Can someone please point me in the right direction

[Bamball95]

Hey guys. I am building a cnc and I'm have trouble on the electronics. I am looking this driver and motors ( 3 Nema17 Stepper Motor 75 oz-in+3 axis board CNC kit - eBay (item 270683917450 end time Jan-23-11 06:02:05 PST) )

However i hear several complaints about the tb6560. I want a good machine that won't break down on me all the time but I also only have a budget of around $150 for the driver and motors. Can someone please help me find something of quality in this price range.
Thanks guys, Beau

[ger21]

Depending on the size of the machine you're building, your best option may be to wait until you can save more money. You get what you pay for.

You might want to look at HobbyCNC | CNC for the desktop machinist and hobbyist., though.
Add 3 200 oz motors and you're right around $150.
1.8DEG. 3.6V SIZE 23 STEPMOTOR-MPJA, Inc.

[Bamball95]

Thanks Gerry! Surprizingly I actually looked at that same driver board but I was a little nervous about building my own circut board; but maybe a will give it a try. Do you think that is a solid option compared to some of the other ones out there?

[ger21]

Before the Gecko G540 became available, the HobbyCNC was the best low cost option available. A few years ago, they were probably the most commonly used drives for low cost cnc's.

[Bamball95]

Hmmm...Well that sound good enough for me I think I will go with that.
Thanks so much Gerry, Beau

[Bamball95]

Hey guys. I may sound stupid here but what is the difference between a transformer and a power supply? Are they the same?
Also I have the hobbycnc EZ board and three 3.6v 2.3A #23 steppers from mpja. What else do I need in terms of electronics and what power supply can I use with this? I want something low cost as money is tight for me.
Thank you guys so much you really are life savers, Beau

[doorknob]

Originally Posted by Bamball95 Hey guys. I may sound stupid here but what is the difference between a transformer and a power supply? Are they the same? Also I have the hobbycnc EZ board and three 3.6v 2.3A #23 steppers from mpja. What else do I need in terms of electronics and what power supply can I use with this? I want something low cost as money is tight for me. Thank you guys so much you really are life savers, Beau

A typical transformer is an electronic component that takes one level of AC voltage as its input (for example, the 110 volt AC from a wall outlet), and puts out the same or a different AC voltage as its output (for example, 24 volts AC).

A typical power supply takes 110 volt AC from a wall outlet as its input, and delivers a DC voltage as its output (for example, 48 volts DC).

There are many different types of power supply circuits, but a common type of power supply first uses a transformer to change the 110 volt AC from a wall outlet to a lower AC voltage, and then uses a rectifier and a capacitor (and maybe some other components) to turn that into the DC output voltage.

[Bamball95]

Great thanks for clearing that up!
So just brainstorming here could you use a laptop power supply cord if it has the right voltage and amps?

Another thing my driver board states that it works between 24 and 36 volts but doesn't say the amps. I have the hobbycnc board and three 3.6 volt 2.3 amp size 23 motors
Thanks guys so much for replying to all these!! Beau

[Bamball95]

Hey guys I need help again.... there's a surprise. haha Ok so I am almost done making my hobbycnc board. I already did the test and all the connections are good. Hurray!! So now its time to put the chips in. I look at the bag they are packaged in and it says "Attention: contents static sensitive." This slightly scares me, I'm not going to lie. Is there a certain way I should handle these things? And once I am done how should in be placed in the protective case safely?
Thanks! Beau

[jalessi]

Beau,

Radioshack sells an inexpensive wrist strap.

Anti-Static Wrist Strap with Cord - RadioShack.com


Once the IC's are soldered into the PCB it should be safe to handle without static protection.

Jeff...

P.S.
Some soldering irons are not ESD safe, be careful.

[Bamball95]

Ok thanks for the response. How do you know if your soldering iron is static safe?
Thanks, Beau

[doorknob]

If you paid more than $100 for it, it's probably static-safe. Below that, who knows...

That said, even though I do have a static-safe iron, a wrist strap, and a modestly-healthy respect for ESD, as long as there's a reasonable amount of humidity in the air, and I discharge myself to ground frequently, and I wear natural fibers, I don't always go overboard in worrying about static when soldering semiconductors on my printed circuit boards, yet still manage to avoid zapping my circuits. Of course, YMMV...