Strouty
Well-known member
On top of that, should I go with magnetic or standard type scales? I understand the use of the third axis with a mill, but not sure of the real benefits on lathe.
Lathe DRO, is 3 axis worth the extra money?
- Thread starter Strouty
- Start date
blazemaster83
Well-known member
Do you mean a 3rd axis for the compound? If I had to have all the bells and whistles and had the cash, I would put a 3rd axis on the compound and a mitutoyo tailstock DRO.
You also have to make sure your machine is large enough to even mount one on the compound.
Do you need it? Not really, a tailstock DRO is more useful.
I would get a magnetic style if you can afford it, they are generally smaller and more robust. There is also the Newall spherosyn/microsyn which is even smaller, but more $$. It uses a rod as a scale.
You also have to make sure your machine is large enough to even mount one on the compound.
Do you need it? Not really, a tailstock DRO is more useful.
I would get a magnetic style if you can afford it, they are generally smaller and more robust. There is also the Newall spherosyn/microsyn which is even smaller, but more $$. It uses a rod as a scale.
dr_clyde
Well-known member
I suppose it depends on the 3rd axis.
Carriage and cross slide are a given. I can't see the use for the compound, as that's typically used for threading and tapers, so that number is easily read on the dials. Calculating angles with a compound DRO sounds...difficult.
I wouldn't mind a read out on the tailstock quill, but that would be cumbersome and odd to slide around if connected to the main DRO. A standalone unit would be better on the TS.
I say stick with 2 axis. No need to get complicated on an engine lathe.
Carriage and cross slide are a given. I can't see the use for the compound, as that's typically used for threading and tapers, so that number is easily read on the dials. Calculating angles with a compound DRO sounds...difficult.
I wouldn't mind a read out on the tailstock quill, but that would be cumbersome and odd to slide around if connected to the main DRO. A standalone unit would be better on the TS.
I say stick with 2 axis. No need to get complicated on an engine lathe.
American Locomotive
Well-known member
Get the two axis DRO, and then buy something like Mitutoyo 572 series digital scale and mount it to your tailstock. You'll save a lot of money.
Has anybody seen this option?
http://www.yuriystoys.com/p/android-dro.html
I bought everything I need to do 3 axis on my Grizzly G0755 mill (except the TIME to do it)
for about $200 total... Steve
http://www.yuriystoys.com/p/android-dro.html
I bought everything I need to do 3 axis on my Grizzly G0755 mill (except the TIME to do it)
for about $200 total... SteveE.Marquez
Well-known member
I use a 2 axis glass scale unit for x and y but have a standalone DRO for the tailstock
I dont use the tail stock DRO often, but when I do, its reallllly nice to have.
If a two axis is a grand, and a three axis is double... But two two axis and DRO everything!!!
I guess I've never used my tailstock to make precision holes though, if it's not a through hole then I'm using the carriage and a boring bar because if I need the depth that bad I probably need concentricity and diameter just as bad if not worse
I guess I've never used my tailstock to make precision holes though, if it's not a through hole then I'm using the carriage and a boring bar because if I need the depth that bad I probably need concentricity and diameter just as bad if not worse
Strouty, I know what you mean about too many projects, I swear my overactive brain dreams some of them up when I'm asleep
That's one reason why I bought the stuff for the "touch DRO" project - when you wanna go from 2 to 3 axis you don't need a different "brain box", you just add the third scale - also, since it's bluetooth you can just move your phone/pad from mill to lathe and choose a different pairing.
(Now, if I could just figger out a way for this slightly over-experienced 73 yr old body to keep up with its still active brain)
... Steve
That's one reason why I bought the stuff for the "touch DRO" project - when you wanna go from 2 to 3 axis you don't need a different "brain box", you just add the third scale - also, since it's bluetooth you can just move your phone/pad from mill to lathe and choose a different pairing.
(Now, if I could just figger out a way for this slightly over-experienced 73 yr old body to keep up with its still active brain)
... SteveMichael Moore
New member
The compound is mostly set up at an angle (in the USA) and I'm having trouble thinking of when I have needed to move it a specific length on an angle, as opposed to moving it whatever was enough to cut the angle between two other surfaces.
Some people will use the compound set to parallel the Z axis for fine feeds (this seems common in Europe) but if you've just put a scale on the Z axis then one on the compound would seem to be duplicative.
Maybe there are people who would find a compound scale useful but I'm having trouble seeing it for anything I've done.
I just installed a DRO Pros 2 axis magnetic (EL400) on my Mori Seiki so I'll offer a few comments on installation that ought to be applicable to other brands of DRO.
Watch that the X scale doesn't require removing the drag screw on the cross slide. I ended up spacing the scale away from the back of the cross slide enough to put a custom-length bolt in to replace the thumb screw. When tight (with a thin wrench) it is just clear of the casting, and when backed off (just enough to free the slide) it is still clear of the AL bar I used behind the scale.
Also pay attention to where your carriage lock is at. The X scale ended up running right over that so I had to shorten the stud going to the clamp block so there's nothing sticking up above the nut when locked, which then lets me have minimal clearance between the mounting bar/scale and the nut.
Add an extension to the crash block on the back of the carriage so the tailstock can't crash into the X scale/cover.
The DRO Pros videos were pretty well done, but those points weren't addressed (I think they just eliminated the cross slide lock bolt) and I had to do a lot of thinking on work-arounds.
If you have to move the lathe to get easy access to the back of the bed for the Z scale then move it, and give yourself plenty of room so you aren't fighting to squeeze into a small space and working at awkward angles/positions. I moved my lathe "just enough" and now wish I'd gone ahead and pulled it another foot or so out from the wall, it would have been so much nicer to work on it then. But it weighs 4000 pounds and it was easy to only move it as much as seemed needed.
The magnetic scales are sensitive to the air gap between the scale and reader head. They give you a plastic shim to set it and you need to use it. If the air gap is a bit wide you'll get noticeably bad readings. Time spent with a dial gauge on aligning the scales and then setting the reader head is not optional, it won't work correctly if you don't get things properly aligned.
Don't forget to validate the new DRO with dial gauges etc before you start making parts.
cheers,
Michael
Some people will use the compound set to parallel the Z axis for fine feeds (this seems common in Europe) but if you've just put a scale on the Z axis then one on the compound would seem to be duplicative.
Maybe there are people who would find a compound scale useful but I'm having trouble seeing it for anything I've done.
I just installed a DRO Pros 2 axis magnetic (EL400) on my Mori Seiki so I'll offer a few comments on installation that ought to be applicable to other brands of DRO.
Watch that the X scale doesn't require removing the drag screw on the cross slide. I ended up spacing the scale away from the back of the cross slide enough to put a custom-length bolt in to replace the thumb screw. When tight (with a thin wrench) it is just clear of the casting, and when backed off (just enough to free the slide) it is still clear of the AL bar I used behind the scale.
Also pay attention to where your carriage lock is at. The X scale ended up running right over that so I had to shorten the stud going to the clamp block so there's nothing sticking up above the nut when locked, which then lets me have minimal clearance between the mounting bar/scale and the nut.
Add an extension to the crash block on the back of the carriage so the tailstock can't crash into the X scale/cover.
The DRO Pros videos were pretty well done, but those points weren't addressed (I think they just eliminated the cross slide lock bolt) and I had to do a lot of thinking on work-arounds.
If you have to move the lathe to get easy access to the back of the bed for the Z scale then move it, and give yourself plenty of room so you aren't fighting to squeeze into a small space and working at awkward angles/positions. I moved my lathe "just enough" and now wish I'd gone ahead and pulled it another foot or so out from the wall, it would have been so much nicer to work on it then. But it weighs 4000 pounds and it was easy to only move it as much as seemed needed.
The magnetic scales are sensitive to the air gap between the scale and reader head. They give you a plastic shim to set it and you need to use it. If the air gap is a bit wide you'll get noticeably bad readings. Time spent with a dial gauge on aligning the scales and then setting the reader head is not optional, it won't work correctly if you don't get things properly aligned.
Don't forget to validate the new DRO with dial gauges etc before you start making parts.
cheers,
Michael
OK, been thinking about this again and wanted to see if anyone had anymore input. I have looked into adding the Mitutoyo 572 and I think I may just bite the bullet and buy the 3 axis. Seeing everything in one place, on one screen seems that it will be more useful long term. I have just swapped out my spindle so I now have a D1-4 cam lock instead of the original D1-3, it worked out that I had a bunch of chucks that fit D1-4 and stumbled on the spindle for a reasonable price. As you can see from my posts, I move slow, very slow, but I now that I have my measurements, I have asked DRO pros for a quote.
Any other companies to check out? Looks like it will be just about $2k for the three axis with magnetic scales.
Any other companies to check out? Looks like it will be just about $2k for the three axis with magnetic scales.
What lathe is it going on? For general shop manual lathe work a 2 axis (z and x) is generally more than sufficient With an indicator or scale on the tail stock quill. For tool room lathes that are tight and capable, a 3 axis do with optimal computer is the most versatile. In such you can actually input compound angle and it will tell you the distance moved result from the triangle. Also handy for cutting short tapers, certain grooves, threads.
Some of the modern DROs can get very fancy with multiple offset numbers, programmable for tool wear, crank to a buzzer, part count, etc.
Some of the modern DROs can get very fancy with multiple offset numbers, programmable for tool wear, crank to a buzzer, part count, etc.
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It is just an engine lathe, I was going to use the third axis on the tailstock, not the compound, but who knows. The three axis is $1800 and the better two axis is either $855 or $985 depending on how accurate you want the cross slide scale. I figure adding in a nice digital for the tailstock would add about $250. I guess having the second screen wouldn't be that bad, you would need to be running the hand wheel for the tailstock anyways, so you would be in that area. I have to think about it a bit more.
Anyone have pictures of what they did for digitals on their tailstock?
Anyone have pictures of what they did for digitals on their tailstock?