Thanks to Mark from USA for the nice photos and detail comments.
It is using :
TDS-3i DRO with scales travel - 170mm, 370mm, 750mm
Original unedited email From Mark:
I am new to machining and recently picked up a used 3 in 1 lathe/mill combo.
I realized early on that the stock dials were not very accurate due to the
loose clearances in the machine. Sometimes I would turn the handwheel as
much as half a revolution before the cross slide moved. I did a little
research and decided a DRO would be a very handy thing to have. It would
measure the movement of the sllides accurately even if the dials would not.
I spent several weeks surfing the web and looking at all the options,
features, and specs of the various DRO's. I decided to go with a kit from
the DRO Store. Several other sellers were comparable in price, but didn't
have the size scales I'd need in stock, or were very slow to respond to my
emails with useful information. Scott at the DRO Store had everything in
stock, answered my emails quickly, answered all my questions, and even sent
me additional information from the user's manual. He really made it easy
for me to decide on his kit.
One of my major concerns, aside from cost and availability, was would it be
easy to operate? The DRO Store has videos posted on youtube covering all the
major functions for their DRO's. That was a big factor for me in getting the
kit from the DRO Store. Even if you are a newbie the videos make it easy to
understand how to work it. Anytime you're not sure about something....just
watch the video. They're free on youtube.....other sellers charge extra for
tutorial videos.
I ordered my kit and it arrived in short order. It took less than a week
even with a national holiday in Singapore. The kit came complete as
described in the ad with everything needed to install it. An assortment of
mounting brackets, lots of extra screws and washers, and even clips and zip
ties were included.
The installation was pretty straight forward. I took my time with the
install and made sure I did it correctly the first time. The universal
brackets that came with the kit would've worked fine, but I decided to build
custom mounts. I also added a cable carrier and tray to keep the cabling
nice and tidy. The X and Y axis was quite simple, but the Z axis was a
little more challenging. In the end I am very happy with the way it turned
out. All axis move smoothly and operate perfectly! They measure within .0005
so they register even the slightest movement. They read accurately and are
perfectly linear in their operation....no jumpy display.
For the display panel I also made a custom mount to fit my needs. It's
mounted at the corner of my table on a fixed arm. All the cables are ran
through the mounting arm for extra protection. It really made for a nice
clean install. It is easy to read from any position, the LED's are clear and
bright, and navigating the various functions is actually pretty easy with a
little practice.
I can honestly say that I am very pleased with the kit, the service, and
support I've recieved from Scott and the DRO Store. If you're looking for a
DRO for your machine that is easy to install, user friendly, and won't cost
a fortune then you need to take a look at these kits!
Sincerely, Mark H. USA
