DRO install on LC-30A (RF-30 clone)

[darkzero]

David, what kind of scales will you be installing? Glass or magnetic or the igaging type?

 

[DavidR8]

David, what kind of scales will you be installing? Glass or magnetic or the igaging type?

I'm installing glass scales.
Identical DRO as @Gravydog used on his mill.

Mounting 3-axis DRO to my RF-30 clone

After getting my mill set up, the first thing I wanted to do was install a DRO so I wouldn't have to deal with the runout on the X and Y axes and the inaccuracy of the dial on the Z axis (dial marked in thousandths but a full turn is actually only 0.084" instead of 0.100"). Also, they are just...

www.hobby-machinist.com

 

[pontiac428]

Ah, for some reason I assumed you were using iGauging. Glass scales take up more space, but there are plenty of nice examples out there to look at.

 

[DavidR8]

No worries @pontiac428, all ideas are welcome

 

[DavidR8]

A bit of progress tonight.
Measured and cut out the brackets for the Y-axis scale.
Simple aluminum pieces. Need to get some 10-32 SHCS to attach the brackets to the mill and the scale to the brackets.
And some 4mm SHCS to attach the reader heads to the brackets.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[WCraig]

So far in this hobby, every little project requires one or more trips to the store for fasteners!

Craig

 

[DavidR8]

So far in this hobby, every little project requires one or more trips to the store for fasteners!

Craig

Indeed. I’m still building up my stock of fasteners. I’m buying more than I need for every thing.
I only need about a dozen SHCS for this job I’ll probably buy 30+ in a few lengths and diameters.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DavidR8]

Tonight's progress:
Fitted the brackets and marked the holes for tapping.
Big step for me, marks the third, fourth, fifth and sixth holes I've ever tapped.
I was a bit nervous about snapping the 10-24 tap. All went well though.

A few pics.



I think I'll zip off the lower bit of the right side bracket when all is in place.

 

[DavidR8]

More progress today.
Got the bracket for the reader head bent and cut to size. Drilled and tapped for the bracket and the cover.
I miscalculated slightly and the right side SHCS for the cover is right up against the bottom of the table.
All good though.

I mistakenly ordered the wrong length x-axis scale so I cut the scale to length.
Just determined the length and put it in the bandsaw with my blowgun shooting air to minimize swarf in the scale.
I held the saw up so it could score the glass.
Worked like a charm.
I then drilled holes for the four tiny screws that hold the end cap.

Don’t have pics but will take some later.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DavidR8]

More progress.
Pulled the table and cross slide.
Got the x-axis slide mounted and reader head installed.
This is the end of the offcut of the scale.
I whittled back the glass to see how I was going to trim it to put the end cap back on.
The glass basically crumbles like a stale cookie. All these videos of guys using Dremels etc to trim the glass seem to be overkill as the reader doesn’t travel to the end so precision is unnecessary.

X-axis is on!
I’m going to fabricate a low profile guard.

Reader mount holes marked and punched.

Holes drilled and tapped.
Much easier to do this vertically than the other horizontal holes.

Head is mounted.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk