09-19-2012, 01:26 PM
OK, here's the Rockwell.
I've added the VFD (Hitachi - thanks, Ed!)and the DRO (Shooting Star.) I went back and forth about mounting the X DRO rail on the front or the back. I preferred the back, but I would lose some travel. And the front would have been a lot more difficult, and made it less convenient to get to the table stops, and the lock handle. When I mounted the 5" Kurt vise, though, it hung over enough on the back that I lost that travel, anyway. Problem solved.
Also, I replaced the stock handwheel handles (pressed in, with knurls, and they kept falling out) with larger, spinning handles. I had to drill out the holes, and use helicoils to fit the 8mm handle thread.
I've added the VFD (Hitachi - thanks, Ed!)and the DRO (Shooting Star.) I went back and forth about mounting the X DRO rail on the front or the back. I preferred the back, but I would lose some travel. And the front would have been a lot more difficult, and made it less convenient to get to the table stops, and the lock handle. When I mounted the 5" Kurt vise, though, it hung over enough on the back that I lost that travel, anyway. Problem solved.
Also, I replaced the stock handwheel handles (pressed in, with knurls, and they kept falling out) with larger, spinning handles. I had to drill out the holes, and use helicoils to fit the 8mm handle thread.