320mm 1um linear scale

[Salem747]

Hi all, I bought the wrong linear scale. It’s a Chinese ditron model. It reads 320mm but the oal is 453mm. I need an oal of 320 ish.

Never installed, did connect to touch Dro and works fine.

Anyone need one like that?

 

[Kelly McLaughlin]

Apparently they can be shortened. I'm about to experiment with that : ) there's several you tube videos on it.

 

[DavidR8]

I cut the glass scales for my mill on my horizontal bandsaw.
Very easy to do as the glass was not tempered so it just crumbled.
Hardest part was tapping the extrusion for the tiny screws that hold the cap on.

 

[Susquatch]

Hi all, I bought the wrong linear scale. It’s a Chinese ditron model. It reads 320mm but the oal is 453mm. I need an oal of 320 ish.

Never installed, did connect to touch Dro and works fine.

Anyone need one like that?

If it's magnetic it's a piece of cake. If it's glass, it's just easy.

Either way, cut it and save yourself some coin. Worst that can happen is you end up with a short piece to use elsewhere. But that's not likely. Just do your research and it will be fine.

 

[Tom O]

It looks like you have plenty to practice on.

 

[Kelly McLaughlin]

It's a piece of cake. did mine today, had to modify the end block as the factory cuts the glass shy of the end about 20mm 24 tooth hacksaw blade mark and cut carefully. I dressed the edge on a zircon belt on my little belt sander clean well and assemble. Too easy!

 

[Salem747]

Shoot, I am not getting notifications, by the time I came back to look I already ordered a shorter one! Now that you guys mention it I did see some stuff about cutting glass scales before.

On a positive note, I installed the 1200mm one on the z axis and it is all working fine through Touch DRO. Will be nice to have on the lathe. I have a 17x60" Standard Modern. Its a nice machine, bigger than I will ever need but like that it is Canadian and spent it's life serving the Navy.