TouchDRO Build for my Millrite Milling Machine

[smithted]

http://www.warco.co.uk/ this is the web site link

hi yuriy did this web site help you with the scale I have thanks ted smith

dear sir can you please let me know if the scale that I have will work with one of your units so I can order [1] thanks ted smith

[Ralphxyz]

Mtracz, did you post your 3d files somewhere, your enclosure looks so much better than what I hacked up.

Ralph

[Mtracz]

Hey Ralph,

I'm in the process of uploading to Thingiverse and will post a link once they approve it.  I guess it takes 24 hours...

Sorry for the delay in response and sharing.  Thank you for the ask and kind words!

_Mike

[Mtracz]

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2795007

It should be up and ready. Let me know if you have any issues. 

Again thank you Yuriy!

_Mike

[Mtracz]

Finished!  I'll try and zoom in on each scale later today.

   
   
   

Housing and board live in the shadows facing the wall... I guess I put Yuriy in the corner.  Sorry, poor movie reference.  

   
   

Thank you for stopping by,
_Mike

[smithted]

nice one what power supply are you using yours ted smith

[Mtracz]

Hey Ted,

I have a photo of the power supply on the second page. Sorry I'm not able to upload another photo at the moment.

It's a 5.0VDC 1.0A wall wart made by Motorola. Unfortunately I don't know where it came from.

Please note that the board requires DC power. Make sure it says DC If it doesn't I don't know to check to confirm. I fried a board using a AC unit. Please don't do the same.

So in conclusion. Make sure it's an DC power supply!

_Mike

[Mtracz]

Nice installation. That Millrite is a really nice machine! I think you meant to say: “make sure it’s a DC power supply”.

WOW. Rslchow, I can’t thank you enough for the reply. I updated my post.  I’m done replying with my thumbs and will stick to a keyboard from now on.

I am so sorry if I missled anyone. That was not my intent and I sincerely apologize. I fried a board because of this same confusion.

I’ll close this thread with this post.

_Mike

[scoopydo]

Mtracz, I know you said you are closing the thread but is there some way you could post pictures of how you mounted your scales? I have a Millrite MVI and have built Yuriy's board and have the (I think) same scales as yours. I haven't mounted them yet as I have a pending back surgery next week. I'd sure like to see how you've mounted your scales, I'm newish to machining and need to see how to do it the right way.

Thanks for any help!
George

[Mtracz]

Hey George, 

Of course I'm happy to share.  I'll break them up into multiple posts, one for each scale, ans I'll start with Z on the head.  I believe we can only upload 5 images per post, and I really like to take photos... I wish you the best and speedy recovery from your surgery.

Main View - There are three points of contact and I tried to minimize the number of holes drilled into the machine.  Once I got over trying to maintain originality and convinced myself making it my machine wasn't a crime it was game on!  For most all of the brackets made I have one (or two) screw mounting to the machine and a series of set screws to level on on the castings.  I love old iron and this is something we all have to deal with with large draft angles and irregularity in manufacturing of non critical surfaces. The set screw method worked across the board.

   

I chose to remove the ruler needle for Z travel on my head and use this for mounting and moving the scale body once assembled.  I used the hole for the set screw for one of the mounting points for the bracket and had to drill and tap a second.  

A bracket was made out of 2" aluminum angle from a local hardware store.  I bought a length to use as a guard for the Y and Z and it worked out here too.  I started with a paper template, then made a series of 3D printed brackets, and finally the aluminum version.  You should note that there is a slight kink in the arm to make it through the the vertical slot and get me close to where I was going to mount the scale.  The scale has a series of tapped holes on the side and I used two of them.  I believe a previous post calls out their spec, as they are metric.

   
   
   
   

The top of the scale arm is held on with a rectangular bracket.  The aluminum has a through hole in the center that the mounting screw goes through capturing the scale bracket.  Left and right are set screws used to align everything.  Two clearance holes were drilled in the scale bracket to allow for the set screws to pass through.  Also the scale bracket has a slot so I was able to move left and right, withing reason, while aligning.  

   

The bottom mount is a combination of two brackets the firs is a plate mounted to the head that reaches out right.  This is held on with two screws and is shimmed to get it as close to parallel to X as a possible.  I use eyeball technology on this one because the second bracket has set screws similar to the top bracket to take up all the alignment directions. Note that the corners were cut off the scale bracket to allow for the set screws to pass through.  

   
   

These worked out great and were minimally invasive.  One tapped hole inside the head, one on the pulley casting and two on the head at the bottom.  I had to cut some off the bottom of the scale and modify a couple of the supplied brackets.  I don't remember exactly how much I cut off the scale, but I believe it was ~1" and I used a standard dremel cut off wheel.  The first cut was the scary... but it wasn't all that bad in the end.  Remember you have some wiggle room in in the mounting brackets on the end if you get too zealous.  

One thing I learned after all three scales were mounted that may help in your planning is that Yuriy has allowed for inverting the reading on the scales in his software.  This means that if you would rather a cable go a different direction you don't have to worry about it during the planning and mounting process.  Way to go Yuriy, thank you!

Hit me up with questions.  If you need more photos I'll gladly take them.  I'll follow up with the X next.  Not sure when, hopefully in the next day or so.

Thank you for stopping by,
_Mike