Tailstock DRO

[bluwolf]

Considering how many of us drill to a specific depth I though some folks might be interested in this modification I made to my tailstock. I don't know how others do it but I used to either put a sharpie mark on the drill bit or wrapped masking tape around it. But that was tedious and not as precise as I'd would have liked.

So I got this digital scale with a remote display from Grizzly. I made a couple brackets, one for the tailstock quill, and one for the reader, and tapped a couple holes in the tailstock. It works great and it's way more accurate.

 

[seamus7227]

Absolutely ingenious! thanks for sharing!

 

[bitshird]

Nice Idea, DRO's are great, except for the stupid spindle DRO, WHY?? did they bother with them. but I like you tail stock DRO, I want to get a new 13 or 14x 40 with DRO on both axis and putting one on the tail stock is just too handy to do with out.

 

[Paul in OKC]

You can also use the little 6" digital calipers for that, too. Seen it once or twice.

 

[hewunch]

Cool idea! Might have to figure out how to "engineer" that myself.

 

[Dalecamino]

Thanks for posting this Mike. I'm using the Sharpie method currently. I wonder if there is a DRO to fit my Microlux. I should check on that.

 

[bluwolf]

You can also use the little 6" digital calipers for that, too. Seen it once or twice.

I have too, and I was thinking about doing that. But it was actually more work to do it with the caliper and not as clean looking. Plus you have to lean over to read the display. I know, not the end of the world, but for what this scale with the remote display cost, $25, you spend that much or more on a 6" caliper.

 

[bluwolf]

Thanks for posting this Mike. I'm using the Sharpie method currently. I wonder if there is a DRO to fit my Microlux. I should check on that.

Chuck, there isn't one to fit any lathe that I know of. You just buy the scale and adapt it to your lathe. If you want, order a scale, bring down your lathe and we'll adapt it to your tailstock.

 

[Dalecamino]

Thanks for posting this Mike. I'm using the Sharpie method currently. I wonder if there is a DRO to fit my Microlux. I should check on that.

Chuck, there isn't one to fit any lathe that I know of. You just buy the scale and adapt it to your lathe. If you want, order a scale, bring down your lathe and we'll adapt it to your tailstock.

Thanks Mike, I'm taking you up on that offer.

 

[MarkD]

Great idea...something else to add to my list.

 

[cnirenberg]

Mike,
Definitely on the want list. I rigged up a DRO using a digital indicator from HF to measure depth of cut on the cross slide. I read where there is a magnet attachment available to go on the indicator that could sit on top of the TS and all you would have to make was a stop for the plunger. I still have plenty of sharpies left in the garage, but yours looks too good to resist. That is some nice workmanship. I saw that Shars had some of these available that were fairly affordable too.

 

[bluwolf]

Cris, I'd like to see how you rigged the caliper for the crosslide. George (texatdurango) want to do the same thing on his 9x20. I know it can't be that hard but people are always talking about the room they lose getting the tailstock up close.

The magnets for holding the indicators are pretty cheap. I've got one but right now it's being used like a fridge magnet Using an indicator for the tailstock is fine for shallow holes. Most of the indicators only have an inch of travel so it wouldn't help much for drilling pen blank holes that are between 2 and 3 inches deep.

With the indicator you still have to make the part that's clamped to the tailstock quill for a stop. As long as you've gone to that trouble you might as well mount the caliper to the tailstock and be able to measure all the travel.

We're going to do it to Chuck's anyway. I can make up another set of brackets for you. Then you just have to drill and tap a couple small holes on your tailstock and you're done. Let me know.

 

[lorbay]

Considering how many of us drill to a specific depth I though some folks might be interested in this modification I made to my tailstock. I don't know how others do it but I used to either put a sharpie mark on the drill bit or wrapped masking tape around it. But that was tedious and not as precise as I'd would have liked.

So I got this digital scale with a remote display from Grizzly. I made a couple brackets, one for the tailstock quill, and one for the reader, and tapped a couple holes in the tailstock. It works great and it's way more accurate.

Hey Mike do you have the model number for this DRO. Thanks.

Lin.

 

[bluwolf]

Hey Mike do you have the model number for this DRO. Thanks.

Lin.

Lin, the part number is T21577. It's $25.50 + shipping.

 

[cnirenberg]

Mike,
I did something similar to this:
http://www.machinistblog.com/a-homemade-dro-for-the-7x-mini-lathe/
I used a scrap piece of 1/2" aluminum round stock. I should have got some square, but that is another story. I drilled a hole in the bar and epoxied a bolt and some neodysuperstrong magnets from ACE hardware to the end and bottom. I attached it to the back of the carriage. Also took a small shelf bracket and made it fit between the bolts along the right side with some more magnets. This part moves with the slide and pushes the indicator. Pros: it does work and is cheap and easy. Cons: you cannot overshoot your target diameter. Best thing to do is sneak up on it slowly.

I know, I need to bring it by and show you...working on getting some free time.

 

[spilperson]

That is a great idea, and a ver clean and professional looking installation.

And the price for that is awesome! I had no idea it would only be $25!

 

[RHossack]

Now that is nice ...

Not mine, a rod building friends, but I have a couple of the HF $10 on sale digital calipers to do this to mine.

Cut off the parts not needed and took it apart to drill a hole in the back plate.

 

[Texatdurango]

Well I ordered two DRO's as shown in Bluwolf's original post up top, one for the tailstock and one for the carraige and should have gotten a third for the cross slide.

Now that I have had a chance to play with these I am going to order a few more since I can think of several applications with my table saw and router table to mention a few.

I contacted the manufacturer of these tools (http://igaging.com/) and asked if they sold to the public and they replied that they sell wholesale only BUT if I got up a list of the things I wanted they would give me a quote. So, if anyone is also thinking of getting any of these or other things igaging carries, send me a pm and I'll include your items with mine. Who knows, we might be able to save a few bucks! If interested send a pm only and don't reply here in this thread.

 

[IPD_Mr]

Heck, I just want to play in Mike's shop. er make that drool.

 

[bluwolf]

I really like these things. George is right, you can put them on all kinds of tools. I have a DRO that came with my metal lathe. I always wanted to put one on my vertical mill but for $600 or $700 that wasn't gonna happen anytime soon. After putting this on my tailstock and seeing how well it worked I figured why not try it on the mill. They have these in 12" and 24" models too so I bought one of each.

The picture of the X axis might be of particular interest because this is pretty much the setup to put one on X axis of a lathe. Normally there's a swarf cover (fancy name for a piece of aluminum roof flashing) to keep the crap off the scale. There's also a picture of the displays mounted up where you can read them as you work.

The displays come with little brackets you can mount to anything and clip the displays on them, or you use the magnets that are on the backs of the displays themselves. Again, way easier to pop off the backs of the displays to change batteries rather than disturb the scales.

 

[BigShed]

That is very nicely done Bluwolf. I have for some time been trying to convince myself to spend about $500-600 on a glass scale DRO setup on my DM45 (RF45 clone) mill.

I have seen the scales you used and wondered whether I should just put them on, I think you have concinved me to go that way, very neat.

How do you find the accuracy?

I already have a small DRO, a butchered digital caliper, on my quill and it works fine.

​

 

[bluwolf]

Fred, I find the accuracy to be just fine. But then I'm not building space shuttle parts either:biggrin: And as you said, it's a big jump in price to get to glass scales.

When I finished putting the scales on I tested it by sticking a squared up block of metal in the vise, and a Thompson shaft I use for checking runout in a collet in the quill.

After that I touched off and zeroed each display. Then I just ran the table around a bit as if I was machining something and then came back and touched off each axis a few times. The repeatability was great.

BTW, I did the same thing on the quill of my mill. Considering how much slop is in the "fine" feed of these things it really helps a lot. Everybody says they like pictures, so...

 

[spilperson]

That is very nicely done Bluwolf. I have for some time been trying to convince myself to spend about $500-600 on a glass scale DRO setup on my DM45 (RF45 clone) mill.

I have seen the scales you used and wondered whether I should just put them on, I think you have concinved me to go that way, very neat.

How do you find the accuracy?

I already have a small DRO, a butchered digital caliper, on my quill and it works fine.

BigShed, do you have TWO milling machines? A bridgeport and a XX-45?

I am some kind of jealous. I just have the '45, from another vendor though. How do you like yours?

Frank

 

[titan2]

Tail Stock DRO

Found this pretty neat TailStock DRO on Grizzly's site....

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Mini-Digital-Readout-Kit/T10118

Definately something I'm going to have to consider!


Barney

 

[titan2]

Here's another neat set-up I found at Grizzly's site for adding a digital depth readout for the X & Y axis.....

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Cutting-Depth-Digital-Readout-for-G0516/H8176


Barney

 

[Curly]

Some other sources.

Shars tools have horizontal and vertical scales from 4" to 40" and single, double and triple axis readouts. Once you start putting a 3 axis setup together you start approaching the costs of their glass scale DRO packages.

http://www.shars.com/product_categories/view/40602/Digital_Readouts

CDCO also sell similar goodies.

http://www.cdcotools.com/

 

[BigShed]

Fred, I find the accuracy to be just fine. But then I'm not building space shuttle parts either:biggrin: And as you said, it's a big jump in price to get to glass scales.

When I finished putting the scales on I tested it by sticking a squared up block of metal in the vise, and a Thompson shaft I use for checking runout in a collet in the quill.

After that I touched off and zeroed each display. Then I just ran the table around a bit as if I was machining something and then came back and touched off each axis a few times. The repeatability was great.

BTW, I did the same thing on the quill of my mill. Considering how much slop is in the "fine" feed of these things it really helps a lot. Everybody says they like pictures, so...

Nice job on the quill DRO Mike, well done.

Very seriously looking at those cheap scales for my DM45 mill now, as you so rightly point out we're not making space shuttle parts! Most of the functions on the expensive DRO units I would probably never use anyway.

That is very nicely done Bluwolf. I have for some time been trying to convince myself to spend about $500-600 on a glass scale DRO setup on my DM45 (RF45 clone) mill.

I have seen the scales you used and wondered whether I should just put them on, I think you have concinved me to go that way, very neat.

How do you find the accuracy?

I already have a small DRO, a butchered digital caliper, on my quill and it works fine.

BigShed, do you have TWO milling machines? A bridgeport and a XX-45?

I am some kind of jealous. I just have the '45, from another vendor though. How do you like yours?

Frank

Frank, I had 2 mills, an X2 Mini Mill with which I started my milling learning curve. I then spotted a brand new DM45 on Ebay with a low starting bid, put in a low bid and to my shock I was the winning bidder. For a while I had the 2 mills in the shed but found I wasn't using the X2 any more so sold it.

Have never owned a Bridgeport though

The DM45 is a nice machine, though it has the typical foibles of the xx45 machines, but I am happy with, particularly at the price I paid for it.

It has a 2hp single phase motor, but I have a 2hp 3phase motor and VFD for it, which I will install at some stage.

 

[bluwolf]

Found this pretty neat TailStock DRO on Grizzly's site....

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Mini-Digital-Readout-Kit/T10118

Definately something I'm going to have to consider!


Barney

I looked at this one before I bought the $25 setup. Online, what they don't mention, is that you still have to make the bracket for the quill. In the catalog they tell you this. IMO this is probably the most difficult part of the install. I also don't see it having any more functions than the cheaper one. The only difference is that the readout goes to 5 places. At 6 times the cost I didn't see the advantage.

Here's another neat set-up I found at Grizzly's site for adding a digital depth readout for the X & Y axis.....

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Cutting-Depth-Digital-Readout-for-G0516/H8176


Barney

There's a review of this setup on minilathe.com. The problem with this setup is that it doesn't compensate for backlash. It's not reading the movement of the actual slides, it's counting the turns of the leadscrews. If you back away from your cut it won't account for the backlash when you move back in.

With the digital scales, they're sensing any actual movement of the carriage slides. If the carriage doesn't move, the scales don't record a change. In other words they ignore backlash and only move when there is actual slide movement.

I didn't mean to pee on your parade. I just thought you might want to take these things into consideration when making your decision. HTH

 

[manatee]

I installed the one Barney mentioned from Grizzly over the weekend.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Mini...out-Kit/T10118

It was a little long so I had to cut the bar so it would fit the tailstock.
Works great!

 

[bluwolf]

I installed the one Barney mentioned from Grizzly over the weekend.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Mini...out-Kit/T10118

It was a little long so I had to cut the bar so it would fit the tailstock.
Works great!

I'm sure it will work out great for you. What kind of lathe did you put it on? I'm sure I'm not the only one that would like to see pictures of your install. There's always more than one way to skin a cat and your approach might work better for someone.

 

[titan2]

Found this pretty neat TailStock DRO on Grizzly's site....

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Mini-Digital-Readout-Kit/T10118

Definately something I'm going to have to consider!


Barney

I looked at this one before I bought the $25 setup. Online, what they don't mention, is that you still have to make the bracket for the quill. In the catalog they tell you this. IMO this is probably the most difficult part of the install. I also don't see it having any more functions than the cheaper one. The only difference is that the readout goes to 5 places. At 6 times the cost I didn't see the advantage.

Here's another neat set-up I found at Grizzly's site for adding a digital depth readout for the X & Y axis.....

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Cutting-Depth-Digital-Readout-for-G0516/H8176


Barney

There's a review of this setup on minilathe.com. The problem with this setup is that it doesn't compensate for backlash. It's not reading the movement of the actual slides, it's counting the turns of the leadscrews. If you back away from your cut it won't account for the backlash when you move back in.

With the digital scales, they're sensing any actual movement of the carriage slides. If the carriage doesn't move, the scales don't record a change. In other words they ignore backlash and only move when there is actual slide movement.

I didn't mean to pee on your parade. I just thought you might want to take these things into consideration when making your decision. HTH

No problem bluwolf.....just thought it was interesting.....

Learning something new all the time!


Barney

 

[manatee]

Here are pictures of my Grizzly tailstock DRO installation. It has two readouts. I mounted the large one closer to the chuck for close up work. You have to make your own quill clamp but it is not a big deal. Here is a review of the DRO:
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/2010/02/gunsmithing-gear-grizzly-digital-tailstock-readout/

 

[BigShed]

Very nice setup you have there, well done.