thegunny419
Plastic
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2006
- Location
- Texas
First, let me say that I am a totally self-trained, rank amateur machinist-gun butcher. I have never even seen a mill or lathe with a DRO installed on it. I live in a very small, isolated town in far West Texas so there are no examples to see.
I have a Smithy BX-288 mill (you’d think that even a non-mechanically inclined, economist would know better than that, wouldn’t you?).
I have just bought a Shooting Star BT-3 DRO that I need to install on the Smithy. (Incidentally, as was pointed out on another similar thread, Shooting Star’s customer service seems to be first class and they assure me that the unit is compatible with my machine.)
The instructions are OK but, obviously by necessity, very general. In fact and frankly, so general I really don’t know where to start. My particular problem is exactly where to mount the rack and head assemblies on all three axes.
The difficulty is likely because (having never seen one) I do not understand how the thing is supposed to work—e.g. is the readout head mounted to the moving part of the axis (table, cross feed, quill) and the rack supports attached to something stationary? Or is that vice versa? Or am I totally out in left field?
Good close up pictures of all three axes would surely help. Could anybody lead me to such?
BTW, this particular machine does not have a “knee” per se. Instead, the gear box-spindle housing is mounted on a support column that is cranked up and down. (I can send a diagram if that would help).
Thanks in advance for any and all help offered.
I have a Smithy BX-288 mill (you’d think that even a non-mechanically inclined, economist would know better than that, wouldn’t you?).
I have just bought a Shooting Star BT-3 DRO that I need to install on the Smithy. (Incidentally, as was pointed out on another similar thread, Shooting Star’s customer service seems to be first class and they assure me that the unit is compatible with my machine.)
The instructions are OK but, obviously by necessity, very general. In fact and frankly, so general I really don’t know where to start. My particular problem is exactly where to mount the rack and head assemblies on all three axes.
The difficulty is likely because (having never seen one) I do not understand how the thing is supposed to work—e.g. is the readout head mounted to the moving part of the axis (table, cross feed, quill) and the rack supports attached to something stationary? Or is that vice versa? Or am I totally out in left field?
Good close up pictures of all three axes would surely help. Could anybody lead me to such?
BTW, this particular machine does not have a “knee” per se. Instead, the gear box-spindle housing is mounted on a support column that is cranked up and down. (I can send a diagram if that would help).
Thanks in advance for any and all help offered.