Thanks Steve, I also have a TH54 and the same DRO as you have. Now thanks to you I have some new ideas on how to mount my DRO. However I don't have a mill so I will have to make some modifications but thank you for your ideas!
This is a nice and creative way to utilize the actual configuration to your advantage, nicely done, now redoing the screw is only a minor option, since you can rely on the DRO for accurate positioning...
That readout seems to 'track' measurements faster, and better than the china knock-off I own. I have since replaced it with the stainless steel igaging scales and absolute readout. I wondered if the black cased igaging scale/readout was the same as the china one I have... looks like it's not! thanks for sharing !
ILGopher The problem with a camera on the cover is vibration, I have tried it. This is a little atlas and while I can get a good cut on a piece, the rest of the machine shakes. Even if I put the camera on the tailstock I get too much vibration. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Great enhancement to your lathe, like how you came up with the design and placement....you might want to setup a dial indicator to check the new DRO....I know it is good but always a good thing to check
outsidescrewball Thanks for watching and the comment Chuck. I have checked with a dial indicator and the dro seems to be as good as my cheap dial indicator lol. In the end it's better than trying to read the puny dial.
Nice mount, looks like it would be easy to guard the reader and sheild the display with plexi pretty easy if anyone wanted to go that way. I hate the idea of losing any room for my tail stock, so this is perfect for my application, Thanks Steve
WOW Really cool and super good video explaining without other junk and talking about the weather!! Thanks You could have added where and how much $.. A++
May just be my way of thinking, but I would call that the y - axis. I did something similar with the x - axis with the same Igaging 12" scale, but it covers the entire length of my 36" Grizzly lathe (at about 10" a go). I like your setup here and may do something like this for the y - axis. Good work and a nice clean mounting of this scale to your lathe. I have a hard time keeping my hands off the compound which screws up the reading since I have it set at angle.
+Steve S Thanks for pointing out my ignorance. Being self taught, I can't say I've run across this difference in axis arrangement. I'll probably still think in Cartesian coordinates like a mill table with X being left/right and Y being away from or towards you and the spindle Z being up/down 90 degrees to that plane. Since a manual lathe has only two directions of travel and movement towards or away spindle is still considered Z (along the bed) then cross slide travel (across the bed) is considered X. No Y. I get it now. Thanks for making me look this up, but I will most likely still think of it as X - Y. Still learning something new everyday.
+brosselot1 Thanks for watching and the comment. What's up with your qcgb, maybe I can be of assistance? I am rebuilding one now for my lathe, should have some vids up soon since the weather is getting nicer and its not so cold in the shop.
I've torn down my Atlas QC42 an cleaned it up. The guy or guys that had it before me did not take care of it an the gear train I think was missing some of the washers so they just used regular washers an I've replaced some of the bushings an washers but I'm having trouble getting it all to line up
Sweet, I can see that cover and DRO fix in my future...especially for my yet unfinished SB which has no micrometer dial for the tool-slide. I guess in 1919 you didn't need one, LOL! Thanks for the excellent share, Aloha...Chuckl
Knolltop Farms Hey Chuck, thanks for watching. It is strange there is no dial for the cross slide on the sb, I cannot see how a metal lathe would not have one even back then.
Steve S I agree, and thankfully there is one on the cross-slide, but even in the old catalog I have it's not shown, or offered as an option for the #34 13" screw-cutting engine lathe, though they do mention the compound being graduated in degrees with a nice brass collar. I've tried to think of how to add one in, but there isn't even room for it on the feedscrew with the nut taking up all the room. I'll come up with a photograph of it of "Machining TH-cam" after Dad and I eat lunch. Thanks for the great little fixes, I was brainstorming a clamp for a dial gauge to measure for me like the one Ray Caniglia has.
Have not looked at that model. Guessing that may also be a value priced unit.? IS it battery powered or plug in adapter? Elegant solution and well protected!
That igaging scale does not have any ability to do what you want. I wish it did have some ability to do a simple formula like x/2. Thanks for watching.
Hey Brian, it is direct read only, but I am used to that because the dials are direct read. It is handy to have the metric readout also. There are some other functions but the instructions are impossible to figure out. lol Thanks for watching.
Well done Steve... Your choice of location/installation is only bested by the fact you didn't modify your machine in the slightest to get everything on where you wanted it. Where did you pick up the dro from..?
Do you have any plans or measurements of the brackets you made? Don't need the larger sheild or display mount, just the little bracket, U shaped part and DRO length bracket
Stephen Murray Sorry about the music. I tried to get this video done as quick as possible and was worried about the drone of the music. Perhaps next time I can do better. Thanks for watching and I am glad the vid was interesting.
Newmachinist I got the dro at busybee tools. It was on sale, I think I paide $25. It's a 6", not 12" like I said in the video. It will actually travel about 7.5". It's regular price is $35 canadian.
+Whitpusmc Hi, sorry, never noticed this comment till now. Not too much room, the dro scale is 6" so your looking at about 6" more than the crosslide goes.
New Sub... Really nicely done Steve. I have a TH54 and will be installing DROs soon. Did you install a DRO on your Z axis? Check out my channel for other Atlas mods.
Please get rid of the music, this is not a music channel and you are not a national broadcaster, so please lets hear your good advice and not the music.
+binness Ya, got another comment about the music, I really don't know why I always have a need to add music. Thanks for the comment. I'll try to keep it in mind on future vids.
This is easily my favorite DRO video for the Atlas. I'm going to install mine the same way!
Ditto, thanks for the detailed info. Nice work
Thanks Steve, I also have a TH54 and the same DRO as you have. Now thanks to you I have some new ideas on how to mount my DRO. However I don't have a mill so I will have to make some modifications but thank you for your ideas!
This is a nice and creative way to utilize the actual configuration to your advantage, nicely done, now redoing the screw is only a minor option, since you can rely on the DRO for accurate positioning...
pierre beaudry Thanks for watching and the comment Pierre. It is nice I did not have to mod anything on the lathe.
That readout seems to 'track' measurements faster, and better than the china knock-off I own.
I have since replaced it with the stainless steel igaging scales and absolute readout.
I wondered if the black cased igaging scale/readout was the same as the china one I have... looks like it's not!
thanks for sharing !
The igaging are chinese made, maybe you got a bad one?
Nice install. That's the perfect place for the readout.
Thanks, it has worked out very well.
Very Nicely done! Thanks also for sharing
Nice ingenuity. That new cover could also make a nice place to mount a mag base camera holder for close-ups.
ILGopher The problem with a camera on the cover is vibration, I have tried it. This is a little atlas and while I can get a good cut on a piece, the rest of the machine shakes. Even if I put the camera on the tailstock I get too much vibration.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Yep, I have the same issue. Having a built in VR in the camera or lens helps, but it has its limits, too.
ILGopher Even on much bigger lathes the vibrations get to be an issue... I prefer mounting on external devices like tripods or boom.
Great enhancement to your lathe, like how you came up with the design and placement....you might want to setup a dial indicator to check the new DRO....I know it is good but always a good thing to check
outsidescrewball Thanks for watching and the comment Chuck. I have checked with a dial indicator and the dro seems to be as good as my cheap dial indicator lol. In the end it's better than trying to read the puny dial.
Nice mount, looks like it would be easy to guard the reader and sheild the display with plexi pretty easy if anyone wanted to go that way. I hate the idea of losing any room for my tail stock, so this is perfect for my application, Thanks Steve
howder1951 Thanks for watching and the comment.
WOW Really cool and super good video explaining without other junk and talking about the weather!! Thanks You could have added where and how much $.. A++
May just be my way of thinking, but I would call that the y - axis. I did something similar with the x - axis with the same Igaging 12" scale, but it covers the entire length of my 36" Grizzly lathe (at about 10" a go). I like your setup here and may do something like this for the y - axis. Good work and a nice clean mounting of this scale to your lathe. I have a hard time keeping my hands off the compound which screws up the reading since I have it set at angle.
+Allen Powell It really is the x-axis on a lathe. There is no y axis, just x and z. Thanks for the comments and compliments.
+Steve S Thanks for pointing out my ignorance. Being self taught, I can't say I've run across this difference in axis arrangement. I'll probably still think in Cartesian coordinates like a mill table with X being left/right and Y being away from or towards you and the spindle Z being up/down 90 degrees to that plane. Since a manual lathe has only two directions of travel and movement towards or away spindle is still considered Z (along the bed) then cross slide travel (across the bed) is considered X. No Y. I get it now. Thanks for making me look this up, but I will most likely still think of it as X - Y. Still learning something new everyday.
Very cool I'm going to have to look into that soon as I get mine up an running. got to get my QC box straightened out.
+brosselot1 Thanks for watching and the comment. What's up with your qcgb, maybe I can be of assistance? I am rebuilding one now for my lathe, should have some vids up soon since the weather is getting nicer and its not so cold in the shop.
I've torn down my Atlas QC42 an cleaned it up. The guy or guys that had it before me did not take care of it an the gear train I think was missing some of the washers so they just used regular washers an I've replaced some of the bushings an washers but I'm having trouble getting it all to line up
Got some pictures? I find hobby-machinist.com to be a good forum for getting help. I'm on there.
+Steve S
I also posted pictures are you the one that commented on my pictures.
+brosselot1 Maybe, I am schor on the forums.
Steve, that is really really clever. Thanks so much for sharing.
Joel L Thanks for watching Joel
Sweet, I can see that cover and DRO fix in my future...especially for my yet unfinished SB which has no micrometer dial for the tool-slide. I guess in 1919 you didn't need one, LOL!
Thanks for the excellent share, Aloha...Chuckl
Knolltop Farms Hey Chuck, thanks for watching. It is strange there is no dial for the cross slide on the sb, I cannot see how a metal lathe would not have one even back then.
Steve S I agree, and thankfully there is one on the cross-slide, but even in the old catalog I have it's not shown, or offered as an option for the #34 13" screw-cutting engine lathe, though they do mention the compound being graduated in degrees with a nice brass collar. I've tried to think of how to add one in, but there isn't even room for it on the feedscrew with the nut taking up all the room. I'll come up with a photograph of it of "Machining TH-cam" after Dad and I eat lunch. Thanks for the great little fixes, I was brainstorming a clamp for a dial gauge to measure for me like the one Ray Caniglia has.
Slick setup! (Nice video too!) Really cool idea fitting it in there like that, wish I could do the same, but my machine is built differently...
JTZshokunin Thanks for watching Toby, it is a nice setup if you can fit it in, the idea will work on most of the small older lathes.
You have a Y axis figured out very cool.
+brosselot1 Actually on a lathe it is the x axis and horizontal travel is the z. There's not really a y axis on a manual lathe.
Nice job done,i want ask you,what size of bolts on back of compound?thanks
Great vid and well thought out. Thanks!
That is super nice man. Well done.
RP Mechanics Thanks.
Have not looked at that model. Guessing that may also be a value priced unit.? IS it battery powered or plug in adapter? Elegant solution and well protected!
phooesnax Value priced and battery powered. Thanks for the comment.
Do you know what size bolts are on the back of the carriage?
Cool, I like the way u mounted it, I will do the same.
pmproducts That's why I make videos and watch them, to provide ideas and learn from others. TH-cam is really a great place to give and learn.
Nicely done!
+Dick Damian thanks
I have the same lathe and wish I could could buy a complete kit like you have made. Any chance of making another one to sell?
nope, I don't have a shop anymore
Nice work smart works
How can I measure the radius and not the diameter of the Lathe on X axes as this is the case where the iGaging DRO,thanks Ser..
That igaging scale does not have any ability to do what you want. I wish it did have some ability to do a simple formula like x/2.
Thanks for watching.
thanks
Hello from Greece, as far as I know it is possible to measure the axes x, Igaging DRO for the lathe which must show value X2, thank you.
Direct reading only, or will it do diamters as well? I use my DRO's almost exclusively I pretty much never even look at my dials anymore.
Hey Brian, it is direct read only, but I am used to that because the dials are direct read. It is handy to have the metric readout also. There are some other functions but the instructions are impossible to figure out. lol
Thanks for watching.
Nice way to do that
Nice job , I like it .
Now that's awesome!
eviltwinx Thanks for watching, are you going to do it on your lathe?
Maybe down the road. I want to learn all the basics first before adding attachments to the lathe.
Well done Steve... Your choice of location/installation is only bested by the fact you didn't modify your machine in the slightest to get everything on where you wanted it. Where did you pick up the dro from..?
Jarrett Vibert Got the dro form busybee a while ago when it was on sale for $25, regular price is $35.
Thanks for watching Jarrett.
Do you have any plans or measurements of the brackets you made? Don't need the larger sheild or display mount, just the little bracket, U shaped part and DRO length bracket
+Whitpusmc Sorry, I don't have plans, I did it all off the cuff. If you really want the plans I might be able to draw something up.
+Steve S no I'm good, all done! Works great!
The video was very interesting and quite well done - thanks for sharing.
The background music was highly irritating though.
Stephen Murray Sorry about the music. I tried to get this video done as quick as possible and was worried about the drone of the music. Perhaps next time I can do better.
Thanks for watching and I am glad the vid was interesting.
That's excellent! I want one....
Thanks for watching jster.
Hi Steve - Thanks for a great idea. Just curious as to where you got the DRO?
Rod in BC
Newmachinist I got the dro at busybee tools. It was on sale, I think I paide $25. It's a 6", not 12" like I said in the video. It will actually travel about 7.5". It's regular price is $35 canadian.
direct read or still on a radius .100 is actually .200...hope never need to use taper attachement ir follower rest
Also what is the required distance off the lathe? I'm up against a wall.
+Whitpusmc Hi, sorry, never noticed this comment till now. Not too much room, the dro scale is 6" so your looking at about 6" more than the crosslide goes.
+Steve S no worries, I have added a DRO to both axises of my Sears 12x36 and working fine
+Steve S I pretty much copied what you did, many thanks for the design!
Is it still working as good today as when mounted it.
It's working fantastic Bob. I would recommend this simple and inexpensive addition to any old lathe.
New Sub... Really nicely done Steve. I have a TH54 and will be installing DROs soon. Did you install a DRO on your Z axis? Check out my channel for other Atlas mods.
Sub'd you. I have not done a z yet, not as much need for that but the x was really needed.
Please get rid of the music, this is not a music channel and you are not a national broadcaster, so please lets hear your good advice and not the music.
+binness Ya, got another comment about the music, I really don't know why I always have a need to add music. Thanks for the comment. I'll try to keep it in mind on future vids.
Why play music over your voice ?
I'm trying to hear you, no music needed.
12345NoNamesLeft I thought the volume was low enough to not drown me out.
Thanks for watching.