Darren's active projects

[Darren]

On my mill I do not have a DRO for either the quill or knee. I have a very good Mitutoyo 2 axis though. I may add a second DRO for the z, one that is capable of both summing z+z, and independent display.

I also thought about seeing if a 4 axis Ditron unit Is capable of reading the 2 Mitutoyo scales that I have now on the mill, then I could move the Mitutoyo to the 1660. I'd order a 4 axis Ditron with 2 z axis scales for the mill and 2 scales for my 16x60. That is if the Mitutoyo head unit can read the Ditron scales as well . The idea is to not waste the 2 very expensive Mitutoyo scales that are already mounted on the mill.

I'm pretty happy with the Ditron stuff so far. Very well built, easy setup, minimal chinglish. Ditron has been around at least 20 years from the searches I did. Half the price of Dro pros

 

[Susquatch]

On my mill I do not have a DRO for either the quill or knee. I have a very good Mitutoyo 2 axis though. I may add a second DRO for the z, one that is capable of both summing z+z, and independent display.

I also thought about seeing if a 4 axis Ditron unit Is capable of reading the 2 Mitutoyo scales that I have now on the mill, then I could move the Mitutoyo to the 1660. I'd order a 4 axis Ditron with 2 z axis scales for the mill and 2 scales for my 16x60. That is if the Mitutoyo head unit can read the Ditron scales as well . The idea is to not waste the 2 very expensive Mitutoyo scales that are already mounted on the mill.

I'm pretty happy with the Ditron stuff so far. Very well built, easy setup, minimal chinglish. Ditron has been around at least 20 years from the searches I did. Half the price of Dro pros

Where did you get the ditron?

Part of the way I am thinking is to get the best I can find at a reasonable price.

The other part is to pay a bit more or a bit less to get what ever others here have so we can collaborate. Nothing worse that being all alone with nobody around who has a clue about how to help with whatever you have.

I ought to be real comfy with a display unit of any kind since I designed stuff that worked like that myself. But I designed stuff like that myself so I'm not very comfy at all!

I've been to China on business. Didn't like what I saw.

 

[Hacker]

For anyone wondering how the lift went, it was a piece of cake! View attachment 19374View attachment 19375View attachment 19376

I am a little late to this party. I had to laugh as that is exactly how I got my lathe and mill off my trailer. Mine was a bit sketchier as I used my dump trailer and it was too wide at the wheels to get it all the way back between the hoist posts. I had to ratchet strap the front of the box down and slide the lathe back with the skid steer then lift it off. I was smarter with the mill and used the car hauler.

 

[Darren]

I am a little late to this party. I had to laugh as that is exactly how I got my lathe and mill off my trailer. Mine was a bit sketchier as I used my dump trailer and it was too wide at the wheels to get it all the way back between the hoist posts. I had to ratchet strap the front of the box down and slide the lathe back with the skid steer then lift it off. I was smarter with the mill and used the car hauler.

But did you have a car on the hoist while you lifted them?

 

[Darren]

Where did you get the ditron?

Part of the way I am thinking is to get the best I can find at a reasonable price.

The other part is to pay a bit more or a bit less to get what ever others here have so we can collaborate. Nothing worse that being all alone with nobody around who has a clue about how to help with whatever you have.

I ought to be real comfy with a display unit of any kind since I designed stuff that worked like that myself. But I designed stuff like that myself so I'm not very comfy at all!

I've been to China on business. Didn't like what I saw.

I bought the Ditron on Amazon..... It was easy.

I had a ToAuto on my V10p, and it was OK, but after doing the first real work on the V13 since installing the Ditron, I can tell you, it was well worth paying the extra money. Making new blade guide buttons for my DoAll bandsaw. The bearings are 9.98mm id and i wanted a nice tight slip fit. Took a cut, measured 11.52, punched that into the DRO, took 0.52, measured 11.01, and so on, and nailed 9.95 on the first try. Having the RPM right there is super nice too, as i've said before.

 

[Susquatch]

I bought the Ditron on Amazon..... It was easy.

I had a ToAuto on my V10p, and it was OK, but after doing the first real work on the V13 since installing the Ditron, I can tell you, it was well worth paying the extra money. Making new blade guide buttons for my DoAll bandsaw. The bearings are 9.98mm id and i wanted a nice tight slip fit. Took a cut, measured 11.52, punched that into the DRO, took 0.52, measured 11.01, and so on, and nailed 9.95 on the first try. Having the RPM right there is super nice too, as i've said before.

Thank you! That is impressive.

You are also reminding me that something I have not been thinking about at all is the automatic metric conversion.

Did you buy the scales separately?

 

[Darren]

I bought the scales with it. They will message you to get the exact scale lengths.

The metric conversion is a definite bonus of any dro.

 

[Susquatch]

I bought the scales with it. They will message you to get the exact scale lengths.

The metric conversion is a definite bonus of any dro.

Thanks Darren. I smell a plan coming together. Do you know if the display unit will work with Magnetic scales? I think I'd prefer that over the other alternatives - more compact, user trimmable, robust, accurate, latest technology. If I knew they worked with it I'd get the DRO on Amazon and buy the scales on Ali.

 

[Darren]

The scales I have are magnetic. I did trim 2 of my scales to make them fit the way I wanted. I'd order the package all from Ditron. Then you know they will work correctly. Also, not all D80 displays come with the rpm sensor kit. Its an option.

 

[Susquatch]

The scales I have are magnetic. I did trim 2 of my scales to make them fit the way I wanted. I'd order the package all from Ditron. Then you know they will work correctly. Also, not all D80 displays come with the rpm sensor kit. Its an option.

Awesome! Sounds like a plan!

I actually prefer that. I just didn't see that option when I looked. Maybe I found the wrong product.

 

[Hacker]

But did you have a car on the hoist while you lifted them?

Thankfully no. Having that car on the hoist must have been a real PIA when you were doing the rigging.

 

[Darren]

Been busy in the shop lately, but finally got some machine shop time.

When i sold my Emco V10P, I kept a couple of the chucks I had for it. One Bison 5" set tru 3 jaw, and a 4" 6 jaw set tru Buck. The V10P was a threaded spindle, and the V13 is D1-4, so I had to adapt them to new backplates. I couldn't find reasonably priced direct fit. The Bison plate was about $650. I bought two 6" backplates from ebay for $60 each but they needed a lot of work. Here's some pics

This was meant for a set true chuck, but the ID was bigger than the OD that i needed for the 4"

Made a new spigot for the set true set screws to push against.

I cut the new 'spigot' to have about a 1.5 thou press fit.

I slathered a bit of retaining compound on it and tapped it into place

Then i parted off the excess spigot, faced it to length, cut it to diameter, and finished the face of the backplate

Here it is with the chuck bolted down and adjusting for runout

Looks pretty tiny...4" chuck on a 13" lathe, but its a 6 jaw, and runout is very good across the range of jaw capacity, maybe 2 tenths.

 

[YYCHM]

What OD and TPI was the V10P spindle? Was that the machine that had locking back plates that used a locking ring?

 

[Darren]

What OD and TPI was the V10P spindle? Was that the machine that had locking back plates that used a locking ring?

it was 1.5" 8tpi, same as my BS-0 indexing head, so i'll be able to still use the locking backplates and these chucks on the dividing head

Keep in mind, the V10 series of lathes also came with an M39 and a non threaded DIN 3 stud nose, if you go looking for a backplate

 

[Darren]

Starting on the next project

I need a plate of metal of some sort roughly 7.75" dia

This old brake drum is hiding the piece i need!

parted off the piece i don't need. Cuts like butter.

theres the plate, and its already round

 

[Darren]

11" to 8" in short order

more to come

 

[Darren]

more to come.

 

[StevSmar]

You have nice lathes! Can’t wait to see how the Monarch turns out!

 

[Darren]

You have nice lathes! Can’t wait to see how the Monarch turns out!

Thanks very much. I have all the parts now for converting the 10ee's AC generator to single phase, using the steelman method. Should be interesting. Once up and running, I plan to do some accuracy checks, then, if all is good, it'll get a good paint job and general refurb. Might take a bit to get to it though. It was an unexpected project.

 

[Darren]

I had typed up a fairly long post and then my tab crashed, so heres a few pics.

yes thats an endmill in a drill chuck. Maybe if i had a power drawbar i'd have used an er collet . Someday....

thats it for tonight