Member postings for Martin M

If you are looking for ideas, look at Stefan's conversion http://gtwr.de/shop/pro_mykrodreh/dro.html

He placed the scale left-backwards, only works if you cover the complete cross slide to protect the setup from swarf. He also dumped the wobbly top slide and made a solid block for the quick change tool post.

On my Emco, I'll probably put the cross slide scale on the rear, right side. If anyone is interested I can post photos.

- Martin

I guess there is no doubt linear scales are superior.

However, I truly had no idea how to mount any of those on my tiny SC2. So given that restriction, the question might be: Is it preferable to have no DRO at all or have the handwheel DROs, with all limitations.

I had the original Sieg handweel DROs on my SC2 and the main problems of those were not that they ignore the backlash (if you are aware of that, you use them accordingly). What I disliked much more was that the plastic housings are built flimsily and break quickly and that they shut off after some time, forgetting the current measure.

I agree the handwheel DROs are kind of a last resort, but if nothing else fits on the SC4, I am not sure I would stick with counting revolutions on the 1mm/turn handwheels.

- Martin

Jim, are you aware of the Sieg handwheel DROs? Just found a retrofit kit from Toolarena:

https://www.toolarena.de/Kreuzsupport-Digital-Umruestsatz-C4-SC4

I had those on my SC2 and found them to be quite OK. I don't have an SC4 yet, I just sold my SC2 and think about getting one... a bit afraid of the thing being to noisy. Maybe you can give me an advice - is the main noise coming from the power feed gear (which I can modify if all else fails) or the spindle reverse gear (where mods are difficult)?

- Martin