Deciding on which board to get
Okay, I have 3Amp 6 wire Nema23 steppers, I want 4 axis driver board.
The hobby cnc pro driver board has up to 3Amps per axis, while the Mechatronics's Easy cnc 4 axis only goes up to 2.5Amps per axis. I have 3Amp steppers so will that be a problem if i only supply 2.5Amps to the motors?
Also, the hobbycnc pro driver board has 6-wire connections, the Easycnc Mechatronics board only has 4 connections. I know that you can wire Unipolar steppers (6wire) to a Bipolar board, but i'm wondering if I will lose accuracy or anything such as torque.
One advantage of the EasyCNC by Mechatronics is that it's pre-build, while the HobbyCNCPro driver requires assembly.
The Easycnc Mechatronics is$170 + $34 shipping (total is $204) to Canada while the HobbyCNC Pro is $104 + $26.80 (total is $130.80). Since i have a P.O box in the states since i live 20min away, i could get the HCNCPro shipped there and the total cost would be $111.XX. <--seems like a better deal since i can pick up some gas while i'm down there. (gas is getting expensive in canada).
For the price difference, I'd get the HobbyCNCPro driver since I dont count assembly as a price (i think it'd actually be kinda fun to build the driver).
There was some Chinese 4 axis board, T6560 for $60 + $20 shipping on ebay, but the length that you have to take, to modify it to actually work, isn't satisfying the quality I'd prefer.
I'm not about to go and get a Gecko for $300 yet, maybe when i build a bigger machine.
Any thoughts on which one would be better would be appreciated. Thanks.
Machine info:
6" x 6" x 6" travel
Using 1/4" - 20 all~thread, (using springs and two nuts for anti-backlash).
A machine is only as accurate as the tools used to build it. "CNC = Computer Numeric Control - or on some days - CNC = Can Not Control" Imagineering