Grizzly DRO for the G4003G

R

Ron Suttle

Guest
The question: Should I cancel my order for the Grizzly DRO and buy the Easson?

After having the delivery date for my Grizzly small gunsmithing lathe moved ahead for the third time, I started looking around. My first look was the DRO I had ordered with it. The recommended model was the H6095 http://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-Digital-Readout-8-x-36-/H6095 The cost was $675 and its accuracy was given as .0005.

I visited DRO Pro and looked at the EassonES10. http://www.dropros.com/EASSON Lathes.htm#EASSON_ES10-2L5_2_axis_Lathe_kit This unit was $599 with an accuracy of .0002. The salesman also said the Grizzly unit was made by Easson and the model Grizzly was selling was a couple of years old. The Easson ES10 is this model year. The Grizzly has a plastic housing compared to the Easson which has a cast aluminum housing. The salesman wasn’t that familiar with the functionality of the Grizzly so he couldn’t comment on any software changes which may have taken place.

The Easson $599 model only has a carriage travel of 31 inches, and if you want to upgrade to 36 inches it will cost an extra $206.
The Grizzly is a 12 X 36, does its carriage actually move 36 inches? If I decide to go with Easson, is it worth the upgrade to 36 inches? What would you do?
 
The manual says the carriage travel is 30.5".

ETA; I bought a borescope instead of a dro. I think a dro is more important on a milling machine.
 
Thanks. Crb.

I took a close look at the front of both units. The Grizzly has a lot more buttons on it than the Easson. I have no idea what they all do, but it looks like the Grizzly might do stuff the Easson will not.

Does anybody know of the functionality differences of these two units?
 
Ron Suttle said:
The question: Should I cancel my order for the Grizzly DRO and buy the Easson?

After having the delivery date for my Grizzly small gunsmithing lathe moved ahead for the third time, I started looking around. My first look was the DRO I had ordered with it. The recommended model was the H6095 http://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-Digital-Readout-8-x-36-/H6095 The cost was $675 and its accuracy was given as .0005.

I visited DRO Pro and looked at the EassonES10. http://www.dropros.com/EASSON Lathes.htm#EASSON_ES10-2L5_2_axis_Lathe_kit This unit was $599 with an accuracy of .0002. The salesman also said the Grizzly unit was made by Easson and the model Grizzly was selling was a couple of years old. The Easson ES10 is this model year. The Grizzly has a plastic housing compared to the Easson which has a cast aluminum housing. The salesman wasn’t that familiar with the functionality of the Grizzly so he couldn’t comment on any software changes which may have taken place.

The Easson $599 model only has a carriage travel of 31 inches, and if you want to upgrade to 36 inches it will cost an extra $206.
The Grizzly is a 12 X 36, does its carriage actually move 36 inches? If I decide to go with Easson, is it worth the upgrade to 36 inches? What would you do?
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http://www.benchrest.com/forums/search.php?searchid=1630086
 
Don said:
http://www.benchrest.com/forums/search.php?searchid=1630086
Click to expand...

Don, I went through all those posts, and was unable to find any answers. Thanks.

I know the more experienced guys don’t think the DRO’s are worth the investment. But I am inexperienced and think the DRO might help me learn to control machining accuracy.

In some respects, I believe modern tools can compensate for inexperience. As such, experienced guys can do remarkable things with old worn out tools. But that is for another discussion.
 
For doing barrel work, I personally don't think a DRO is warranted. Buy two good 2" (travel) travel dials with mini-mag mounts, and with some thought, you can do everything you need. There also has been a few posts that show using digital scales, that can do very well.

Now, for a mill, where stock work is done, it's worth it. You get into needing more "read" than a travel dial will give you.
 
Ron Suttle said:
In some respects, I believe modern tools can compensate for inexperience. As such, experienced guys can do remarkable things with old worn out tools.
Click to expand...


Mr. Ron Suttle, would you believe, that better the tool is the better the job is.

Mr. Ron Suttle, would you believe, that better the tool is the easier the job is.

Mr. Ron Suttle, would you believe, that better the tool is the quicker the job is.

Mr. Ron Suttle, would you believe, that experienced guys with old worn out tool charge you extra $$ for their extra time.

Con
 
Wayne Shaw said:
For doing barrel work, I personally don't think a DRO is warranted. Buy two good 2" (travel) travel dials with mini-mag mounts, and with some thought, you can do everything you need. There also has been a few posts that show using digital scales, that can do very well.

Now, for a mill, where stock work is done, it's worth it. You get into needing more "read" than a travel dial will give you.
Click to expand...
I will heartily second everything Wayne has said. I bought a DRO for my lathe (Shooting Star) and found (too late, I might add) that it was highly susceptible to oil damage. I got a dial indicator and mounted in on a clamp that attaches to the bed of the lathe and use it exclusively. Don't buy a DRO for the lathe would be my advice.
 
I will agree with several of the other guys that a DRO on a lathe is somewhat of an extravagance, but after getting used to having a 3-axis Newall C80 on my mill, I wanted a DRO for the lathe. Even though my lathe is only 3yrs. old and the dials are very accurate, the DRO helps me keep track of where I am while threading, boring, etc. Granted, it's not that difficult to do using the dials if you have a reasonable attention span, but there are often distractions - some of which pull me away from the machine for a few minutes - and it's nice to have the DRO to fall back on. Once you get used to having & using a reliable DRO on a lathe, you'll appreciate it enough to justify the expense.

Though going with another Newall C80 seemed like overkill for lathe use, Newall's scales & reader heads are nearly impervious to coolant & cutting oil, so I waited & saved for a year before investing in one. Have no regrets after a year of using it, either.
 
I have the Sino sds2-2L on my lathe. It's new, and I can't comment on it's quality or durability yet. However, one function that I think is going to be quite time saving and convenient, is if you wish to set up to cut a taper ( I have attachment). I haven't used this function yet, except to test the procedure, and I believe it will be an added bonus function for the dro.
 
Do any of you guys actually have experience threading with a DRO? How can you tell what the dancing numbers are saying? A Trav A Dial is best and a magnetic based dial indicator would be second.
Butch
 
Trav A Dial

Butch, I even have trouble keeping up with my Trav A Dial while threading. A guy can only look so many places at once, and I have a definite preference for watching my work. I try to put a small amount of oil on the barrel shoulder while threading, and cut a .050 clearance groove to the minor thread depth. I disengage when I see the threading bit start to pick up oil from the shoulder. This procedure does not allow for much looking away.

A few years ago, I would have throught a DRO a good answer to some difficulties I had. With a few years experience, I do not see the use for it on my lathe. One does reside on the mill.
 
I appreciate everyone’s comments. I know the DRO is a luxury. But as it stands now I am going to treat myself and buy one to go with the lathe. Which one is the question?

I made a mistake earlier in my first post that the Easson DRO had greater accuracy than the Grizzly. They appear to be equal. Grizzly advertises that their DRO has an accuracy of 5μm (which I understand is equal to .0002”), as is the Easson which advertises their accuracy at .0002. If I ever knew what μm stood for, I have forgotten it.

I thought that a DRO would be great threading into a blind hole. I also thought that with a DRO, you would only have to measure the diameter of your work once, and then watch your DRO to see when you get to the diameter you are looking for. Or cutting tenon or shaft length, or making repetitive cuts.

I recently installed a Wixey digital readout on my table saw and planer. Wow, it makes an incredible difference in the accuracy of these machines. I love them. They save me a lot of time in setup, and checking, rechecking, etc. I just wish I had bought them years ago. (I also make antique furniture reproductions as a hobby).

I want to bite the bullet now with the DRO, and not wait years down the road and say that I wish I had gotten it sooner. But I want to choose the right one, and get the most for the least. I don’t mind spending a couple of hundred more for a superior unit since there isn’t going to be a Brinks armored car in my funeral procession. I am retired, and I can’t take it with me.:D
 
Ron,
I don't think that you will be able to thread with a DRO. I sure as hell not try it on a blind hole. Just remember that for threading you are going to have to use something else.
Butch
 
Ron Suttle said:
I made a mistake earlier in my first post that the Easson DRO had greater accuracy than the Grizzly. They appear to be equal. Grizzly advertises that their DRO has an accuracy of 5μm (which I understand is equal to .0002”), as is the Easson which advertises their accuracy at .0002. If I ever knew what μm stood for, I have forgotten it.
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Ron,
The symbol is "Microns". A micron equals 40 millionths of an inch, or .00004".

Keep in mind that the lathe will not be any more accurate with the DRO, even though the readout will read to the ten thousandth......The machine is the limiting factor here.

-Dave-:)
 
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Dave Short said:
Ron,
The symbol is "Microns". A micron equals 40 millionths of an inch, or .00004".

Keep in mind that the lathe will not be any more accurate with the DRO, even though the readout will read to the ten thousandth......The machine is the limiting factor here.

-Dave-:)
Click to expand...

Thanks Dave,
It's coming back to me now :D, it has been almost 40 years since I learned it. It is nice to know.
 
crb said:
The manual says the carriage travel is 30.5".
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crb: are you sure about your information?
I downloaded the manual and it says the carriage travel is 24", and the cross slide travel is 6.25 inches. The Specification sheet has the same listing.

I canceled the order for the Grizzly DRO and decided on the Easson ES-10, the Grizzly was supposed to be the Easson ES-8. The ES-10 is a newer model and has an aluminum housing, whereas the Grizzly (ES-8) is a couple of years old and has a plastic housing, and costs $76 more.

I know sometimes there are misprints in the manuals. Does anybody know what is the correct information so I can order the right length scales? (I am inclined to go with the web sites manual)
 
From stop to stop mine will move 29 1/2 inches. It is possible to cut the splash guard so that the carriage will go a inch or so closer to the headstock. You could also remove the thread dial and get a bit more travel towards the other end.
 
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