# Mill-Drill D.R.O. Recommendations?



## cheepo45 (Jul 31, 2012)

Hi Everyone,
 I am ready to buy a D.R.O. for my Mill-Drill. I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations. Has anyone tried the E-Bay chinese d.r.o.'s? I would like to do this as cheaply as possible.
                   Thanks,
                       cheepo45


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## DarrenUK (Jul 31, 2012)

I have fixed 3 of the cheap DRO's from ebay to my SX2 milling machine and have had no problems, I am very happy with them indeed.


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## DarrenUK (Jul 31, 2012)

Here they are fitted to the machine....


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## cheepo45 (Jul 31, 2012)

Nice Job - Thanks.


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## purpleknif (Aug 1, 2012)

I have those on my y and z but I have the kind with the remote readout on the x axis. Can't rememberthe name but I have found them to be more robust and not nearly as susceptible to damage from things like spray mist and swarf. They cost a little less too. Only drawback I've found is battery life. Used to have to get expensive Radio Shack batteries but now I've seen the batteries  at HF and just picked up a 6 pack of Chinese ones for a buck at a flea market


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## DarrenUK (Aug 1, 2012)

purpleknif said:


> I have those on my y and z but I have the kind with the remote readout on the x axis. Can't rememberthe name but I have found them to be more robust and not nearly as susceptible to damage from things like spray mist and swarf. They cost a little less too. Only drawback I've found is battery life. Used to have to get expensive Radio Shack batteries but now I've seen the batteries  at HF and just picked up a 6 pack of Chinese ones for a buck at a flea market



I do need to get around to covering mine with some sort of clear Perspex or similar. The swarf and WD40 will do them damage if I do not.


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## Mosey (Aug 1, 2012)

The sealed stainless steel blue ones from Grizzly are better in my personal experience than the open scales type. They have remotes included in the price, are a little larger than the scales, and are quite cheap. I recently took all of the scale types off 2 mills due to lousy battery performance and a cracked glass on one. The new ones use a very large button type battery which is cheap too.


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## steamboat willie (Sep 14, 2012)

Hello!
I fitted a couple of DRO's do my old Nuttall lathe - with a remote readout unit. The sensors were powered by button type batteries, which, while they worked alright were a pain to replace because of their location (down the back of the lathe for the longitudinal, and under a perspex casing for the transverse). I finally succommed to the irritation of this setup and decided to make dummy batteries - ie perspex discs with contacts to activate the unit as required, but which were connected to an external power supply with external leads. I made the dummy batteries as an alternative to rewiring inside the battery case of the DRO units. I made a shape identical to the battery out of brass - a cup for the bottom and a disc for the top separated by a perspex plug that fitted in the cup. Glued the three bits together and soldered on a pair of flying leads which were connected to the readily available variable output transformer (the sort that have switched value outputs of 3, 4.5, 6, 9 12, 15 and 18 volts). The dummy battery fitted into the battery cage in the DRO (being identical size) and the flying leads were run inside the protective casing for the readout wiring. I did it this way to make it totally removeable, but there is nothing to stop the leads being directly soldered onto the =ve and -ve battery connections in the DRO unit itself, using a small point soldering iron and limited heat.
I also replaced the battery setup powering the readout unit with a simple external wire connection to an power transformer. 
Seems to work well for me, and best of all, no more batteries to replace!
Steamboat Willie.


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## steamboat willie (Sep 29, 2012)

DarrenUK, 
Could I ask if you, if and when convenient, to post a picture of your y axis mounting arrangement for your mill-drill please? I was looking at my machine today and was not able to come to any sort of definitive conclusion on where/which way would be best to mount it. I can only see a little bit of one end peeking out in one of your photos.
Many thanks, and sorry for any inconvenience caused.
Cheerio!
Steamboat Willie.


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## don-tucker (Oct 8, 2012)

These are what I am going for http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Measurement/Digital-Readouts-with-Dedicated-Remote-Display have tried the read out on machine type and found them difficult to read on the y axis.these others are brill.I have fitted the x axis and waiting for the y to come in stock.
Don


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## don-tucker (Oct 8, 2012)

Here it is




Don


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## purpleknif (Oct 14, 2012)

My set up is the same only on the back side.


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## Speedy (Oct 19, 2012)

not sure the sizes but you all should have a look at these canadian dros.

http://www.star-techno.com/


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## canadianhorsepower (Oct 19, 2012)

You are here: 
you can get this set up for 300.00 us 


This is Shars tool page and this dro set is EXACTELY the same the only difference THE STICKER FOR THE NAME BRAND 	

Machinery Toolholding & Workholding
 >
Machinery Accessories
 >
Digital Readouts
 >
DRO Mill Package 3 Axis Glass Scales quill mill
*8" x 20" x 6" 3 axis Dro digital readout glass linear Quill Milling Package*



*Product Pricing*

Your Price:$705.00Availability:Quantity:In stock 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




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