DRO is supposed to be here Monday!!!

[MontanaLon]

I ordered the big LCD DRO from Aliexpress for the mill and DHL sent an email saying it will arrive Monday. Looking forward to figuring out how to install it, not so much the process of it, but the arranging the pieces so everything fits and doesn't interfere with the other moving parts. Also need to leave room to install a one shot oiler since the oil caps on the back of the table will probably be inaccessible when the scale is installed.

Anyone got any idea what thread size is on a HF mini knee mill oil fittings?

 

[westerner]

No idea on your oil fittings, but I sure will follow the install thread. Which mill? Which DRO? I could be talked into a DRO on
my Millrite. I have one on the lathe, and I use it constantly. No DRO on the mill, but it's dials and lead screws are Imperial from the factory, and I can muddle through THAT math.

 

[MontanaLon]

This DRO

On this mill

 

[westerner]

Lovely. I suspect your creativity and ingenuity will get a chance to shine.

 

[MontanaLon]

It arrived. I unboxed it to check it worked and it appears to be functioning. The instruction manual is decent but covers nothing about installation. I will have to pick up some metric taps or some imperial hardware. With some luck I will get it installed later this week. I have a couple of 16 hour days this week for work and that really cuts into the shop time.

 

[westerner]

There are plenty of people here with more experience than I. If I were honest, I would say "Most".
That said, be careful tapping cast iron.
"Crunchy" would be how I would characterize my limited experience with that process. And in small sizes, "SCARY"

 

[MontanaLon]

There are plenty of people here with more experience than I. If I were honest, I would say "Most".
That said, be careful tapping cast iron.
"Crunchy" would be how I would characterize my limited experience with that process. And in small sizes, "SCARY"

I was concerned for that as well. I figured they would be at least 6mm, nope 2-5mm and a bunch of 4mm to hold the scales and reader heads on. The 2-5mm hold on the display bracket. They went in like butter. I drilled and tapped a jack screw into my band saw fence and that was a nightmare, I thought I was going to bust off the 1/2 tap it was so hard. The 5mm were a piece of cake. Drilled easy, tapped easy and held the bracket like it should.

Now, if I can get through the 4mm's that easy.

 

[mattthemuppet2]

looking forward to seeing your progress - I have the Grizzly version of that mill and like the look of (and price) of that DRO. Need to save some pennies first as well as making a riser block before I get there though

 

[MontanaLon]

I have the y and z axis mounted. They went on easier, no trouble at all tapping. But now I have to rig up some brackets to hold the reader heads as the ones they sent won't do it.

 

[MontanaLon]

Turns out the oiler holes are threaded 1/8-27 NPT or the metric close enough to fit size. Which is good news as it makes both adapting it to allow the oilers to clear the scales pretty painless but ugly. And the really good news is that it will make adapting it to a one shot oiler system a walk in the park. Few bucks for some 1/8 grease zerks and some tubing to hook it all together. It may actually be a lot easier than I imagined.

Had to travel to Lansing today so hit the Alro outlet on the way in and grabbed some rectangle aluminum tube and some angle to make reader head brackets. Picked up some hardware bits to get it all to not fall apart as well. So when I do get some time to work on it I will have plenty of material on hand.

I swear every time I go in there costs me more money. But holy crap, I am glad I don't need to buy brass except in little pieces, that stuff isn't cheap. There was a piece that was 6x6 and an inch thick. $80. If I ever build a cannon it will be steel. Kind of makes me want to go hit the range and melt my empties down and cast them into useful shapes. And there is another rabbit hole. Pretty sure I will keep that one outside.