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  1. 27th April 2013, 06:24 PM #1
    Big Shed's Avatar
    Big Shed
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    Default Additon to Poor Man's DRO

    Last August I added a couple of digital scales to my DM45 mill

    https://www.woodworkforums.com/f65/po...1/#post1531670

    Prior to that I had added a modified digital vernier to to the quill and I had intended to add a similar digital scale to the quill, but the seller (ozmestore) had run out of stock and could not give me any indication when/if he would get more.

    A little while ago the subject of DROs came up and I linked to mine in a reply, this prompted me to go the ozmestoe site to see whether he had these again and he did.

    So I bought another 600mm one ($48 up $8 from the last one I bought and it arrived yesterday.

    Installed it today and used a slightly different installation method to the digital vernier as I felt the black box was a bit big to mount on one tiny screw in the depth indicator.



    The black box is now permanently attached to the face of the mill head, the scale is attached to the front of the quill collar and it moves up and down with the quill.

    All 3 readouts are now in one place and the additional bonus is I no longer get a crick in my neck trying to read the readout on the digital vernier.
    Last edited by Big Shed; 9th December 2013 at 08:19 PM.
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  3. 27th April 2013, 10:40 PM #2
    Dave J Guest

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    Looks great Fred and a neat job, it will make things a lot easier than counting hand wheels.
    A lot of home shop jobs don't need super accuracy, but for those that do use a dial indicator and read off that.


    Dave
  4. 27th April 2013, 11:05 PM #3
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    Looks good Fred.

    I have to ask, how long do the batteries last? I would probably forget to turn them all off.....
    I take it you cut the scale to the length required?

    Cheers
    1915 17"x50" LeBlond heavy duty Lathe, 24" Queen city shaper, 1970's G Vernier FV.3.TO Universal Mill, 1958 Blohm HFS 6 surface grinder, 1942 Rivett 715 Lathe, 14"x40" Antrac Lathe, Startrite H225 Bandsaw, 1949 Hercus Camelback Drill press, 1947 Holbrook C10 Lathe.
  5. 27th April 2013, 11:10 PM #4
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    Big Shed
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ueee View Post
    Looks good Fred.

    I have to ask, how long do the batteries last? I would probably forget to turn them all off.....
    I take it you cut the scale to the length required?

    Cheers
    The X and Y axis ones have been in there since last August and are the original batteries supplied with the units, still working OK. These have an auto power off function and they don't lose their setting.

    I have seen other people make up external battery holders to take an AA or AAA battery for these and I may do that as well, but these days CR2032 batteries are very cheap. I bought a card of 10 not that long ago for about $2 !

    Yes, the quill scale has been cut to length on my horizontal bandsaw to get a nice clean square cut, as have the other 2 scales.
  6. 27th April 2013, 11:15 PM #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave J View Post
    Looks great Fred and a neat job, it will make things a lot easier than counting hand wheels.
    A lot of home shop jobs don't need super accuracy, but for those that do use a dial indicator and read off that.


    Dave
    Dave these DROs have given a whole new dimension to using the mill, apart from anything else backlash is a non-issue now and as you say no more counting turns.

    For a total outlay of about $150 you can't complain.

    The digital venier scale will find a home on my thicknesser.
  7. 28th April 2013, 12:58 AM #6
    welder
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    Nice work Fred , How accurate do you find them ?

    I wads looking at Hare and Forbes and they have a display which while is expensive offers power and display to to three axis M732 | 3-Axis Digital Display Unit | machineryhouse.com.au
    BETTER TO HAVE TOOLS YOU DON'T NEED THAN TO NEED TOOLS YOU DON'T HAVE

    Andre
  8. 28th April 2013, 01:17 AM #7
    Dave J Guest

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    Hi Andre,
    If your looking at that plus scales go with a glass scale unit. You can get a 2 axis unit for around $420 delivered.

    Dave
  9. 28th April 2013, 09:45 AM #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by welder View Post
    Nice work Fred , How accurate do you find them ?

    I wads looking at Hare and Forbes and they have a display which while is expensive offers power and display to to three axis M732 | 3-Axis Digital Display Unit | machineryhouse.com.au
    They are as accurate as my digital calipers, which in most cases is accurate enough for what I do. If I need more accuracy I can use my micrometer or dial indicator.

    I have looked at the glass scale DROs, have a 2 axis unit on my lathe in fact, but could never make up my mind which one to get. In the ned I decided that these scales would do me in 99% of the work I do.
  10. 28th April 2013, 10:18 AM #9
    simonl
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    Quote Originally Posted by Big Shed View Post
    For a total outlay of about $150 you can't complain.
    That in itself is a very compelling argument/selling point!
    0.01mm accuracy is probably as accurate as I can get on my mill anyway!

    I like it!

    Cheers,

    Simon
  11. 28th April 2013, 10:33 AM #10
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    That's just the thing for my woodworking Drill Deck! It's been on my mind to fit one of these for some time, so thanks for posting Fred.

    I've got to make a new deck for it anyway, so can incorporate a blcok or similar to retain the the lower end of the scale.

    Cheers
    Brett
    Regards, FenceFurniture

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