Bridgeport DRO

Steve@Advance · Jul 12, 2021

The ancient Accurate DRO on my Bridgeport Series 1 died.

Looking at the selection on Ebay, seems the price jumps from really cheap Chinese to way high name brand.

Scared of the cheap ones, found a Newall NMS300 for $1000. It has sealed encoders that run on a round rods, never tried that type but looks like a good idea, but looks like I might loose some travel on Y, don't want to do that!

Does that sound like a realistic price to pay? Got a Newall on the lathe, came with it about 7-8 years ago, no problems.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

timcasbolt · Jul 12, 2021

(quoted from post at 18:31:18 07/12/21) The ancient Accurate DRO on my Bridgeport Series 1 died.

Looking at the selection on Ebay, seems the price jumps from really cheap Chinese to way high name brand.

Scared of the cheap ones, found a Newall NMS300 for $1000. It has sealed encoders that run on a round rods, never tried that type but looks like a good idea, but looks like I might loose some travel on Y, don't want to do that!

Does that sound like a realistic price to pay? Got a Newall on the lathe, came with it about 7-8 years ago, no problems.

Any suggestions?l

Thanks!

Those $200 3-axis kits are just fine. Huge profit margin on the name brand stuff.

This post was edited by timcasbolt on 07/12/2021 at 04:14 pm.

K Effective · Jul 12, 2021

It probably depends on you accuracy requirements. I'm certain the Cheapest Chinese version would be fine for my stuff, but if you are making aerospace parts, spend the extra $. Other than trying to decipher a manual written in Americanese, the math functions I've seen on the YouTube videos all seem the same regardless of brand.

Steve@Advance · Jul 12, 2021

I don't doubt the accuracy of the cheapies, it's just a well worn old Bridgeport that does basic
work, nothing high tolerance.

I just want reliability, not something that will get chips in the scales and quit working or go
blank in a couple years.

I never use any of the fancy features, just the basic ABS and INC.

Maybe a cheap one will work... The boss is very leary of anything cheap! LOL

Thanks!

Steve@Advance · Jul 12, 2021

That's what I am wondering, is there really any difference?

I do like the looks of the sealed encoders though!

Haven't had any long term experience with the cheap ones.

Thanks!

timcasbolt · Jul 12, 2021

(quoted from post at 21:52:07 07/12/21) I don't doubt the accuracy of the cheapies, it's just a well worn old Bridgeport that does basic
work, nothing high tolerance.

I just want reliability, not something that will get chips in the scales and quit working or go
blank in a couple years.

I never use any of the fancy features, just the basic ABS and INC.

Maybe a cheap one will work... The boss is very leary of anything cheap! LOL

Thanks!

ost of them are made by Sino under several different brand names. Sino is a big company, and usually known for good products.

MF294-4 · Jul 12, 2021

I replaced a name brand that they would not support any more with a $500 one. Doesnt do all the fancy stuff but this is for a home hobby shop. Does everything I can do. I am the limiting factor. They would give me $500 for mine if I would buy a $2000 replacement. If it was for business, I might think about a name brand.

560Dennis · Jul 13, 2021

Suggestion , we would give Bearing Distributor s inc. our circuit board s from our TI plc s and others and they would repair them they had a source that did that all the time . Worth a try ,hope this helps

Steve@Advance · Jul 13, 2021

Thanks, I'll look into the Sino!

Steve@Advance · Jul 13, 2021

I'm the limiting factor too!

Never figured out what all that fancy stuff does!

Steve@Advance · Jul 13, 2021

If this was one of the good old Accurates, I would consider fixing it, but it's a later design that has give problems for a long time. I've had it apart many times reseating ribbon cables, it will work for a while and go back to it's old tricks. This time it went blank.

Kinda glad to see it go!

Steve@Advance · Jul 13, 2021

Thanks everyone!

I decided to go with the Newall MMS300. $876 + tax and shipping, might as well call it a thousand dollar bill!

It has sealed linear encoders that run on Thompson rods instead of the open glass scales. Looks like a better idea, time will tell!

John Garner · Jul 13, 2021

Just for the record, the Newall tubular scales are NOT solid rods. Instead, they are tubes containing a stack of what amount to high-precision bearing balls and a compression spring that holds the balls together. The readhead contains coils that electronically determine the locations of the scale balls within the readhead, and the control box analytically determines how far, and in which direction, the readhead is from the position of the most recent zeroing.

Newall scales and DROs have an excellent reputation for reliability.

Steve@Advance · Jul 13, 2021

Interesting...

Amazing what they come up with!

Never actually seen one, just assumed they were rods with a encoder rolling on it.

timcasbolt · Jul 13, 2021

(quoted from post at 09:47:06 07/13/21) Thanks, I'll look into the Sino!

heck this out: https://www.vevor.com/products/3-axis-digital-readout-dro-for-milling-lathe-machine-with-procision-linear-scale

Bridgeport DRO

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