Re: Smithy 1324

--- In CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com, "Eric" <motomoron@y...> wrote:

> I just got a Smithy Granite 1324 with the Shooting Star 3 axis DRO
> set up.

Hi all,

I also have a 1324 and it has made piles of chips for over 3 years.
I am in the process of automating it and have done a few other mods
to bring it up to the level of performance that I need. Overall, I
have been real happy with it.

I actually do some production on it and needed some sort of DRO, so I
went the Chinease route. Found a way to make them fit and they sure
are nicer than dials.

The machine WILL be CNC before I'm done, even if it takes a bit of
tweaking.

If anyone is interested in my progress, p mail me, and I will get you
some specifics, including the pitfalls that I run into.

I too saw Smithy's attempts to CNC their machine. It seems that the
efforts were by a customer that didn't really spent the time to sort
it out. I feel that there is enough there to work with, and I'm
going to get it one way or another.

A friend of mine has a saying; "Why buy a well engineered solution
for $50, when you can do it yourself and spend a $100!" Sadly, that
is pretty much my motto on the first go around, but eventually, you
develop some pretty good skills, and may even offer a solution to
others.

M Rokus
mrokus@...