Newly available digital readout scales

[gbritnell]

Gentlemen,

I'm not quite sure if this is the right category to start this thread in but it's of general interest so here goes.

Having had discussions on this forum about the new digital readout scales that are available from Grizzly and others and the very reasonable cost associated with them I purchased one from a supplier on Amazon.com. I needed one about 32 inches for my 11" Logan lathe so I opted for the 36 incher. It came the other day and when I unpacked it I found probably the biggest reason for the low cost, the beam is made out of aluminum. All of the other scale units of this type that are available from multiple sources have stainless beams similar to the way the digital calipers are made.

The beam seems to have some type of anodizing applied to it but it's still quite soft. Any incidental bump will give it a little ding on the surface. This is not a problem because it will file right off.

I have mine hooked up and working the only problem is that it's virtually impossible to tram or align, at least with this length. It's so flexible that trying to indicate it is virtually impossible. With the shorter lengths available I'm sure this is not that big a problem.

So if anyone is contemplating purchasing one of these new readouts just be aware of the situation. It might be better to go with one of the stainless types for the strength and wear. I have one of the stainless setups on my Enco mill for each axis and it hasn't given me a minutes trouble.

George

 

[kf2qd]

Does teh read head wrap completely around the "beam" or could you epoxy the beam to a piece of steel to stiffen it.

Or another thought is this - can you mounbt the beam in such a way as to tension it?

AND - can you post a picture?

 

[Troutsqueezer]

The head wraps completely around. I'm not seeing a way to stiffen the beam easily.

George, with a beam that long I can see where you might have problems. I guess the fact that the head is probably attached to something solid and which moves, it wouldn't keep the beam from flexing as it moves back and forth along the beam's axis? I guess I'm not visualizing exactly what you mean by "indicating" them. Machinist-speak is still very new to me.

As for the shorter ones however, I have three installed on my X2 mill. I have been using them for quite a while now and so far there haven't been any problems whatsoever. For something like that, and for $24 each, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them if you are on a budget and using hobby machines.

-Trout

 

[kvom]

Don't sell the Travadial yet.

 

[gbritnell]

Hi Trout,
What I mean by indicating is after the beam is assembled to the machine it needs to be indicated both parallel and vertically to the ways. After mounting the beam as close to these parameters as possible I put a magnetic base on my cross feed with a dial indicator on it. I started at one end of the beam and indicated along it's side wall to get that parallel with the ways. I put shims under the mounts to get it as close to -0- as possible. After getting that done I set the indicator on the top of the beam and repeat what I did, this time loosening the mounting screws and moving the beam up or down to get it parallel with the top of the ways or parallel to the carriage travel. Normally with a stainless steel or rigid beam this isn't a problem but the aluminum beam is just to flexible to get it set accurately. The good thing is that I don't need the full length of the beam so the flex in the middle is good in that any small amount that it's out of plumb will allow the reader head to move without binding.
George

 

[tel]

Or another thought is this - can you mounbt the beam in such a way as to tension it?

Therein, I think, lies the answer - it would be dead easy to make a bracket with a tensioning screw - you can tune it to any pitch you like then.

 

[FIXIT]

Yes i used them on my little Taig and was well pleased but after a while i found they became clogged up with fine swalf so i made them detachable and only use them when needed and they've been good since

Steve

 

[bentprop]

Pat,I've had a digital caliper as a quill read-out on my mill-drill for a few years.Other than battery replacement,it hasn't given me any trouble at all.
I'm waiting for the longer digital scales to get a bit cheaper locally,so I can fit some to the table axii too.