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Installing a DRO on a Hartford Bridgeport Clone.

I commend you guys with the intricate quill DRO set ups. I planned on doing it as well, but I decided to cobble up something to test if I would really make use of it. Yes, its quite useful especially for drilling to exact depths. But I haven't had the opportunity (=lazy) to make a more stable set up. In the photos, I have the bar clamped to the quill threaded bolt, and the reading head held on by a magnet. Pretty red-neck, but it works.
 

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thestelster said:
Pretty red-neck, but it works.
Click to expand...

Hey, if it works, it works!

But ya, soon enough you will be making something better than either of us have done!

To your overall point though. I have absolutely no idea why I took 50 years to figure out how useful a DRO is. Never mind the fancy patterns. Ya, they are nice. But the sheer amazing ability to do two simple edge findings (for x & y and Z if you have it), and then go where you wanna go is simply a complete new paradigm shift!

I LOVE MY DRO!
 
Thing I love about a DRO is finding centre. I machine a lot of pipe flanges, and always have to find centre in the flange I.D.

DRO:

Bolt flange to mill table
put edge finder roughly in the centre of the i.d.
Lock axis c-d
move edge finder to touch around A
zero DRO a-b axis
move edge finder to touch B
note DRO reading, move left until DRO reading is half
zero DRO
Lock axis a-b
move edge finder to touch around C
zero DRO c-d axis
move edge finder to touch D
note DRO reading, move back until DRO reading is half
zero DRO
done - centre of a hole, true to I,D, O.D, and bolt circle

Takes less time to do than describe

flange.webp
 
whydontu said:
Takes less time to do than describe
Click to expand...

Mine has a divide by two function built right in. Zero on any edge, go to opposite edge, divide by 2, set axis. All done that axis. Repeat for other axis.

Nice thing about doing both sides that way is that tool Width (or edge finder width) doesn't matter. Settles out of the broth.
 
The bride decided to go shopping today. I watched her turn onto the highway and headed straight for my shop....

When the cat is away, the rat will play! (Insert evil grin here....)

I stood at the door surveying my vast kingdom stretching for thousands of miles before me contemplating what to do.... Ignoring 42 other projects, my eyes settled on "Install Cable Reliefs on Mill DRO".

Grabbed my 1/8 carbide drill to handle the undrillobillium the saddle is cast from and had at it!

Such pure joy doing such a simple project.....

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But such a "relief" to know its unlikely that I'll ever pull a cable out of a read head now.

I put 2 Reliefs on the X-Axis cable so the cable would reliably clear the oil pump handle.

I still have to do the quill and the knee but they are no biggie and it's time to go back the house before the cat gets home.
 
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