"New" lathe has arrived

[Noitoen]

My new (to me) lathe has arrived. http://www.abratools.com/cat2011/paginas_html/121.html
Spanish/Chinese made from 2008. It was a bonus/gift from my boss. You don't look a gift horse in the mouth but I don't like the dials. The cross slide's feed screw has a 2mm pitch but the dial has 100 divisions of 0,04 mm in 10 decades. One complete turn cuts 4mm in diameter and shows 0 to 100. The top slide has the same 2mm pitch but 5 decades of 0,02mm. The saddle's hand wheel has 30 divisions of 0,5mm in 3 decades and moves 15mm and finally, the tailstock has 40 0,05 divisions. To avoid mental math, I have to remake the dials with 0,01 divisions.
http://www.abratools.com/cat2011/paginas_html/121.html

 

[rodw]

Rather than remake the dials, why not consider adding a bit of your money to go with the bosses and fit a DRO? They are pretty reasonably priced today and it looks to me you have got a lathe that is worth spending some money on?

Anyway, what a great score from your boss! I shelled out my own cash on a new lathe about the same size this week!

 

[kvom]

DRO and QCTP and you're good to go.

 

[n4zou]

DRO and QCTP and you're good to go.

[FONT=comic sans ms, arial, geneva][SIZE=+1]Make a Micro DRO/lathe travel indicator for less than $10 (Works on the cross slide too)[/SIZE][/FONT]

 

[Noitoen]

[FONT=comic sans ms, arial, geneva][SIZE=+1]Make a Micro DRO/lathe travel indicator for less than $10 (Works on the cross slide too)[/SIZE][/FONT]

I have a magnetic strip DRO from Optimum to mount on the mill, maybe I could make a quick change read head assembly and change it between machines;D I have enough tape for both machines.