For anyone following, I have a much easier way. After you remove the pickup and the yellow strips, you can pry the small bits of plastic by the scale with a small 90 degree pick. Mine were little 3/8" pieces (careful not to scratch or pry against the glass scale) After you get the bits out, the scale will just come out. (Make sure you mark it how it was installed, I put some black marker on edge.) Cut the housing with a cutoff saw, debur and clean. Mark the glass and score with a glass cutter, support it and snap it. (it was hard to score, but snapped easy. Put the glass back in and using a small putty knife, press the little plastic rods in place. I had no idea on if I could find a 2.2 mm tap, but the screws made their own thread in the soft aluminum. Thanks for the video to get me started. Hardest part was getting the reader back in.

I cut the Scales just like you showed, and it worked👍 I had to cut 2 out of 3 Scales and I can’t believe it worked so good. I went in with a dremel and scored the Glass about 3/8” in from the cut, snapped that off and put glued the End Cap back on.

I have the same problem for the same reason. The dro has been sitting in a box for almost 2 years because I did not have the money or know-how to fix it. Now that I do I gonna find the box and get it done. Thanks so much.

Cannot believe that you can cut thin glass with a bandsaw or any other type of saw without it shattering. I would have used a Dremmel type mini drill with a diamond dust cutting disc fitted to cut the glass having cut the aluminium with a standard hack saw. But you show that it can be done so well done sir. Great video.

Thanks John. I have a beautiful German DRO with glass scales on an older lathe that I am selling. I wanted to keep the scales but they are much larger than the lathe I want to mount it on. Everyone and I mean everyone said impossible to cut. I too have nothing to loose so thanks for the video.

Hi John. I like many it seems got scales that were too long.. But inspired by your video I gingerly stripped mine down, which while it physically looks the same as yours it wasn't. The glass was parallel to the sides held in by small lengths of round rubber and some kind of adhesive in a slot. I removed the rubbers and gently wriggled out the glass and got it out intact. I cut it using a thin grinding wheel in a dremel type mini drill. When it put it all back together It all seems to work ok, I did use a 2 spots of hot melt glue at either end, but it semed secure without it. Just got to move the mill now to fit the scale behind the mill table. Regards from the UK

HI John, I hope you are well. I remember when this video was first published and made a mental note for the future. I just received my DRO with glass scales and the options were for scales that were 100mm too long or 100mm too short for my lathe. I went ahead and ordered the scale that was too long because I remembered this video. I haven't installed it yet as I am waiting for the weather to warm up a bit. Thanks for all of your great videos.

That was interesting John. Haven't seen it done with a bandsaw. I ordered mine a couple of months ago and I worried that was going to happen so I kept repeating in the order and subsequent emails that I was only giving travel lengths. I really stressed it as I was like you and very uncertain just what they were really asking for. After I got them and only after it became apparent they were going to add the physical length of the slide which explained the travel length "plus" dimension. I would think they would either hire someone who is conversant in the language needed or outsource it to someone in that country that can fluently speak the lingo. I can't believe that with all the smart people in China they have such a universal problem with communications and publications (manuals). Good video. My installation will have to await the finish of other projects higher on the priority list but I hope that it will go smoothly. Your fix is an ace in the hole and an alternative to the diamond wheel method. At any rate they sure beat the $1800 versions sold by the name brands. Take care. Doug

I just received my DRO and Glass Scales and have the same exact problem. I’m already puckering up just thinking about cutting them. But I guess it can be done. I hope I have as good of luck as you had. Thanks for Posting, you have a new Subscriber 👍

I picked up a new machine and had spare dro scales. 1 scale is about 5" too long. Much like you I had nothing to lose. I followed your method and braced the glass with foam. And it worked. The only issue I had was the glass stayed intact on the scrap side. On the good side I had a chip about 1/4" back. Just about the distance I need to grind back to fit the end cap. Thanks for giving me the courage to give it a go.

Hey Bud, So I watched your Video on cutting these Scales I have to admit I was very Nervous. But I bit the Bullet and cut it on my Bandsaw and I have to saw it came out perfect. Thanks for having the Balls to Show that it can be done. I'm just glad I only had one to do. whew

Hey John, great video. I had a similar problem with my Chinese scales but fortunately for me the X axis only sticks out about 1/4" past the ends and that was OK with me. Blocks the table drains but I don't use flood cooling anyway. Russ in Orlando.

Hello John, I just discovered your channel and subscribed. I'm a "one side" guy myself! Great video and thanks for posting!!

engineer intern in the garage. boss orders the same exact wrong way. To the band saw monday morning! Thank you very much!

THANK YOU...for sharing. Glad it worked out for you.

It did work for me as well although the glass did break a small piece off which has zero affect for me. Might’ve been a small 1/8 angle on it but the top travel side is still intact. It is actually the glass that rests inside the end cap. If you look they are suppose to be shorter so the cap can fit back on. Looks like I have more work to do.

it worked for me :) was pretty nerve racking

I got some scales that are too long so I had to search for someone who already solved the problem. You are a life saver. By the way I am in Houston where are you?

Cutting mine now will let you know how it works. Looks straight forward and I will still have enough extra if a small chip occurs.

John, Never knew those scales could be cut. I'll keep it in mind if I find a deal on some long ones that I can cut and fit to my lathe. Lonnie

A great bit of Texan courage there. I imagine the actual bits in the reader head that observe the glass scale are in a bit from each end, so a ratty end would not be a great deal?

Hi John, I just found your channel! I just installed that same DRO on my mill and I had to cut the scales too. I did the same thing as you did, just threw it on the bandsaw. You would figure that by now, Mr. Allure would have gotten that 138 mm right!

Haha, classic case of measure 3 times and cut ONCE!! LOL Glad it worked out for you.. :-)

What was the bandsaw blade's tooth count? It appears that you cut from the narrow edge instead of the flat side, I am planning of putting glass scales on my mill to have the high visibility display. Like others who commented, it is amazing that the glass didn't shatter cutting down from the edge.

You are right about confusing. I bought 1 and the guy on ebay (seller) said it would cost 200 dollars for me to send it back in shipping fees. Mine didn’t work so he just refunded my purchase.

By the way, us Texans are kinda like that. We get her done.

I ordered 2 Ditron scales for my lathe and they are too long. Thanks for the video. I'm like you, I have nothing to lose, so I'm going to cut one. Please, wish me the best.

sumting i seen done on a youtube clip was that the guy took the dro a part , took off one side then the reader , pulled out the dustprotectors , and then took the glass out (there some little pieces of rubber gleud in the valey to hold the glass in the aluminium frame he took the rubber pieces out working from the top with a dentist tool ) after he took out the glass he cut the aluminium the normal way and used a dremel tool with a daimond blade to carve the glass at the right length and carefully snapped it at that spot think its a good idea to do this at the side where it reads the highest number , the glass basicly has some reflective stuff printed on there that the reader detects so you do need to be carefull not to scratch it when you reinstall everything , he drilled and tapped the new holes for the end before he put the glass back in , made it a lot simpler ok cutting it on the bandsaw worked , it didnt cut the glass , it seems that the dro glass broke at the spot where the sawblade hit , its still a risk as the glass can break in a different direction or in the wrong spot

I meant to ask is the glass really glass or plastic?

Hey John, thanks for the video. I just bought the 3axis for my g0619 mill. Will be working on mounting the scales in the upcoming weeks. It's not clear to me if the red plastic shim/ shipping bracket that holds the read head steady on the scale is meant to be left in or taken out after installation. As we know , the instructions are pretty poor. Thanks for your help!

I ordered one and ten sets of linear scales turned up

John, Am I missing something but I cannot imagine cutting glass with a bandsaw blade without cracking or chipping the glass? Were you using any coolant? Thanks , Bill PS: Keep up the good work producing videos. Immanencely enjoy watching them.

What are tose 4 holes tapped to buddy?

Tell me where you can get class scales by measurement! Everything I see is fixed and not suitable!! Dr T Rowe

It looks like I will end up having to do this. What was the tooth count of the blade you used?

How fine is your tooth per inch configuration on your bandsaw?

Hi, I'm about to order the same set up as your d r o kit , I hate to ask a, silly question but is it real glass , when they say glass scale , I been an old school machinist a long time , my eyes are having a hard time reading those dials, so I'm going to have to do something, when I look on e bay the ads are bit confusing about d r o kit , thanks

It is possible, but do yourself a favor use diamond disk not a bloody band saw!, and start from the side of the glass which is sticking out.

So 2 years later how's it working?

All I can say is with that kind of good luck you had better try buying a lottery ticket and see what happens! Not sure what the teeth count was on the blade but regardless surprised it cut glass.

WHY would you simply not offset the actual scale and then recenter the scale ?? Glass DRO's are and can be cut ,! End of story How the heck do people think these are cut and made in the first place .

If that worked then I'm sure a tile saw would work too