Myford 254 DRO

[richard perrinParticipant @richardperrin87256]

Hello, I have just purchased a Myford 254 Lathe and would like some advice on fitting a DRO and which brand to go for.

Regards Richard

[richard perrinParticipant @richardperrin87256]

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Hello Richard,

Welcome to the forum.

It depends both on how much you are ready to pay and what level of accuracy you are looking for. Do you have a rough idea of budget?

Neil

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

I fitted Machine DRO scales to mine, if you're in the North West come and have a look

[richard perrinParticipant @richardperrin87256]

Thank you Neil & Duncan, I live in Oxon so a little to far to accept your kind offer Duncan.

I have a budget of around £300 would that be enough?

Also where can I obtain the correct oil for the gearbox, Esso Febis K68.

Thank's Again Richard

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Enough for a capacitative system, pushing it for a magnetic system and not enough for an optical one.

The capacitative ones do need to be kept free of swarf and coolant.

Neil

[BikepeteParticipant @bikepete]

Not sure I'd agree with all of that, Neil.

For a start, everywhere I've looked optical scales are cheaper than magnetic ones (just an economy of scale thing, I think). Unless you mean some sort of magnetic scales I'm not aware of. Do you mean e.g. these?

And even before contemplating buying from China direct (from e.g. Siton Tech on Aliexpress) you can get a two axis optical scale package for barely over £300 from the likes of Machine DRO (and it's under £300 with the Black Friday discount). EMS-i offer similar kits but you'll have to ask for a price. No doubt many other suppliers too.

Personally for a decent lathe like the 280 I would not even consider capacitative (i.e. using same tech as digital calipers). Even if it stretches the budget, I'd go for a 'proper DRO' with optical scales, although it would probably make for a neater install to use one of the compact magnetic scales on the cross slide if budget permits (e.g. £15 extra at Machine DRO).

Also, ideally you'd get a 1 micron resolution scale for the cross slide rather than the standard 5 micron, again if budget permits. The reading is doubled to give diameter read-out, and the extra resolution compensates. Probably a few tens of pounds extra again.

Edited By Bikepete on 25/11/2016 15:57:33

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Yes I mean those

Neil

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

You have to watch not just the resolution (say 5 micron) but the accuracy as well (say +/- 0.015mm = 15 micron)

[BikepeteParticipant @bikepete]

"Also where can I obtain the correct oil for the gearbox, Esso Febis K68."

See long discussion on oil equivalents e.g. here – I would think any modern ISO 68 hydraulic oil would be fine. Plenty available in small quantities e.g. on Ebay and also elsewhere. Subject of oils comes up frequently in this forum, a search will find other threads on it too.

Edited By Bikepete on 25/11/2016 23:06:20

[Andy KeaneParticipant @andykeane21490]

I have fitted one of the magnetic three axis kits from machine-dro.co.uk to my 254 and its good. Because I have the VMA attached I had to make custom fittings with an auxilliary beam behind the bed for the main feed readout and I fitted the cross slide readout in front to take it down low enough to allow a myford milling baseblock to fit. Picturesattached.

[Ian HewsonParticipant @ianhewson99641]

I would use the lathe and see if you need to fit a dro at all, I have a 254s and do not find I need one, although I have fitted dro,s to my Dore Westbury mill which is a major improvement.

Oil can be found on the “bay”

Ian

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