real. They really do seem like nice people trying to run an honest company.

On all machines, the Z axis is the axis that moves in line with the spindle. On a lathe, this is left to right, on a vertical mill, this is up and down, and on a horizontal mill, it is in and out (along the "Y" axis on a vertical mill).

 

[Winegrower]

I second the Ditron D80 DRO. It is so easy to read compared to others I’ve seen. I used the slim magnetic scales - they are easier to fit in, they need no extra length beyond the actual usable portion of the scale, and the adhesive strip and stainless cover plate are surprisingly easy to install. The manual is not bad, and shows that they tried to make it readable. Mostly they succeeded.