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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Ipswich
    Posts
    57

    Default anyone fitted DRo to a Sieg X2 mill

    Hi,
    new to the group, so excuse me if I am asking somthing that may have been
    previously covered.

    just installed a Sieg X2 mill in my tool shed. (next to a brand new Sieg C3
    lathe)

    (I formerly had a Sherline Lathe & mill set up, but found it too small and not
    secure enough for my needs.. got hit in the face once by a piece that came of
    the chuck, even though I had it done up so tight I almost bent the tommy bars
    fixing it in..)

    I had set up some of those simple DRO's (found on ebay) on the sherline, and my
    engineer trained uncle (who used to lecture at Tafes) was envious of my set up,
    and the few things I turned out, even though I have never been taught any
    engineering at all, and it shows.. (used to be a woodworker, till an accident
    with a panel saw, and six hours of emergency artery reconstruction saved my RH
    thumb & hand. my tolernace in woodwork as a half inch either side.. as it was
    very forgiving. but my grandfather left me popular mechanics from 1914, and
    read them all from cover to cover, and have been a mad inventor and design
    critic ever since.. > I am a retired photographer, and Photoshop is my real
    expertise.)

    Now to my question..

    if anyone has set up those simple DRO's (the glorified digital micrometer type)
    on their mills, how have the mounted them and on which side..?

    I find the dam 'counter-balance' spring on the LHS a dam nuisance, and am
    tempted to replace it with a pulley & weight counterbalance... but the vertical
    mill DRO i have just fits between the arm and the mill, with very little to
    spare, and may be possible to do it there. I think the locking levers are more
    of a hinderance to any mounting on the RHS...

    Any thoughts from anyone, or any photos of anyones mountings would be
    appreciated...

    Regards, Andy

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    home
    Posts
    621

    Default

    I'm waiting for prices on DRO scales to fit to my X2, sent off an email tonight.
    They're a bit dearer that the caliper style but should be easier to fit (lots of sites give details for this).
    I plan to connect these to a Shumatec DRO display (if I ever hear back from the local supplier!) so being able to read them directly is not such a big issue.

    I have the airspring kit from LMS so will be able to remove the torsion spring system which should make mounting a lot easier. I've already fitted the belt drive which make a big difference in noise. I don;t feel too bad using the mill when I get home at night.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Ipswich
    Posts
    57

    Default re belt drive conversion

    Hi, I have read somwhere about the belt drive conversions for the sieg.

    was yours s commercial kit, or did you make it yourself...

    if commercial, any links, please.

    regards, Andy

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    home
    Posts
    621

    Default

    Andy,

    There are a number of commercial belt drive kits for the X2.

    StirlingSteele - this is the one I have.
    Harrison - this one has a built in spindle lock and comes in red as well!
    There's at least one other that I don;t have details of.

    I bought mine from The Little Machine Shop - Everything you could possible want for an X2 mill. Good service. They sell the Stirling Steele belt drive kit.

    There are a number of plans to build your own belt drives. Check out the Yahoo group GrizzlyHFminimill if you haven't already, there are a couple in the Files section. You might also want to have a look at Hoss's mini-mill site. Amazing!

    Heard back from the local Shumatech DRO supplier (sorry Shane!). Should have my kit next week. The scales I'm still trying to get from the US.
    Last edited by snowyskiesau; 25th Mar 2009 at 09:46 PM. Reason: added URLs

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Canberra
    Age
    67
    Posts
    179

    Default

    I've got the Shumatech DRO setup on my mill. Very happy with it although mounting the scales was by far the hardest part of the whole process. Building the unit itself was fun and if you run into problems there's plenty of help. I had some problems with incompatible scales but other than that it was fairly painless.
    Peter

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Illinois, USA
    Age
    77
    Posts
    1

    Default

    The Little Machine Company had an economy DRO setup awhile back. They have discontinued it but they do still have drawings of the brackets that they used to attach the scales to the mill. Here is a link to the description of the product and drawings.

    RWW

    http://www.littlemachineshop.com/pro...ProductID=2016

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    home
    Posts
    621

    Default

    Ended up getting my scales from eBay seller discount_machines (actually Shars - shars.com). The eBay store didn't specify shipping to Oz but when I asked the seller, they were happy to combine multiple items and ship here.
    Total cost for 2 x 12" (300mm) and 1 x 8" (200mm) was $US172 including shipping ($US60).
    Shumatec DRO is probably waiting for me at home as I type.

    Making the mounts for the scales will be my first real project with the mill. Up to now I just done some exercises.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Ipswich
    Posts
    57

    Default

    Hi, I checked out the Sars.com site, and they had a perfect setup... pity they just dont answer their emails...

    thanks for replies.

    Regards
    Andy

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
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    Default

    I'm still waiting for a response to a question I asked of their eBay counterpart.
    Hoping it's just the time zone difference.

    I can appreciate this as I'm currently in Perth and dealing with workmates in Sydney is bad enough with a 3 hour difference.

    Go home tomorrow, perhaps my scales will be waiting for me.

    [Update: Finally got an email from the seller, a 'misunderstanding' with the paypal side of things. My scales don't leave until today And I was hoping to have something to keep me busy over Easter]

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Ipswich
    Posts
    57

    Default mishaps with technology

    "Technology will be great when they get it right... but not in my life time..."

    Regards
    Andy.

    P.S. Living in Perth cant be all that bad with only a three hour time difference... we have a 100 year time difference in Queensland... Maybe that is why I dont get emails returned... hahaha

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    home
    Posts
    621

    Default DRO Scales

    Picked up the DRO scales from the post office today.

    Still deciding the best way to mount these on the mill. Looking through cnczone.com and the various Yahoo! groups shows a lot of different approaches.

    Tonight's job is to finish off building the Shumatech DRO.

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