Adding iGaging Readouts to A Grizzly G0704 Mill

[75Plus]

Several months ago I purchased a set of iGaging brand digital readouts to install on my Grizzly mill/drill a BF20L clone. I recently got around to installing them.

I was not impressed with the mounting hardware supplied so the first order of business was to design and fabricate what I think is an improved mounting system. My system is somewhat machine specific so it may not adapt well to other machines. These sketches show the mounts I am using.





Using pan head or button head screws the scales are clamped into the supports. The supports are designed to mount to the machine with one 10-32 or 5mm screw which reduces the number of tapped holes required in the machine. The one hole solution also helps in the alignment of the scale end to end.

The first scale installed was for the X axis. I used the existing dovetail nuts that had held the stops for the X axis to support the ends of the scale. The holes that had attached the fixed stop was used to attach the pickup head. This axis is the only one wherein the pickup head is stationary and the scale moves through it. The other two have fixed scales and moving pickup heads. As can be seen in the pictures the gib locks had to be extended to provide clearance for the scale. I used a couple of M6 X 50mm bolts that I cut the heads from and added over sized wing nuts to provide necessary torque when locking the gib. Not shown on the sketch for the X mount is the two tapped holes used for securing the cover. The hole can be seen in the picture. The cover/coolant guard is made from light weight ali angle. 1 X 1 X 1/16. It can be sealed with a strip of silicone caulking if swarf or coolant is a problem. The cover ends are mitered to reduce sharp corners. Here are the pictures of the X axis readout.

The DRO uncovered,



The read head and the extended gib locks.



Picture showing the mount with a tapped hole for mounting the cover,



The mitered corner.



Here is the guard installed.



Next came the Z axis readout. There was nothing special in mounting this one and swarf and coolant is not a problem in this area. Here it is securely attached to the column.



The Y axis was last and I got a couple of pictures of the mounting system before I bolted it onto the mill.





And here it is tucked under the table.



The only thing left to do is make a mount for the three displays and determine how best to route the connecting cables.

Joe

[Bernd]

You got me thinking about adding DRO's to my Grizzly mini mill.

Going to have to look into this after all the Christmas bills are paid.

Bernd

[Troutsqueezer]

Nice job Joe!

Best mod I ever made to my mini mill, Bernd. You'll wonder why you waited so long.

[DaveH]

Joe,

Nicely done 

Well shown 
 
DaveH

[cfellows]

Very nice job, Joe, and timely.  I just finished tearing down my Enco mill/drill, cleaning it up, and reassembling it with a new x-axis table nut.  I've had a set of the Grizzly DRO's setting on the shelf for close to a year and just decided to install them.  Your method of attaching the scales is elegant and perfect for my application.  I also like how you attached to the x-axis guard directly to the scale mounting brackets.

Thanks for posting!

Chuck

Edit:  Did you use one of the supplied brackets to attach the pickup head to the fixed stop holes?

[75Plus]

Chuck, rather than bending a dog leg bracket I used a thick piece of aluminum and milled it similar to the pictures. The one in the pictures was a reject due to thinning it too much where the pick-up set. The idea was to get the bracket and spacers in one piece.

[jabixby]

Thanks for the very useful info. I'm about to order my G0704 and will be doing basically what you did. I have a question: which iGaging slide lengths did you purchase? It looks like the X slide is a 24" model. Is the Y slide a 12" that was cut down to fit?

Jim

[mechman48]

Hi 75plus 
Thanks for the write up & pics;    I have the exact same DRO's bought here in the UK (under a different brand name) & was in the process of making mounts to suit my UK version of the Grizzly G0704 - WM 16 long table. Your pics will certainly help toward my set up process & has reminded me to alter the X axis gib screws to an alternative method of locking    .
Much appreciated.
George.

[Simon0362]

Hi All,

I added DRos to my BF20 mill (like a G704) when I purchased it - in fact I have never used the dials and since it is now converted to pure CNC, I never will (PS, anyone want a set of screws & handwheels?)

I was quite concerned with ensuring that the alignment of the main bar and the slide did not vary and either mechanically stress the unit or provide errors. I ended up solidly mounting the slide bars but used model aircraft ball and socket joints to attach the indicator unit to the bed. In this way, any mis-alignment is taken up by the ball joints and not transmitted through the slides.

The photos show how I use them - the version I have are a right angle threaded pin with a ball set into a plactic socket which is tapped. I joined the 2 sockets using threaded rod to allow for a little adjustment and made special brackets for the ball ends to attach to the indicator units.
Hope the photos clarify - I thought I had some better ones but I think these show the idea anyway.


DSC09605 small by simon0362, on Flickr


DSC09611 small by simon0362, on Flickr


DSC09610 small by simon0362, on Flickr


DSC09612 small by simon0362, on Flickr




Simon

[mechman48]

Hi all,
Have updated my WM16 with the DRO's that I mentioned in my previous post; I haven't used them yet per se, typical  ,  don't have anything on the go at the mo'. I have used the same fixing method as 75plus although haven't made any extra brackets, just used the existing X axis stops & the brackets as supplied with the DRO's modified with a bit of judicious filing to allow 6mm SHCS to fit thro' the end brackets & a modified bracket for the read head. Having ensured that all was levelled up & working when connected up with readouts I fabricated a bracket to hold the readouts at a convenient height from an odd piece of galvanised sheeting that I had saved (an old fire surround) so am looking forward to not having  to concern myself with leadscrew backlash / inaccuracy of the dial  . Only need to get hold of some ally' angle to provide splash/swarf protection for the X axis , the Y axis should be reasonably protected by the table..  .
Cheers
George

[modeler]

I found this thread through a search about the Griz 704 and want to say thank you for giving me ideas on how to mount DROs on my mill.   See picure of my mill so far



I'm now waiting for a retrofit belt drive kit.

If anyone is interested in the belt drive kit I'll review once I have it on the mill.

Jack