New member HELLO!

[root]

Hello there new member here.

This will be my 1st DRO setup of any kind.

I want to put DRO on my 10 inch Atlas lathe it's a T41 model. that translates to 1941 production.

And would also like to put it on a new modern machine my PM-25MV milling machine.

A little about me and my tools.
My lathe may be old but I am only the 3rd owner and it looks and operates as new.
My eyes on the other hand are not so new and I now wear glasses.

I am a total newbie to the DRO setups but I like this open source idea from Yuriy.
Hence the used ID root.
I got into linux back in the mid 90's and still use it today. while I nolonger work in the IT field I seem to have retained a pretty good up keep on things.
I'm a hobby machinist that makes things for fun.  While I don't have the eyes or time to solder a PC board anymore.
And know nothing of DRO I see the use of it, if nothing else because I can no longer see the dials on my tools without 3 pairs of glasses on. And that translates to "missing the mark" a whole lot of times.

I've pretty much read the whole Yuriystoys site and the Specs of all the boards.

I would like to order two complete plug and play boards but as others here have mentioned I don't see a addy to ask about it.
HERE I AM asking.

As I mentioned I would like two preassembled boards.
 I take it these are The TouchDRO iGaging Adapter boards?

I haven't ordered scales yet either. I wanted to match the scales to the board for ease of use and purchase.

Point me in the right direction please guys.
Thanks
Rich

[Yuriy]

Hello there new member here.

This will be my 1st DRO setup of any kind.

I want to put DRO on my 10 inch Atlas lathe it's a T41 model. that translates to 1941 production.

And would also like to put it on a new modern machine my PM-25MV milling machine.

A little about me and my tools.
My lathe may be old but I am only the 3rd owner and it looks and operates as new.
My eyes on the other hand are not so new and I now wear glasses.

I am a total newbie to the DRO setups but I like this open source idea from Yuriy.
Hence the used ID root.
I got into linux back in the mid 90's and still use it today. while I nolonger work in the IT field I seem to have retained a pretty good up keep on things.
I'm a hobby machinist that makes things for fun.  While I don't have the eyes or time to solder a PC board anymore.
And know nothing of DRO I see the use of it,  if nothing else because I can no longer see the dials on my tools without 3 pairs of glasses on. And that translates to "missing the mark" a whole lot of times.

I've pretty much read the whole Yuriystoys site and the Specs of all the boards.

I would like to order two complete plug and play boards but as others here have mentioned I don't see a addy to ask about it.
HERE I AM asking.

As I mentioned I would like two preassembled boards.
 I take it these are The TouchDRO iGaging Adapter boards?

I haven't ordered scales yet either. I wanted to match the scales to the board for ease of use and purchase.

Point me in the right direction please guys.
Thanks
Rich

Rich,
You basically have two choices: get iGaging DigiMag (or AccuRemote or Shahe, etc.) scales and iGaging boards. For those you will need to cut the cables and screw them into terminals or solder USB breakout boards.
Another option is glass scales. The whole setup will cost probably 2-3x as much but you'd gain some accuracy and durability (although iGaging scales can last for years as long as you don't flood them with coolant). For the adapter board you have the option of "no solder kit" (I still have about 10 of those, but once the kits run out I probably won't order more) or just a board, in which case you will need to solder D-Sub9 pigtail harnesses.
I would avoid calipers/Chinese scales. Calipers are cheap but slow; "Sylvac" Chinese scales don't offer anything over iGaging scales but cost more and are a bigger PITA to deal with.
I personally use glass/magnetic scales on both machines because I was able to find the scales for not much more than what I'd pay for iGaging one. If I recall right, my mill setup set me back $250-ish for the scales and lathe was around $200 (1 micron scale on the cross slide and magnetic tape + head on the bed).

Hope this helps
Yuriy

[root]

I am probably going with glass scales ( 90% sure)
unless I can find the iGaging scales never heard of them.

DO you sell a complete board for that? either the iGaging or the glass scales.

If not I'll have to order the plug up no solder kit.
If not I'll have to go with the just the board and and hopefully not cross soldier the sub9 connectors while trying to pin it out.

Please advise and thank you very much.
Rich

[Yuriy]

I am probably going with glass scales ( 90% sure)
unless I can find the iGaging scales never heard of them.

DO you sell a complete board for that?  either the iGaging or the glass scales.

If not I'll have to order the plug up no solder kit.
If not I'll have to go with the just the board and and hopefully not cross soldier the sub9 connectors while trying to pin it out.

Please advise and thank you very much.
Rich

You can find iGaging scales all over the place. They are becoming quite ubiquitous. Here is one on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2b4nKgs. Do not get the "Absolute" version, though: there are three different versions. Two of them work with TouchDRO, but the older version is incompatible and for some reason still pops up in the market.
Boars are available from the sotore.For iGaging scales you will want the second option; for glass scales last option is almost plug-and-play (you'll need to push the pins into the D-Sub housing).

Thank you
Yuriy

[leepeedin]

If I may add to this conversation, I'd like to suggest Al Basset's blu-DRO controller for a turn-key plug & play solution. All you need is the iGaging DROs (search eBay as well as Amazon) & an Android tablet. I have this running on my PM-727 mill & PM-1127 lathe. I'll soon be adding this set up to my Seig X2 mill as well. I'm not affiliated with Al, I just was looking a turn-key solution that didn't require the 65 year old's shaky hands & dim eyes to have to do any soldering or mounting in a box. I have a video on YouTube showings how easy it is to implement his controller. My YouTube channel name is MrPragmaticLee.

[root]

leepeedin if your vid is the one with the setting zero with the 1,2,3, blocks I watched it late last night.

I'm going to more then likely order the 119 box for the glass scales for my PM-25 since the igaging doesn't make anything long enough for it. I need 8x14x20 for that one. the igaging I can install on my old Atlas as the 6x24x12 slides are all long enough. for that one it's a 10x36 lathe and I've only once used the entire bed length the 24 will do me fine.

The blue DRO looks like a great option since like you my age isn't 19 anymore. I'm 45 and got the dreaded readers 4 years ago the eyes are going down hill fast. probably from all the years of the old CRT monitors in my twenties and teens.
I find it next to impossible to read the dials on my Atlas even with crayon rubbed in.

The days of soldering up boards seems to be behind me since I tried to put a new power switch in my son's 7 inch tablet and while I got it. lets just say I'm glad it's hidden between the covers.
Soldering a board up from scratch sounds like a good way for me to kill time and a PC board all in one shot.


Funny I went to college and got the IST and tech school for electronics. I still use the IST at work but for the most part use it and the electronic stuff more in my day to day life.
I'm now employed in the medical side of technology via hemodialysis.

Tomorrow I'll start to look more at scales and igaging equipment so I can place some orders.

Keep the comments coming I'm very very new to DRO and didn't even know what it was until last week when a friend mentioned I should look into it since I'm missing the "mark" on the dials more and more nowadays.

Rich

[leepeedin]

Here's the link to my video. I'm going to do one on calibrating TouchDRO, but haven't done it yet.
https://youtu.be/hRNza1gSzU4