FULL CNC or DRO

[Gunther45]

you guys have helped me out before I got my X2. I have modded it only a little and need to know, CNC or DRO, I will eventually either way go FULL CNC with my X2. I like manual as well for milling especially because I am learning. My main issue is the Z is not long enough for my jobs, I don't think a X3 would have helped, and it was a pain to get the X2 up the stairs. I am going for a RIGID drill press ( I could go for a HF but I kind of like RIGID and for the extra $100 I am willing to go with it), I would like a better way of measuring depth though with my Mill, it is hard for me to get my calipers between the block ( that is never level, and the base of the head.
Please Advise, I should have gone CNC alreay but Money is preventing me from going full CNC MODs include, Motor Cooling, better,larger XY handles, Belt Drive, Better (IMHO)GIB screws. I like havinf the flexability of going manual but my eyesight is not all the great and the stock X2 stop sucks!

[Torsten]

Just be aware that a Dro will be a wasted expense if you decide to cnc later.
Are you planning to build your own Retrofit or purchase?

[Gunther45]

Just be aware that a Dro will be a wasted expense if you decide to cnc later.
Are you planning to build your own Retrofit or purchase?

I hear you on the wasted expense, but I am just learning milling, I use my Mill maybe twice a week ( time providing) , I have looked at a few kits, CNC Fusion seems expensive, but I hear good things about them , probably the 2 LMS kits will be the way for me though. Originally I thought it was going to be like another $700 to convert but now it seams like if you want it done right it is going to be at least$1200. Regardless of the CNC I still wnat manual milling, I know I can look at the screen, I just dont know when I will actually get it converted to cnc, and $500 for two years ( although I want cnc this year) is worth it for me.

[The Blight]

You can just buy some cheap chinese calipers and mount them on your mill. Should not set you back more then $100. Get those that update at least 50 times a second. I have one with a 3Hz update rate, and it sucks.

Converting to CNC is a lot more expensive and time consuming then you would think. You can go hunting for motors and a power supply at a scrapyard to save some money. You can also build your own drivers and power supply to save even more money. The problem is that it takes a lot more time. I have at least 50 stepping motors lying around here, and 20 driver IC's. All these I got for free. You can send a mail to allegro micro and ask for free samples. They have some good stepping motor driver ICs.

If you want to buy everything it will cost you. But in the end you know it will work.

[fretsman]

As the "Blight" mentioned above, the import digital scales can be handy and it would be a good way to get some machining practice for you by making some clamp and fixture blocks to mount them as well. I'm including some random ideas: