HOW TO INSTALL A DRO - Massive improvement to my mill!

[@jeffheld3971]

“Magic, sorcery, & potions”. Love it! Ha ha

[@arachnipope]

Adding a DRO is the greatest thing for your mill. I did mine 30 or so years ago and it's a giant leap ahead. Handy trick: The incremental function can actually allow you to use your mill as a coordinate measuring device to map out existing features like weird hole patterns and then use the numbers measured by the mill to make mating of duplicate parts on the mill. Congratulations on your install. Enjoy.

[@davida.p.9911]

Excellent work, Kim! There's nothing like having a machine that fits your needs and specifications. And you didn't have to pay a fortune for a brand new one. Sometimes the old is better than the new. 👍 Thanks for sharing!

[@IACooper]

Glad you got the direction control running right in the end 😊

[@CalamityKim1]

Thank you for your help with that. I very much appreciate it.

[@IACooper]

@@CalamityKim1 No probs - glad I could be of help

[@CarlHargreavesRustyRelicsUK]

I fitted a dro to my lathe & bridgeport mill. It was the best money I ever spent. You will be able to make more content, showing hole patterns and arcs. There is loads of handy features built into them. 👍🏻

[@seanworkman431]

Well done Kimberly, "I didn't really think this through" story of my life.

[@patkelly7999]

Great stuff Kimberly, precision engineering, well wear:):)

[@gmartin8240]

You have done a incredible amount of upgrading on the machine. Well done Kim 👍 🔧 🚜

[@ziptiesnbiasplies]

Nice work lady!

[@CalamityKim1]

Thanks Peg 😁

[@tonygiraldes7848]

Always interesting to watch you working out how to repair and modify machinery 🙂 I’m sure this 24 minute video represents hours of work. Thank you for taking us along with you on your projects. Much appreciated!

[@MrUnokelly]

Great job Kim. My local machine shop asked me to fit one on a big bridge port last year and I fitted an air operated drawbar aswell it was a cool project. I'd love a little mill like that in my😮 workshop 😮😮

[@jameshobbs7703]

you can remove the top part of the vice from the rotary part to give you more room between vice and the cutter

[@t1259sw]

Nice bracket.

[@steamfan7147]

Great job, I've installed a few and it can be a real trick to figure out all the reader head mounting brackets. Those swivel base vises, every shop I have ever worked at, the bases end up on the floor of the tool crib, because the Z height they take up is more valuable.

[@johnwilimczyk4188]

Very nice Kim

[@robmatthews7972]

Nice add on - and while apart you can clean and lube the slides.

[@CalamityKim1]

Exactly that. 😁

[@paulatkinson2849]

Sounds like a good idea to add one never thought they had so many features 💡👍

[@gmartin8240]

Great job on upgrading and rewiring of the machine. Well done Kim 👍 🔧

[@kenmurray4232]

I watched Matty's Workshop install a DRO on his milling machine. He seems thoroughly pleased using it. A very nice tidy install done. Thanks for sharing

[@kennethhunt324]

Use grease to hold a key in the keyway.

[@bobpaterson1845]

Great video Kim 👍 way above my pay grade though 🙄 the minute you started talking about xyz immediately brought back memories of ALGEBRA 😩but enjoy watching people who know what they're talking about 👌

[@farmerbill6855]

Impressive work Kim. I'm quite jealous of the shear and the bending machine. Both are great pieces. In addition to that very handy mill. Best regards from Indiana, USA.

[@CalamityKim1]

Thanks Bill, the bending machine is called a miracle bender, they’re expensive now in the UK, the shear however, I bought it on eBay for £12/$15. I don’t use it often but when I do it’s so helpful!

[@carlwilson1772]

Excellent video.

[@peteberry6425]

looks real good that does, I'd honestly be proper stumped! but it seems the possibilities are pretty endless

[@andy2950]

Top job, Kim 👍 You must be well chuffed.

[@Janderson-AppalachianCreative]

I bought a 112 year old Walcott lathe about 6 months ago. I’ve been working on it in my free time but that is rare. I have been looking for a milling machine also. I have enjoyed watching your videos on the mill upgrades. Keep up the great work and videos.

[@rknight7509]

Excellent Kim log Wade put me onto you😁👌

[@everestyeti]

Great update, your going to be able to deal with so much more on your mill. Exciting times. 👍

[@briancolmer7284]

I see your using a long reach end mill for general machining you will gain more reach on your Z axis by using standard length end mills also using standard length end mills will give you more rigidity resulting in a better finish. Also if you haven’t got one a edge finder or wobbler is very handy for milling projects

[@CalamityKim1]

The chuck that holds that tool only holds ones with a thread on the end. I didn’t have any other. So I couldn’t do anything about it until I made a nee drawbar.

[@nomadictrucker]

You clever sausage, I'm always so proud of everything you do. Keep being you xxx

[@sweetpeaz61]

Good job Kim, to gain extra height you can take the vise of the rotary base .that will gain you an inch or so

[@finlay230]

the PCD function is awsome, great vid and excellent channel, cheers

[@dustymiller7758]

Great work Kim. Fantastic improvement, well done.

[@bostedtap8399]

Great addition to the mill and shop, nicely installed 👌. New subscriber, having a nosy. Best regards from the Black Country UK. John.

[@CalamityKim1]

Thanks for the comment and welcome 😁

[@cheechU38K]

Bit of a fiddle but you done well 👌🏼 XYZ built in is better though the cost 😢

[@alfadoofus]

You make that look easy and explained it very well. 👍

[@CalamityKim1]

I try haha, I cut out the thinking stage 😁 the Z axis took a bit of working out. It came out well though.

[@herval307]

Stay to motorise the 3 axes!!! :)

[@JonDingle]

Very interesting stuff melady. I wonder, would melod be more useful with a DRO fitted or would he become like C-3PO?

[@CalamityKim1]

We could try I guess haha 😆

[@charleshart6992]

Another excellent video

[@ibelieveican3138]

I can't wait to find out what that machine does.😊

[@jix177]

Great upgrade. Nicely done.

[@Peter-xm6ve]

Spot on young Lady 👍👍

[@AndyHumberstone]

Keep the videos coming Kim I have cancer and your videos are always good to watch and they are very helpful

[@CalamityKim1]

I’m really sorry to hear that. I hope things improve for you.

[@whitestream5233]

Excellent job Kim , really well thought out and done. That's a going to be a good milling machine now you have fitted the digital readout.

[@CalamityKim1]

Isn’t it just! I’m really pleased. I could do with putting one on my lathe at some point.

[@aidanwalsh5464]

great job Kin get mucker to bolt the bender to the ground , instead of scratching his bum.

[@johnd7288]

Kim another great video ! Job done well looking good !

[@peterfarbrace3604]

Great job - well done 👍

[@russellnixon9981]

Very neat installation, Love the way you look at something and think I can improve this, the mind of an engineer Looking forward to seeing what you make with it. PS Production has improved, much better use of the tripod, although I missed the inclusion of cutaway clips .More minions please 11K already wow.

[@CalamityKim1]

Thanks Russell. My new camera has helped improve things as well. It’s got really good stabilisation.

[@oskarbud525]

Nice little mill, well done.

[@65cj55]

Nice install, you will use that heaps doing bolt circles and other jobs, i find the ER Collet Blocks better, you can put the job right through them..

[@jonkeighley2617]

Great job should be proud of what you have achieved. Linear scales are normally a piece of glass with lines etched onto them as the axis moves the glass scale moves past the pickup and the pickup see them an and sends an output up the the box which then coverts it into the number you get on the readout. Very simplified explanation but it gives you an idea. That’s how the ones at work function anyway. The DRO looks a nice tidy system with lots of nice functions. Using the radius function I would imagine will take a bit of practice as you will have to move the x and y axis together. Great video keep up the good work.

[@CalamityKim1]

Thanks for that Jon. It would be interesting to strip a broken one and have a look how it works. The radius function works like steps. So there would be many small step along the radius. It’s not to try and actually fully mill a radius with two axis at the same time like you said. Hopefully that makes sense. 🙂

[@jonkeighley2617]

If only I would have known, we had one in bits the other week because the glass scale had got scratched and stopped working correctly. To be honest there is not much to see.

[@paulg9483]

Excellent video Kim, very informative for a hobby engineer.👍take care and stay safe.

[@fredfarnackle5455]

Nice work, someone who is not afraid to have a go at something. Well done. Subscribed.

[@CalamityKim1]

Thanks Fred 😁

[@codprawn]

I find a DRO essential on a mill but less so on a lathe.

[@RolandElliottFirstG]

DRO's are great.

[@fhwolthuis]

Wel done, Kimberly. I don't grasp half of it but it's vey impressive 😃💪🏼

[@CalamityKim1]

Thanks you, that makes two of us 🤣

[@stevec8064]

Remove the swivel base and clamp the vice straight to the table. This will gain both height and rigidity. It can always be put back on if needed.

[@CalamityKim1]

I did say about that I think but the vice isn’t great. I’m going to look for a new one.

[@stevec8064]

Sorry, I missed that bit.

[@minimanjos84]

Nice work, good clean install. Where did you get it? I'd like to treat my old mill to a DRO as well.

[@CalamityKim1]

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313566618827?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=1qtokvrusjq&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=2gbeag_rtoo&var=612390765759&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY This is the one I bought. It adds up with the scales but it’s worth it.

[@petem6291]

Kim you do nice work , If I had a Magic bender would it prevent me from bending the piece in the wrong direction or putting it in the machine up side down ?????? you did said it was Magic ???

[@CalamityKim1]

I can confirm that it doesn’t do that 🤣 I wish it did.

[@ronniehoyle9671]

Great video 👍 What make is the dro screen and where did you get it from? I need a z axis and I like how your dro screen works, it's alot easier than mine that I have fitted on my bridgeport (a few years ago).

[@CalamityKim1]

Hello, sorry for the delay, I got it from eBay, there’s a link in the comments on someone else’s comment. Hope that helps 😊

[@joschmoyo4532]

So it's kind of like a digital vernier calliper ? I could use a simple one for my thicknesser. I wonder if you can get them for that. Nice one Kim. Such a resourceful young lady. Most impressive.

[@CalamityKim1]

Yes basically. You can buy more basic readouts as well. And if you wanted you could use just one axis. These can be fitted to anything really. They’re just generic, you just need to be able to make it work 😁

[@joschmoyo4532]

@@CalamityKim1 Excellent. Thanks Kim. Love the channel. Very grounded, very English. No hype, just good honest practical demonstrations. Solid.

[@davidmonk3024]

Nice work Kim👍did you get Dro from uk.looking to get one for my warco gear head mill

[@CalamityKim1]

Hi David, yes I got it from fleebay. I shared a link to it in one of the comments.

[@acooper4482]

Just purchased a vm30 mill awaiting delivery how are you getting on with it? What specs were the oil seals, what are its overall dimensions

[@CalamityKim1]

I love it. I’m not sure what spec the seals were as I can’t remember now. It’s a great little machine though.

[@alanw9823]

You will soon need a bigger shed