Cheap little breakout/controllers?

[Rhodan]

I'm playing around with building a little 4 axis "toy" router (gas pipe, roller skate bearings, maybe 12"x12" working area max) and plan on using dirt cheap round steppers from a local electronics shop. The aim here isn't for a robust metalworking machine by any means but more as a learning tool for some non cnc folks. It'll be using readyrod leadscrews and plastic slides for bearings etc.

What I need is a dirt cheap controller/breakout setup that Mach3 can control (parallel port) that (hopefully) is available in Canada (maybe some kit form you find in the plastic robots section of a store).

Anyone have any candidates that spring to mind?

[Hablomos]

I'm starting a similar project with a mini x-y table that I had lying around from http://littlemachineshop.com/product...cus=X-Y+Tables. I have some cheap nema 23 unipolar steppers on the way and I need something to control them with. the steppers are 2.2A/phase and run @ 7v. I have been seeing cheap little all in one boards on ebay but nothing quite big enough to supply the current I need for the price I want.

Gecko drives would be an option but seem a little pricey for me right now. Also I could use a lesson on getting them to work with a pc. I assume some sort of breakout board is needed.

Anyone using anything other than a parallel port connection? I would like to use my notebook computer to control it but it has no parallel port on it. No rs232 either for that matter, just usb2, fire wire, ethernet. I guess this is more or less just a bump to Rhodan's question.

[BobF]

hobbycnc.com
used on many machines here.
you need parallel port.
There are ways to do with ethernet or maybe even USB, but they are generally more expensive and include a microcontroller or similar.