Newbie- DIY Controller - Take the load?

[guerd87]

hi everyone, Im only fairly new here but have been searching around for quite some time.

I want to build a fairly small CNC plotter for my first setup just to get to know the software and how to take advantage of CNC's. I started doing some researching about a year ago i guess and stumbled across this CNC controller guide on Instructables (im sure weve all seen it)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy...and-Driver-ci/

Flash forward a year after some pretty bad health problems with my partner and im ready to get back into CNC work. I Have no machine yet, I want to get the controller done first. Im going to be using EMC2.

Ive dug out the controller i built from this website (only built 1 axis just for testing purposes first) and found an old stepper motor that i was thinking about using. Not quite sure what the stepper is out of, But its about the size i want dimension wise and has 5 wires.

The Mini CNC i plan on making will be for cutting stickers/paper only and not really much load. Will have a dremel on it. Will this controller be ok or should I buy a HobbyCNC or similar type product?

My Main CNC i want to build is a Timber router table for doing Timber, Plexi and some light alloy which I will probably go with a HobbyCNC or similar.

Here is some pictures of 1 axis controller and the motor, I know 4 of the wires goto the mosfet's and the other goes direct to 12v power, but how do i tell which one goes where?

Thanks, any help/info is appreciated

John

Edit: Found some specs about the motor:

12VDC 48 Step / 7.5° Stepper Motor

• Standard 48 step / 7.5° design.
• Flange mount 3.0mm hardened steel shaft.

Specifications:
• Rated voltage: 12VDC
• Rated current: 1.1A/phase
• Phases: 4
• Steps per revolution: 48
• Stepping angle: 7.5°
• Drive method: Unipolar chopper drive
• Resistance per winding: 20 ohms
• Starting frequency: 600pps (max)
• Holding torque: 700g/cm

[n9xwp]

Thats a Tom Mcguire controller. Good design for bare basic driver, no frills, no bells, no 1/4 step 1/2 step etc. Will carry fare amount of current. I built one for 3x motors, works fine. Have drawn slightly over 3 amps when all motors turning.
In order to get speed, bells etc you will need to move up to geko, or hobby-cnc etc chopper type controller .Good for proof of concept, fun build. Go back and reread doc to find max current cap for FETs. Can't remember off hand but it's up there a bit. Hope this helps.
g

[n9xwp]

Hey, studied your bd a little closer, and there seems to be some parts missing.
Also looked at your motor.................Afraid it's too light for the job.As for figuring out what wire goes where look at this link http://www.doc.ic.ac.uk/~ih/doc/stepper/others/ .
g

[guerd87]

Thanks for the replies. Im going to see if i can source some larger steppers out of some big old printers we have at work, may have something bigger jsut to touch on the concept.

I will try and get this little controller running with the motor I have right now and then go from their.

Hey, studied your bd a little closer, and there seems to be some parts missing.

What parts do you think are missing? Only thing i have left out for the moment is the Printer Port adapter (yet to get a mounted one for the board) and the Enable wire and resistor which is optional (im unsure what this actually does?)

John