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T7 with DRO (Digital Read Out) for Under $100

Started by BeSharp, July 17, 2022, 03:13:43 PM

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BeSharp

I dedicate one of my T7s for deburring with a 250mm felt wheel and a Frontal Vertical Base. A couple of months ago I built a DRO to read the FVB bar height. This allows me to quickly set the deburring height for most knives (+ 2 degree), for Global (15 + 1.6 = 16.6 degrees), for c!eavers, etc.

Parts List

IGaging DRO $50 CAD
Tormek XB-100 base $40 CAD
Drawer slide $10 CAD
1.5" x .75" aluminum bar stock

BeSharp

#1
First, the aluminum block is fastened to the FVB's XB-100 with two machine bolts. The top face is then machined flat with the top of this FVB. This becomes the reference surface for height measurements. I found some older XB-100s to have a rough edge (from casting?). The bottom is used to mount the top of the DRO scale.

The DRO reader (the black rectangular block) is mounted on the second XB-100. I had to machine only about .5mm off the XB-100 for a snug fit.

BeSharp

The DRO bottom scale is mounted on a drawer slide so the FVB can be pulled out to the cleaver position. (The orange tape is a visual reminder).

BeSharp

#3
I also machined a calibration block 38mm high. Placing it between my reference surface and under the Tormek guide bar (12 mm), the height to the top of the bar is 50 mm. I then zero the DRO. I then simply subtract 50mm off the DRO readings.

On a T7, the DRO readout just fits between the wheel and the T7 without rubbing. It doesn't move because there is a magnet built into the back of the DRO readout. iGaging sells two DRO versions, "Absolute" and "EZ View DRO Plus". I used the cheaper EZ View version (http://igaging.com/ez%20view%20dro%20digital%20scale.html). Accuracy is .06mm, which is good enough for deburring!

This was a trial so I used aluminum. For the next version I will probably use W-1 steel.

cbwx34

Clever! 

Years ago, when I first saw just a picture of a Tormek, with the AngleMaster stuck on the side, I thought that it was a way of "dialing in" an angle.  Needless to say, reality was different. :o

Your creation is one step closer to the dream....  :)
Knife Sharpening Angle Calculator:
Calcapp Calculator-works on any platform.
(or Click HERE to see other calculators available)

darita

Just wondering...is there a direct relationship between the height of the USB to base, with USB to wheel?

cbwx34

Quote from: darita on July 18, 2022, 05:40:00 PM
Just wondering...is there a direct relationship between the height of the USB to base, with USB to wheel?

Define "direct relationship".  ;)

If you mean is there a correlation between the two, yes.  Both come from the same base formula.  Here's an example how they relate...



But, if you mean, if the "wheel" measurement shows, for example, a 2mm increase, can I just raise the USB 2mm mesureing from the base?, then no, it doesn't directly relate.

Some of the calculators give both answers, for example TormekCalc, so you can see both.
Knife Sharpening Angle Calculator:
Calcapp Calculator-works on any platform.
(or Click HERE to see other calculators available)