AL-320 Lathe DRO Upgrade

simister · Jul 5, 2015

I am looking to install a DRO on my 320X600 AL-320 lathe (http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/L141).

However, I am not sure if I should get a 3 axis or 2 axis as I am mainly doing small work. I have fitted up 3 axis DRO on my milling machine and now would like to update the lathe.

Any advice please.

john

Cogsy · Jul 5, 2015

I got an email from them just this morning with discount codes valid for the next two weeks only - code DV20 gives $20 off if you spend $100 or code DV50 gives $50 off if you spend over $300. I think they're only good for the online site though.

XD351 · Jul 6, 2015

Depends on what type of 3 axis dro you're looking at , i have the same machine with the 3 axis set up but never bothered to fit the scale to the compound slide as it was going to be a pain in the neck to do so .
The display has only two readouts as you switch between compound slide and saddle X1/X2 axis on the display .
Remember that if you use a milling type readout it wont read diameter or radius like a lathe type dro it will only give you tool travel .
Mine is an Mtech unit from the dro store .
I also have the same unit on my AL50G and wasn't that an adventure fitting that !

Ian

simister · Jul 6, 2015

Thanks Ian,

I was going to purchase the same unit from the DRO store. Did you only fit the two axis up on both machines or 3 axis on the AL50G. Did you have any trouble doing the two axis on the AL320?

I am not sure if it is an over kill going for the 3 axis? What is your opinion?

John

rodw · Jul 7, 2015

I've fitted a 2 axis DRO to my AL320G. I went with Ditron and am very happy with the quality. The price was pretty ridiculous.

The cross slide was a bit fiddly but worked out nice.

The long feed was easy, made mounting blocks with a slight angle on them and included a setscrew to level the mounts in case I got the angle wrong. I did not use any of the included mounting hardware.

XD351 · Jul 7, 2015

simister said:
Thanks Ian,

I was going to purchase the same unit from the DRO store. Did you only fit the two axis up on both machines or 3 axis on the AL50G. Did you have any trouble doing the two axis on the AL320?

I am not sure if it is an over kill going for the 3 axis? What is your opinion?

John

The AL320 has the 3 axis display ( really only a two axis unit that lets you switch between 2 scales ) but i never bothered fitting the scale to the compound slide as it is not something i think i will use and not worth the hassle but you may like it and for what the extra cost is may well be worth ordering the the 3 axis unit .
I usually use the carriage to machine close to the length i need then use the dial on the compound slide to nibble away the last bit and if you are having trouble with the type of dials on the machine (metric v imperial etc ) just set up a dial indicator and use that to tell you how far you have moved the compound slide .
Fitting a 3 axis system to the AL50G would be problematic with glass scales as i don't think you can get small enough ones for the compound .
With this lathe i ended up fitting the carriage scale along the front under the apron as the motor makes fitting it behind the bed difficult and i had to make some custom mounts to hang the cross slide scale off the end of the cross slide

Ian .

XD351 · Jul 7, 2015

Wow a triple post ! Damned ipad!
Appreciated if a kind moderator can fix please .

canadianhorsepower · Jul 7, 2015

XD351 said:
Wow a triple post ! Damned ipad!
Appreciated if a kind moderator can fix please .

you can delete it yourself
go to edit and delete
cheers

XD351 · Jul 8, 2015

Thanks !
I'm used to another forum that only gives you a limited time to edit anything .
I couldn't do this on my Ipad but once i logged in via the website it all became clear .

Ian.

michael-au · Jul 8, 2015

simister said:
I am looking to install a DRO on my 320X600 AL-320 lathe (http://www.machineryhouse.com.au/L141).

However, I am not sure if I should get a 3 axis or 2 axis as I am mainly doing small work. I have fitted up 3 axis DRO on my milling machine and now would like to update the lathe.

Any advice please.

john

Hi
I have almost the same lathe as you,
I fitted the two axis DRO to mine, best thing i did

Brand EASON

simister · Jul 8, 2015

Thank you all for your input and photos. I was looking at the unit from the dro store, however, I will have a look at the Ditron dro. I think I will go for the 2 axis unit. John

simister · Jul 8, 2015

Rod, where did you purchase your dro from?

rodw · Jul 9, 2015

simister said:
Rod, where did you purchase your dro from?

John, initially I saw a compact scale in a glass cabinet at Hare & Forbes and noted the brand as it was a lot more compact than the so called compact scales at DRO store etc.

I found Ditron on Alibaba and dealt direct. Search for Ditron DRO there. Cost was USD 370 landed back in January 2014 when the rate was good. $119 of that was DHL freight.

I went with 150mm DC11F slimline and 600mm DC11 1 micron scales which were both under USD $70.

The DC60-2V readout was USD $100 and they added Paypal fees of USD $15. The 150mm scale limits travel slightly. I knew that but it fitted nicely as you can see.

Much better quality than the stuff I paid $800 for for the incomplete SX3 milling kit which has a plastic readout case when Ditron is metal. Also Ditron Scale covers are superior.

When I mounted the long feed scale, I used a Ditron supplied angle bracket and a flat piece of 6mm aluminium for the read head.

simister · Jul 9, 2015

Thanks Rod,

That is really cheap. It will be more now because of the dollar but still should be a good price. I will have a look at Alibaba and check it out. I purchased a DRO for my mill from the Drostore and I am very happy with that unit. However, they are certainly more expensive that the prices you paid.

John

rodw · Jul 10, 2015

simister said:
Thanks Rod,

That is really cheap. It will be more now because of the dollar but still should be a good price. I will have a look at Alibaba and check it out. I purchased a DRO for my mill from the Drostore and I am very happy with that unit. However, they are certainly more expensive that the prices you paid.

John

Thats what I thought. I figured if H&F bought Ditron scales they would be pretty good quality as they don't buy at the bottom of the Chinese market but for me, the attraction was really the extra compact scale so I figured I might as well use all their gear.

petertha · Jul 10, 2015

XD351 said:
i never bothered fitting the scale to the compound slide as it is not something i think i will use and not worth the hassle but you may like it and for what the extra cost is may well be worth ordering the the 3 axis unit .Ian .

I have a different DRO system (Newall) but I find having compound readout is very useful for much the same reasons as having it on X&Y. Yes, it is a bit more cramped & maybe doesn't lend itself to certain scales & encoder blocks offered. Newall is quite compact, but I've also seen compound installs using the typically larger offshore gear.

Anyway, just for reference ideas, you can see my compound installation here.
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/showthread.php?t=19361

Blogwitch · Jul 10, 2015

You might think it a bit of an overkill, but I have fitted my lathe out with 2 x 2axis units and have found the topslide and tailstock ones are indispensible if doing any high precision work.
I was lucky and my machine could take the two extra ones using medium sized scales, but for a lathe of your size, you could always use the small pattern read heads, or even high res magnetic ones.

The tailstock was a bit fiddly to do as you have to cancel out the rotation (even though only tiny) of the quill. If you don't, you can easily bend the read heads out of adjustment. It is the same when using cheapo scales on the tailstock, you must find a way of cancelling out the quill rotation.

This is how to fit one correctly to the tailstock.

http://chestermachinetools.forumchi...ilstock-7282746?pid=1286071543#post1286071543

John

petertha · Jul 10, 2015

Timely post John. I'm doing a tailstock readout setup myself, but the el-cheapo electronic vernier style. Your detailed write up gave me some good ideas on mounting brackets & such.

I was going down the path of making my mount plate removable to get at the spindle oiler points. I noticed you had them to, but at different locations. Maybe I missed the detail, but did you re-drill them or have some alternative lube strategy as it looks like the DRO assembly covers them up?

Blogwitch · Jul 11, 2015

Peter,
That is the only downfall of my system, and I had to do some deep soul searching on that one.
I came to the conclusion that a quick strip down yearly, which I do as a matter of course on other parts of the machine to remove swarf/gunge etc will be good enough lube for the tailstock operating screw. The quill and home made bearing support gets a drop of ISO 32 whenever I squirt a bit into/onto other parts.
I was going to redrill new lube holes, but thought better of it.

For your type of scale mount, I would suggest you go down to the local model shop and get some linkage ball end fittings to connect the quill to the scale, they will get you over the quill rotation problem.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/1-ki...-for-climbing-simulation-car/32376253110.html

Just a bit of threaded rod or sawn off thread from a tiny bolt between two of them makes a good linkage.

BTW, once you have done this mod, you will be amazed at just how accurately you can drill to exact depth using the tailstock.

Hope this helps

John

ICEpeter · Jul 11, 2015

Hello John and Peter (Petertha),
I put a tailstock readout on my Myford S7 a few years ago with the goal to retain full travel of the tailstock quill. To achieve that it required a bit of surgery to the tailstock body on the mill and some epoxy to smooth out the contour but it turned out well and works great.

I include some pictures to show the modifications and hope they are self explanatory. Feel free to ask if more clarification is required.

When I modified the tailstock, I also installed Newall Micron 10 two and three axis DRO's on the Myford S7 and the Myford VME mill. Will post pictures of that later.

Peter J.