# X2 mill digital displays



## weez (Oct 23, 2013)

I added digital displays from Grizzly to my mill.  I decided to go with the stainless steel ones as opposed to the aluminum ones.  The stainless ones are supposed to have better accuracy.  I haven't used the mill yet since installing them.  I know these don't compare to a real DRO but it should beat having to count the number of turns of the handles.  My mill moves .0625" per revolution which makes it hard to figure out.  I tested them comparing the readout to both the dials and a dial indicator and they seem spot on.


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## wheeltapper (Oct 24, 2013)

They look the same as the ones I got from Arc-Euro to fit on my x2.
they certainly make life a lot easier, whoever thought up the dial marking on these machines needs a serious talking to:rant:
Roy,


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## SilverSanJuan (Oct 24, 2013)

wheeltapper said:


> They look the same as the ones I got from Arc-Euro to fit on my x2.
> they certainly make life a lot easier, whoever thought up the dial marking on these machines needs a serious talking to:rant:
> Roy,




No doubt!  I ended up buying the conversion kit from Little Machine Shop for my X and Y axes.  They now run 20tpi.  So the dials are 0.050" per turn.

I do want to get these digital displays next though.  Would sure make managing the backlash easier. 

Todd


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## wheeltapper (Oct 24, 2013)

I dont know about yours but the backlash on mine, both axis' , is awful.
there's no adjustment on the nut either.
I really must think about it one day cos I can get a better finish climb milling but with this amount of movement its decidedly risky.:fan:
Roy.


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## SilverSanJuan (Oct 25, 2013)

Yeah, the backlash is bad on mine as well.  I'm surprised there isn't an adjustment like on my lathe.  I have to plan all my operations very carefully to avoid an issue.

Todd


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## canadianhorsepower (Oct 25, 2013)

why  don't you put a spring and a jam nut to reduce it
you can get 0 back lash that way


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## wheeltapper (Oct 25, 2013)

On my mill the leadscrew nuts sit in a pocket cast into the base and are retained with a grubscrew so there's no way to get anything up against either side of the nut.

One day I'll be brave and cut a slit halfway through the dam' thing and fit a screw to adjust the gap......................................one day,:hDe:

Roy.


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## gmac (Oct 25, 2013)

has anyone tried this fix/improvement for backlash on the X2?

http://www.fignoggle.com/machines/x2mill/howTo-antiBacklashNut.htm

Cheers Garry


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## wheeltapper (Oct 25, 2013)

Thats what I intend trying when I ( 1 ) summon up the courage, and (2) when I can be bothered to take the dam' thing apart again.

the cross slide and top-slide nuts on my mini lathe have the same arrangement and it seems to work, I say seems because when I adjusted the topslide one it snapped in half.

I only have the top-slide fitted when I turn a taper so I'm not that worried.

Roy.


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## gmac (Oct 25, 2013)

Thanks Roy. You can +1 me in the "when I can be bothered" column 

Cheers Garry


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## weez (Nov 1, 2013)

After using the mill a few times now with the scales I am definitely glad I got them.  It is so much easier than counting turns.  These were something that I debated getting ever since I got my mill about a year ago.  Now I wish I would have gotten them sooner.  I also ended up putting one on my lathe.  So far I would recommend these for anyone looking for a low end DRO solution.


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