Lets talk DRO's my friends!

[Runs With Scissors]

I have been looking around a little and I have decided to add a DRO to the new "hobby lathe".

I found a SINO 2 axis on Aliexpress for about 80-150 bucks.


However I was thinking about getting a 3 axis and adapting the 3rd axis to the tailstock somehow.

The cost difference between the two and three axis is less than I spent at the bar last night, so ??????

Anyone tried this?

Pros????

Cons????

Got a line on a better brand for similar dough?

 

[lugbolt]

I've been wanting to do it too, on my old Craftsman 12x36 (atlas 3996 I believe). Just haven't been able to pull the trigger yet. Quite a few FB groups for us hobby machinests and there is some good information out there.

On this old craftsman it doesn't have a carriage stop so when I'm turning and get close to the end, nothing stopping it and no way to know where to stop. Same for the crossfeed, I have been using the dial on the knob to set depth but my eyes are not what they used to be. I can get .004 close (and usually that's good enough for what I do) but I'm picky. I want it .0002 and that's not happening with the crossfeed dial. I don't do a "lot" of really precision work but every once in a while the need is there and if I miss it by much, it usually ruins the part.

watching this, I want to know as well.

 

[Mark_BX25D]

DRO?

To me, that means, "Dining Room Orderly", but never spelled out that way. It was always shouted by a Drill Sergeant, and if you were the DRO on duty, that meant you were going to get messed with. Especially if it was Drill Sergeant Williams.

But I kinda think you might be talking about something else!

 

[Dustball]

DRO?

To me, that means, "Dining Room Orderly", but never spelled out that way. It was always shouted by a Drill Sergeant, and if you were the DRO on duty, that meant you were going to get messed with. Especially if it was Drill Sergeant Williams.

But I kinda think you might be talking about something else!

Digital Read Out.

Gives you a display of axis positions on a mill or lathe rather than trying to read the dials on the hand wheels.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

DRO?

To me, that means, "Dining Room Orderly", but never spelled out that way. It was always shouted by a Drill Sergeant, and if you were the DRO on duty, that meant you were going to get messed with. Especially if it was Drill Sergeant Williams.

But I kinda think you might be talking about something else!

DRO = Digital Read Out

Edit Dustball typed faster than I did!

 

[Kennyd4110]

I just have a 2-axis on my Clausing, never felt the need for a 3rd, but I'm not what you'd call a 'power user', just bobby type stuff and some prototyping occasionally.

 

[lynnmor]

On this old craftsman it doesn't have a carriage stop so when I'm turning and get close to the end, nothing stopping it and no way to know where to stop.

Search for micrometer carriage stop, there are numerous ones available.

 

[Yooper]

I made an individual dro for my tailstock on the Enco to do some precision drilling and reaming. Worked great! Can’t remember the reason I took it off but it hasn’t been on since. If you do go this route I would suggest making the mounts for the scale easily removable. Looked to see if I had a picture of mine but sorry, don’t have one.

 

[Old Machinist]

Never had one or seen the need on a lathe. They are a must have on a milling machine.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I made an individual dro for my tailstock on the Enco to do some precision drilling and reaming. Worked great! Can’t remember the reason I took it off but it hasn’t been on since. If you do go this route I would suggest making the mounts for the scale easily removable. Looked to see if I had a picture of mine but sorry, don’t have one.

I was thinking about doing that with a Chi-Com caliper set.

I was just thinking that it might be nice/look better to have it all in one set up.

Still "kicking it around'.

I am going to "seriously" look online today for one.

Never had one or seen the need on a lathe. They are a must have on a milling machine.

Hahaha...Your "handle" certainly suggests that you are much better trained than I am, but I'll take all the help I can get.

I will probably order one for my Chi-Com mill when I place this next order, and do them both at the same time.

 

[mikester]

Good DRO costs money for a reason, cheap ones use relative encoders and lose position and have repeatability issues

 

[InTheWoods]

I put one of these DRO PROs ones on my lathe. It is a 'cheap' Chinese model, but has been fine for the 5 or 6 years it's been installed.

Your installation is what really matters. Properly done, these really aren't just a 'bolt-on' item. I needed to fab brackets and shields. I wanted the scales mounted securely, protected from chips and (for the carriage one) mounted in a way that didn't impinge on the travel at all. And I wanted the display mounted 'just so', requiring me to fab an arm and mount for it as well.

Putting a scale on the tailstock seems like WAY more bother than it'd be worth. If I need to drill to a precise depth, I'd just put a chuck on the toolpost and use the carriage...

My mill has an old Sony DRO - super nice, and it's been perfectly reliable for 15 yrs or more. It also has mag scales. I wanted a matching model for the lathe, but couldn't find one at a price I could justify...