[RMHCNC]

The easydrivers need only power, step, dir and gnd and very easy to use.
So if you had a bob and 3 driver boards you could run some sort of cnc with them motors.

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10267

Read this and it may help a bit, it's what inspired me to build my first cnc and its how I control it also. All the software is open source so free

http://m.instructables.com/id/Pocket-laser-engraver/

[Marti]

LOL, when you said EasyDriver I didn't realize it was the name of the driver. They are listed as Easydriver Drive Stepper Motor Driver Board | eBay for $8.99 and free shipping, so that's a good deal, but they are hooked up to a circuit board so I don't know how easy that will be. I wish there was just a plug and play because I'm afraid of hooking something up wrong and blowing the whole thing. So, I'll have to do a lot of reading before I connect anything.

The trim I want to do are appliques for doors and walls. Lumber Liquidators has foam crown molding for $.50/ft, so that's cheaper than buying the wood.

I checked out the video and saw the laser could do damage to your eyes, so I'll probably stick with a router.

[RMHCNC]

Yes if you don't know how to solder then they are useless to you, they are strait forward and as long as you read the instruction you will be good to go. The terminals are are labeled a and b for motor it would be a plug and play in a sense but again you need the soldering skills. I would start practicing cause I think that would be your best bet if you must use them motors and cost is the factor if you go that route I will help the best I can

Look forward to see what you come up with

[RMHCNC]

This would also work for you

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewi...id=59908887171

[Marti]

you can use 2 motors on 1 driver? I know that might be a stupid question, but I've got a lot of stuff to process in this little brain

This would also work for you

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewi...id=59908887171

[Marti]

I'm gonna go ahead and get that breakout board I think .. still got a lot of studying to do on the drivers though. Plus, I'll have to total everything up to determine the cost. I was looking at the breakout boards that had cables, but I might just get a 10ft+ cable so I can put some distance between the dust and the computer.

[RMHCNC]

No you can run 2 single phased motors ie 2 wires or 1 - 2 phase motor like you have. I just suggested that driver because there is no soldering needed.
Smart move with the cable
Here is the breakdown pc talks to breakout board, breakout board tells drivers step and direction, drivers operate motors. The breakout board is a good start anyway but until I get mine and test it I can't give my opinion on it

[Marti]

here is the same driver that you have with a solderless board

Easydriver Board Drive Stepper Motor Kit | eBay

all this talk about drivers and breakout boards, what did you use to move the axis? screw, belt or rack? ebay has a good price on the acme screw for the z-axis. I got skate bearings for the slide. I haven't decided yet how I will mount them, but I have enough of them to do the top, bottom and side if I need to.

also, are you using cat5 cable for your connectors? I think these look really nice ....
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/open_s...trolled-2.html


http://www.cnczone.com/forums/dmm_te..._up_vfd-2.html

and I like these connectors

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/bencht...kets_cat5.html

[RMHCNC]

I don't think your going to want to have your controller on a project board
If you can find them soldered or even find someone who can solder close to you that may work. I just can't see you buying 3 of them kits just because you have not soldered before. I would get the boards, pins and find a friend that can do it for you. $27 compared to the cost of three of them kits is crazy and then you will have new motors and spent more then needed.

Btw where are you from if you don't mind me asking?

[RMHCNC]

My laser cnc is a compilation of 3 scanners 2 stepper motors an Arduino and 2 easydrivers. How it works the computer streams gcode to arduino, arduino sends step and direction to the easydrivers, easydrivers control the motors. I salvaged the pulleys and belts from the scanners, built the laser and used 5 mm bearings for the rollers on the slides. Read that instructable link I gave you and it will explain how my system works in detail just I don't use old DVD drives I made my own x y axis with about 12" x 18" inches of travel and laser control relay "again controlled by the arduino" same as a spindle on-off

[Marti]

I don't think your going to want to have your controller on a project board
If you can find them soldered or even find someone who can solder close to you that may work. I just can't see you buying 3 of them kits just because you have not soldered before. I would get the boards, pins and find a friend that can do it for you. $27 compared to the cost of three of them kits is crazy and then you will have new motors and spent more then needed.

Btw where are you from if you don't mind me asking?

I wasn't looking at the kit, I was just looking at the solderless board.

LOL, I'm from Alabama .. does that explain anything?

[Marti]

I keep everything ... then, about the time I throw it out, I need it. Just like that Dell monitor - had it for years and then gave it to a friend this past summer and now I need it.

coulldn't I easily use a laser on the machine I build? I'm thinking a laser would be too expensive.

[RMHCNC]

I was just wondering if you where close or not but deff a not since I'm in toronto Canada. Anyway if you wanted to use a laser I don't see why you couldn't. You would be surprised at how cheep they are to build. You must take great care with them because you can blind yourself. You have 2 hands and many fingers but only 1 set of eyes so again if you take that route use care and never get direct exposure to the eyes. You can get laser safty eyewear on ebay for cheep like $8 bucks. My hole laser cnc cost me a total of $220 to build and the laser was the bulk of the cost because I wanted a powerful laser 1.5 watt blue $98

[Marti]

I was just wondering if you where close or not but deff a not since I'm in toronto Canada. Anyway if you wanted to use a laser I don't see why you couldn't. You would be surprised at how cheep they are to build. You must take great care with them because you can blind yourself. You have 2 hands and many fingers but only 1 set of eyes so again if you take that route use care and never get direct exposure to the eyes. You can get laser safty eyewear on ebay for cheep like $8 bucks. My hole laser cnc cost me a total of $220 to build and the laser was the bulk of the cost because I wanted a powerful laser 1.5 watt blue $98

I'm definately not close .. right on the gulf coast and hurricane alley. A laser engraver is a whole new ballgame, but it might be possible later down the road if I do it like you said and I have several old printers and a copier that I could salvage parts from, but that is something that I would definately put inside a cabinet with a tinted window and possibly up on a shelf. Like you said, you only have one set of eyes. I can't wait to see yours setup.

[RMHCNC]

My laser CNC is done but I am upgrading a few things while I wait for my bob. The bob is for my CNC router and is the only thing holding me up.

LASER VID.wmv - YouTube
Video of my laser burning lettering into hard wood

Pic of the updated controller

https://plus.google.com/app/plus/x/1...19814544826914

https://plus.google.com/app/plus/x/v...12868704625330

[Marti]

I love that machine .. that's the way I want to build mine. I had initially thought of using slides, then ditched that idea for a belt and then rack and pinion. Did you use MDF? That's what I'm gonna use. I went to Lowe's today to get bolts, railing, etc., but left ... I got confused.

[RMHCNC]

Yes I used 1/2 inch MDF and scraps of 40-40 aluminum extrusion.
The way my y axis is mounted would not be good for anything other then a laser because what holds it in place is the weight of the x axis assembly.
It works really well and surprised me with great results. I'm still learning to generate the gcode for things other then outlining in not that great with software

[Marti]

been working on another project the last few days, but now I'm back on the CNC. Did you get your breakout board? I went ahead and ordered the same one. Now I'm trying to order the power supply.

Between trying to get the parts for the CNC, I've been working on getting access to my workshop loft that I'm going to use as storage. I've decided to use portable tables with drop-leaf's for the miter saw, table saw, etc. and a U-shaped work bench. I want to maximize every square foot.

[esmondperry]

Nice idea dude...
This is the way to get the best usage of the loft material like garbage....
You can use it as table and the something else for the laser machine use....

[Marti]

Nice idea dude...
This is the way to get the best usage of the loft material like garbage....
You can use it as table and the something else for the laser machine use....

I'm sorry, I ran everything together, but I have actually thought about putting the CNC in the loft, especially if I use a laser.

... I've been working on getting access to my workshop loft that I'm going to use as storage. I've decided to use portable tables with drop-leaf's for the miter saw, table saw, etc. and a U-shaped work bench. I want to maximize every square foot. ....

access to my workshop loft

the ground level of my building has a ceiling height of around 7 1/2 ft ... the loft area has a ceiling height of about 6 ft. Initially, we were going to use stairs and finish it off so it could be used as a guesthouse at some later date if needed, but things happened and I was left with no help to put in the stairs and I've been paying storage fees for a year - not good. So, I thought of using a pulley and one thing led to another and I found this ...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1Mkd7XmEO8]My Edited Video - YouTube[/ame]

... I bought an 880 lb electric hoist from HF, trolley wheels, and I'm getting 2 12 ft rail tracks along with some canisters and I'm building me a freight/cargo elevator. I can have a ladder going up one wall, just in case it gets stuck in the up position.


portable tables with drop-leaf's for the miter saw, table saw, etc. and a U-shaped work bench

I figured (being from the south), that by having casters to move tools around and then the leveler's to make them stationary, I could move them around and stack them back to back to have more floor space.

eventually, I will build carts for my compressors with hose storage and possible sound proofing.

I have to move everything by myself, so I need to make it as easy as possible.