Fitting DRO scales on my Sieg SX3L Mill

**ruxu** · Dec 20, 2017, 02:12 PM

Already before I bought my Sieg mill I started to search for a small budget DRO solution originally for my Myford lathe. I stumbled on Yuriy Krushelnytskiy’s TouchDro Android app with a hardware solution using a Iteaduino BT Arduino based micro controller with Bluetooth connectivity, iGaging digital scales and an interface circuit between the scales and the micro controller. Familiar with Arduino this seemed the way to go for me.

Here are some pictures of digital scales used, the breadboard testing phase and the final electronics for the lathe. For the lathe the interface board is also fitted with a IR sensor input for reading of the spindle speed.

Fitting DRO scales on my Sieg SX3L Mill-img_0002.jpg

Fitting DRO scales on my Sieg SX3L Mill-img_0005.jpg

Fitting DRO scales on my Sieg SX3L Mill-img_0010.jpg

Because of other projects DRO is not yet fitted on the lathe but for the Sieg mill I made a second set of electronics and ordered three new iGaging scales with a length of 6”, 20” and 24” from Arceurotrade.

On the mill all three digital scales are fitted and protected from chips with 40 x 40 mm aluminium angle bars. A number of small aluminium brackets and spacers were needed to fit the reading head of the scales. For the X and Y axis the mill had already a number of M4 holes available. For the Z axis I had to drill two holes in the spindle head frame. The steel was surprisingly hard resulting in one broken M4 threading tap that I luckily got out after some trickery.

Fitting DRO scales on my Sieg SX3L Mill-img_1749.jpg

Fitting DRO scales on my Sieg SX3L Mill-img_1751.jpg

Fitting DRO scales on my Sieg SX3L Mill-img_1752.jpg

Ready made parts for the X, Y and Z axles.

The scale cables are protected with 10 mm black flexible cable sleeves. Attached are pictures of the final digital scale mountings. Running the scale cables to the enclosure containing the interface board with mini USB connectors revealed a surprise - the Z -axis scale cable was the only one fitted with a micro USB connector! I solved this problem by patching the scale cable with a piece of cable having the right mini USB connector in one end.

Fitting DRO scales on my Sieg SX3L Mill-img_1761.jpg

Fitting DRO scales on my Sieg SX3L Mill-img_1757.jpg

Fitting DRO scales on my Sieg SX3L Mill-img_1754.jpg

I made a quick mount for the 7 inch Android tablet that runs the TouchDro app by bending a scrap piece of stainless steel sheet to take a grip of the tablet edges. A swivel joint from my old Garmin navigator and a scrap aluminium pipe finalized the mount.

Fitting DRO scales on my Sieg SX3L Mill-img_1753.jpg

The Android tablet will also serve as a display for my Myford lathe DRO once I have time to fit the scales. The lathe is immediately at the right of the mill. Now when the mill is fitted with DRO it is much easier to make the mounting parts for the fitting of the DRO to the Myford lathe.

**garage nut** · Dec 20, 2017, 09:23 PM

Fantastic, can you mail me the Arduino code and could I usea normal Aduino 3 clone board?

**DIYer** · Dec 21, 2017, 02:09 AM

Thanks ruxu! We've added your Mill DRO to our Measuring and Marking category,
as well as to your builder page: ruxu's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Mill DRO by ruxu

tags: Arduino, DRO

**animal12** · Jan 24, 2020, 08:40 PM

https://www.yuriystoys.com/ it's all here

**Ralphxyz** · May 23, 2024, 11:24 AM

TouchDRO no longer supports iGaging DROs!

**nova_robotics** · Oct 27, 2024, 05:53 PM

Originally Posted by Ralphxyz

TouchDRO no longer supports iGaging DROs!

And the price skyrocketed.

**Ralphxyz** · Oct 28, 2024, 12:42 PM

I would not say skyrocketed $299.00 for the mill is not oulandish. The cost now is that $100.00 of DRO's no longer is supported.
You would probable spend $1000.00 or more just for 4 axis DRO's. If you needed a installer for the DRO's you could spend $5,000.00 total.

**nova_robotics** · Oct 28, 2024, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by Ralphxyz

I would not say skyrocketed $299.00 for the mill is not oulandish. The cost now is that $100.00 of DRO's no longer is supported.
You would probable spend $1000.00 or more just for 4 axis DRO's. If you needed a installer for the DRO's you could spend $5,000.00 total.

Originally the project grew out of an Arduino and very cheap capacitive scales. It was a homebrew diy solution and a lot of people had most of the components laying around. They it got a bit more expensive with MSP430 based PCBs that you could order, while still using very cost effective scales. Now it has grown into something else. The device itself cost more and you have to use more expensive scales. It's still a great solution, but it's not what it was. I'm probably going to buy the new version and upgrade to glass scales because while my iGaging scales have worked well, they are getting twitchy.

...people pay $5000 to have a DRO installed on a mill? Seriously?