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DRO On the Lathe?
- Thread starter Ray C
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2012
- Messages
- 5,596
I have a US made Starrett dial caliper that I use constantly. I gave away the digital one I bought because I hardly ever used it.
I also have a set of old Starrett mics that I use for when I need a little better accuracy than my caliper offers. But for those times when I need to be really close, I have a digital 0-1 and 1-2.
I just wish the batteries lasted longer in these digitals.
Hey Bill... For my entire "career" dabbling with metal, I've always relied mainly on mics to do the final measuring. I have a very nice matching collection of Scherr Tumico's all the way up to 12". They are all the same style between 0/1 to 5/6 inches. Black frame with tenths calibration and ratchet knob on the end. The 6/7 to 11/12 inch style are hollow-body, black frame, ratchet knob but, only have markings to 0.001 (which is fine for me with stuff over 6"). I rarely use the larger ones but, decided to own a full set. Anyhow, I had a hodge-podge of different mics and many of them had a different appearance when the graduations lined-up perfectly on the 25, 50, 75 marks. This caused me to have a couple mis-readings so, I standardized on one type of mic -and they are all engraved the same way. I'm really happy with this arrangement so far.
I'm still "evaluating" a particular style of dial calipers and have not drawn any conclusions. They are marked for SAE and Metric and are pretty good so far. In another couple years, I'll know if they pass the test.
... To all the other folks replying... you don't have to announce you're newbies. We're talking personal preferences here so, just jump in and BS about why you do or don't like your current style of measuring instruments.
Ray
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2016
- Messages
- 3,001
Did anyone else read the thread title to the tune of Home on the range...
I had no interest in DRO until watching a video tour of Adam Savage's (one of the Myth buster guys) tour of his shop including his lathe and mill (Shenwai and Bridgeport). His has a nice monitor set up for the DRO and seeing the numbers in a nice large font and looking at the fine print on my dials, I suddenly understood the attraction.
I've just started down the path of reading glasses so it is very low priority, but it is now on the maybe someday list. If I ever outgrow my Sherlines, and start looking for something bigger, DRO will definitely be a consideration.
I had no interest in DRO until watching a video tour of Adam Savage's (one of the Myth buster guys) tour of his shop including his lathe and mill (Shenwai and Bridgeport). His has a nice monitor set up for the DRO and seeing the numbers in a nice large font and looking at the fine print on my dials, I suddenly understood the attraction.
I've just started down the path of reading glasses so it is very low priority, but it is now on the maybe someday list. If I ever outgrow my Sherlines, and start looking for something bigger, DRO will definitely be a consideration.
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2014
- Messages
- 6,668
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2013
- Messages
- 1,020
Back to the subject. DRO’s are well worthwhile even with modest equipment. Mine are quite rudimentary but that is do to change soon. I’m still wavering between Yuriys and a package deal. I like the idea of using a single tablet that I can switch between mill to lathe, and the possibility of readily changing the software in the future. It’s also cheaper.
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2017
- Messages
- 504
I found a DRO on the lathe to be a transformational experience, initially I only fitted the cross slide scale, as the bed scale mounting required some thinking about [5 years thinking about as it happens ], I found that by taking a light surfacing pass then a cut of my planned finishing DOC then setting the DRO I could take huge roughing reductions down to finished size+finish cut and drop in on the finished size I wanted quickly and easily.
Roll on 5 years and I had an inspiration for fitting the longitudinal scale and have found that to be as much or more useful than the cross slide.
I make a lot of things which have several ODs with grooves and shoulders and also some internal bores and grooves. For instance, to cut an internal groove one zeros the DRO with tool contacting the face, wind it into the bore by the tool width, zero the DRO again and then position your groove and cut it, all with big, easily read numbers at head hight
Re-positioning the tool when cutting threads away from an internal shoulder is stupidly easy and quick to set up.
If it's all about the "experience" for you, you have more time on your hands than you can use and you can't see the point of getting things done quickly and efficiently then this particular way of dragging yourself kicking and screaming and somewhat tardily into the 20th Century might not be for you!
- Nick
], I found that by taking a light surfacing pass then a cut of my planned finishing DOC then setting the DRO I could take huge roughing reductions down to finished size+finish cut and drop in on the finished size I wanted quickly and easily. Roll on 5 years and I had an inspiration for fitting the longitudinal scale and have found that to be as much or more useful than the cross slide.
I make a lot of things which have several ODs with grooves and shoulders and also some internal bores and grooves. For instance, to cut an internal groove one zeros the DRO with tool contacting the face, wind it into the bore by the tool width, zero the DRO again and then position your groove and cut it, all with big, easily read numbers at head hight
Re-positioning the tool when cutting threads away from an internal shoulder is stupidly easy and quick to set up.
If it's all about the "experience" for you, you have more time on your hands than you can use and you can't see the point of getting things done quickly and efficiently then this particular way of dragging yourself kicking and screaming and somewhat tardily into the 20th Century might not be for you!
- Nick