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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Ballina N.S.W.
    Posts
    644

    Default Fitting a Sino 3 DRO to my AL1000D lathe

    A short time ago I decieded to fit a DRO to my AL1000D lathe. After a bit of research and some good advise from Dave J-thanks Dave, I found that the options available were not that plentiful as I wanted the compound and cross feed axis to be fitted with micro sized scales with a 1 um resolution. Sino were the only supplier offering DRO kits at a reasonable price. I ordered a kit comprising one KA300 scale 1020mm in length with a 5um resolution. Two KA500 micro scales one 220mm long and one 120mm long both with 1 um resolution. I chose these lengths which are a little longer than are actually needed to give me a bit of manouvering room for fitting.Total cost delivered to my door six days later was $641-00Aust.Sino give excellent service and were very prompt answering all emails.
    On my lathe the cross slide has the way oiling nipples up close to the dovetail body on the tailstock side and it also has a gib adjusting screw located in the middle, so I deceided to mount this scale on the front (chuck side). Mounting the scale reader head on the compound slide in the central position would have made access to the allen bolt that needs to be loosened to change the compound angle very difficult. I deceided to machine up reader head boxes to allow some manouvering space and provide some addition protection to these heads. I also made the cover for the cross slide out of 2.5mm thick steel for additional protection- another good tip from Dave J. The reader head box for this scale is also designed to take some of the load in case I drop something heavy on it.I also fitted an additional cover over the X axis scale as well.
    After fitting all of this up I then had the challenge of the Sino Operation Manual. This is one area that Sino should improve, it is a bit of a nightmare to read and try and understand.After much head scratching I now have the DRO working as it should.
    A few pictures to help explain all those words.
    X axis-photos 479 & 484
    Y axis -photos 480,483 & 495
    Z axis- photos 476& 485
    Monitor- photo 489.
    Bob
    Attached Images Attached Images

  2. #2
    Dave J Guest

    Default

    Hi Bob,
    You have put a lot of time and thought into that installation and it's come out really nice,
    I like the way you have boxed the reader head in and it's a good idea to have the outer shield protecting the reader head tucking under the main cover. anybody fitting a read out should take not of this even if you don't use coolant.
    I see you mounted the compound scale on inside, just be careful and keep an eye on it, as it could be venerable there being close to the work.

    That way cover looks very familiar, Do you find it helps a lot with keeping the ways clean? I am still yet to make my aluminium on instead of steel.

    Have you had time to use it?

    Dave

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Ballina N.S.W.
    Posts
    644

    Default

    Hi Dave,
    Thanks for your nice comments, I have only just finished the installation a few days ago and only done a couple of trial cuts to test out the readings.It is interesting when you take a cut and then leave the tool in position and watch the readout as all the spring that is in the material is slowly machined away, one or two tenths. On the cross slide cover I made it a fairly snug fit onto the shoulder of the reader head box to hopefully protect the scale in the event I drop something on it. I made my way covers from your idea, I made them out of stainless steel and fitted plastic rubbing strips under each one to save the steel on steel, they do work pretty well but you do still get little bits of swarf under them.
    Bob

  4. #4
    Dave J Guest

    Default

    Hi Bob,
    I sent you a PM.
    On the cover I built I glued some inner tube rubber strips under it to stop it hitting the ways and they also act like a way wiper.
    You could even use some of that self stick foam seal for windows under it to stop anything getting past.

    Dave

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