# Sino DRO?



## StrikerDown (Jan 26, 2010)

Do any of our Sino DRO users know how to change the readout to show fewer digits after the decimal?

I really like the DRO. But four digits (ten thousandths) would be great but it came displaying 5 digits (Hundred thousandths) and while it's ok it is kind of distracting having the 5th digit flipping by so fast! It's not like I can hit that accuracy any way!

I think it is one of the resolution settings but the Chinglish manual is kind of hard to deal with and I don't want to mess it up!

Also, Shars has the Sino DRO kits available, and I was thinking my RF-31 could use the upgrade. Has anyone put a 3 axis on their Rong FU?

Really curious if the Z axis will work since it needs the most help, or if I should stay with a 2 axis and add one of those cheepie digitals shars has.


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## wquiles (Jan 26, 2010)

I did the same, changed it from 5 digits down to 4. I actually feel 4 is the right number since the glass scales jump in 0.0001 to 0.0002 increments, so having 5 digits is complete non-sense. My manual for the SINO on my lathe showed how to go from 5 digits to 4. Send me an email (in my sig) and I will send you a scan of the two pages that show how to change the setting.

Will


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## gadget_lover (Jan 26, 2010)

It is part of the "Setting of System" as listed in page 2, section 2, subsection 10 "chosing precision of calculation".

In essence, you turn on the power and press the period '.' key while it's self checking. That puts it in setup mode.

You then step through the settings hitting enter followed by down arrow till it displays 'CTR'. enter the number of digits to the right of the decimal (3,4 or 5).

Arrow down twice, then period and you should be done.

Daniel


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## StrikerDown (Jan 26, 2010)

You guys are the best, Thanks.



Edit:
Should have waited until I was not so tired I messed something up. Is there a reset somewhere? 

Tomorrow!


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## gadget_lover (Jan 27, 2010)

I think you have to turn off the power and remove the battery backup to reset. There may be a magic key sequence, but I don't know it. If you still need hhelp tomorrow I can read off my settings to you.

Daniel


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## StrikerDown (Jan 27, 2010)

Will, thanks for the page, we do have the same manual.

Daniel,

I was getting hung upon pg 2 setting axis resolution (for X & Y) Still don't understand what that is trying to convey but I will return it to default setting 5 and see if that helps and then proceed to page 4 choosing precision.

Also I stumbled across this this morning:
look on the last printed page #106, under the section heading "Additional instruction for The Function Calculator Function:"

Whatch think?


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## gadget_lover (Jan 27, 2010)

Axis resolution is how many pulses it gets from the scale. I don't remember the correct setting for .0002 resolution.

Daniel


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## wquiles (Jan 27, 2010)

My understanding is that the resolution is dependent on the actual glass scales are using - you just get to decide how many digits to show in the display. That is why I mentioned that the readout at 4 digits past the decimal point changes by 0.0001 to 0.0002 - that is the best you can spec from the glass scales that come with this SINO kit.

I recently played with the linear compensation mode - to make the measurement shown on the display match better to a real measurement (done with micrometer more accurate than the glass scales). It is not perfect, but now it is much closer than before - makes using the DRO even more convenient now


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## StrikerDown (Jan 27, 2010)

Will can you elaborate on what you did in the linear comp mode? :wave:

Edit:

Also, what do you think about putting one of these on my RF-31. Shars has the 3 axis for around $670, 2 axis is $449. I know how much better having the DRO will be, Wondering what you think of the feasibility of installation, primarily on the Z axis.


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## wquiles (Jan 27, 2010)

StrikerDown said:


> Will can you elaborate on what you did in the linear comp mode? :wave:
> 
> Edit:
> 
> Also, what do you think about putting one of these on my RF-31. Shars has the 3 axis for around $670, 2 axis is $449. I know how much better having the DRO will be, Wondering what you think of the feasibility of installation, primarily on the Z axis.



Example: 
- Take a 2" inch round piece of aluminum
- Get the surfaced turned evenly and carefully measure the OD with a micrometer, preferably to 4 decimal places - make sure you leave the turning tool X axis intact.
- Enter the diameter you measured in the DRO as the new value for X
- turn the diameter down by 1/2" or 1.0".
- carefully measure the OD with the micrometer
- compare to the dia shown by the DRO. It will "likely" not be "spot on".

You can then take the DRO value and the micrometer value to "adjust" or compensate the measurement by the DRO, thus in the future the difference between actual and displayed will be much closer. Unfortunately the manual for this adjustment is very complicated, it has to be done while in metric mode, and you always have to do it with a 2x multiplier - like I said, very confusing, but it does work 

Will


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## gadget_lover (Jan 27, 2010)

StrikerDown said:


> Also I stumbled across this this morning:
> look on the last printed page #106, under the section heading "Additional instruction for The Function Calculator Function:"
> 
> Whatch think?



That's the same thing that is on page 4.

Dan


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## gadget_lover (Jan 27, 2010)

StrikerDown said:


> Also, what do you think about putting one of these on my RF-31. Shars has the 3 axis for around $670, 2 axis is $449. I know how much better having the DRO will be, Wondering what you think of the feasibility of installation, primarily on the Z axis.



I've seen some examples of the same scales used on an RF model, but not sure if it was a rf-31 or 32.

Which Z are you worried about, the head or the quill? The head may be hard to do, since the head rotates as well as moving up and down. If you flex the scale it will not be accurate and may break.

Putting the glass scales on the RF quill can be done, but the scale is bulky and requires some brackets to make sure it clears everything. A 4 inch travel scale will be around 8 or 9 inches long.

The stand alone quill dro is much better than just counting the handwheel turns, but you don' get the fancy SINO dro functions like cutting slopes and things.

Daniel


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## StrikerDown (Jan 28, 2010)

Will,
You make it sound simple! 

Daniel,

Just the quill, There is nothing precise about the head elevation! Of course I can't say there is much precision to the fine down feed of the quill either! That is why it needs a DRO. The X and Y are nice and tight but the z has so much backlash and is so loose you seldom know where it's at. At least with a DRO sampling directly off the quill the only thing left to chance is the bearing end play and that isn't too bad. I should probably just go with the small stand alone on the quill to get by until I can upgrade to a knee type!

I got home too late tonight to play with the Sino, maybe tomorrow.


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## wquiles (Jan 28, 2010)

StrikerDown said:


> Will,
> You make it sound simple!


Making the change from the default 5 decimal digits is easy. Understanding the manual and actually getting to do the linear compensation was hard by comparison - very time consuming because it is "not" straightforward :shakehead


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## johnnylwhite (Feb 12, 2010)

wquiles said:


> Making the change from the default 5 decimal digits is easy. Understanding the manual and actually getting to do the linear compensation was hard by comparison - very time consuming because it is "not" straightforward :shakehead


 
wquiles, GREETINGS from TEXAS!

It may be easy but I have not been able to do it on mine yet! I followed the instructionsb but it does not change from 5 to 3!

Any ideas???

Thanks,

Johnny
CC, Texas


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## StrikerDown (Feb 12, 2010)

johnnylwhite said:


> wquiles, GREETINGS from TEXAS!
> 
> It may be easy but I have not been able to do it on mine yet! I followed the instructionsb but it does not change from 5 to 3!
> 
> ...



I haven't been able to either. When following the above procedure it only changes the calculator (CTR) function from 5 to 3 places after the decimal.


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## johnnylwhite (Feb 12, 2010)

Ray,

I am like you, I simply do not want to see 5 decimal places in my basic screen!

I contacted Sino but they have not been any help yet.

I found that 2 NEATLY cut pieces of electrical tape work real well....LOL


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## StrikerDown (Feb 12, 2010)

:twothumbs I am not exactly stupid (other opinions may differ!) but the Chinglish owners manual leaves a lot to be desired.  It is written as if you already know how the device operates. Too much assumin goin on!


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## gadget_lover (Feb 12, 2010)

The other problem with the manual is that it has pictures of the function keys next to the description of how they are used, but the picture is too small or blurred to read. 

Sometimes it's a process of elimination. Once I figured out what 5 of the keys where, the others where easier to guess from those that remained unknown.

Daniel


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## StrikerDown (Feb 12, 2010)

Daniel/ Will,

When you are just doing normal cutting like move the tool (or edge finder) in to find an edge, zero, make a cut and so on, what does your DRO normally say it's function mode is? (ALE, CRT, etc.)


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## wquiles (Feb 12, 2010)

johnnylwhite said:


> wquiles, GREETINGS from TEXAS!
> 
> It may be easy but I have not been able to do it on mine yet! I followed the instructionsb but it does not change from 5 to 3!
> 
> ...






StrikerDown said:


> I haven't been able to either. When following the above procedure it only changes the calculator (CTR) function from 5 to 3 places after the decimal.




Unless your units are different, you can access the setup menu right after the units powers up. During those few seconds while it is doing the internal testing is when you can access the menu to change the displayed resolution. Once the DRO fully powers up the option/chance is gone. Are you guys perhaps waiting a tad too long?


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## wquiles (Feb 12, 2010)

StrikerDown said:


> Daniel/ Will,
> 
> When you are just doing normal cutting like move the tool (or edge finder) in to find an edge, zero, make a cut and so on, what does your DRO normally say it's function mode is? (ALE, CRT, etc.)



ALE is what I see there on mine. But under the X axis I also see SEL or nothing depending if I am on diameter mode or radius mode.


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## johnnylwhite (Feb 12, 2010)

No sir, 

I am going thru the setup process and it was my understanding that the "resolution" setting was based off of the scales precision. 

I have been adjusting the "ctr" function from 5 to 3 and nothing changes. 

I just want to see 4 decimal places instead of 5 on my basic screen....it drives me nuts! Like I said earlier, some electrical tape has solved the problem for now! 

Thanks for you replies!


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## wquiles (Feb 12, 2010)

As soon as you turn the unit ON, while the unit is doing the self check, press the "." or decimal point button. It then goes into the "setting mode". The first one is the X resolution, and then it goes with the other ones. 

Here is the first few pages of my manual where it shows what I am saying ...

Will


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## StrikerDown (Feb 12, 2010)

wquiles said:


> As soon as you turn the unit ON, while the unit is doing the self check, press the "." or decimal point button. It then goes into the "setting mode". The first one is the X resolution, and then it goes with the other ones.
> 
> Here is the first few pages of my manual where it shows what I am saying ...
> 
> Will



That is what I have been doing and it does not change the number of decimal places of the DRO read out. It does however change the number of decimal places when you enter the calculator mode (CTR).


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