DRO advice for lathe?

[skcncx]

Any prevailing advice on features/style/usability for a lathe DRO?

• Usability is my primary concern - unfortunately, the 3 options (pic attached) I'm picking from have varying levels of info in their manual... and one, no manual exists (yet).
  
  
• Primary features wanted- abs/inc modes, Radius/Diameter modes and the calculator with ability to reference and apply calculations to/from the x and z coordinates... all DRO appear to have that.... though some depending on button and interface may make that more user friendly.
  • I would imagine the LCD (option #2 in attached pic) could provide a good experience but NO manual yet... so it's hard to know.
    
    
• No preference between glass vs magnetic scales - won't be using cooling other than manually applying cutting fluid when necessary. That seems to be the main con of optical, they don't do as well with surrounding swarf and cutting fluids.
  
  
• This will be on a PM-1236T
  
  
• I guess worst case I can switch the interface to the TouchDRO app or other compatible display.

Available options these... (#s coordinate with attached pic)

1. https://www.precisionmatthews.com/shop/dropml8x35/
2. https://www.precisionmatthews.com/shop/pm-2-axis-lathe-dro-lcd-display-8x35-0001-hi-res-cross-scale/
3. https://www.precisionmatthews.com/shop/magxact-magnetic-2-axis-lathe-dro-8x40/

Back story context - I previously decided on the PM-1228 and it only has one option for an installed DRO... so my decision was easy. I have more options with the PM-1236T... good and bad I guess. The PM-1228, has all the features I want and $3200 less than the PM-1236T configured with identical and installed DROs.... but sitting on that decision before I placed the order, I kept coming back to the overall quality improvement of the PM-1236T and input from others in previous thread. Both have all the features I want and I actually prefer the variable speed motor of the PM-1228. To start I'm going single phase on the PM-1236T and see if the gear ranges suffice before I spend the extra for VFD controlled motor and hassle of changing many of the electrical components.

 

[Just for fun]

I'm a beginner so not a lot of real life experience yet. I have the PM MX100 it seems to work pretty well. The problem I have is the way my shop is setup when I have the big door open the natural light makes it hard to see the numbers.

 

[skcncx]

I'm a beginner so not a lot of real life experience yet. I have the PM MX100 it seems to work pretty well. The problem I have is the way my shop is setup when I have the big door open the natural light makes it hard to see the numbers.

Thanks. The hard to read numbers seems to be pretty common for the basic numerical displays.

I read the manual for the MX100 and seems pretty straight forward, but they left a lot of detail out for using the calculator other than basic functionality... seems like some dedicated buttons for the common plus/minus/multiply/divide operations would be nice. Though, that's likely the same issue on the LCD display unit they have.

With little to no experience... I'm not sure what features I want for quick access (dedicated button) vs having a display unit I have to "menu" through to get to everything.. that can be annoying. Especially when you don't use it every day... I'm trying to figure out which will be the most intuitive.

 

[Aurelius]

I have a 1228 with the (newer) stock DRO (#2 on your list). I really like it. I've used the older style like #1 on your list and they are fine but I find theo ne I have much easier to read and, being more compact, a bit easier to use (less movememnt needed to reach all the controls).

 

[mksj]

You might also look at the Easson, I use the 12B on my lathe and it works very well, no issues with glare. Quite a few people have ordered them from Machine DRO in the UK, ships by air and arrives within a week. The display has 3 axis inputs, so I use the 3rd scale on my tailstock (Z1), but you can also get it with 2 scales. The magnetic scales are an easier install as to alignment and bulk, and the price is not much more than glass. If ordering you will want to upgrade the X axis to a 1 micron read head, the scales are all the same. The exchange rate is very favorable, and you do not pay VAT, shipping is about $70, the 1 micron head upgrade is around $30. So £550 works out to around $500, so figure around $600-650 for a 3 axis with magnetic scales. You can download the manual for features, it has soft keys which change based on the menu, you can change the display colors to your preference.

Universal Lathe Digital Readouts DRO Kits - Easy Fitting - Machine DRO UK

Wide Range of lathe Digital Readouts DRO Packages with Magnetic Encoders

www.machine-dro.co.uk

Easson ES-12B LCD digital readout package including 3 linear magnetic encoders

3 Axis Easson ES-12B LCD graphic digital readout package with three magnetic encoders. The encoders offer a very compact profile size and can be cut to length to custom fit the machine being installed. The package is suitable for mills up to Bridgeport 42" sized machines or 30" between centre...

www.machine-dro.co.uk

 

[skcncx]

I have a 1228 with the (newer) stock DRO (#2 on your list). I really like it. I've used the older style like #1 on your list and they are fine but I find theo ne I have much easier to read and, being more compact, a bit easier to use (less movememnt needed to reach all the controls).

Thanks. the LCD seems to be the preference by most. Glad you like the new LCD style that comes with the PM-1228. Sounds like features and user friendly features are good... easy to get to the common things and I'd imagine the menu'ing system is better just because they have a screen to walk you though the menus vs cryptic letter/word codes on a numeric only display.

Have you been overall impressed with your PM-1228? I had nearly put in an order for one, but deciding to go with the PM1236T... ad much as I prefer to save the $ as it's more, it seems better in the longer run... but I'm so new and unfortunately have to paper shop these... can't see or run either.

 

[skcncx]

You might also look at the Easson, I use the 12B on my lathe and it works very well, no issues with glare. Quite a few people have ordered them from Machine DRO in the UK, ships by air and arrives within a week. The display has 3 axis inputs, so I use the 3rd scale on my tailstock (Z1), but you can also get it with 2 scales. The magnetic scales are an easier install as to alignment and bulk, and the price is not much more than glass. If ordering you will want to upgrade the X axis to a 1 micron read head, the scales are all the same. The exchange rate is very favorable, and you do not pay VAT, shipping is about $70, the 1 micron head upgrade is around $30. So £550 works out to around $500, so figure around $600-650 for a 3 axis with magnetic scales. You can download the manual for features, it has soft keys which change based on the menu, you can change the display colors to your preference.

Universal Lathe Digital Readouts DRO Kits - Easy Fitting - Machine DRO UK

Wide Range of lathe Digital Readouts DRO Packages with Magnetic Encoders

www.machine-dro.co.uk

Easson ES-12B LCD digital readout package including 3 linear magnetic encoders

3 Axis Easson ES-12B LCD graphic digital readout package with three magnetic encoders. The encoders offer a very compact profile size and can be cut to length to custom fit the machine being installed. The package is suitable for mills up to Bridgeport 42" sized machines or 30" between centre...

www.machine-dro.co.uk

View attachment 415028

Interesting, I'll have to take a look. Looks like a nice unit. I do like the idea of having the extra read out for the tail stock quick... though not a show stopper. I'd rather have it on the compound where it can affect both x and z based on the angle it set to... though it seems with a lathe DRO...if you move the compound (and don't have a scale to affect x/z readouts), etc, change out tooling, adjust cutters you can quickly nullify much work you've taken to setup the tool catalog registry thereby making the readout not represent real life. So, in my limited use and understanding, too many bells and whistles/setup are somewhat too much work to make it worth the effort... and therefore just the few basic functions and easily being able to zero out either abs or inc mode and the readius/diameter features are what you do most of the time.

In the end though, I think I'll prefer an option from PM... as they will install it for me and likely better/quicker support... but I'm open.

 

[Winegrower]

If you want a turnkey installation, then do what you have to do. I've been happy with the Ditron D80 DRO...the screen visibility is the best I've seen, the features are good, actually way more than I need or use, and the cost is terrific at $185 for two axis, $190 including RPM sensors and readout on the display. I like the slimline magnetic scales, because of their small size and ease of installation.

 

[Aurelius]

Have you been overall impressed with your PM-1228? I had nearly put in an order for one, but deciding to go with the PM1236T... ad much as I prefer to save the $ as it's more, it seems better in the longer run... but I'm so new and unfortunately have to paper shop these... can't see or run either.

I have been. As I mentioned in your other thread, I was limited by available electrics and the physical requirements of getting it into my basement but I am working almost exclusively on smaller parts made of softer materials (mostly plastics, maybe some aluminum/brass/steel) so it is likely all the machine I will need for some time to come.

 

[skcncx]

If you want a turnkey installation, then do what you have to do. I've been happy with the Ditron D80 DRO...the screen visibility is the best I've seen, the features are good, actually way more than I need or use, and the cost is terrific at $185 for two axis, $190 including RPM sensors and readout on the display. I like the slimline magnetic scales, because of their small size and ease of installation.

Looks like that $190 is just for the head display? Not the magnetic sensors as well.

It seems like the magnetic (or glass scales) are somewhat independent from the head unit and you can just swap out a new head unit. I would think the scales do nothing more than send a relative movement signal to the head unit which does all the display magic and remembering where you are at in virtual space based on scale input/movement. I'm likely over simplifying this... but if that's true, I should care more about the type of scale I want (glass vs magnetic) and the head unit can be swapped easily (aside from cost) . I installed the TouchDRO on my tablet just to see it... seemed like a few things were buggy but overall great.