Member postings for Jacques Van Damme

I found appropriate information on Yuriy's website:

TouchDRO

Jacques

For a modest cost and acceptable precision: consider to install wire encoders combined with TouchDRO.

Wire encoders are easy to install and less traumatic to your machine.

TouchDRO is freeware software that does not need a DRO readout but uses a simple tablet (or smartphone) working under android. Probably, you already have a tablet.

See MEW No 305 (July 2021).

Jacques

Hello,

I installed TouchDRO on my Myford ML7 lathe, combined with wire encoders instead of digital scales. It all works quite fine!

Please find the article in MEW No 305, july 2021.

Best regards,

Jacques

You are welcome, MichaelG.

And for those wishing to use TouchDRO on the Myford 7 lathe, consult this link: TouchDRO and Myford

TouchDRO is a possible addition to the use of wire encoders, the DRO works fine without it, just using the HB961 as a basic readout.

However, tablets or smartphones working under Android systems have the advantage you can command the program just by touching the screen. The TouchDRO program offers much more possibilities. It is freeware, it even offers upgrades, hence your system will always been up to date.

Jacques

Hello Mark,

I'm not quite sure all your questions refer to my forum post on the subject of wire encoders I sent today.

Anyway, using wire encoders, there is no dial indicator mounted, the X and Y lengths are measured in the wires' housing at the far end of the wire. There is no need to stop or to reposition as the wire measures continuously. There is ample room left near the chuck.

The readout is fixed on the front side of the lathes' cabinet. In case of an additional TouchDRO mount, the readout reads wireless on a tablet screen. The easiest way to see how the wire encoders are mounted is to look at the pictures on the link Myford DRO. You don't have to understand Flemish, the pictures will show you.

Even with a slightly worn cross slide screw, it would be possible to reposition at the exactly same spot, following the readout values.

Jacques

My Myford ML7R has received a DRO using wire encoders instead of the usual linear scales with optical or magnetic encoders. I'm quite sure that installing these on a Super 7 is quite similar.

This arrangement allows the use of the taper turning attachment as well as the rear toolpost from behind. It also keeps the T-slots in the cross slide open. The workable distance between the lathe centers is only reduced by 1 cm.

Accuracy of the wire encoders is lower than the capacitative linear scales reaching 0,05 mm precision. Resolution is 0,005mm. However, that is largely acceptable for most lathe projects.

It is also possible to use TouchDRO with this arrangement, so the readout comes wireless on an Android tablet or smartphone. The TouchDRO program is freeware and gives you all working abilities such as drilling on circles a.s.o.

You can read the setup on the kmyca.be website. Sorry in Dutch, but the English version can be read in MEW magazine nr 305, july 2021.

Hi Roger,

You can find the English user manual of the HB961 digital readout on this link:

HB961 counter

In MEW 305, the recent july 2021 issue, page 26, you will find in my contribution how to connect it with a wire encoder. I used it for a DRO for my Myford ML7R lathe, one for the X-axis and one for the Y-axis. They work fine.

Best Regards,

Jacques