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DRO KIT Scale
Sizing - How do I determine the right size scales for my machine?
What Size Kit should I Buy?
Simply
purchase a kit that has travels longer than the travel of your
machine.
For a mill,
simply purchase a kit that has travels longer than the travel of
your machine.
As an example,
a Bridgeport milling machine with a 9" x 42" table typically has 12"
travel in the Y axis and 30" travel in the X axis. Therefore you
would need an 12" x 30" mill kit for this machine.
For a lathe,
all you need is a kit that has enough travel for the X (cross slide)
and the Z (carriage) axis travel.
Don't be
confused by the swing, which is the theoretically largest diameter
object that can pass over the bed rails. The swing dimension has
nothing to do with what you need for your DRO kit. As a general
rule, the cross slide travel is roughly half of the swing plus a
little bit more in order to cut over center. For example, a 1340
lathe (13" swing, 40" between centers) will typically have 13/2 =
6.5 + 1 = 7.5 inches of travel on the cross slide. Therefore you
would need an 8" x 40" lathe kit for this machine. However, with
this said, it's always best to measure the travels of your machine.
Look to the left margin for videos on how to do this.
Magnetic
Scale Physical Sizes
Magnetic
scales are named according to the amount of travel the scales are
built to accommodate. Maximum travel will be ~ 5/8" longer, and
overall length will be 5-1/2" longer than stated scale size. Using a
12" scale as an example, it is designed to fully accommodate 12" of
travel, it's maximum travel will be 12-5/8", and overall length will
be 17-1/2".
There are a couple of ways
to determine which size scales you need.
The best way is to
physically measure the travel of your machine as shown in the photos below.
Again, while there are
several alternative ways to measure travel, the safest way to protect your
equipment is to physically measure the travel of your machine. If you
are replacing an older DRO kit, you may have considered measuring the existing
scale lengths and 'match' them to the scales we sell. Unfortunately, there are a
couple of reasons this might not work. First off, when your old DRO kit was
installed, the odds are scales were only available in 6" increments, possibly
even longer (at DRO PROS we carry scales in 2" increments). Second, the
difference between actual travel and physical length differs between
manufacturers.
The other alternative is
to rely on the "spec sheet" or owners manual to obtain machine travels. Quite
often a manufacturer will use the same spec sheet for different models. While
most of the time this will work as second best to measuring, again, there are
many instances where the owners manual is not updated or does not correctly
reflect the true travel of the machine.
Most likely, without
actually measuring your machines travel, there's a pretty good chance you might
not get the right scales. We recommend taking the time to measure to
protect your investment.
The last 'hurdle' to
measuring a machines travel is whether or not it's equipped with a power feed.
Most milling machines with a power feed will have the effective travel reduced
by 5-6" with a power feed installed. DRO PROS recommends to outfit your machine
with a scale that will cover the full travel with the power feed removed.
That's because if for some reason in the future the power feed breaks, or is
uninstalled, then full travel of the mill will not break the scale.
Measuring a Lathe
First, position your
carriage towards the headstock until it 'bumps up' against the headstock:
Next, make a mark (ours is
in red) on the bed just to the left of the apron:
Reposition the carriage
all the way to the tailstock end:
You can see below where
the threading dial housing is now flush against the leadscrew hangar bearing:
And from the front, this
is what it looks like:
Measure between the
previously made red mark and the edge of the carriage apron:
This distance represents
your total carriage travel. As in the case with most scales, we recommend
allowing ~ 1/2 inch clearance on either end of the scale to arrive at your total
required scale travel.
Next, let's take a look at
the cross slide:
Notice the gap between the
back of the cross slide handwheel dial housing and the cross slide. This
indicates the cross slide is not in the full forward position:
Move the cross slide to
the full most forward position:
Note the cross slide
handwheel dial housing is now flush against the cross slide:
Make a mark on the cross
slide (we used red). Specifically where is not important:
Next, make a corresponding
mark on the saddle (we used green), opposite the mark on the cross slide:
Here is a close-up:
Reposition the cross slide
to the rear-most position:
Notice how the marks
'split':
The distance between the
marks represents the movement, or travel, of your cross slide:
Most of the time
we recommend allowing ~ 1/2 inch clearance on either end of the scale to arrive
at your total required scale travel. But the cross slide is unique in that
there's typically not a lot of 'extra' room to keep the scale from 'hanging off'
the end. So oftentimes when we talk to customers we'll recommend a scale with
less than the typical 1/2" clearance. How much 'extra' scale do you need?
Depends on your experience and what you feel comfortable with...
Of course you can always
call and we'll talk you through the decision process. Call our techs now at
(877) 628-6028 - they're glad to help!
Why does DRO PROS
post their digital readout part prices online when other companies don't?
That's because if you
were to find out what other companies are going to charge you for parts
when you need them, you
might not buy their digital readout kit in the first place!
At
DRO PROS, we're proud to show off our low part prices.
Go DRO PROS!
Why should you buy from
DRO PROS?
We speak
English - We answer our phones - Same day shipping
Veteran
owned, Veteran managed - and proud of it!
Our goal is to
make customers for life. We feel that, in the long run, treating
customers right will yield much more than simply "going for the
sale". In accordance with that, we have attempted to pass on some
ideas to help you, the customer, in completing your purchase
decision:
Price.
Probably the most talked about factor when buying a
digital readout.
Price can also be the most misleading, and perhaps worst way, to
judge a digital readout kit. We've all heard the old adage, "You get
what you pay for." Before the internet, it was true, price did
generally correlate directly to value. But that was yesterdays
economy. All resellers obtained their goods the same way, and
therefore incurred the same costs. In today's economy, the market
has changed drastically. At DRO PROS, we import and sell directly to
you. Unlike our competitors, we do not have Western and Eastern
sales divisions and multi layers of management to support. One
location, one cost, and the savings get passed on to you!
Intuitiveness or "Ease of Use".
Probably the
most important, and hardest to determine factor when buying a
readout.
Think in terms of after the sale. Even if you get an absolute 'rock
star' bottom line price that would make William Shatner proud, if
the
digital readout
is not user friendly, you still didn't get a 'deal'. The whole point
of getting a
digital readout
is to make your work easier and more enjoyable. If the
digital readout is poorly designed, too complicated, if the display
isn't bright enough, or in other words is 'user unfriendly', you'll
regret your purchase decision every time you turn it
on. It simply won't matter what you paid, it's not worth
it!
Support.
Most likely the second most important, and perhaps most overlooked
factor when buying a
digital readout.
Imagine trying to reach a technician when you've bought a
digital readout
from an overseas reseller! Yet every day, people "save" $50 and buy
products on eBay without stopping to think what will happen when
they need service or tech support. Some
digital readout
resellers don't even publish a phone number! While our competitors
continue to pare down or even totally eliminate their customer
support, we continue to expand our Customer Service. Our Video
Tutorials are the best in the industry, and are available free for
you, our customers. Our tech help is the best in the business - our
techs all know our readouts inside and out. Nobody knows digital readouts like
DRO PROS!
Warranty.
DRO PROS is proud to offer the industries safest, longest, lifetime
warranty on all of our Electronica magnetic scale kits.
DRO PROS brand warranty claims are handled directly
by DRO PROS. No run-arounds, no hassle! Something not working as
expected? Call us, don't get redirected overseas like the other
guys!
Parts.
Can
you believe some resellers don't carry parts? That's right, buy from
the "other guys", break a scale, and you get to replace the entire
digital readout
kit! Don't assume you can just go buy a different brand scale,
either, because most manufacturers use different connectors on their
scales. If that wasn't enough, even among those with a common
connector, such as a DB9, most are hard wired differently. Finally,
don't overlook the cost of parts. At DRO PROS, an
800mm replacement scale will cost you $197. A similar scale sold
extensively by a European company will cost nearly $700! Finally, we
have a massive inventory of parts, so rest easy - a replacement part
is only a phone call away!
The Best
Value.
We literally search world-wide for the best value
digital readout
products on the planet. If there was a better
digital readout
package to be sold, we would be selling it. Yes, we've seen cheaper
units on eBay, but there is a reason they're cheaper. Think poor
quality, no parts, no manual, non-existent customer service, poor
product fit/finish etc.
Customer
Service.
We pledge to
never "over sell" you on a product that won't work well for you. Our
philosophy is to try and save you money and get the best value kit
tailored to the machinery you have. Many of our customers are
surprised when we recommend against buying a more expensive brand.
Again, our philosophy is to build customers for life. Give us a call
and let us save you money!
Shipping.
Most orders
ship the same day, the next at the latest. We do not 'drop' ship, we
have our own massive warehouse of inventory right here on site. We
use UPS, you'll get a tracking number emailed to you immediately,
and we cover all shipping insurance automatically.
The
Company.
DRO PROS is a
veteran owned, American company. We enjoy selling quality products
at competitive prices. We believe that providing the best
customer service is the key to success. No other company spends more
time on the phone with customers than we do. Even in a down economy,
our company continues to thrive and grow. We look forward to earning
your business!
The Bottom
Line.
Our line of
digital readout's are simply the most user friendly readouts on the
planet. Because of our direct marketing structure, they're also
extremely affordable. Coupled with our extensive customer service
and affordable parts, our Digital Readout products are simply the
best value on the planet.
Shipping:
Domestic Shipping to
the United States:
All digital readout
shipping is done via UPS for a flat rate of $43. You'll get a tracking
number emailed direct to you from UPS, enabling you to track your shipment
door to door! We cover insurance against any potential shipping damages, so
no hidden fees here!
International Shipping
to Canada:
All of our DRO
shipping is done via UPS. We charge a flat fee of $80.
International Shipping
elsewhere:
All of our DRO
shipping is done via the United States Postal Service via a flat rate
of $140.
Industry Leading Unlimited
Lifetime Warranty
Electronica magnetic
kits = Unlimited Lifetime Warranty
DRO PROS brand warranty claims are handled directly
by DRO PROS.
No run-arounds, no hassle!
At DRO PROS, we
take care of our customers.
Have an issue or need some
help? Let us take care of it with a toll-free call to California!
Call us now at 1-707-452-8434
Professional Digital Readout kit
packages start at only $499!
Call us
now at 1-707-452-8434 for all your digital readout needs!
