Sherline Products WETTROTH 8100 Quick Start Manual

The Digital Readout in the modern machine shop
Digital readouts are popular on full size mills because they
make the life of a machinist much simpler. They make
it easier to accurately set or change the table position
and eliminate errors caused by misreading handwheel
increments or losing track of multiple rotations. Now that
same convenience is available on tabletop size machines
with the availability of a D.R.O. (Digital ReadOut) for
Sherline mills. The compact electronics package and
clever backlash compensation feature were designed by
John Wettroth.
On industrial DRO's, a sensor reads a highly accurate
external scale. On Sherline's DRO, the sensor reads rotation
of the leadscrew. Because of the accuracy of Sherline's
precision rolled leadscrew threads and the short travels
on a machine of this size, this system makes it possible to
provide a DRO with sufficient accuracy while maintaining
a price appropriate for a machine of this size and cost.
The kit can be installed on any Sherline mill, regardless of
age and is very easy to use. Remember that the directions
of movement of the mill are referred to as the X-axis (table
side-to-side), Y-axis (table in-out) and Z-axis (spindle up-
down). The readout of any axis can be set to zero at any
time with the push of a button. As you move the handwheels
you can read the table position to three and a half decimal
places on the digital readout. It is not necessary to keep
track of the number of handwheel rotations to figure the
stopping point on larger dimensions. This will be especially
appreciated when cranking in "negative" amounts. Backlash
is compensated for by setting it into the unit's electronic
memory in increments of .0005". As a bonus, the package
also includes an electronic readout of spindle RPM at all
times.
SHERLINE PRODUCTS INC. • 3235 Executive Ridge • Vista • California 92081-8527 • FAX: (760) 727-7857 • Toll Free Order Line: (800) 541-0735
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Mill Digital Readout
Installing the D.R.O. components on your Sherline mill
The following instructions describe the steps required to
remove the existing handwheels and thrust collars and
replace them with the D.R.O. encoder/handwheel units.
It is suggested that you remove the headstock and motor
assembly from the mill to make it easier to install the D.R.O.
components. ("Left" and "Right" refer to the operator's
left and right sides when facing the mill with the X-axis
handwheel on your right.)
1. Move the table all the way to the left. This will limit
movement of the leadscrew and help center the new
collar.
2. Move the table all the way to the front toward the
operator.
3. Raise the headstock all the way to the top of its travel.
4. Using a 3/32" hex wrench, remove all three handwheels
by releasing their set screws and sliding them off their
leadscrews. (If your mill has resettable "zero" handwheels,
loosen the collar locking knob and rotate the collar until
the hole lines up with the set screw. Then use the 3/32"
hex wrench to loosen the set screw and remove the entire
handwheel/collar unit.)
5. Using a 3/32" hex wrench, remove the 5-40 screws
holding the thrust collars on the X- and Y-axis leadscrews.
Remove the collars.
FIGURE 1—Installing
the new thrust collar on
the X- and Y-axes
EXISTING SCREW
NEW COLLAR
SHERLINE
PRODUCTS
INCORPORATED 1974
SHERLINE/WETTROTH
P/N 8100 (Metric P/N 8160)
LEADSCREW SHOULDER
LEADSCREW
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