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2:13 PM
November 11, 2010
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I got to be out of my mind! I purchased a Dro for the mill from Dropros today. I ordered it with the magnetic scales and just the 2 axis mill specific. That took a big hit on my wallet, only thing left is a smoking hole where my wallet used to be.
Why did I do that? I was ruined by the sales pitch on their site. The little bit I've used the mill though I think it will be worth it in the long run. Since I know nothing about CNC'ing a mill and I like to be the main cause of a wreak not through miss programing something. I can do that on the motorcycle and messing that up ain't fun!
Don't get me wrong I really like to watch a CNC machine work I just think for me it would not pay to do that. Maybe someday it will, but not now.
The dro is sort of like using a gps for flying. I got ruined using a gps for cross country flying. Now the wait for it to show up.
Norman
http://dropros.com/Electronica…..ut.htm#EL2
I ordered the EL400 kit.
3:18 PM
October 20, 2011
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Never mind Norman, you'll soon get over it. 
4:38 PM
September 19, 2010
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Dro's are handy… because with dials.. Did I count four turns? or five? sh*t I've scrapped it.. Damn.
I have a DRO on my lathe, for the crossslide, I have one for the saddle, I just haven't installed it yet.
They are useful because you can relax a little, and concentrate on other things.
Thats my 2p
1:36 AM
October 20, 2011
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Ruined by the sales pitch, it's a bugger when that happens. But I have to admit I was pretty impressed by the information on the site.
I was thinking about DROs and it dawned on me that I have never used one, didn't have them when I was training, didn't have one when I was working either, and it was not until I read the sales pitch on that site, that I started really thinking about getting a DRO. But I have to say I don't actually need one, I just want one to make life easier, so I'll get one when I get one, I'm in no rush.
Lokii
12:50 PM
April 27, 2011
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I asked the same question. Do I need 1???
When I got mine for the mill, I thought after I set everything up, will I use it? I wouldn't do without it now!!!
It just so happens the dro does more than you can think of. At the same time I got a power feed system as well(Norman hope this comment doesn't make you decide to get 1 as well). 
Cost me all up $1700 for both. Check out the pic.
They both make life much easier and quicker AND more precise!!! Especially with repetative stuff.
Mtw fdu.
2:15 PM
October 20, 2011
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I found for most of the other functions on a DRO, the software called Machinsts Mate does everything the DRO can do except display axis travel. Here's the link for the software.
5:15 PM
November 11, 2010
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I've already purchased the power feed for the g0619 mill and installed it last month. I've only done a small amount of machining on the mill. I have a set of mill bits coming they are on back order since I bought the mill I have a few bits my Uncle gave me so I can play with the mill a little.
I'm messing around with making a few patterns for some cast things, but it is going real slow.
9:57 PM
November 11, 2010
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The Dro arrived this morning came Fedex the box looked fine and so did the stuff inside. The only thing wrong was the clear plastic cover for the display is messed up a little. The seams were tore a little.
I have the Y axis installed. I had to make a steel plate to mount the read head nothing tough to do. All the mounting hardware is metric( except for a couple of bolts for the bracket I made) so this takes me 3 times as long as I'm not real sharp on the metric system those small bolts all look the same to me. I have to find a die to size each bolt or use the metric thread gauge then I almost sure I got the right size.
I installed the Y axis with out cutting the reading strip, on the X-axis I cut it shorter to fit the table, that went pretty easy and I don't think I messed it up. I'll make a mount tomorrow to mount the reader head for the X-axis to, none in the kit fit right, got some cast aluminum bars that will work so I get to make something with the mill.
Doing all this stuff and being very focused on not screwing up I took only a couple of photos and still don't have them loaded on to the computer so those will come along later.
12:23 PM
November 11, 2010
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Photos of the Dro
Here's the box fresh off of the Fedex truck.
Opening up the box I find this?
Rufus inspects the box for any defects or mice.
I jumped right on it and installed the magnetic Y-axis I could of cut it shorter but it being longer than needed won't hurt anything. I used the supplied bracket for the reader head. Had to cut a 1/4" x3"x6" crs plate to mount the Y-axis brackets to the back side of the mill's Y-axis table but that was not big deal.
12:36 PM
November 11, 2010
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This is the reader head with the magnetic scales the head isn't attached to the scales so for me the installing of it was real easy.
here is how it looks attached to the crs plate
I removed the table power feed for the installation makes more room to work on it. Just got to remember to allow clearance for the power feed head. I didn't show all the use of the dial indicators to get the magnetic scales all trued up but it took a while to get that done. everything is close to 0.000 as possible the Y-axis has less than 0.001 run out.
The X-axis was a very easy install used the supplied bracket machined the top where the reader head goes to the proper height and added a couple of holes and mounted it. I did cut the scales to length for the X-axis that went very easy. I still need to hit the hardware store for a couple of metric bolts. I borrowed the bolts from the stops on the power feed to get the X-axis reader head installed. I painted the crs plate with wrinkle black you can just about see the wrinkles on the paint. I cheated on this plate, I used 1/4"-20 shcs to mount the crs plate to the mill's Y-axis. I was going to add one more bolt but this felt and looked good so I didn't mess with more drilling holes and tapping.
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