[GrizHFMinimill] Re: DRO question
I installed remote-reading Igaging DROs on my SX2. They look very much like the ones in the photo you posted. The mounting scheme I used permitted the use of 3 12" scales so that's what I got....but later shortened the one on the Y axis to around 8" so it didn't protrude out so far in back.
I'm happy with how they work, but I had to put shielding braid around the cable for the Z axis. The motor puts out a lot of electrical interference, which got into that axis in particular, causing erratic readings. The X and Y sensors are far enough away that they weren't affected. I bought the shielding braid from Jameco. The interference issue is a known problem with this style of DRO.
I originally tried wrapping the cable with aluminum foil and then running a ground wire from the foil over to the mill frame (you have to ground the shield or it becomes an antenna for interference). That worked for awhile, but the wire connection became intermittent -- aluminum oxidizes pretty readily -- and the erratic readings returned. Using "real" shielding braid and soldering the ground wire to it solved that problem permanently.
Some folks have used shielded USB cables as replacements for the original ones, but they have to be carved down some to fit into the socket.
Mark
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Posted by: mark.kimball2@frontier.com
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