WM-14 Quill DRO

Has anyone replaced the WM14 Quill DRO with something that can plug into a display? I find the LCD display quite hard to read.

There is a Youtube video of such a thing with another milling machine and the poster managed to sum the Quill DRO with the Z axis which seems to be an excellent idea.

So, one needs to find a 100mm encoder and reader that will sort of fit into the space available and produce an output compatible with that from the glass encoders I had fitted on the machine...

Matt

M-dro is the company you might be checking out. Plenty on the ‘net about it.

Thank you. Yes their smallest one seems to be 6 1/4 in, but maybe it could be adapted...

Warco supply a 100mm travel scale..

Not answering the question specifically - but -

Yes the LCD display is difficult to read, however I found that using one of those small head torches helps a great deal. When you look at the display with it on it gives much higher contrast and is easy to see. Also helps to illuminate the work as well. Perhaps worth trying before modifying your kit?

Matt

I don't think you will get an optical type scale that will fit in the space available.

I have a WM16 and fitted this type from Arceurotrade (I had already fitted them to the X & Y axiis):

**LINK**

I used the 150mm one and cut it to fit.. The display that comes with them is no better than the one already fitted to the mill, but you can mount it in a better place.

I actually replaced the displays with an Android tablet using the TouchDRO app (https://www.touchdro.com/) and a homemade interface circuit.

Photos are in my album 'Mill DRO'.

If you want an optical scale to match an existing DRO system, I have taken a couple of photos of the smallest one that Warco do (100mm travel). You could make up some brackets to mount it in front of the existing readout.

Stuart

Edited By Stuart Smith 5 on 22/05/2023 00:10:22

I would think about a magnetic strip and small read head. The strip could be fitted to a flat bar replacing the existing one that the mill uses and the head fitted to where the existing display fixes.