Accuremote or igaging

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About to bite the bullet and put a DRO on my 8520. Is one of these better than the other? I read Yuri's account of them but it's a little dated I think and the new igaging scales are stainless also. The accuremote is certainly cheaper but do their controllers work as well as the igaging? The igaging seems to have more reviews on this board than the others.

Thanks for the help
 
Neither. I would buy Chinese glass scales instead. They are compatible with Yuri's software and are much better scales for not much more cost, and are supplied in custom sizes at no additional cost. Glass scales are referred to as "quadrature" in Yuri's software discussions.
 
+1 to what Bob sez.
Remember the saying - "Bob's you Uncle" :grin:

It is the path have been wanting to take for over a year, as soon as I can squeeze it out of the budget.
 
Digital scales with remote displays can be a useful and cost effective first move, it was the use of digital scales without remote displays which convinced me that I should get a DRO but I skipped the remote displays for them as digital scales are still not a DRO unless you are connecting them to an intelligent head unit.
With a DRO you will have 200 or so zero settings, a large illuminated display and a variety of useful functions for Mill or Lathe.
 
My original plan was to use the iGaging scales with touchDRO. The Chinese scales are more accurate, and more reliable than the iGaging. They also come in cheaper if you include the touchDRO adapter board. I didn't include the tablet as I have a spare I can use. I'm just waiting for the lathe to get here so I can take measurements before ordering. And if I hate the display unit I can still get the adapter later.

I was thinking of doing a 3-axis with the tailstock being the 3rd. I figure it would be nice to have all the common measurements in one place.
 
The easy way to get Yuri's software up and running is to buy this:
http://blu-dro.com/
It does cost more than putting your own together, but is is plug and play.

I personally think that Yuri's software is good stuff, and BluDRO is said to work well, but for the total cost of it you can pretty much buy a Chinese DRO with all the bells and whistles, ready to install. The dedicated package has lots more options, is more useful, and even the standard ones are glass scales, .005mm (.0002") resolution, over the entire length of the travel. Even higher resolution is optional for each scale for not much more cost. Magnetic or glass scales are also options. I find the bigger Chinese sellers to be at least as good and reliable as buying from Amazon, and WAY better than buying from individual sellers off eBay.
 
I've had nothing but good luck with igaging. I first put a $35 direct reading DRO meant for routers on the Z axis on my RF30 and was stunned it was so accurate. Meanwhile the kits kept coming down in price and the remotes kept getting nicer. I ended up getting https://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Re...107663?hash=item21113ca44f:g:ucUAAOSwzJ5XVi4o and couldn't be happier.

It's all what your goal is. I'm happy with .001 accuracy. If you need .0001 accuracy, yeah MAYBE the nicer setups will give you that. I say maybe because when I asked about some ideas at install here in the forums many posted links to installs. Those links helped me feel better about my choice as one guy installed the magnetic scale kit from a US importer and did an incredible job. And also documented his test sequence, and ended up with something like .006" error in 6"! And this on a unit that cost 10x what the igaging does. After install, I checked mine and it had -.001 at 6" and returned to 0 perfect in the X and Y. And no error on the Z. If you just want to get your toes wet, for $129 for a set it's hard to beat.YMMV.
 
I've had nothing but good luck with igaging. I first put a $35 direct reading DRO meant for routers on the Z axis on my RF30 and was stunned it was so accurate. Meanwhile the kits kept coming down in price and the remotes kept getting nicer. I ended up getting https://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Re...107663?hash=item21113ca44f:g:ucUAAOSwzJ5XVi4o and couldn't be happier.

You're obviously happy with it's lack of industry standard DRO functions, no large illuminated display and lack of a decent key pad ;-)
 
You're obviously happy with it's lack of industry standard DRO functions, no large illuminated display and lack of a decent key pad ;-)
And unprotected wiring and batteries that go dead.

Milliing machine complete 3 axis packages with glass scales custom made to your specs in one millimeter increments up to 1000 mm are available for $228, including freight, no taxes. Arrives at your door in about 3 weeks. No extra charge for specifying slim scales. Oh, and the scales can be calibrated dead easy to be dead accurate, push a couple buttons to calibrate them. That is mounting issue, easily addressed in software. Can't do that at all with the iGaging or Accuremote scales.
 
You're obviously happy with it's lack of industry standard DRO functions, no large illuminated display and lack of a decent key pad ;-)

Yup, true dat! For now all I need is what it was originally meant to be a Digital Read Out. And it does that just fine. If I want all the other stuff all you gotta do is add blu-DRO. But I've not gotten to that point yet.
 
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