Digital read out

[Graham N]

Anyone got any experience fitting a digital read out to a table router? I have a Trend T9e and was considering adapting it with one of these:

DXX-HR Digital readout kit, Sturdy Durable 0-150mm Accurate Digital LCD Readout Scale for Milling Machines Lathes DXX-HR Digital readout kit, Sturdy Durable 0-150mm Accurate Digital LCD Readout Scale for Milling Machines Lathes : Amazon.co.uk: Business, Industry & Science

It seems incredibly cheap (and identical to more expensive models on Amazon?).

Cooments, advice, caveats gratefully received.

 

[Sideways]

If you want digital, wouldn't one of those inverted U shaped things with a digital depth setter in the middle be a lot easier and ultimately more accurate as you are measuring the actual position of the cutter ?
Also, you take it away during the cut so it won't gum up with dust.
It's a router, not a CNC...

 

[Graham N]

Thanks Sideways,
I have been using an older Trend gadget like that (ruler not digital). but at the moment I have to crouch down to turn the height adjuster under the bench and back up to check. I end up darting up and down at bench level to adjust and thought this might help dial it in. I am not worried about hyper accuracy, but if I can protect my knees and back that is a real plus. It would be better to convert the router height adjuster for through table use instead, but that looks like a significant job on the T9e. It requires accurate drilling, and I only have the Bosch drill press, PBD40. It’s fine for wood, but too much quill movement for the metalwork I think it would need, and it looks like parts might be hard to get too. If anyone has done this then it would be great to see how.

 

[Sideways]

I see where you're coming from
Above the table adjustment would be best if anyone can advise.
Otherwise a way to know the cutter's at the right height without seeing it while adjusting from below the table. I wonder if a tool height setter that beeps could be adapted but the digital readout makes sense.
Could you make a bracket to fit where one of the handles attaches ? That would be a robust point on the router body and probably has a threaded hole to accept a machine screw. I don't much like glueing things to the router body and the depth stop hole will be taken up with your fine height adjuster.

 

[Graham N]

Nice idea, thanks!, the only issue might be the length of bracket needed to reach round to where there is space for the reader to travel up and down. The handle is the fattest part so a bit cramped there, but a steel bracket would probably be stiff enough and easy to make. In this case the fine height adjuster is one of the pillars rather than on the depth stop which should in principle make it easy to convert to above table adjustment, but the baseplate, as with most routers, is a mess of reinforcing struts making drilling a beast, and the current adjuster is very firmly embedded in the caps, so I am reluctant to meddle. Agreed on gluing, feels like a recipe for disaster. Thanks for your help. Will be interesting to see if anyone has tried converting to above table use.

 

[Peter Sefton]

I have fitted and used a couple of DROs on router tables but my preference is the Snap Check as it measures the cutter height and can be used to measure the distance from cutter to fence (if the router cutter is high enough) Its sprung loaded and can be swapped for left and right handed use and can be used on a range of machine setting up.

https://woodworkersworkshop.co.uk/igaging-snap-check-plus-digital-height-and-depth-gauge/
My video show various uses for the Snap Check around the workshop.



The MiniMag is also popular with our customers.

https://woodworkersworkshop.co.uk/igaging-minimag-digital-height-gauge/
Cheers

Peter

 

[Graham N]

Thanks Peter, both excellent gadgets. Very elegant.