If your machine is accurate enough (not worn out)
and had good geometrical alignment, then it could
benefit from a digital readout. If you have an older
and worn machine, just adding a DRO is a waste
because you can not really trust the numbers to
the smaller points of the decimal. In such case,
a worn machine is better with dials, because the
machine is not accurate enough in it's movements
to take advantage of the resolution afforded by the
DRO. I have used both. I have tapped the crank
handles on a Hardinge lathe with the white dials to
try and split a thousandth. I like it and it is fun.
For sure. But if you are trying to hold toolmaking
tolerance on a machine, make sure the machine is
good first, and give me a DRO.
An odd example of wanting a DRO is my Giddings
and Lewis HBM. It has ruled scales with Vernier
adjustable zero marks, and numbers on the axis
dials. To do a hole pattern on a workpiece, it is a
total pain in the azz. Much room for mistakes.
I will be adding a 4 axis DRO to my HBM just because
the cost of messing up a part is larger than the cost
of a DRO. Currently my Hendey T&G does not have
a DRO, but maybe some day.
-Doozer
