Fitting a digital scales

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

BH600G lathe

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Advise from the Collective needed please.

Whilst attempting to resolve the problem with the PWM for the FeedRodMotor, I need to think up a way of mounting two of Ketan's digital scales (Digital Readouts with Dedicated Remote Display).

Rather than reinvent the wheel, and more to the point save time and brain cells, I would prefer to get help from the Font of all Knowledge.

Y-axis:

This is the one giving me headaches, as however fitted, it's going to be tight, fitted either vertically or horizontally.

X-axis:

I was thinking, only thinking mind you, of mounting the scale on the front of the Bed, it being more accessible and having space now that I've removed the Spindle Direction Rod I no longer need.

Suggestions, brickbats, kicks up the Nile (not)appreciated.

Geoff – Lots of Workshop time today with luck

Edit:

Oops – 'a' in the Subject line should not be there 

Edited By OuBallie on 11/10/2014 09:52:44

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

A few pictures of your setup and your dro bits will probbly solicit plenty of suggestions

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Ady1,

Your wish is my command.

'Warco BH600G Lathe DRO' Album added, and shows the scale 'mounted' horizontally and vertically.

The scale shown is 12" long, but I will, I think, fit an 8" one.

All sorts of really crazy (stupid?) solutions have bounced around the inside of this old noggin of mine, but none I'm truly happy with.

As can be seen, space is at an absolute premium to say the least, so I am open to all suggestions.

Having problems loading photos in sequence with this post, hence none included.

Geoff – Why do we follow SatNav instructions so blindly? I would have found the pub if I hadn't!!!

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

[David ColwillParticipant @davidcolwill19261]

I feel your pain.

I too have looked at this on smaller lathes and not found an answer. I did wonder about the possibility of machining the cross slide so that the scale fitted within the casting. I'm sure that the reading head could be thinned down by removal of the plastic case. Hopefully one day soon somebody will invent a scale that works round corners, Until then I will have to manage without or suffer something tagged onto the side.

I eagerly await your solution.

Regards.

David

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

To me the vertical option is better as hiorizontal will ristrict how far to the right you can move the carrage when using tailstock support. CAn it be turned the other way so the wire pokes down.

The other option if you have enough room between the spalshback is to mount it well out the back of the cross slide so muck is kept out the way, would only need a flat bar on te side of teh topslid eif done that way.

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

I have mine poking out the back of the cross slide and never have any issues with it

However you fit yours, you'll be dead chuffed once it's done, this is one of the most useful mods you will ever make

[mickParticipant @mick65121]

A quick and inexpensive way of fitting a digital readout, the length is altered by moving the clamp holding the depth probe

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Can you cut it down a bit – some types can be- and fit it at the back like Ady. Otherwise you could get a shorter one and use that one on a mill or something.

Definately liking the out the back position, just leave enough room for the Meek screwcutting mod trips.

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Thanks for the suggestions.

The scale can be flipped to have the cable at the bottom.

Ah my 'Crazy' idea not so crazy after all, i.e. poking out the back.

Will check clearance for an 8" scale, and take the CrossSlide off to investigate fitting it internally.

The reason for fitting the X-axis scale on the front of the Carriage, is to keep the rear clear for whatever in the future.

Busy mounting and wiring up a common VFD box of electronics for the milling machines, so DRO on hold for a while.

Will post as and when I progress.

Geoff – Well I have warned all and sundry that I'm easily side-tracked

[JonParticipant @jon]

Mounting outboard the 2nd best way of doing it, just need to make up braces when swarf piles up.

Most likely no room internally but would be my no1, even the magnetic wont go in with the reader.

3rd best mount vertical against the cross slide and make your own brackets, reason as follows.

I have just found out from 4 years ago and uploaded the differences between the cheap scales, glass scale and expensive magnetic scales.

I could only mount two units at the same time, first two piccies cheap scale to magnetic scale seen behind. Brackets supplied with these cheap scales can have an error 0.145mm before they start to register, the brackets flex. The only way you would find that out if used a DTI or another scale. If using these scales make your own brackets, certainly the reader one.

Piccies 3,4 and 5 are compare between an expensive magnetic scale and a Sino glass scale both rigid. 0.05mm repeatable error

[Douglas JohnstonParticipant @douglasjohnston98463]

A more expensive but tidy solution is to fit one of the magnetic high resolution scales under the cross slide with the reading head at the back of the carriage. I have pictures of how I did this on a Myford Speed 10 lathe in my album. With 1 micron resolution it is a joy to use and has performed perfectly for a couple of years.

Doug

[Gary WoodingParticipant @garywooding25363]

Another alternative is to use the BW wire system. It's very compact, accurate, and can easily be transferred to another device (mill?) to give you DRO on multiple devices. Not all at once, of course.

[CotswoldsPhilParticipant @cotswoldsphil]

Here is my version of a low cost DRO fitted to my Super 7. I used an original hole on the rear of the saddle and made concocted support from bits from the scrap box. I will tidy it up sometime in the future now that I know it works. The plastic cover is to keep cutting fluid (Rocol Ultra 370) out of the works. These DRO's are not waterproof – don't ask how I found out!

I'm pretty sure I don't suffer from backlash; the bracket is pretty solid, but I will double check, following Jon's experience.

Phil

[JonParticipant @jon]

Doug whats the repeatability of the 1 micron?

I have the 5 micron to tail stock and cross slide and give regular errors of 0.05mm as shown. Poses a problem for fine threads near on tolerance. The 1 micron wasn't around at the time 4 years ago.

Phil that reader bracket looks more substantial than the supplied. The end ones are good to use. If I didn't have the magnetic on cross slide I would have gone for glass mounted outboard.

Think the install through, where are the cables going and what will they catch or interfere with.

Heres my Y axis magnetic lost 7mm where tail stock butts up to cross slide, that's it.

Cables got to go some where and need plenty of slack.

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Thanks for the excellent ideas.

I think, having reached three score and ten, I have at last realised that re-inventing the wheel should now be left to the young bloods.

Geoff – Ran out of cable crimp terminals, so back to the FeedRodMotor.

[CotswoldsPhilParticipant @cotswoldsphil]

Jon..

The bracket fixed to the Saddle – it is the one supplied with the DRO (Axminster Power Tools – usual disclaimer) I have a spare; two were supplied. The setup was originally made for my ML7, and I had to elongate the hole to get it to fit the Super 7 without remaking the cranked bracket.

It all seems to work; there are two 3mm cap-head screws fixing the bottom of the reader to the bent-up MS bracket to eliminate any potential twist. Nice thing is, it can all be removed in seconds, by undoing the two 1/4 BSF cap screws.

I checked the repeatability with my trusty vintage Mitutoyo dial gauge (long before Chinese imports) and was able to repeat positioning to 0.01mm over the range of the gauge (5mm). Whilst turning, I would remove any potential backlash in the feed-screw by always moving the cross slide in the direction of the cut.

Phil

Edited By CotswoldsPhil on 17/10/2014 10:56:14

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

Did you consider using Machine-DRO's flexible scales.? They would adhere to the side of the cross slide itself and be a lot smaller.

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Forgot to mention that the scales will connect to Yuri's Android DRO system I'm busy putting together.

Three score and ten my excuse. Perfect

Geoff – Can never have enough projects, can you!

[Les Jones 1Participant @lesjones1]

Hi Geoff,
If you are using iGaging scales I would recommend this version of software running on an Arduino UNO. I think it is better than Yuriy's version of interface software for the Arduino.

Les.

[Douglas JohnstonParticipant @douglasjohnston98463]

Jon- regarding the repeatability of the 1 micron scale, that's not easy to assess. All I can say is that I have never found a problem with it, although that does not mean there is no problem. On a small lathe one is not working to an accuracy of 1 micron but the resolution is very handy.

Doug

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Thanks Les.

Being an electronic dunce, I take it that the Arduino UNO is a straight replacement for the MSP430 I'm busy with.

The scales are from ArcEuro, and similar to iGaging i think.

Geoff – One day I MAY complete my projects. I live in hope!

[HowiParticipant @howi]

Posted by OuBallie on 19/10/2014 11:39:31:

Thanks Les.

Being an electronic dunce, I take it that the Arduino UNO is a straight replacement for the MSP430 I'm busy with.

The scales are from ArcEuro, and similar to iGaging i think.

Geoff – One day I MAY complete my projects. I live in hope!

MSP430 is fine, no need to go to Arduino platfirm, iGaging scales from Arceuro also work fine, not as accurate as glass or magnetic scales, but a whole lot cheaper. I have this setup on my super SX2 mill from Arc and it has transformed the use of the mill. I have kept the remote displays that came with the scales and have them mounted near the mill. I can easily swap from remote display to touch dro within seconds.

[Les Jones 1Participant @lesjones1]

Hi Geoff,
If you have already decided to use the MSP430 ignore my last post. I have not yet done very much with the MSP430 so I do not how the software versions for that compare the version I suggested written by Rydiu M or my version for the ATtiny4313.

Les.

[Author]

Posts