In this episode, I get the display and the X axis installed. Still some tidying up to do, but it's working and it's accurate. Hopefully I'll replace the read head bracket in the next video. / craigsworkshop craigsworkshop.net
I need to mention: If you are doing this yourself, you must check out Stuart de Haro's videos on the topic. First class instructions. Here is a link to the first video of six: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-FyiWe0fl11g.html
Great Job Craig! I had to make a bracket for my lathe because the Crosslide mounting surfaces for the reader and scale were not on the same plane. Did it the same way that you made yours for the thickness, just made it longer and extended at each end because the Crosslide was shorter than the scale section. No place to bolt it and I was not keen to attach the reader to the cover even though there was a 90 degree set of holes on the scale unit. Keep the videos coming!
Gday Craig, nice job fitting the dro, I like the idea of a stopper to protect the scale from being squashed, I’ll keep that idea for when I put one on my mill, always enjoy seeing a new video pop up from you mate, very enjoyable watching, Cheers Matty
Thanks Matty. I actually got that idea from a guy called "Stuart de Haro". His DRO instruction videos are first class. I meant to mention that in my video.. Cheers for the kind words! Craig
Oh man, I cringed when I saw that tap crack . . . The John imitation was understandable! At least it worked in the end, functionality is the most important part. On to the next in the series.
Took the slack way & paid the price ! At least you got it sorted ! I still have all that ahead of me for my machines , At least my big mill already has one fitted , an old mitutoyo linear . The box is the size of a microwave oven ! Cheers .
Cheers Max - yes that was a painful moment! Mitutoyo DRO should be the bees knees. I'm looking forward to getting this one finished off. It's been on the todo list for a while. Cheers, Craig
Max, I pinched your profiling trick from your previous videos. You can see it in my chuck key video. Worked very well and easier than I thought. I can imagine trying something more ambitious in a future project. Not quite ready for ball handles yet though. :-)
Found your channel recently as I have a Beaver pal as well. Have also been putting what looks like the same scales on my lathe this afternoon too now. Small world. Will be attempting a quill dro soon. And I did just shout myself a set of transfer punches just for the dro install, what a difference they make.
Hi Christopher, absolutely a small world! Thanks for getting in touch. Did you get a manual? I have a print one that I bought online. Let me know if you need any copies of drawings etc. Quill DRO is a good idea. On my last (mini) mill, I had only a quill DRO and it was useful all the time. For now I have just three glass scales and I'm going to see how I go with just those for now. Please keep in touch! (My email address is in my about page.) Cheers, Craig
G'day Graig well done on that, that's a beautiful old mill you have there. It was good how you made the "L" bracket for the reader very neat. Regards John
I had exactly the same problem tapping horizontally when i fitted the DROs to my machines , i think some of the problem is the cast iron dust works its way in between the tap and the part being tapped and causes it to jam . I had this problem with old and new taps and found that if i gave it a squirt of compressed air every half turn of the tap it seemed to make life much easier . Adding a DRO will open up a whole new world for your mill like drilling bolt hole patterns easily and much more !
Thanks Ian. My problem was compounded by using an old (worn) tap. I had a new one in the back of my tap/die drawer, but hadn't switched out the worn one yet. It worked a few times, but I was too hasty with the cordless. I think you're right about the cast iron dust. I worked around the problem by adding another hole to the casting, and another slot to the bracket. Not elegant, but it worked. Later when I strip the machine down for a thorough clean and inspection, I might put the table on its side, and machine out the tap using a solid carbide slot drill. For now, it's not hurting anything. Very excited to have the DRO partly installed! I must get on with the other two axes. Cheers! Craig
Hi Craig. Just working my way through your DRO videos, felt for you when that tap broke. It's happened to all of us but kudos to you for leaving it in the video. I learnt my lesson years ago, I never power tap anything now, even on the lathe, always hand tap. Cheers, Alan.
Hey Alan. It's weird, when I started out with metal taps and dies a few years ago - all the advice was "You'll almost certainly break a tap the first time(s) you try to use one". I went literally years without having ever broke a tap, but now I've broken 2-3 in the last year alone. In my case, I think it's to do with whether the tap is blunt. Probably a bit of complacency sneaking too. But mostly the age of my most used taps. I've been replacing blunt ones with a pair of brand name HSS ones. One to replenish the set, and one as backup. In some cases though, I had been greedy/lazy, and left the blunt one in place. That's the big mistake. Should absolutely know better. :( Happy to continue power tapping with mill, lathe, cordless drill. But I will stick to strictly only sharp taps now. All the more reason I need to build a tool and cutter grinder, to make all my crappy taps less crappy again :-) Cheers, Craig
@@CraigsWorkshop Oh yes the curse of the blunt tap, again, happened to all of us. I have to be very careful as I can't afford to keep buying taps, I have to save all my money for all that stuff Rob keeps reviewing from Banggood!! 😂😂
@@CraigsWorkshop I don't like hand taps for the reason that they break easy. As a Millwright and working right on machines we use machine type spiral point taps and if it looks like it could be a problem, try drilling a tiny bit larger expecially for copper and if your tap is not new. As long as it will still be strong enough to fasten, a DRO readershould be fine buddy. If you want, you could sharpen the points to bring them back and try not to use a tap on aluminum after steel , things like that.
I nearly bought a beaver mill a long time ago. If you can't get the tap out stagger the slots in the new bracket and drill two more holes. Looking forward to the next two scales being mounted and seeing it working. Tony
Craig, my wife is always on me about my engineer dye addiction and her friends are constantly asking why my hands are blue, I tend to be a bit sloppy with it. I'll agree that I use a lot but I subscribe to the old Rigger's, a parachute packer, saying "Always be sure"
Hi Bosted Tap. It was a painful moment! Not the end of the world though, more embarassing than anything. Thanks for watching and commenting. More video coming soon. Cheers, Craig
@@CraigsWorkshop I have broken many taps in my time, my RU-vid handle "Bosted Tap" refers to busted taps, in my area of the UK called the Black Country, our dialect says "Bosted" instead of "Busted"; conversely, "Bosting" means brilliant or great????. I have installed linear encoders as part of my job, mainly high end manufacturers such as Heidenhain, Balluff Temposonic, generally max misalignment is 0.20mm, nominal 0.10mm for the glass scale type. But more accurate is better for the read head operation and clearances, some have an inlet port for compressed air to prevent ingress of coolant. The end mountings normally have spherical washers, with a single washer at one end, and two at the other (Kinematics). Enjoying your methodical approach, and photography.
@@bostedtap8399 Hi Bosted Tap again. That's very interesting - I have known your youtube handle for a long time (seen your comments on other channels) and assumed it meant busted tap, but I didn't know it was because of a regional pronunciation. Good to know, and it stops me wondering! :-) Spherical washers is a smart idea. And I guess with parallel shims behind them you can set alignment any which way, with no problems. For mine, I'm going to make up 4 dome-ended grub screws this morning - which will bear directly on the paint/casting. Not ideal but I think it will work fine, and be nice and rigid. Thank you for the good feedback, I am trying to increase the quality of my photography as time goes on. Sometimes it's difficult enough learning and doing the metalwork/woodwork project, without a camera and lights in the way (!). But - I am persevering - and I think it is getting a bit easier as I go along. Cheers! Craig
I heard something - was that you? It was not behaving right, and it was only when I tried a fresh one, that I realised the old one was very blunt. I could/should have noticed, and revived it with a dremel stone or similar. Or just switched out to the new one. Live and learn! I have left the tap in there for now, but I will go back with a sharp tig electrode and perhaps 40 amps, and tig a nut to the top of the tap and turn it out of the hole. Thanks for the screams of assistance, I'll try and listen up better next time! Cheers, Craig
Awesome! Iam still just eyeballing most of what I do. Thought about a dro a couple of times, but just dont fit me at this time. Cringed when the tap broke
One more driving factor for me, for the DRO install is that I'm trying to standardise on metric (I speak metric and imperial), but my machines are imperial. I've purposely bought all metric measuring tools and equipment over the last several years. All the converting back and forth is just one more source of error. With a DRO I can (at least try to) stick to just one system.. That and I can only count up to about 3 or 4 on a good day so counting handwheel turns is not a very good idea :) Plus - eliminating having to deal with any backlash. Yes - it's fair to say I'm excited about getting them all installed. Then I'm going to save up and do the lathe - I'm skint, but I think it's worth the investment. Catch you later Craig, cheers, the other Craig :)
@@craigtate5930 I think different channels showing different measurements is fine. It's just a bit brain-bending when you have mixed measurements in one given workshop. I think I'll try to work in metric, and show imperial equivalents on screen. That way everyone (including me hopefully) knows what's going on. :)
That's why the tap is still in there at the moment, and there is a new hole next to it (Shameful). I think I'm going to tig weld a small nut on top of the broken tap and try to unscrew it at least. Thanks Pete!
No you're right - M5 - 4.2mm pilot (4.37 in my case..), I'm getting confused. I've got complacent in the past tapping steel tube, or aluminium or what not. Cast iron (and solid steel) is less forgiving. The tap was definitely blunt too, because the new tap I had was very easy to use (especially with the oversize tap hole). Lesson learned! Cheers, Craig
Dude - wait until you get the proper tools, I.E., transfer punchs and a drill/tapping guide. You really don't want to screw up holes you drill into your milling machine.
fitted a dro (cheapest ebay thing £20) to the company cheap 20 yr old chinese hobbiest lathe that im using for bespoke work.....works great .... but the lathe is a nightmare...... i despair at the accuracy that your able to achieve
Agh. That sounds like it sucks. Are you able to trace the source of any error? If there is flexing of cast parts that's one thing that would be hard to fix. But - if there are slideways that could be scraped or ground (even milled and lapped..) to fit better, then that might be worth thinking about? Thanks for the comment Richard. Cheers, Craig
@@CraigsWorkshop ha ! the error is the £600 the company paid for it. the only redeeming feature is a good chuck. i was pressing for a decent lathe and they were sympathetic ...
@@CraigsWorkshop it looks like im gonna have a lotta time to kill .... start pumping out more vids craig... entertain us in these historicaly dark times .. lol
