# Lathe DRO w Buried Scale



## Susquatch (Oct 28, 2022)

A while back I read a post by @Xyphota where he installed his crosslide dro INSIDE his cross-slide. This has prompted me to review the idea of adding a DRO to my lathe.

A DRO Scale INSIDE the cross slide has MANY advantages.

No worries about swarf and damage in the business area of the lathe. No worries about damaging the scale with the tailstock.

So I have been noodling modifications to @Xyphota s basic idea.

Here are some photos of my cross-slide as is.

Front of Crosslide. The gap is 40 thou measured with a feeler gauge. I don't know yet if it's enough for a strip of magnetic scale tape. If not, I would plan to remove just enough metal to clear the magnetic tape.

View attachment 27484

This is the cross-slide travel. About 6.5 inches.

View attachment 27482

This is the space left at full rear travel. Room for a sensor block and a short scale extension.

View attachment 27483

This the rear of the cross slide in full forward position. The bracket is removable and I presume it's only there to keep the cross slide aligned and dirt out. I would remove it and replace it with a sensor mount that serves the original purpose as well as a mount for the sensor. Perhaps make it a mount for the bed scale sensor too.

View attachment 27481

It will be a while before I actually do this. I'd have to get the DRO, some magnetic scale tape, and complete the design.

Right now, I'm looking for suggestions and criticisms.

I'm also thinking about a similar design for the compound. The compound gap is similar but there is much less space for a sensor on a rotating compound. One thing at a time.


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## YYCHM (Oct 28, 2022)

In the shop today
					

Yes it is some of my 4”od 4140  Just for interest sake... I just cut some of my 5" 4340 (the stuff with a hole in it) on my band saw and they took 12 minutes for a slice.  I was happy with that. (Asian 7x12 saw).  Your project looks like it will turn out well, it's almost as fun watching the...




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## Susquatch (Oct 28, 2022)

YYCHM said:


> In the shop today
> 
> 
> Yes it is some of my 4”od 4140  Just for interest sake... I just cut some of my 5" 4340 (the stuff with a hole in it) on my band saw and they took 12 minutes for a slice.  I was happy with that. (Asian 7x12 saw).  Your project looks like it will turn out well, it's almost as fun watching the...
> ...



Someday I'm going to ply you with an excess amount of your favorite beverage and get you tell me how the hell you manage to remember AND FIND so much.

This was great work too. I actually looked at this approach first. But my screw sits too high for me to do that with a full size scale. Plus the remaining opening after the nut isn't long enough. But a piece of magnetic scale 1.66mm thick stuck to the bottom of the top half of the cross-slide should work even if I have to mill out a slot 30 thou or so deep to accommodate it. Of course, I'd be hoping it would fit as is.


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