iGaging Absolute DRO installation on Clausing 8520

Hey Terry thanks for the DRO install update, it looks really great. Since you are a fellow 8520 owner I have a question. I am in need of the course feed handle and the fine feed wheel for my 8520, would you happen to have any insight as to where I would be able to get them from? I have been watching ebay so far no luck there. Any and all help is needed and appreciated here. Thanks folks.
 
34_40 said:
Thanks for the info. 300 bucks is do-able.... 1200 won't be for a while!:whistle:
Click to expand...

Check out my post on this thread:
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/show...ng-DRO-s?p=219544&highlight=dro350#post219544

The DRO-350 kit, plus the three "dongles," cost me around $160 (+shipping). So if you're willing to do the soldering, and assuming you'll spend about $250-$300 for the iGaging scales, you can get a full-featured 3 axis DRO for around $450-$500.

PS - I forgot to mention in the above post that you need to change the "threshold" value for each scale, along with the counts per inch. I think I set mine at 1 or 2, but 0 should work also.
 
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emasbury said:
Hey Terry thanks for the DRO install update, it looks really great. Since you are a fellow 8520 owner I have a question. I am in need of the course feed handle and the fine feed wheel for my 8520, would you happen to have any insight as to where I would be able to get them from? I have been watching ebay so far no luck there. Any and all help is needed and appreciated here. Thanks folks.
Click to expand...

You could make the coarse feed handle yourself rather easily. Refer to the included photo. If you have any other questions about it, let me know.

Coarse Feed Handle.jpg

Coarse Feed Handle.jpg
 
FYI:
For anyone using igagind scales for a DRO, some people may have issues with electromagnetic feedback from motors, lights, etc, causing the scale displays to jump around.
This is due to the fact that they don't come with shielded cables. From their website, they plan on adding a shielded cable option to their Absolute scale line in the future.
For now, you can find replacement shielded cables here: http://www.dcables.net/. Just put R20560 in the site search bar. This was the only way I could find them on the site.
These cables are a little thicker than the OEM cables and you will have to grind down the insulation a little on the plug heads, but will work.Igaging scale use a male mini B to male mini B plug connector and are extremely hard to find. Dcables.net is the only place I could find them.
 
Good Job on the DROs! Time and money well spent.

I have the typical iGauging DROS from Grizzly on my lathe and mill, on all axis. I haven't done any research on the "Absolute" model. Can you provide a brief description of the difference? I could research it for myself, but I'll bet someone else may be thinking the same thing. Maybe I should consider upgrading someday?

Rick
 
Nice Job Terry.
I got some of those scales when he had them on sale too! Maybe this will help motivate me.
 
Another very nice upgrade for these scales is here:
http://www.yuriystoys.com/p/android-dro.html

It's little Arduino project that uses an Android tablet for the display wirelessly over Bluetooth, and adds features you don't get on expensive DROs. You can get a used tablet on EBay for $50. I made two of these (lathe and mill) and they are outstanding.
 
Mounted my last igaging scale on my mill today, thanks for the pictures Terry it helped immensely. Now to tackle mounting them on my lathe.
Ordered the Arduino parts a couple days ago to make a Touch DRO controller for both machines. Will do a post with pictures after I get them on and working.
I've been reading up on Touch DRO version 2. Looks to be quite a few added features. Too bad the "Tool List" doesn't have a library of tools to select or a master library one could just select to add tools to your own personal tool list. I don't have a Twitter account and no where else to submit the idea. Maybe someone here has contact info to float the idea to add a tool library. Be so much easier than manually inputting each and every tool.
Maybe it's already an option and I just haven't figured it out yet.
 
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