DRO

[holstil]

I'm looking for a 2 axis dro 6 1/4" x 14 3/4" travel (bench mill). What do you suggest? Maybe up to $500?
Jim

 

[Auto-X Fil]

DRO Pros are great. Read their page (lots of good info, but a bit scattered) or just give them a call.

 

[holstil]

Thanks. Since this post, two other machinists pointed me to dro pro.
I took the dro's I've used in the past for granted, never really paid attention to them, till I need to buy one.
Jim

 

[holstil]

I think I'm going to get the glass scales

 

[rickiesrevenge]

Why are you looking at glass scales? I'm in the market for a DRO for the mill I've got. I've been looking at magnetic scales.

Aaron

 

[holstil]

I like what I read on the dro pro site about them.
For my little bench mill at home they should do nicely. I think they will be thinner.

 

[rickiesrevenge]

I had the grizzly glass scales on the mill I had before I moved this summer. I never had any issues with them at all, but the gentleman I bought them from had one of the scales quit working. I never could get the thing to cut curves like it said I could in the manual. Couldnt get it figured out. Which is one of the reasons I'm not looking at the same thing for the new mill.

Aaron

 

[holstil]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing. Ill be asking more questions when talking to others in the trade.
Dro pros offer technical support and seem to be reliable from what I'm gathering so far. Pretty decent warranty too.

 

[RGraham]

I have had a DRO pros DRO on my Bridgeport for several years. It has held up well and is easy to use. Good guys to deal with too.

 

[jkohler]

I got a Jenix DRO to replace a Sargon that one scale died on for my Lugun mill a few years ago from www.digitalreadoutsystem.com. I've been very happy with it so far

 

[lloydx2]

You will be happy with DRO Pros Glass Or Magnetic. For a home guy the magnetics are
more than you need ($). But they sure are nice. Easier to fit on and maintain with coolant.
I think they do offer the same resolution in glass as magnetic. Lots of support and pics

 

[carlsbad]

I have an older NIB Newall DRO and a 40" spherosyn ss rail that I'm going to list on ebay. I'd rather sell to someone here so send me a PM if interested. I don't have the short axis rail. I was going to put this on a lathe that I sold and new lathe has a Fagor --Jerry

 

[holstil]

The magnetic scales are thinner and they might be what I'm after. I think I got my wires crossed. Cost more though. Both types would probably do well as mentioned. I'd like to run one of those misting devices in the future. That may prove problematic for optical scales.

 

[holstil]

Carlsbad, I don't know enough about them yet to make an offer. Maybe someone will.
I would like to get a kit with the display. No worries then on compatibility issues.

 

[rock1455]

PM sent

 

[holstil]

PM sent

Didn't get it. Or did you send it Carlsbad?

 

[carlsbad]

If you're new to DRO, buy a full kit in the right size from a reputable vendor. There are a lot of features out there that you may or may not need. Original scales tended to be glass and people have broken glass and swore off of them. My bridgeport has had glass scales on it for 20+ years.

I bought a Newall Sapphire setup from a friend years ago and never installed it. It is a basic 2 axis DRO set and only has a long scale appropriate for a 40" lathe. So my stuff probably isn't good for you.

But take a look at Newall. It is all stainless steel and very rugged.

My new lathe has Fagor DRO on it which looks very nice and has a lot of features. With computing power becoming a non-limiting factor these new DROs will do a lot of calculations for you and remember tool offsets for you. You may not need all of these features so you may find DROs without them on sale. DROs for lathes and mills may have different electronics.

Quality 2 axis DROs seem to be over $1000. This reflects a nice price drop with modern manufacturing and technology improvements. It used to be more expensive and that ignores inflation. I can't speak about the cheap DROs out there.

Also, many milling machines don't put a DRO on the 3rd axis. Nothing wrong with it but it is easy to put an independent quill Digital readout and the old analog scales on the knee are pretty good. Just things to think about.

--Jerry

 

[hothead]

DRO pro's they speak English!!!! Great warranty. if you ever need it.
Ken