2851 -Centec 2B Milling machine - with TDS-3i JCXF5-170 , JCXF5-220 , JCXF5-370 - Iain Crosbie -UK

 

Thanks to Iain from UK for the nice photos on the Costec 2B Milling machine installation with TDS 3i DRO from www.thdrostore.com  .

The set for this machine is :

TDS-3i +  JCXF5-170 , JCXF5-220 , JCXF5-370 scale.

Thank you for sharing.

2606- TDS-3i on Aciera F3 Milling machine (swiss made) - Teun from Netherland

Thanks Teun from Netherland, the machine is Aciera F3, a good machine from Swiss.

The setup for the machine includes:

TDS-3i (3 axis DRO with LCD)

<![if !supportLists]>-          <![endif]>F5-220, 220mm travel scale

<![if !supportLists]>-          <![endif]>E5-320, 320mm travel scale

<![if !supportLists]>-          <![endif]>E5-320, 320mm travel scale

Items available at www.thedrostore.com

From Teun :

“I’ve finished mounting the DRO. I think I did a reasonable job. My machine is an Aciera F3 (Swissmade from the 80’ies).

I painted everything in the same RAL color as the machine so it looks like it belongs there.”

I think it is a nice installation with a touch to make it look the same color as the machine.

Cheers

2585- TDS-3i with RS232 on ENCO Drill / Mill - FL, USA (Jim)

Thanks Jim for the photos on his ENCO Drill / Mill Machine with TDS-3i DRO from www.TheDROStore.com

eBay ID : TheDroStore

The setup for this machine is :

-TDS 3i  (3 Axis LCD DRO)
-Scale Travel length -JCXF5:120mm, 4.7inch (Physical length:262mm, 10.3inch)
-Scale Travel length -JCXE5:220mm, 8.7inch (Physical length:362mm, 14.3inch)
-Scale Travel length -JCXE5:520mm, 20.5inch (Physical length:662mm, 26.1inch)

From Jim (FL, USA):

“I was surprised to see the package arrive this afternoon.  Great service! Really fast!

I have connected the scales to the DRO and powered it up to see if everything works.  Everything seems to be working in this preliminary test.  I plan to install it on my mill later this week.”

The photos show the finish work, and they are install in a nice and professional manner.

Cheers

BLOG - 2539- mTech DRO 3i , 170, 270, 320 on LittleMachineShop Milling machine -- Jamie Cruz (USA)

Thanks James from USA (NJ) for sharing with us his mTech TDS 3i on his LittleMachineShop Milling machine.

Jamie Cruz :
" very fun project!!!  Many thanks great product price shipping and customer service.  I will be buying from you again!!!! "

 ”I had to get creative there were some holes already drilled and tapped in the mill already so I just used those.  Its a little ghetto but I made my own brackets it works dam accurate and the little blue gauge slide easy in and out!”

“ maybe I need to focus more on exactly one turn.  I am happy!!!  Z axis I tried to do .005 thousands on the fine feed and look what came up.

“I did a test to see how it lines up with the handwheels  of 1 turn is 62.5 thousands of an inch”

Thanks for sharing your photo , Cheers

BLOG - mTECH-3i on Cougar Milling Machine -- Peter Browne (Australia)

Thanks Peter from Australia for sharing with his mTech 3i on his Cougar Mill/Drill
He is using scale travel "220mm, 370mm and 420mm)
Below is the complete write-up by Peter:
INSTALLATION OF THE TECH-3i DRO ON MY COUGAR MILL/DRILL

This Chinese machine is is built to the popular ZX7550C pattern. It was built in around 2003.

I obtained it several years ago, from a manufacturer in Sydney who never used it, before winding up the business. 

My first task was to bring the machine into the workshop from it's storage in the garage.

The X-axis position provided good machined surfaces and access.

The placement of the scale and it's cover restricts Y-axis travel by about 60mm,

so that a new stop was later fitted. All that was required to get final alignment was a shim behind the reader.

The Y-axis field left something to be desired. (See below.) 

Firstly, the surfaces are painted with thick, uneven enamel.

Secondly, the area is barely wide enough to accommodate the scale, so the cover cannot be used.

For the scale I scraped all the paint off the surface, and mounted the scale as low as possible to

give me a narrow lip above for some protection to be devised in the future. 

After some shims to correct alignment the the scale sits very nicely.

The reader was mounted using some of the machined aluminium plates provided in the excellent kit from TheDroStore.com.

To the right of the scale you may be able to see a tapped hole on the mill. I decided to use a piece of aluminium channel  as a shield.

I am machining part of one side out of the channel to accommodate the scale body

and will attach the remaining complete channel side, using the tapped hole indicated.

A similar hole will be drilled to the left of the scale after preliminary fitting.

Throughout the install, there were lubrication ports to be preserved.

I was surprised this did not cause any problems. 

Also I managed to dodge the slide locks on opposite faces of the machine.

Fitting the Z-axis presented the paint problem once again. This time, however, I used a slightly different approach.

By scraping the paint carefully, I managed to obtain a usable surface, and with the help of suitable shims,

the test indicator (seen above) proved that scale alignment was satisfactory.

Once again the aluminium mounting hardware provided proved excellent to carry the Z-axis reader.

A piece of angle, trimmed down, a bit more paint scraping and a shim mounted on the knee and the job is nearing completion.

Covers were fitted to the X and Z-axis scales, with a small plate glued to the top of the Z-axis cover to help

protect it from falling coolant and swarf. (See below.)

 

Installing the readout went smoothly.  Suitable positions were available and a transformer in the pedestal

provides 240v to power the display. The last photo shows the display in use and on the table the

shield for the Y-axis scale partly machined.

This is my very first milling operation. So far so good. No broken cutters, etc.

Considering that I have never attempted anything like this exercise before I am very pleased with the result.

I must say the kit provided, Scott's manuals and his other help have been confidence building and a big part

of completing the task at hand. As many others have commented, there was a surplus of  materials and a choice of  install methods.

Many thanks,

Peter Browne

Australia

1762 -Myford Super 7 lathe - from Ed Dee- UK- TDS-2i - F5- 170mm, E5- 470m

Thanks to Ed for his photos of his installation of the TDS-2i DRO system on hi Myford Super 7 Lathe.

Below is his email on the installation

"Hi,

Thank you for the speedy despatch of my order (1762) - which arrived last week and has successfully been fitted to my Myford Super 7 lathe.

As you do not seem to have many pictures of a myford installation I enclose some of my setup - mainly for the cross slide - which is the interesting one (the saddle scale is just bolted on to the taper turning mount - which on my lathe isn't used).  Please feel free to pass them on should anyone else be interested.

I mounted the cross slide scale behind the saddle  as there were disadvantages is mounting it in front or behind of the cross slide (vulnerability to chuck damage + loss of use of travelling steady if mounted in front; interfering with gib-strip adjustment and saddle lock and restricting tail stock if mounted behind).  The only fittings used other than those supplied was a fabricated hanger for the cross slide reader and a section of a scale cover left over from the installation on my mill.  The smaller JCXF5 scale and cover were ideal for this application.

Regards

Ed Dee"

 

 

1557-Milling / Drill machine Excel tools, model PDM-30, Andy, UK. TDS-3i, 170mm-220mm-520mm

Thanks to Andy from UK for the generous photos.

 

This is a  Drill/MillExcel tools, model PDM-30. This is very similar to machines from Chester tools, Warco, King Canada.

 

It is using :

TDS-3i DRO with scales travel - 170mm, 220mm, 520mm

 
Below is an unedited email from Andy:

 
 

 

Hi Scott,

 

Used the DRO today and it has revolutionised my milling machine, so easy to be accurate now!

 

As promised some details of how I fitted the scales:

 

Cheers

 

Andy

 

My milling machine is a medium size mill/drill from Excel tools, model PDM-30. This is very similar to machines from Chester tools, Warco, King Canada, etc..

 

Fitting the X scale was easy, and only needed a couple of 5mm spaces to bring the scale in-line with the reader head.

 

 

The Y axis was a bit more involved and required a 4mm back plate to attach the scale to the saddle.  Also the side of the bed is angled so I had to mill the end of one of the supplied brackets to get the reader head to mount square.

 

The Z scale was also mounted on a 4mm back plate, spaced 30mm off the quill casting,

 

and the reader head was mounted to another modified bracket screwed to the turret.

 

Celebrating the finished job with a cuppa!

 

 

1535-Mill Lathe Combo machine- from Mark H. - USA- TDS-3i - 170mm, 370mm, 750mm

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