Cheap Mill Quill DRO, 500 Sub Draw
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ส.ค. 2018
- Today we draw a name for the calipers and dial indicator, as well as step through how I mounted a cheap set of digital calipers to the round column mill. There are a number of ways one could do this, this just worked best for me and if it gives you ideas for yours then great. I got the inspiration from Marc L'Ecuyer because he has a machine similar to mine. He's got a lot of awesome videos, from which I've learned a lot, and he's a very cool guy, so here's a link to his video on mods to his mill:
• ROUND COLUMN MILL MODI...
If you haven't already, check his channel out. Lots of good stuff.
As always, thanks for coming by the channel and thanks for everyone's support! - บันเทิง
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I'm 75, bought a USED Jet drill mill more than 10 years ago. I'm finally getting around to upgrading it with this stuff
Nice! At least you're making time for your hobby now, I'm finding less free time lately, but I also still have 3 kids 6 and under at home, lol!
Nice job. I made a similar unit for my lathe and the cheap caliper I used also said "hardened stainless". Surprisingly, it was actually difficult to drill. I had to use a cobalt drill bit and take it at low RPM. Your welds are better than mine!
Thanks Mark, I seriously need welding seat time as it would significantly extend the expected life span of my tungstens. As it is, they get drowned on a regular basis, lol. I got the idea from Marc L'Ecuyer in Quebec, and did not feel bad about drilling holes in that very cheap caliper, especially considering the jaws were crap and it was useless apart from the digital scale, lol. Did you notice that the graduations on your quill fine feed crank were just slightly off too? Mine were, and it totally explained why I was getting wrong depths of cut even when I knew I had dialed in right and had backlash under control.
Just got an RF-30 a few weeks ago... saw the lazy machinist's video on his version ...I like yours a bit better... just ordered up a cheap caliper on Amazon!
Very cool! The round column mills can be very useful, within their design limits. Granted, I've tested those limits, but for the price they are worthwhile. Not sure if you have seen Bruce Whitham's ("Bruce Whitham" on TH-cam) jug for keeping the head in line when raising it, I never got to installing one on mine but he sells the kits. Steve Lang just installed one on his recently too and showed it on his channel ("Shark River Machine").
Low cost high value improvement...!!! Well done.
Thanks, it's been a long time coming. I knew there was something fishy about that graduated wheel and its readings as it always seemed like it was coming up a bit off. I suspect that the Asian manufacturer used a metric worm setup on it and said, "That's close enough, no one will notice .4 mm." At some point will need to check the X and Y axes too . . .
I have one of these Mill / Drill Machines ordered. While I wait for it to arrive I am learning more every day and this video was very helpful and appreciated. I had already decided to install a DRO on the Quill based on other videos here on TH-cam but this one with the nice fabricated aluminum cover is exactly what I will do. I may add an access hole for lubrication access. Thank you Everett I am now a subscriber!
Thanks for the support Jim, I appreciate it. The biggest down side to how I did it is that the drill stop was removed but I never used it anyway. You may be able to come up with something better, for sure, I was just trying to keep it cheap. If you do make an aluminum cover then finding a buddy with a metal brake would make a nicer looking job of it.
I've used modified caliper scales for my lathe X axis and also one on the tailstock. I reckon they are quite adequate and work well. My small mill has a Z DRO integral but I also keep a regular indicator on the side to be able to have a double check.
Your fix works out really well - nicely done :)
Thanks, Chris. I saw the setup you have on your tail stock and that will happen to mine as well when time allows (always seems to be something more pressing!), it's on the list. Got a cheap 8" caliper that is planned to be modified for the lathe cross slide as well, but again need time to get to it.
Everett that's a great addition to any mill. You've made it simple and inexpensive and you got some tig practice in too. Thanks for another good video!
Thanks! Glad to have it on there, been meaning to do it for some time now. After seeing how others have adapted these cheap calipers to machines it's kind of a "variation on a theme," lol
Hey Everett, don't know how, but this is one of your previous ones that I had missed. Just coming off from a "can't twist" clamp build and tired of monkeying around with my dial readings. searched for DRO for mill quill and you topped the list. I will also check Marc's approach. Take care and cheers!
Hey Howie! Yeah, I had wondered how to put a DRO on the quill and pondered mounting ideas then Marc showed how he did his and I went from there. What surprised me was to see how the accuracy of the crank dial was off and I did not know that it was gaining by every revolution. Would be curious to see if once you have one on yours if yours was off by that factor too.
Great video Everett! Thanks for the shout out! I subscribed and liked the video so it will appear in my "liked videos" section of my TH-cam channel. I hope that it helps you increase your views and subscriptions, Marc
Thanks, Marc! I got the idea from you, so just wanted to give credit where it's due. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with the rest of us through your videos. Hope you're doing well.
Hey Everett, its always rewarding being able to make more tools with your tools. The more references the better. I've been thinking about adding one of these on my Logan 14x40 tailstock.
I get a number of my "seed ideas" from other guys here on TH-cam, and from people who know way more than I do, lol. I'd like to do the same with my lathe tail stock too, but that's down the road.
Great idea! Skookum as frig!
Thanks, it served me well when I had that mill. Now it's my buddy's mill and he seems happy with it!
good job everett turned out real good. thanks.
Thanks!
Nice job Everett, I enjoyed this video.
Thanks!
Great improvement Everett. Smart to use a cheap but very accurate digital vernier. I thought of doing the same myself. I am working long days now that the heat waves are coming to an end. Not much time. Take care and looking g forward to great things to come...
Thanks, it took a while to get to it, lol. We've still got heat out here and lots of smoke, hoping the weather has a change in the next while.
That's a great idea I'm going to do that to my mill.thanks.
Thanks, but I can't claim credit for the idea. I got it from Marc L'Ecuyer (thatlazymachinist here on TH-cam, on the odd chance you haven't been to his channel yet). We used different ways of mounting but it's the same basic idea. Thanks for stopping by!
Just did a similar modification on my lathe tail stock using a 4" Harbor Freight caliper. Mine were a little harder as I ended up having to use a carbide bit to drill the holes. Keep the videos coming!
I'd like to put one on my lathe tail stock too at some point but need to fix the rotational play first, kind of like what ChrisB257 did with his, If yours were harder then they were better quality than these!
GOOD STUFF even engine builders don't go into tens of thou cheers from OZ.
Thanks, but my little mill isn't goof to the .0001" - the digital scale on the quill now helps a lot but it isn't perfect by any means. It's a lot better than what I had before though!
thanks I just got a mill drill and need to add one of these. appreciate the video.
Thanks for coming by! The idea wasn't mine, just adapted it to the machine I have. Popped over to your channel and have to say you have good taste in tractors! I miss my little BX1850, Kubota makes good equipment.
Everett's Workshop thanks brother, I just love tractors all brands are great to me. I've had John deere farmall, and Kubota so far and they all were great tractors! I will subscribe for more.
Great addition.
Thanks, I find it very useful. I got the idea from Marc L'Ecuyer on his channel thatlazymachinist.
I like your mod to Marc's {That Lazy Machinist) Poor mans D.R.O. I just finished his mod last Sunday! I have the same questions in regards to the play in the low end of the "drill stop". Now to figure out a way to utilize the stop and gain rigidity. I also cut away all of the points of the caliper however, the Harbor Freight caliper was a real bear to drill. As I discovered how to friction weld hardened stainless to cobalt! yep! I ended up cutting slots in the jaws with a dremel cutting wheel. This is a very good video! Thanks for taking the time and effort to post it!
Thanks! I suspect my jaws were not hardened, judging by how they drilled - probably annealed Chinesium :P I liked Marc's idea but as I didn't usually use the drill stop on the machine anyway (didn't like the design) I figured it could go. If I ever need a stop I'll figure out another system.
very accurate arrangement .. im gonna do something similar on mine .
A number of people have done similar things using these cheap calipers, this is just how I implemented the idea on my machine. If I get a real DRO then the caliper will move to the lathe tail stock. Thanks for joining in!
Everett, l basically did the same upgrade on my round column mill. I used an Asimeto dial caliper. I found the original dial to be .015 off. Ten turns on the original equated to 1.015 on the Asimeto. This setup shows a more accurate travel of the quill. Thanks for the post.
Thank you for saying something, I'm glad I'm not the only one who found an off reading on the quill dial. Must be a quirk with a number of these types of machines.
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Thanks Paul!
Hi Everett. Those cheap callipers are pretty reliable considering. A nice addition to the mill.
Yeah, it'll definitely make hitting depth of cut easier. Pretty reasonable cost, even if the jaws were low quality.
Yup I get them at tool swapmeet for a couple bucks so I'll try this ...win win beats a c note for one on slow boat from.china..
Nice job! JB San Diego
Thanks Jim, it's been very handy, especially as it has confirmed my suspicion about the quill feed mechanism accuracy . . .
It always feel good to solve a mystery. Does it like to go through batteries fast?
I'm glad for the readout now, especially as I can't trust the dial. I know these calipers don't ever really "shut off," but the battery seems to last a while in it. Haven't done a time vs. lifespan test, but it's still on the battery from when I installed it. I stock the little batteries for these anyway, they're not that expensive.
I going to get the Dro thought bandgood 3scales nice and cheep .
At some point I may upgrade to a 3-axis DRO but mainly needed something on the quill as it was driving me nuts. I don't blame you for getting the BangGood set though, it is a reasonable price. Just have a few things higher up on the want list here before I can do that.
It's ok Everett, you don't have to stare into the camera like that. We trust you to actually pick the winner without being biased.
Lol, yeah, after looking at it again, I guess it is kind of creepy, isn't it . . . if I reach 1000, won't do that again when drawing then :)
You might want to think about making a foot operated switch for control of the sander
Hadn't thought of that, probably would have been safer than just parking it on the table upside down, for sure. Long term I would like to put together a long-belt sander setup but that won't be for quite a while as there are lots of tools that need building first. I like your idea though, and will look into one of those 120v foot switches because that would be better even using the belt sander like I did.
Nice DRO solution.....wallet friendly
Thanks, I can't claim originality for the idea but it's been very nice to have now. I just didn't trust the dial.
Oh the point I have the same milling machine as you
That's cool, I do like the mill for the most part, they are a decent machine. Just have to work around the usual round column quirks.
If you use this digital depth finder as DRO, you don't have to tilt your head sideways...
www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-LCD-Depth-Caliper-Height-Gauge-Magnetic-Self-Standing-Aperture-0-80mm-G/401898599838?hash=item5d9305f59e:g:Q7QAAOSwJQZdiIRR
I have used tire gauges and fiber calipers with RE magnets superglued to the back as DROs and are quite accurate.
You do have to check when ordering that they go to 0.01mm .
Those are cool height gauges, I've seen them before but hadn't thought of using them on the mill. I had a digital caliper on hand and saw Marc L'Ecuyer's video on how he adapted one to his mill-drill and so that gave me the nudge to install this one.
@@EverettsWorkshop th-cam.com/video/sHcdEutcs5g/w-d-xo.html
Can also use RE magnets to attach small electronic readers for a removable DRO on Lathe or mill.....
hows the repeatability. Nice
Theoretically, the manufacturer says a half tenth for the calipers. It's still better than the dial, one way or another. There's no issue with misalignment to the work, nor with hand pressure, so it should be able to stay within the half tenth the manufacturer claims. Good question though, might bear having another test at some point.