DRO install WIP

Hey all,

There's some info out on the web about installing digital readout's on mills but I figure why not catalog my experience here in our shoptalk forum as each persons experiences can vary quite abit depending on their mill, experience, and which perticular dro they got.

I did some research an opted to go with this DROPROS 3 axis kit with glass scales for the new Bridgeport-
http://www.dropros.com/DRO_PROS_Milling_Machine_Digital_Readout#DRO_PROS_3M

It was a hard descision but I decided to avoid both the e-bay specials and the higher priced units and go middle of the road with this kit.

Checking out whats in the box-

http://www.dropros.com/DRO_PROS_Milling_Machine_Digital_Readout#DRO_PROS_3M

I went with a 450mm scale on the knee for my z axis. If one preferred they could go with a shorter scale and mount it on the quill but I figured it best to have digital on the full travel of the knee knowing I can always add an in-expensive quill dro down the road or learn to use the knee for all precision z axis movement.

Due to the shape of the machines base the backerbar for this scale is a must to get it squared up to the knees travel. The top hole was already drilled and tapped so I just went with spot because of that



This kit's directions are in english and easily understandable but incomplete as to which brackets go where etc. so it's the installers problem to figure all that out but they do at least forewarn that instructions are NOT machine specific and the consumer will need to be creative in mounting the brackets.

Here you can see that even with the backerbar installed my trolly is just bumping into the mills base and I still need room for the trolly bracket to bolt on in that spot. Included are these two spacers to pull the scale even further away from the machine base to gain the needed clearance.



A slight mod on the KMG to get the bottom spacer to fit the base and I'm ready to re-install the scale



Here we are with the backerbar and spacers re-installed and ready to bolt the scale in place



Using the dial indicator to alliagn the scale with the knees travel. This is a trial and error affair which begins by eyeballing it originally, checking with the dial, making an adjustment by loosening the the backerbars bolt and adjusting the gibb screws, then tightening down the backerbar bolt and re-checking with the dial. When you can move the knee up and down without the dial moving your golden in this axis of allignment



The scale must also be parallel with the knee travel in this axis. Adjusting was a much simpler affair than with the gibb screws. There are slots for the scale mounting bolts so it's a simple matter of moving one end of scale until the dial stays put through the knee's travel.



Now I've got my brackets all mounted and bolted in place. I used these two skinny brackets here to get it mounted but I'll either be modifying some of the provided brackets or making new full width brackets after installing the other axsis. There is also a protective cover to protect the scale from debris that is going to fit under this bracket set-up but do to the position the scale is in it will need to be modified for mounting



Although the side of the knee is a flat surface and the backerbar isn't actually required here I decided to use it anyway for two reasons -

1. Hopefully any way oil that runs down the side of the knee will seep behing the backerbar and never actually get to the scale itself

2. Do to my need to attach the trolly to the saddle and the length of the brackets it's going to be beneficial to have the scale a little further from the actual knee. I could overcome this in a different way but using the backerbar is the quickest and will hopefully also provide the other benefit as well.

Here she is mounted up, although I am going to flip the scale around before dialing it in so the cord will be facing towards the back of the machine. I also mounted the scale low enough on the knee so I have room for the protective cover here also.



Thats my first night on the install but I'll be back at it tonight.

Of course ALL questions, comments, and suggestions are welcomed so don't be shy.

Take care All,

-Josh

Got the Y scale fipped around and dialing it in with the travel of the saddle



Fabricating a bracket to connect the trolly's bracket to the saddle



And here it is complete and all bolted together



Installed the Y scales protective cover to complete the install on the Y axis



Lots of drilling and tapping going on but this cast iron taps like butter. That aspect is going very smoothly thus far.

Not sure why I was having a problem wrapping my head around these provided brackets and where to use them. When I went out to the shop last night I saw clearly how to use what they provided for a rock solid install. I had in my mind the two skinny brackets were intended to be mounts for a quill scale and it appears thats the case as once I redo the trolly mount on the Z axis and mount the X on the table the skinny brackets will be leftovers. I will need to slightly modify the brackets to fit the space requirements but shouldn't be a problem now that I've figured out exactly how to use the brackets.

-Josh

Enjoying your build! This makes all the mills I've been looking at more attractive. Installing a DRO looks like a reasonable project to do myself!

Just gotta find a deal on a mill.

Glad you're following along Fluid !

My take thus far on the DRO install is this. The alternatives are gain the skill needed to do accurate work with the dials or rig up your digital using calipers.

Learning to use the dials- No extra equipment required but it certainly will NOT be a free education. Calculate all the tooling and materials burned up in the learning process and the sum could potentially be fairly high. Of course we must also take the time needed to become proficient into account also.

Going with calipers- Not as expensive as a DRO but there is the cost of the calipers, the materials to fabricate the mounts, and the hardware needed for install so it certainly wont be free to go this route and depending on what calipers you chose the cost could be nearly the DRO's cost. I'd say that as far as intallation is concerned going this route would be more difficult than installing the DRO because you have to design and build the works yourself. All this and no functions other than knowing the position of the endmill.

DRO- Most expensive initial cost. In my case $842 shipped. The real cost however is only the difference between this and going one of the other routes. I wont go into great detail but this thing has alot of functions that while may be required little for alot of typical knifemaking tasks will be very valuble for things like building specialty tooling, jigs, and fixtures. I've given alot of though as to just what types of things I can make with this sucker and the possibilities are endless.

Of course I'm not under the delusion that the DRO is gonna make me a machinisht but I think it will assist greatly in shortening my learning curve.

Take care and good luck Mill shopping ! I've had EXTREMELY good luck shopping Craigslist for equipment. Both Mills and the Surface grinder were Craigslist scores. Total paid for all three is $1550.

-Josh

Man josh you got way to many cool tools,if you ever feel the need to make a little extra space or just feel like cleaning your more then welcome to send some things here no charge!!!!
All kidding aside great build!

Franklin, Nice to know I can count on some extra storage space at your place once my shop is completely filled up I still have a little floor space reserved for a hydraulic press and may eventually shoehorn a decent bandsaw in also but time will tell.

Heres how I think this pair of brackets are supposed to be used-



I'm going to use these two just like this but the short length I need for my trolley mount has caused this problem, disappearing bolt holes



To make these work I need to modify them in two ways. First use the mill to make the slots longer



You can see I'm still only gonna be able to get two bolts to hit so some drilling and tapping is in order





Now these fixed up brackets are ready to replace the two skinny brackets on the Z axis



It would've probably been fine the way it was but I feel a whole lot better about it now



Getting to work on the Z axis I started by centering the protective cover and drilling and tapping the mounting holes so I couls easily determine the height to mount the scale to the table



The Z scale gets mounted directly to the table, no backerbar needed or provided.



I'm going to modify this bracket to be the trolley mount for the Z. Would've been ALOT quicker and easier to just use a piece of aluminum angle for a bracket but this was in the kit so what heck



Started by cutting off excess on the trust HF bandsaw



A bit of time on the mill later and I've got my trolley mount fabbed up



Dialing in the Z before mounting the trolley



Z axis scale done. just need to throw the cover on now



Mounted the arm to the ram and got the DRO and collet holder bolted in place



Final step so mounting the cover for the Z axis. I'm bending the mounting lip out straight so it'll bump into the machines base without touching the knee at all. I could've cut this off but figured the extra length would allow me to maintain the clearance needed around the scale and also cover the extra space created by the spacer blocks that are behind the backerbar. Worked from one side to the other a little at a time to get it straight









Fabbed up some simple brackets to hold the cover in place with some steel I had laying around



And here's a shot of the scales and covers all installed.



That about wraps it up. Got it plugged in and functioning just in time to head in and grill some dinner. I'll get a couple finished shots of it tomorrow with the screen on and the cables wire tied in place.

So easy a Caveman could do it !

-Josh

Here's the final pics for the DRO install. Zip tied the cables with enough slack to reach all available movement and zipped them together and to the brackets to keep them organized and out of the way.





DRO officially up and running



Closeup of the brains of the outfit-



Forgot to mention that I rigged up this shelf on the backside of the ram with a plywood scrap I had laying around. Planning to pick up a cabinet of small plastic bins to store and organize mill tooling and mount it to the shelf.



Also picked up this Bucket Head vac from Home Depot as an accessory for the mill. I took out the fabric filter and it works great for chip clean-up. Connecting the hose to the blow side also works quite well for chip removal while machining. It's a bit messy but it does a good job of keeping the chips out of the cut so may rig-up some type of holder to the head to keep the hose alligned with the endmill. Not a bad product for $20



Thats officially all I've got for the DRO install. Not sure what'll be next... power feed ? power drawbar ? hmmmm it's always something

Take care-

Josh