Rf-30 Dro Install - Way Cover Ideas

[heli_av8tor]

I've installed the X-axis scale on the back of the table and am challenged to come up with a way cover design that will work.

RF-30 Y-axis ways (2)

• heli_av8tor
• Nov 21, 2016

Y-axis extended away from the column.

Here is the exposed ways with the Y axis extended away from the column.

RF-30 Y-axis ways (1)

• heli_av8tor
• Nov 21, 2016

Y-axis retracted towards column. Note the read head bracket is also the travel stop when it...

Here it is with the Y axis retracted towards the column.
Note that the reader head mount also serves as a travel stop for the Y axis.

I bought a piece of neoprene rubber (12" x 12" x 3/32") to use for the cover but can't come up with a way to mount it. There isn't much room for it to fold up with the saddle retracted.

Any of you solved this or have any ideas?

Thanks, Tom

 

[12bolts]

Lots of carp to get caught down the back there. I have mine mounted on the front edge, (not a RongFu), facing the operator. Easy to keep clean. I would not be using the mount as a table stop either. Screw threads can generate pretty high forces. It would be easy to move the dro head a few thou and throw off your readings. You are also losing table travel that may be required sometime.

Cheers Phil

 

[kwoodhands]

I've installed the X-axis scale on the back of the table and am challenged to come up with a way cover design that will work.

RF-30 Y-axis ways (2)

• heli_av8tor
• Nov 21, 2016

Y-axis extended away from the column.

Here is the exposed ways with the Y axis extended away from the column.

RF-30 Y-axis ways (1)

• heli_av8tor
• Nov 21, 2016

Y-axis retracted towards column. Note the read head bracket is also the travel stop when it...

Here it is with the Y axis retracted towards the column.
Note that the reader head mount also serves as a travel stop for the Y axis.

I bought a piece of neoprene rubber (12" x 12" x 3/32") to use for the cover but can't come up with a way to mount it. There isn't much room for it to fold up with the saddle retracted.

Any of you solved this or have any ideas?

Thanks, Tom

Tom, I have a similar mill but I use an I-Imaging display. This is a digital reader that is not a true DRO.I also mounted the scale on the rear table. I then took a piece of paper from a drawing pad that is about 20" long and cut a 3" x 20" piece from it. Then folded it in half length wise and held it in place with a magnet at each end. The paper is L- shaped, hangs over the scale. Originally I only did this as a mock up for something more substantial. Worked so well and simple that I left it the way it is. Every so often I change the paper. When it gets soaked with oil the paper tends to tear easily.
With almost daily use the paper seems to last a couple of months. Thin metal like flashing might be a better choice than paper.

mike

 

[heli_av8tor]

Phil, I gave careful thought to whether to put in front or behind the table. The only downside I saw was losing some Y axis travel. In the twenty years I've owned this machine I've not had a situation where that would have been a problem. The pros included retaining: standard mounting for the table feed limit switch, hard stops for X travel, X table locks. I'm the only one using this mill and banging the saddle to the rear hard enough to affect the head mount should not be a problem.

Mike, sounds like your paper is only wide enough to protect the scale and not the ways / lead screw. I have a metal cover for the scale that will shield it. I may try a piece of freezer paper wide enough to cover all. Funny how a temporary fix can become permanent

Thank you both for your thoughts.

Tom

 

[RJSakowski]

Tom, I would consider an aluminum shield with a Z profile: The shield would extend to cover the scale and mounted above the scale. The neoprene sheet would be mounted to the vertical. The other end of the neoprene would be captured in a U shaped support mounted to the column. The length of the sheet would be sufficient to permit full Y axis travel.

 

[mksj]

On my old bench mill, I mounted the DRO scale on the front because of the affect of loosing 1.5" of rear travel was and a problem. It would also hit the Z axis cover. I used a wider sheet of neoprene so it also covered the Y axis scale. You could use some flat stock that would fit on top of your scale and attached with L brackets at either end (beyond your scale). The neoprene is held in place by a another thin metal strap on the top (sandwiched), tap the lower strapping and use some low profile button head screws to hold the upper strap to the lower strap. The other end can be attached in various ways, the neoprene is usually held in place between two metal straps using 3-4 screws.

If you decided to put a L cover on the scale, then attach the neoprene to the top of the cover with a flat strap. Similar to below, the L would be flipped. I used a flexible cover the front and rear, never had an issue with chips. On the front cover I flipped the L bracket and notched it out where the reader head was. I would still run out of Y travel, ended up eventually with a knee mill. Just some ideas.

 

[TakeDeadAim]

with the scale in the back where most of the swarf accumulates I think it would be important to attach a cover over the scale and then perhaps attach a rubber skirt on top of the scale cover and extend it to the machine so to keep as much of the chips and swarf out of the scale and exposed read head. Like others have said, I avoided this problem by putting my scale on the front. I think you can do it with what you have but I would do all you can to protect your DRO investment.

 

[heli_av8tor]

Tom, I would consider an aluminum shield with a Z profile: The shield would extend to cover the scale and mounted above the scale. The neoprene sheet would be mounted to the vertical. The other end of the neoprene would be captured in a U shaped support mounted to the column. The length of the sheet would be sufficient to permit full Y axis travel.
View attachment 139933

I have this cover over the scale now (not shown in my picture). However, it travels with the X axis so I'm not understanding how this could work.

Tom

 

[RJSakowski]

I have this cover over the scale now (not shown in my picture). However, it travels with the X axis so I'm not understanding how this could work.

Tom

Doh! I must have had a homer moment. Your right. I took a look at the mill/drill and my way cover is mounted to the Y axis saddle. If there's room, you could bring a mounting bracket under your scale but that is not ideal because you could build up swarf to the point where it might interfere with the scale pickup.

Another possible would be to mount the way cover on a sliding rail above the scale cover. The bottom of the way cover would wipe the scale cover to help keep swarf and machining fluids from interfering with the scale.

 

[TakeDeadAim]

You would have to mount the cover to the saddle, hence my concern over the chips and such accumulating and getting into the scale and read head. The sliding cover is a good idea, the problem might be the flexible rubber causing it to bind rather than slide but some thought on how that might work may resolve that issue.