Thread: Mill DRO

You could make that into the mount to bolt the scale to now you have 5 mm gap.

Dave

Ok, so the basics of the X axis are roughed out. Time to start thinking about the Y. Mark did you mount your Y scale on the left because of the switch box on the right?
The scale covers that came with me unit are something like yours but without the end plates. Anyone found that the alum covers arent enough on the Y?

Stuart

My mill is still setup as delivered on the left with aluminum brackets, but I will be changing it over to steel when I get time, but leaving it on the left because it's away from the Y axis lock's.

I went with steel angle (again for protection) and put 2 jacking grub screws in each end. This way you just bolt the angle on and adjust until it's true. Then when you bolt the scale on you only have to worry about up and down. I also went with a steel bracket coming off the saddle to hold the reader head with 4 jacking screws on the end to adjust the reader head.

It is better if you can to keep the scale as close to the way as possible otherwise you will find you will get a lever effect when doing up the locks for that axis.
I found this out with the knee install as the reader head was about 150mm behind the way and when tightening it, the leverage would have the numbers going up and down depending on the gib lock tightened.
The alterment would be to have the gap between the scale and reader head lined up with the way like the X axis is usually factory installed on the back of the table, but it is almost imposable to do on the Y and Z axis.

Dave

Hi Dave
My Y gib lock is on the left and there is a flat area on the right, so I think the scale will go there.
Not sure I understand your last paragraph.
Stuart

Gday Stuart,

I installed my Y axis scale on the left hand side of the saddle for three reasons -

1. To prevent interference with the control box, as you mentioned
2. To keep the Y gib locks clear, because they are on the right hand side of the saddle.
3. To prevent interference between the Z-axis scale (which pretty much had to go on the right hand side because of the electrical box) and the Y-axis scale

To be honest, I didnt even consider making a steel mount/cover for the Y-axis scale. I did as the instructions suggested and mounted the cover with a 3mm air gap to the scale - hopefully if I drop something off the back of the table this gap will prevent the scale from being damaged. I might make a steel cover one day - I will just add it to the end of a very long list!

Hi Stuart,
Hopefully the picture below clears thing up, sometimes it's hard to explain in words. The knee is hard not to set up this way so your stuck with the dro numbers moving when the gib locks are tightened. The perfect place for the knee scale would be under the knee next to the screw, but their isn't enough room.

I have copied and pasted this from above because it all goes together for anybody reading.

[Quote{ It is better if you can to keep the scale as close to the way as possible otherwise you will find you will get a lever effect when doing up the locks for that axis.
I found this out with the knee install as the reader head was about 150mm behind the way and when tightening it, the leverage would have the numbers going up and down depending on the gib lock tightened.
The alterment would be to have the gap between the scale and reader head lined up with the way like the X axis is usually factory installed on the back of the table, but it is almost imposable to do on the Y and Z axis.[Unquote]



Hi Mark,
I have moved my electrical box back in preparation for the Z axis scale on the left. I didn't have to change anything other than make up some some brackets and drill 2 extra holes to relocate it, all the cables where long enough. The old holes will be used to mount the scale and it doesn't bother the door operation at all.
Even If you don't plan on putting the scale on this side it is worth moving it back, as it gives more room and keeps it away from swarf and coolant.
On my old mill I found having it on the right interfered with the knee gib locks and this one come factory fitted on the right which does the same thing.
I took a few pictures for you which are below.






Dave

mmm i I need to buy some red paint...there must be something on my mill that needs that colour......

must be the colour the pro's use

Thanks guys
My Y and Z gib locks are both on the left. Also my mill doesnt have a dovetail way on the Y. It uses three gibs, two hold the table down and one holding the table left to right. The gib lock only works on the left right gib so I guess it wont effect the Y axis scale. Although it may move the table in relation to the X axis but it wouldnt show up on the X scale. I'll still mount the scale as high as I can.
Stuart

Eskimo,
LOL, They say red makes things go faster, not sure it's worked for me.
Some of the inside castings where red on mine, so I just followed on from that, Ray went blue.
I am not sure if I will go with red on all the blue bits of the machine, have been thinking of painting the whole lot machinery grey, to stop it looking so Chinese.
The front and back of the table are just painted to stop surface rust with the super cheap spray cans, with no undercoat. It needs a few weeks to really harden up and oil etc wont bother it. I painted all this on the returned mill and when I had to get it off, it came off easily with a Stanley knife blade with no damage to the surface. What ever colour it's worth doing as it will save you having to keep on top of the surface rust on surfaces that don't need to be bare.

Stuart
You should be right on the Y axis, just keep this in mind for the Z axis.

Dave

Almost time to get back onto my DRO.
I need to come up with a mount for the X axis reader head.
I'm thinking about doing away with the power feed stops or moving them so they only function as overtravel stops.
The "solid" stops I'm not so sure about. Needed?
I'd like something that didnt stack swarf and coolant up where the table meets the carriage.

Also while you guys are thinking. My Z has to gib locks and its a fair walk to get around to them. Anyone seens a mod that lets you bring one lever to the front of the knee to lock/unlock them? I have a few ideas, but its always nice to see what others have come up with.

Stuart

I think a block milled to suit the angle and a piece of flat bar bolted to it would work for their. Something like in the picture below.

I have to walk around to my knee locks as well and have a plan to convert them to the front. I am just going to use rods to come from the knee locks to the front, but with mine having 2 I will need 2 levers at the front. Some model Bridgeport's come with the lock handle at the front, but it is built into it from factory.

Dave

I'll whip one up in wood and see how it goes Dave.

For the gib lock I was thinking of something along the lines of one of these.

Stuart

The first one would be way to much leverage and too easy to over load them. The second one looks good. I would only make it so it has a 1 to 1 ratio or having the two locks into one 1.5 to 1 ratio at the most to save over loading them.
It is too easy to give it a nip up and over do it.

Dave

You could make the arm out of 1/4 round. Then hit your thumb with a hammer everytime you bend it
I like the first one simply because no holes need to be drilled in the machine, but it is a little on the ugly side lol
Stuart

New improved version with only 1 hole.