9x20 Lathe X-Axis DRO Scale

Brackets, Scale, Alignment, Cables & Mechanical Linkages

9x20 Lathe DRO & Z1 Axis Scale.  9x20 Lathe Tachometer & SFM
RF-25 Mill DRO & X Y Z Axes Scales. RF-25 Mill Tachometer & SFM
Taig Mill  Taig Mill DRO & X Y Z Axes Scales.  Taig CNC Mill DRO  Taig Mill Tachometer & SFM  Taig Micro Lathe DRO

Brackets

¼-20 tapped mounting holes on the back of the carriage & the lathe bed (not shown).

10-32 & 1 (top, center) ¼-20 tapped mounting block.

L-channel mounted to block to hold & protect the scale from impact/debris.

A very sturdy structure.

Scale

Six-inch, vertical style scale mounted to L-channel; same scale style as the mill Y & Z scales.
I soldered a 100µF 10v tantalum capacitor across the battery leads of the scale.

6-32 drilled & tapped (50% threads for steel) in the cross slide table end.
This particular tap handle has a guide that mounts into the drill press chuck.

Alignment

Measured scale run out & shimmed as necessary. The reach of the 2" dial helped.

Cables & Mechanical Linkages

Brackets & connector rods (6-32 screws) shown for the X & Z1 axes scales.
The single pivot points of the connecting rods allow easier alignment & the
round rods do not snag debris as easily as flat surfaces.  Since the scale end
brackets are slotted, the vertical adjustment was easily achieved
by moving the scale to one end, tightening the mount nut then
moving to the other end & tightening the nut. The wires hang
off the bracket end which keeps them free to move with the carriage.
All cable plugs are held in place with a spot of hot glue.

Cross slide fully retracted showing how all the brackets clear each other.

Installed rubber washers on the scale linkages allowing a little floating to reduce the strain on the transducers.

The RF-25 mill's free-floating Z-axis design works so well that now all of my mill & lathe scales
are attached at only one end while the other end remains captured but loosened to allow floating.
This approach greatly reduces minor out of alignment induced stress on the transducer. This
design also helps to reduce DRO jitter as does a clean, de-burred transducer with NR capacitors.

9x20 Lathe DRO & Z1 Axis Scale. 9x20 Lathe Tachometer & SFM

Brackets, Scale, Alignment, Cables & Mechanical Linkages