Years ago, I bought a self contained. DRO with intentions of installing it on my drill mill. It sat untouched in it's box until now. In looking to see if I can install it, I see that the scale is too long to easily mount on my drill mill. So I am wondering if the scale can be shortened to fit my needs. Not understanding exactly how the DRO works I do not want to do anything until I have a better understanding. It looks to be just a larger version of of the digital calipers I have. Any suggestions would be appreciated. TIA

Gerry fired this volley in
:

I see that the scale is too long to easily mount on my drill mill. So
I am wondering if the scale can be shortened

Gerry, it depends upon the scale material and your skills.

Some scales (the ones I prefer for custom installs) contain a strip-pole
rubber magnet material in the scale, and hall-effect sensors in the head.
Those scales can be cut with scissors, and are no problem to shorten.

Some others contain etched or printed glass optical scales, and use
photocell and illuminator sensing in the head. Those scales CAN be
shortened, but you must be skilled in scoring and snapping a very thin,
long glass strip. Without practice first (on something like microscope
slides), you'll likely ruin the scale.

Lloyd

On Sat, 27 Dec 2014 09:49:56 -0800 (PST), Gerry
wrote:

Years ago, I bought a self contained. DRO with intentions of installing it on my drill mill. It sat untouched in it's box until now. In looking to see if I can install it, I see that the scale is too long to easily mount on my drill mill. So I am wondering if the scale can be shortened to fit my needs. Not understanding exactly how the DRO works I do not want to do anything until I have a better understanding. It looks to be just a larger version of of the digital calipers I have. Any suggestions would be appreciated. TIA
If it is indeed the same as digital calipers then you can cut it
shorter with no effect on the reading of the scale by the read head.
Eric

On Saturday, December 27, 2014 11:49:58 AM UTC-6, Gerry wrote:
Years ago, I bought a self contained. DRO with intentions of installing it on my drill mill. It sat untouched in it's box until now. In looking to see if I can install it, I see that the scale is too long to easily mount on my drill mill. So I am wondering if the scale can be shortened to fit my needs. Not understanding exactly how the DRO works I do not want to do anything until I have a better understanding. It looks to be just a larger version of of the digital calipers I have. Any suggestions would be appreciated. TIA

The miserable instructions says as "system" non-contact linear CAP. Does that mean anything as to what kind it is? It has a 6" range but the scale is all of 10.5" in length. I'd like to cut a couple of inches off if I can without destroying it. The mill drill is a round column Grizzly with the on/off switch in front. I've been looking for an excuse to buy something with a square column with DRO. This may be a reason.

On Sat, 27 Dec 2014 09:49:56 -0800 (PST), Gerry
wrote:

Years ago, I bought a self contained. DRO with intentions of installing it on my drill mill. It sat untouched in it's box until now. In looking to see if I can install it, I see that the scale is too long to easily mount on my drill mill. So I am wondering if the scale can be shortened to fit my needs. Not understanding exactly how the DRO works I do not want to do anything until I have a better understanding. It looks to be just a larger version of of the digital calipers I have. Any suggestions would be appreciated. TIA

Depending on the type and brand..it may or may not be shortenable. If
its one of those with sliding build in scale...Id say its not and you
will simply have to put on a longer bracket to hold it.

Or..or put it on Ebay/Craigslist with either a trade or sale and buy
or swap for one the right size.


"At the core of liberalism is the spoiled child,
miserable, as all spoiled children are, unsatisfied,
demanding, ill-disciplined, despotic and useless.
Liberalism is a philosophy of sniveling brats."
PJ O'Rourke

Gerry wrote:
On Saturday, December 27, 2014 11:49:58 AM UTC-6, Gerry wrote:
Years ago, I bought a self contained. DRO with intentions of
installing it on my drill mill. It sat untouched in it's box until
now. In looking to see if I can install it, I see that the scale is
too long to easily mount on my drill mill. So I am wondering if the
scale can be shortened to fit my needs. Not understanding exactly
how the DRO works I do not want to do anything until I have a better
understanding. It looks to be just a larger version of of the
digital calipers I have. Any suggestions would be appreciated. TIA

The miserable instructions says as "system" non-contact linear CAP.
Does that mean anything as to what kind it is? It has a 6" range but
the scale is all of 10.5" in length. I'd like to cut a couple of
inches off if I can without destroying it. The mill drill is a round
column Grizzly with the on/off switch in front. I've been looking for
an excuse to buy something with a square column with DRO. This may be
a reason.

If it's the same as most digital calipers it's a capacitive read scale -
and the "CAP" in your instructions would indicate this is what you have .
They can be cut AFAIK . Here's a link to an article about someone's DRO
experiences : http://www.steves-workshop.co.uk/too...ro/milldro.htm
My mill/drill uses these scales , attached to a Shumatech DRO 350 . One
thing to watch for is scale jump. This type of scale is susceptible to
interference from line spikes , like when you power up the mill .

--
Snag

On Sat, 27 Dec 2014 12:24:55 -0800 (PST), Gerry
wrote:

On Saturday, December 27, 2014 11:49:58 AM UTC-6, Gerry wrote:
Years ago, I bought a self contained. DRO with intentions of installing it on my drill mill. It sat untouched in it's box until now. In looking to see if I can install it, I see that the scale is too long to easily mount on my drill mill. So I am wondering if the scale can be shortened to fit my needs. Not understanding exactly how the DRO works I do not want to do anything until I have a better understanding. It looks to be just a larger version of of the digital calipers I have. Any suggestions would be appreciated. TIA

The miserable instructions says as "system" non-contact linear CAP. Does that mean anything as to what kind it is? It has a 6" range but the scale is all of 10.5" in length. I'd like to cut a couple of inches off if I can without destroying it. The mill drill is a round column Grizzly with the on/off switch in front. I've been looking for an excuse to buy something with a square column with DRO. This may be a reason.

If you're talking about this sort of thing, you can cut them. I've cut
a few with a hacksaw, no problems.
http://www.shars.com/product_categor...ctronic_Scales

--
Ned Simmons

On Sat, 27 Dec 2014 12:40:19 -0600, "Lloyd E. Sponenburgh"
lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote:

Gerry fired this volley in
:

I see that the scale is too long to easily mount on my drill mill. So
I am wondering if the scale can be shortened

Gerry, it depends upon the scale material and your skills.

Some scales (the ones I prefer for custom installs) contain a strip-pole
rubber magnet material in the scale, and hall-effect sensors in the head.
Those scales can be cut with scissors, and are no problem to shorten.

Some others contain etched or printed glass optical scales, and use
photocell and illuminator sensing in the head. Those scales CAN be
shortened, but you must be skilled in scoring and snapping a very thin,
long glass strip. Without practice first (on something like microscope
slides), you'll likely ruin the scale.

Lloyd

I've had good luck cutting glass scales without removing them from
their housing with a hot wire & quench. Doesn't always make the
neatest cut, but not much skill is required, and there's an inch or
two of dead space at the ends of the housing that the reader head
doesn't scan anyway. A TIG welder with a foot pedal with the current
turned way down makes a good power supply for heating the wire.
Whether this will work with a given scale depends on the configuration
of the housing.

--
Ned Simmons

On Saturday, December 27, 2014 11:49:58 AM UTC-6, Gerry wrote:
Years ago, I bought a self contained. DRO with intentions of installing it on my drill mill. It sat untouched in it's box until now. In looking to see if I can install it, I see that the scale is too long to easily mount on my drill mill. So I am wondering if the scale can be shortened to fit my needs. Not understanding exactly how the DRO works I do not want to do anything until I have a better understanding. It looks to be just a larger version of of the digital calipers I have. Any suggestions would be appreciated. TIA

This is exactly what I have http://www.shars.com/products/view/2..._Machine_Scale

Gerry fired this volley in
:

http://www.shars.com/products/view/2...gital_Machine_
Scale

The description sounds like it might be a magnetic scale.

Lloyd

"Lloyd E. Sponenburgh" lloydspinsidemindspring.com fired this volley in
. 4.170:

The description sounds like it might be a magnetic scale.


But looking further, their catalog lists them as capacitive.

Lloyd

On Saturday, December 27, 2014 11:49:58 AM UTC-6, Gerry wrote:
Years ago, I bought a self contained. DRO with intentions of installing it on my drill mill. It sat untouched in it's box until now. In looking to see if I can install it, I see that the scale is too long to easily mount on my drill mill. So I am wondering if the scale can be shortened to fit my needs. Not understanding exactly how the DRO works I do not want to do anything until I have a better understanding. It looks to be just a larger version of of the digital calipers I have. Any suggestions would be appreciated. TIA

Thanks all! I will try using a cut off blade in my Dremel tool. From the prices posted seems it may not cost much if I fail

On Sat, 27 Dec 2014 14:56:12 -0600, "Terry Coombs"
wrote:

Gerry wrote:
On Saturday, December 27, 2014 11:49:58 AM UTC-6, Gerry wrote:
Years ago, I bought a self contained. DRO with intentions of
installing it on my drill mill. It sat untouched in it's box until
now. In looking to see if I can install it, I see that the scale is
too long to easily mount on my drill mill. So I am wondering if the
scale can be shortened to fit my needs. Not understanding exactly
how the DRO works I do not want to do anything until I have a better
understanding. It looks to be just a larger version of of the
digital calipers I have. Any suggestions would be appreciated. TIA

The miserable instructions says as "system" non-contact linear CAP.
Does that mean anything as to what kind it is? It has a 6" range but
the scale is all of 10.5" in length. I'd like to cut a couple of
inches off if I can without destroying it. The mill drill is a round
column Grizzly with the on/off switch in front. I've been looking for
an excuse to buy something with a square column with DRO. This may be
a reason.

Do it, Gerry! (Got my address? Recycle the old POS here.


If it's the same as most digital calipers it's a capacitive read scale -
and the "CAP" in your instructions would indicate this is what you have .
They can be cut AFAIK . Here's a link to an article about someone's DRO
experiences : http://www.steves-workshop.co.uk/too...ro/milldro.htm
My mill/drill uses these scales , attached to a Shumatech DRO 350 . One
thing to watch for is scale jump. This type of scale is susceptible to
interference from line spikes , like when you power up the mill .

Spikes were terrorizing my buddy, Glenn, last year. He finally
figured out what it was. The compressors on both his air system and
HVAC units created enough noise to bump the DRO by about 0.1" right in
the middle of a run. It drove us nuts when I was machining the parts
for the gantry. I had 3 screw holes in the pattern and the 4th looked
off to me, so we both checked it. Sure enough, it was off exactly
..1". I ruined one end piece before seeing it happen again. He
finally put a UPS in on the wall wart and it stopped happening
altogether, but it had plagued him for a couple years, on a very
maddeningly sporadic basis. Powerlines are already very noisy in
Medford, OR, anyway, so the power company wasn't any help. We may
have cheap power up here, but it's noisy as hell.

--
Learn the art of patience. Apply discipline to your thoughts when they
become anxious over the outcome of a goal. Impatience breeds anxiety,
fear, discouragement and failure. Patience creates confidence, de-
cisiveness, and a rational outlook, which eventually leads to success.
--Brian Adams