Fitting a DRO to my old Colchester Triumph

[fizzy]

Dragging her into the modern World
Paid extra for a 1 micron resolution scale for the cross slide. Not so critical on the bed.
Despite it being a big lathe not much room to mount the scale.
Done it pretty neatly I think. Not ideal mounting it sideways. Will have to make up a cover next.
Bed one still to go.

 

[addjunkie]

Be awkward to make a cover for that with the head mounted where it is. Maybe just something flat so any thing dropping drops beyond the scale

 

[6ply]

Dragging her into the modern World
Paid extra for a 1 micron resolution scale for the cross slide. Not so critical on the bed.
Despite it being a big lathe not much room to mount the scale.
Done it pretty neatly I think. Not ideal mounting it sideways. Will have to make up a cover next.
Bed one still to go.

View attachment 378390View attachment 378391View attachment 378392

How much will it cost when completed? For me it would be a "nice to have" but I should prioritize the mill first.

 

[fizzy]

How much will it cost when completed? For me it would be a "nice to have" but I should prioritize the mill first

Needed much more on the mill definitely.
You can fit a good dro to a lathe for around £180.
Prices go up if you need a scale longer than 1000mm. Mine needed a 1200mm scale for the bed which was £150 on its own so total for me was about £320.

 

[fizzy]

Bed scale much easier. Bags of room.
I was suprised just how hard even the sides of the bed are. They weren't lying when they say induction hardened. A centre punch barely makes a mark. Drilled and tapped ok though.
Now need to make a bracket to connect the read head to the carriage.
Enjoying this. Peace and quiet to do what I want. Best Christmas present of them all.

 

[dan.taylor.1]

Would love links to the kit you're using matey, been on the list for mine since I bought it.

 

[fizzy]

Would love links to the kit you're using matey, been on the list for mine since I bought it.

Of course will post later.

 

[doubleboost]

Looks good nice and sturdy .
Don't forget a solid stop to prevent the tail stoch hitting the scale .

 

[fizzy]

Looks good nice and sturdy .
Don't forget a solid stop to prevent the tail stoch hitting the scale .

Cheers. Yes it does just hit it. I have lost about 6mm of travel not too bad.
Why do people use dial indicators etc when installing a dro? Not really needed as long as they are level and don't bind when the read head moves.
I have been very careful to make sure it is flush wirh the top of the cross slide.
There is a row of tapped holes at the back of the bed. No idea what they are for but very useful for alignment!

 

[Scalarocco]

Why do people use dial indicators etc when installing a dro?

Usually because the instructions specify a parallelism requirement to the axis under measurement. I've only fitted Heidenhain and Sony types and they have a spec that they have to be clocked to.

 

[bricol]

Think triangles - put it on at a slight angle, and all that accuracy you just paid for goes out the window to a degree (no pun intended).

 

[fizzy]

Think triangles - put it on at a slight angle, and all that accuracy you just paid for goes out the window to a degree (no pun intended).

But it is a linear scale. It only reads in one axis. Surely as long as it moves freely and isn't binding it has to give the correct reading?

 

[Seadog]

Think of a triangle. The hypotenuse is longer than the base.

 

[Scalarocco]

But it is a linear scale. It only reads in one axis. Surely as long as it moves freely and isn't binding it has to give the correct reading?

Why did you buy the 1 micron variant and not the 5 micron? You wanted greater accuracy. All that is lost if you just throw it on! The installation book should spec the parallelism for the top and side of the scale to the datum (axis) and also for the reader head position in relation to the scale itself. Glass scales have gratings on them that need the reader head to be correctly aligned to be accurate. Seriously, if you spent the money it's worth doing it right!

 

[fizzy]

Why did you buy the 1 micron variant and not the 5 micron? You wanted greater accuracy. All that is lost if you just throw it on! The installation book should spec the parallelism for the top and side of the scale to the datum (axis) and also for the reader head position in relation to the scale itself. Glass scales have gratings on them that need the reader head to be correctly aligned to be accurate. Seriously, if you spent the money it's worth doing it right!

I get that but on a 1200mm scale there are only fixing holes each end. I bet there will be some bow in it? All I can do is make sure each end is the same height? No way of adjusting the middle that i can see.

 

[Nomad]

... Enjoying this. Peace and quiet to do what I want. Best Christmas present of them all.

Enjoy the simple things in life!

 

[Tigman]

I get that but on a 1200mm scale there are only fixing holes each end. I bet there will be some bow in it? All I can do is make sure each end is the same height? No way of adjusting the middle that i can see.

Drill and tap a small block underneath the scale to rest it on thin enough for the reader to pass ! If there's any bow that is !

 

[Agroshield]

Drill and tap a small block underneath the scale to rest it on

And do literally what he says: rest the scale on the block not fix the scale to the block lest you over-restrain it.

There is a row of tapped holes at the back of the bed. No idea what they are for but very useful for alignment!

They are for the taper turning attachment or hydraulic copier.

 

[fizzy]

And do literally what he says: rest the scale on the block not fix the scale to the block lest you over-restrain it.



They are for the taper turning attachment or hydraulic copier.

I had a feeling they might be.
I can't see there is any room at all to provide support underneath. The read head is the full width.
And if setting up these scales was so critical surely they would provide central support on the longer ones?

 

[fizzy]

Drill and tap a small block underneath the scale to rest it on thin enough for the reader to pass ! If there's any bow that is !

No room at all. Read head exactly the same width as the scale.