[rapture]

Hi, I've gotten three stepper motors to run my CNC router. After looking through the forums I've realized something... there are alot of stepper drivers to choose from!

The motors I got are:

Model: API-Gettys (RapidSyn) 23d-6137h
54 oz.-in., 11.2vdc, 6 wire, .44amp

The board that I'm looking at is located at http://pminmo.com/3axis/3axis.htm
The problem with it is that I only see a place for 4 wire stepper motors. Is this a problem since mine are 6 wire?

Also, from what I've read, I can only run my motors in Unipolar. Is this correct? Any help is greatly appreciated.

[harryn]

Hi, I am pretty sure that you are right that the 6 wire motors are unipolar.

That is a pretty low torque, so I would probably buy a driver which can handle more power than your current motors. Maybe consider those to be for learning.

Anyway, if you do a search of this forum for probotix and linistepper, there is a fair amount of info on unipolar drivers from those suppliers. I think the probotix is pre assembled, and the linisteppers are kits.

Not that I really know what I am doing, but I picked the linistepper because it appears that I will get more torque from a linear based driver than a chopper style driver. The price is about the same.

The linistepper kits are actually pretty easy to build even with my poor soldering skills, I just recommned that people use solder paste (easy) instead of solder wire (PITA) at least for me.

Here is a link to a thread on the linistepper kit

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9564

[pminmo]

Six wire motors can be run unipolar or bipolar and can be wired as bipolar half coil or bipolar series. If your wanting to run a medium to full size cnc router, you won't be happy with the 3 axis DIY board on my website, if you want rapids of decent speed.

[fatal-exception]

Six wire motors can be run unipolar or bipolar and can be wired as bipolar half coil or bipolar series. If your wanting to run a medium to full size cnc router, you won't be happy with the 3 axis DIY board on my website, if you want rapids of decent speed.

I don't think he'll be running a full sized machine with 54oz-in motors.

Paul

[rapture]

fatal-exception is right, this is more of a proof of concept than a full blown machine. So I would be able to wire my motors to the board on pminmo's website?

[Kipper]

Yup

[pminmo]

Some YouTube videos of one of those boards done by a user.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LM4sC1_kQeg"]YouTube - DIY CNC STEPPER MOTOR DRIVER BOARD[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkAIPh7f684"]YouTube - DIY CNC STEPPER MOTOR DRIVER BOARD[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPWhKD4wiMg"]YouTube - DIY CNC STEPPER MOTOR DRIVER BOARD[/ame]

[rapture]

Thanks for the help everybody!!!