Installing a Dro-Pro’s Digital Read Out on a Monarch Model K Lathe

[@GeorgeWMays]

This is so cool. I love watching your projects. Comparing my tools with yours, I have the Stanley tape measure and the Craftsman screwdriver. I guess I still need a lathe, a mill, a metal chop saw, and a set of taps. Other than that I'm ready to go. Thanks again for a super good video. It is much enjoyed and appreciated.

[@AlwaysSunnyintheShop]

Keith I'm going to have to protest this video. That should have been a much more stressful process that you spent months thinking about and making every little thing perfect. Oh wait, maybe that's just me. Looks like a great kit! ----Aaron

[@eockuly]

Aaron, your lathe is prettier than Keith's, so a lot more thought had to go into yours to keep it pretty...but if that is the actual case with installation, my DRO should only take 2 and a half minutes to install...LOL...yeah right...I'll over think it also, and it will be 2022 before it is finished!!!

[@WoLpH]

I love the contrast between the extreme precision of the auto-collimator and the repeat-o-meter in the last video and the "wing it" approach here

[@littleworkshopofhorrors2395]

"Appropriate " is the word that comes to mind.😏

[@elcheapo5302]

That Monarch is such a beautiful machine.

[@mkegadgets4380]

I have been wanting to add a DRO to my lathe, for years. After watching this video, I have to confidence to do it myself. Thanks.

[@jonunya3128]

got to say that I liked watching you use the micrometers/dial indicators/calipers. the dro will be a big plus for sure but I did love the old school method..

[@melgross]

Yup. I saw that issue from the beginning. I was expecting that it would be seen before he started to make the mounts. The problem is that when you’re not completely paying attention, because you’re doing two things at once (doing the project and doing a video explaining it at the same time) you don’t have the full concentration you would have if you were just doing the project. It happens to me too when friends are over, and want to see what I’m doing, which means I have to explain it, and sometimes, redo some of it. I just finished adding a three channel DRO to my mill (not a Bridgeport). It was a lot of work. Now I’m going to take the older readout and put it on my lathe, so I sympathize with the effort here. My lathe has a taper attachment, so it’s a bit of a pain to mount the readout head, just like here. I’m mounting the head to the bottom of the attachment. There’s room on the taper bracket itself.

[@stxrynn]

I had put everything together to do EXACTLY what you said here... Then an injury brought last year to a dead stop. Just now getting back in the swing of things. Thankfully, it wasn't a shop related injury.

[@melgross]

@@stxrynn oh heck, I sure appreciate that! I was just getting back into welding a bit over three and a half years ago. I have a bad habit of going all the way on things when I decide to get involved. Six months later I had a heart problem, thankfully warned by my Watch. I went to the ER. I spent about a year before I was told I could get back to my shop work, which, of course, involves moving heavy objects. As soon as that was ok, I got a torn retina, and guess what? No activity like that for another year! So for anything serious, it was almost two and a half years before I could get fully back into the swing of things. I’m trying to catch up with that 2.5 years of lost time.

[@stxrynn]

@@melgross We must be twins. Retina issue mid '19 cleared in Jan '20, injury in April 20, and just getting back in the grove. If we lived closer, gravity would double, and we wouldn't be able to move!! Man, I hope we are done with the limits and can finally get back to busy like we want. Take care bud!

[@melgross]

@@stxrynn good luck!

[@chadgdry3938]

I am always impressed and so happy that I found your channel. I will never have the ability to set up a shop so I live vicariously through channels similar to yours. There are no other channels like yours. Thanks for sharing.

[@skunkygrogan4247]

I appreciate the effort you took to record and edit these videos.

[@leehound]

Every lathe video you've made, I would always tell you to get a DRO. You finally listened! It will make your lathe time so much easier. Welcome to modern machining. Next purchase: CNC

[@ralphnorman4636]

The only lathe i ever used was in my high school shop. dont know about now but in the 70sno dro was present. thanks for the lesson.

[@bruceanderson9461]

You will need to add a bumper on either the tail stock or the carriage to keep the scale protected. I used a plastic piece used as a foot on let’s say a tool cabinet on mine with a spacer to get the minimum separation needed. It’s easier to do it now than after the scale is bent😢😉. I have acuride glass scales that have the disadvantages of not being able to change length but they are much smaller dimensionally which can be a huge advantage and this was the case for me especially when I put a scale on the compound. Thank you for the video and you are right it is easier on newer lathes with machine surfaces. I did have to machine a flat surface for the reader head with my router which worked great until it grabbed the rag I had in place to catch the cast iron chips. Let’s say it got very exciting for a minute🤷‍♂️. Live and learn.

[@petes8849]

I would like to see more detail on how you handled the cable movement between the moving carriage & the panel.

[@chuckm6592]

Was confused this morning. Usually wake up on a Friday morning and see a new video from you, thought maybe it was only Thursday. lol

[@d00dEEE]

The joys of being retired... "Honey, what month is it again?"

[@jeffanderson1653]

Looking forward to watching you giggle out the DRO set up. I have the same unit on my mill. Love it! The lathe needs one too.

[@outsidescrewball]

Nice upgrade!!! You will need to put a positive stop on your tailstock body to bump the carriage to prevent scale damage.....glad to see the vice jaws, thanks for the shout out....atb

[@loydsa]

Nice job as always Keith, thank you for filming and posting this. Best Regards Sarah

[@fxpestoperator5527]

You are Amazing Brother!!!!!!!!!!!!! Blessings, Keith

[@bobvines00]

Keith, without reading the (as of now) 131 comments below, I have to recommend that you install a hard bumper to prevent the tailstock from smashing your cross-slide scale -- an inexpensive insurance policy for the scale & read head. Watching several different Content Creators install DROs on mills & lathes recently really makes me wish I could afford one for, at least, my mill! I'm sure that you'll love your new DRO installation, especially after you finish RTFMing and understand _everything_ your new DRO system can do for you. ;)

[@jamesdavis8021]

I love my DROs. I have a Mitutoyo KC 3 axis on the mill and a Newall C-80 on the lathe.

[@brucethom4957]

Keith, a suggestion for you, I have put DRO on at Least 6 lathes now. I found I highly prefer to put the readout directly on the carriage. This does two very important things for me- Always have the readout where I am working- and second, allows you to get the cable’s out of the chip pan and traveling with the carriage. Much tidier and less chance of having the bane of machinist - stringy chips- snag a cable and wrap it around a chuck I enjoy your rebuilding!!

[@stancloyd]

I had to mount the X-slide and pick-up on the left side of the cross-slide to retain access to the cross slide locking screw. Didn't use the grub screws. Used shims instead. I have a Z-axis readout on the tail stock quill.

[@andregranum7896]

Like the Monarch lathe, very beautiful.

[@billwilson7782]

Thanks, Keith. Great information.

[@mikewhitcomb6558]

I just put a DRO Pro's kit on my Bridgeport maybe 6 months ago, great product, but like you said, they don't just bolt on. The X axis was pretty easy and did bolt right on. The Y was a different story, try as I might I could not make the supplied bracketry work (at least the way I felt it should work) so had to fab up my own solution.

[@glenncpw]

Once you get used to it, would not be without it. Both lathe and mill have dro's. Good video on how to install.. Really needed I think.

[@kentuckytrapper780]

Great video Keith, keep'um coming..

[@donmittlestaedt1117]

Very good video Keith. Great details and cautions. I enjoyed it.

[@Toolman22364]

1998 I bought a NEWALL on my 18X60 brand new US INDUSTRIAL Lathe. Best DRO never any problems going on 23 yrs.

[@Caughtitoutdoors]

Wow! perfect timing. I just bought the same unit and will be installing it this Saturday. Hope to see some video's as you learn the functions.

[@williampeters3437]

Thanks for sharing Keith. Happy Friday!

[@porthose2002]

Very interesting video, Keith. Thanks!

[@keithmonarch447]

Keith this is fantastic. The Pro people have some great videos. I'd preferred to use the magnetic reader. Very nice 👌 to see someone using them.

[@honeycuttracing]

Just added DRO to our shop built mill, we went with the glass readers, price was main thing, these magnetic ones are cool and seem to be easier to set up, but as said we are building from scratch cause frankly we are on a non existent budget, we went checked out DROPROS.COM but their pricing is just out of our reach unfortunately, but we did 3 axis set on mill and besides making a couple custom brackets everything seems sweet, your channel and others gives us the confidence to do what what we do, want to thank you and we're looking forward to watching video when of new DRO in action!

[@bcbloc02]

I prefer the DRO on the carriage as it is easier to see and more useful to me that way.

[@kindabluejazz]

Yeah, I can see how that might be more useful if you're working down at the far end of a 15ft bed. 😀

[@gofastwclass]

@@kindabluejazz or you can use your pocket telescope.

[@Boyracer73]

This is relevant to my interests, thank you :) My setup is old Heidenhain VRZ, just to keep the lathe period correct...

[@MarcosRojas-m9l]

Felicitaciones por tu ayuda y gran didáctico trabajo, gracias colocaré un dro

[@johnferguson2728]

Thank you Keith. I’ve enjoyed and learned from all the Monarch 16 K videos. Was disappointed that you did not show how the “Z” scale was mounted to the bed.

[@coleenlofgren6385]

Im with old school in that you need a bumper on the tail stock so it won't hit the scale, otherwise looks great!! Mark

[@garthbutton699]

Very good presentation easy to understand. Thanks for the video😊

[@mrzon9344]

Rule of thumb Metric thread M4 x0.7 subtract the pitch from the diameter so drill size 3.3mm

[@CathyInBlue]

Fabricobbling par excellence!

[@petervisor]

You had me at “ millimeters”

[@kevinbrown1420]

I have a DRO Pros on my lathe. Love it!

[@charlescartwright6367]

I have four of them the oldest is about 15 years old and they have been trouble free. Plus Dro-Pros have been excellent to work with.

[@CraigLYoung]

Thanks for sharing!

[@douglasthompson2740]

Thanks Keith for this video. First one I have found showing the taper attachment and first time anyone has talked about the DRO in addition. Grizzly couldn't even give me a hint. I am hesitant to pull my lathe out from the wall as there is little room where it is at if I had no chance to mount one to it. Now I think I see a solution. Merry Xmas and Happy New Year to you and yours.

[@TrPrecisionMachining]

very good job..thanks for your time

[@aserta]

I forgot how pretty this lathe was.

[@elsdp-4560]

THANK YOU...for sharing. Great project.

[@honorharrington4546]

I hope it is easier to read in person or else I would suggest tinted covers over the display numerals.

[@DerLaCroix1]

Metric drill sizes are easy. M-number minus thread pitch. M4x0.7 - 3.3mm drill. You can go up like 5-10 percent of pitch size for easier tapping and still be within max core diameter.

[@millwrightrick1]

For inch threads the tap drill could be a number or a letter size drill. Charts are everywhere though.

[@oldschool1993]

You need to put a stop on your X axis read head mount to prevent the tailstock crashing into your scale.

[@shannongriffin4971]

Very good

[@wernerbraamskamp3279]

now keep it metric and in mm ;) good luck with the dro

[@bradthayer6782]

Ooh, that wobbling would drive me nuts. But great mod.

[@richharr]

I have cut plenty of glass scales. It seems to be a common misconception that you cant cut glass scales but its not that hard. Im sure there are 10 videos about how to do it

[@RPMechanics]

Awesome job!

[@gregdawson1909]

If this was my lathe I would put some sort of bumper to keep me from crashing my read head into my tail stock, sure the cool kids in the room never do that though..

[@mbbmidwest3556]

Yep..I was going to mention that too..just tap another hole for a bolt and jam nut to act as a stop.

[@patmcbride9853]

"We're gonna...whoops." This is why you can't be a surgeon. They say things like "Well, that's interesting." when they make a mistake.

[@thisolesignguy2733]

Not my Daughter's doctor lol. when he was birthing her, he broke my ex's water and it went sploosh on the floor. The dr went "oops!" and the nurse went "doctor! you're not supposed to say that!" my ex was so drugged up she didn't stop laughing for 15 minutes.

[@cannon440]

I hope those parts are made in the USA. I installed a chinesium DRO for $300 on my Reed Prentice it works fine. I installed a stop block (a bolt) In the carriage to protect the read head.

[@ShainAndrews]

Seems like a contradictory statement. He should buy USA... but for you China is fine?

[@TheKnacklersWorkshop]

Hello Keith, I don't have a Monarch lathe or plan to to install a DRO to a lathe but nevertheless I found this video interesting. Thank you. Take care. Paul,,

[@watomb]

Great little video thanks

[@catfishgray3696]

THANK YOU, GREAT JOB, GREAT VIDEO, [ NOW LET'S GO TO WORK...]

[@charlescartwright6367]

I think if you take the time to learn all the functions Keith it will spoil you. The only problem I have is that it makes it easier for me to get sidetracked chasing tolerances to excess just because it's there. I think we all tend to do that at times.

[@stxrynn]

black tape over the rightmost 14 digits. Works a treat.

[@charlescartwright6367]

@@stxrynn Should work😏

[@propulsar]

Nice one Keith!

[@kimber1958]

Thanks for the information

[@WilliamTMusil]

Hiya Keith

[@randomdude1786]

Hey ya I'd drill a hole in a Monarch for those mag scale's That Dro Pro's unit will last for years. The Sony and the Hiedenhain d" Be the others. Setting the +& -- Dia reduction and tool off set's . Love to see it. A sony J230 camera with the privacy filters set to cross hairs on the mill with it's own offset to use as a measuring microscope or to simply peck in points on a graphical unit like the acurite vue. For transfering drill hole's in a existing piece to a blank in a stop. I have the yuriy's toy's kit hoping the grahical display has like 99 point's duhnoh? sounds like enough

[@homeryoung7436]

Thought I’d missed you.

[@msheaver]

Toward the end I was wondering why he did not install the z axis, then I remembered that this is a lathe. Duh! LOL

[@TimothyGambino9085]

I’ve been a manual and CNC machinist for 30 and I’m surprised how little I know about how a lathe and mill is built and what makes it work . Just was involved in that I was busy making parts. I just bought 1960 leblond 13x46 lathe and I’d like to ask what’s the difference in leveling or taking the twist out. What’s more important?It has no broken gears and seems to work well

[@DeepPastry]

Haven't seen any DRO with a rail for the Taper Attachment; like an X^2 axis to read the taper set with the attachment.

[@rodritz8384]

Looks simple enough. Couple questions, How important is it that the scale runs parallel? You had a thou both ways, would say 5 thou change the readings? Also couldn't you have mounted the whole assembly out the back end? Say mount the head on the end of your taper attachment and mount the scale on a mount extending back from the cross slide? Would keep it further away from chips and tail stock interference.

[@fredclark4033]

The readout should help speed up the turning of work.

[@isbcornbinder]

Excellent

[@RobertKohut]

Nice!! You DRO (Did Really Okay).... LOL

[@radiohirsch]

Wonder if the compound can still swivel to the side? Looks tight at least...

[@drbrono]

Do you have to worry about smacking the tailstock into the reader and scale?

[@dd8pz]

Make A stable stop behind the cover of the scale to protect it.

[@samscruff5454]

I’ve set up dro’s on a few lathes at my work. Easiest fix is to drill and thread a hole next to cross slide reader for a bolt the right length to act as a bump stop for the tail stock.

[@dd8pz]

@@samscruff5454 That is A way where the bolt is not to thing.

[@samscruff5454]

@@dd8pz NO put the bolt down near where the reader was drill and taped and bolted on. I normally just added a extra larger threaded hole when drilling mounting holes for the reader that lined up to hit the tail stock.

[@johnshoureas1629]

Hey Keith, every time you turn your head to the right the volume drops . Maybe if the microphone is hooked to the middle of your apron, it would help the audio.

[@47vulcanride]

Keith I love your vids and have for a long time...but I have to say, you need to get your wife to monitor your wardrobe ( to be fair this is the first time I've seen this) . I am a guy too and I know us guys can easily overlook these simple ground rules of color coordination or whatever you want to call it. So I'll pretend this didn't happen and keep watching you as I always will. Just sayin...;)

[@Farm_fab]

Keith, could you show a side by side picture of the two DRO pros?

[@emilgabor88]

i have Dro on all my machine, Glass cheap scale, work fine.... But i have messure it befor i have bought them ... and buy what i needed.

[@willemvantsant5105]

Cut my glass scales to length, no problem.

[@darnice1125]

Why didn't you just offset the sensor and strip to the back of the machine so it would not be inline for possilbe tailstock damage. Does not matter where its mounted, just has to be in the same axis? Would it not also move it away from metal contamination on the magnetic strip from the machining?

[@AlbiesProductsOnline]

This maybe a stupid idea but I will ask anyway, with it being a magnetic system being used on a machine the is built to make metal chips won’t there be a problem with metal shavings collecting around the magnetic head then start gouging the scale and would that interfere with the accuracy

[@GerardoOntiveros10]

Ditto...was immediately curious about that.

[@barrygerbracht5077]

@@GerardoOntiveros10 The magnetic part is under the stainless cover (the shiny strip inside the alum extrusion). The read head floats about 0.5-0.8mm above the cover and has wipers. Larger chips would probably not stick in the first place (they haven't on mine) but would be swept off by the wipers. Smaller chips (dust) is either swept off by the wiper or harmlessly passes under the read head. Even if they scratched anything, it is just a stainless cover strip. The magnetic part underneath is bonded to the alu extrusion and looks like a fridge magnet. They are impervious to water/coolant and can't be contaminated by chips. The read head and scale are significantly more compact (smaller) than other systems I've seen, which is important when dealing with limited space, plus how far back your tailstock now sits since it can't get as close to the carriage as before. Some mount the scale to the chuck side for that reason, but that has its own hazards.

[@GerardoOntiveros10]

@@barrygerbracht5077 Awesome, thanks for the thorough explanation!

[@danperry3255]

From the camera angles it looks like the compound is going to hit that scale when you move it, or maybe it's just me?

[@dessilverson161]

Standard metric tapping size is easy. Diameter - Pitch = Tapping drill. 4 - 0.7 = 3.3 , not sure if it holds for fine and course though.

[@radiohirsch]

Even easier, no nead to know pitch: for normal metric threads tapping diameter is thread diameter times 0.8.

[@EDesigns_FL]

@@radiohirsch Your formula for determining tap diameter is very wrong, even for standard pitch. Des stated the correct method, and, yes, you do have to know the pitch.

[@dessilverson161]

@@radiohirsch that is incorrect. 10mm tapping size is not 8mm for instance, fine through to course is bigger than that.

[@altonwhipkey2411]

You are great with the videos,thank you Keith

[@SciPunk215]

good stuff

[@Jameson4327]

Sweet! If I may ask, can you put a DRO on the planer or is it even worth it. Speaking of which, how’s the planer coming along?

[@douglasthompson2740]

Did you have a taper attachment on your lathe which you had to work around with the scale??

[@glenntrewitt]

(cross slide) Would it have worked to mount the read head on the flat piece on the rear of the cross slide support? That would have let you mount the rail directly to the cross slide, starting right behind the bulge.

[@terry6131]

I have an import mini lathe, 11" swing and I dabble in engineering as a hobby. For years I kept being reminded that on a lathe a DRO isn't necessary. But a few years back I fitted a 2 axis cheapo DRO and it made such a huge difference to my lathe. Sure, I can't take abom cuts, but recently I was making a new big end bearing for a miniature traction engine and I was within 0.0065" of my target having crept up on the final size just with the DRO A last year I made eccentrics, short video here kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHOzenlnqsSem5I

[@rustyshackleford928]

Thank you. where did you get that apron? do you suggest one?

[@thomream1888]

Hi Keith - I'm not a machinist so I don't have a working knowledge of metalworking. Can you give me a rule of thumb for when to use cutting fluid and when it's not needed? Can you use it for everything, or just specific metals? Thanks.

[@FutopiaAD]

13:30 How I would go the extra mile to break a drill bit...

[@yasirwazir567]

You tied the cables, not sure how this will work when the cross slide moves few feets to the right.

[@ypopnun1003]

Nice Job Keith but no shop cats!!

[@kindabluejazz]

There's some kinda critter moving under the table on the left at 4:12

[@MegaRiffraff]

👍🏻

[@MrBuck295]

are the mounts going to be in the way when you need to adjust the compound

[@justinl.3587]

Has the drill for the metric tap, has no idea what diameter the drill is. Classic Keith 🤣

[@echoecho540]

Fun fact: for metric the drill size is just diameter - thread pitch. E.g. M3x0.5 use 2.5mm, M4x0.7 use 3.3mm, M5x0.8 use 4.2mm, M6x1 use 5mm etc. Works all the way up to M60x5.5 use 54.5mm drill.