Yatsdro

[Big Shed]

........Yet Another Tailstock DRO (don't you just love acronyms?:doh:

For some time I have been wanting a DRO on the tail stock of my metal lathe, particularly after adding one to the quill of my DM45 mill.

I have been saving various links of how other people have done it and my main inspiration for this one is a thread on HSM (http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/showthread.php?t=36986&highlight=tailstock+dro).

Ideally I would have liked the DRO to flat on top of the tailstock, but this is made impossible by the tailstock locking knob and the oiling point on top.

So I opted to go for the approach in the above link, but used a 45deg angle.


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I wanted to be able to remove the DRO easily, so bent up a piece of aluminium to fit on top of the bracket.


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Because of the angles involved I opted to make a template out of some 3mm MDF first.


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This proved to be an easy approach and gave some precise measurments, time well spent.


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Once the template was made and the pattern transferred to some 6mm aluminium, I could start on making the 26mm hole for the tailstock quill.


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Most of the metal was removed with a 7/8" drill, which proved rather quick.


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The on to the 2" borng head, first time I had used this tool, and what a great tool this is and so easy to dial precise adjustments to the hole diameter.:2tsup:


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On to the slitting saw to make a clamp section.

[Big Shed]

After cutting away the waste material (on the bandsaw), we finish up with this


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Attach the DRO to the loose bracket with 2 pack epoxy and attach to the fixed bracket


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Made up a clamp by milling out a scrap of 6mm aluminium.

After drilling and tapping some holes for M3 socket heads, the monet of truth arrives:2tsup:


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Happy to report it all works as expected:2tsup::2tsup:

Would I do anything different if I had to do this again?

Yes, I wouldn't cut the slope on top that goes down to the clamp until I had made and attached the clamp.:doh:

But, I can always make another one at some stage, probably when it really starts to annoy me. But it is only cosmetic, doesn't change the way it works.:no:

[simonl]

That's a neat job big shed dude!

[morrisman]

Looking good . We are spoilt with those measuring gadgets , just think of the olden times when it was all manual measuring . :C

Where did you find the little milling vice ? I recognize the yellow Standaco machine ! :2tsup:

Mike

[Big Shed]

Looking good . We are spoilt with those measuring gadgets , just think of the olden times when it was all manual measuring . :C

Where did you find the little milling vice ? I recognize the yellow Standaco machine ! :2tsup:

Mike

Picked it up from ozmestore (Ebay) last time I was in Adelaide

http://www.woodworkforums.com/f65/screwless-vise-139279/

I notice he doesn't have any listed at the moment, paid about $60 from memory, value for money.

Hang on, yes he has, but they have gone up from $59 to $69, but it includes shipping.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/63mm-2-5-QKG-Quick-Action-Precision-Toolmakers-Vise-/270813084622?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item3f0db7bbce

[Big Shed]

Whilst the setup shown above worked, it was prone binding because of the rotational force from the tailstock quill.

I had seen another way of connecting the DRO (http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/showthread.php?t=37538&highlight=yatsdro) to the front bracket, but wasn't sure about the RC ball links and how they worked.

Went to the local hobby shop and bought a set to try, quite nifty and relatively easy to install.


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This new setup allowed me to reduce the size of the front bracket as well.

I also shortened the DRO slide a bit further so now it acts as a stop so the tailstock quill doesn't run off the internal thread when I don't think about it, very annoying when that happens when you are drilling and the quill and chuck all of a sudden starts spinning:((:doh:


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[pipeclay]

Its a big learning curve for a begginer.

[azzrock]

I think id settle for a graduated collar.On my tail-stock hand wheel.
now that I think about it. I like the idea of a laser/ultrasonic pointer
to keep track of my tail stock position. Only problem is i don't think
there any good a small distances

[Big Shed]

Its a big learning curve for a begginer.

That reminds me a bit of the quote attributed to Erasmus (http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/30584.html)


I think id settle for a graduated collar.On my tail-stock hand wheel.
now that I think about it. I like the idea of a laser/ultrasonic pointer
to keep track of my tail stock position. Only problem is i don't think
there any good a small distances

One of the reasons for me doing this, other than that I like having DROs on my machines:D, is that the mm graduations on my tailstock quill are hard to read and face down somewhat.

Been using it today and it works very well now, but I can see where I will have to take off as it could get in the way of my toolpost.

[Dave J]

Hi Fred,
I don't think of you as a beginner, you have been at it long enough now to have moved past that. I suppose you could call all of us beginners, as we will never stop learning new things until the day we die.

I had seen that DRO you talked about having the RC linkage on it. I am thinking that a scale over the back might be better with a remote readout as sold by many these days on top of the tailstock. It would stop any interference with the compound etc.
I saw them on ebay for around $40-$50 posted.
Nice job anyway.:2tsup:

Dave

[Big Shed]

Thanks Dave, but it is all relative, isn't it? Hence my Erasmus quote.

Have thought about those scales with a remote readout, in fact Ozmestore are selling a 600mm and a 1000mm for $49 and $69 delivered. They are supposed to be aluminium and easy to cut (not that I had any trouble cutting the digital caliper - used a 1mm cut-off wheel).

The problem being that even if I put it on the back it tends to interfere with the lever of the tailstock camlock.

I'll see how I go for a while, and how much of a problem it turns out to be.

Thinking seriously about getting a 600mm and a 1000m scale from Ozmestore and put them on my DM45 mill, still haven't made a decision on a "proper" DRO with glass scales and that would be a convenient interim measure for just over $100.:2tsup:

[Dave J]

They are cheap at that price, they must have come down since I last looked.

Dave

[azzrock]

Erasmus hay. those hedgehogs do have a good trick. I think Epicurus is more my style.
I can see why you like DRO's. .I am just used to not having them. .


Fred is far from a beginner. i have seen some of his work. as well as where he works and its impressive.

[pipeclay]

The refference to begginner was given due to the way the post was written,it gave the impression that this occurs somewhat to often.
I understand that this can occur to any with anyone,myself I think I have done it a few times on lathes less than 1metre B/C's.

[Stustoys]

I also shortened the DRO slide a bit further so now it acts as a stop so the tailstock quill doesn't run off the internal thread when I don't think about it, very annoying when that happens when you are drilling and the quill and chuck all of a sudden starts spinning:((:doh:

I'd never do anything so silly. Although it might have something to do with the fact that the quill runs out of thread before it runs out of keyway ;) ok I admit it I did exactly that last night drilling a 67mm deep hole. I find this dro handy as you can 0 it at full depth each time before you wind the drill out and then you can wind like crazy until you get back to zero on the way back in.

Nice work Fred.
I bought another one of those vernier, it curves about 5mm along its length lol.

Stuart

[azzrock]

with out a doubt there really is a lot to learn and remember.