DRO for Chinese lathe/Mill

[Toolmaker51]

Having mounted at least 10 DRO's/ and earlier optical readouts, I've never seen any terminal end portion un-suspended. Been able to qualify each by means of measuring rods, gauge blocks, and machines' own dials.
All readouts meant for general installation have jacking and hold down screws in both ends of rail mounts and each reader heads. They must be brought parallel to the axis being measured, in both planes, often within .0003 per foot. Deviations create sine errors, whence reader sees increments at a different rate than actual travel.
The jacking arrangements compensate for irregularities in machine body castings. Normally, kits are engineered for a 'style' of machine, the mountings cater to that concept. Figuratively speaking any system could be mounted on a machine, provided the scales [and reader installed] have sufficient length that exceeds maximum travel. It takes some mocking up to place rails and readers advantageously, without crimping leads, tugging on connections, or subjecting them to other damage. Few lead cables can be repaired by other than the original maker, if at all.