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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    19

    Please recommend driver board

    I am trying to find a board to control a 3 axis cnc router.
    Would something like this work? http://www.virtualvillage.com/Items/...20%26%20Driver

    Could I hook 3 of them together, or would it be better to have it all in one board?
    I don't want to spend more than $100 if possible, and I don't want to solder the components to the board like some kits I found.

    So if any of you could give some advise it would be great! Thanks!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Posts
    1865
    [QUOTE=PCcruncher;530024]I am trying to find a board to control a 3 axis cnc router.
    Would something like this work? http://www.virtualvillage.com/Items/...20%26%20Driver

    Could I hook 3 of them together, or would it be better to have it all in one board?
    I don't want to spend more than $100 if possible, and I don't want to solder the components to the board like some kits I found.

    So if any of you could give some advise it would be great! Thanks![/QUOTE

    How big of a router are you trying to control?
    what motors do you have?

    $100 for three axis of control is asking alot. Don't forget to use a breakout board to isolate the pport from the rest of the stuff.

    Three seperate boards, one for each axis is OK. It makes it easier to repair when something goes wrong.
    Warning: DIY CNC may cause extreme hair loss due to you pulling your hair out.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    19
    Quote Originally Posted by TOTALLYRC View Post
    How big of a router are you trying to control?
    what motors do you have?

    $100 for three axis of control is asking alot. Don't forget to use a breakout board to isolate the pport from the rest of the stuff.

    Three seperate boards, one for each axis is OK. It makes it easier to repair when something goes wrong.
    Well, I am still trying to find my way here, I have a rotozip and a 1/2-1 Hp palm router that I can use.

    I don't have any steppers yet, but I know a guy who works on copiers, and I think I could get some decent steppers from him.

    Are you saying that a 3 axis board for under 100 is not a reality?

    And what is the pport?

    Thanks for your time!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Posts
    1865
    Quote Originally Posted by PCcruncher View Post
    Well, I am still trying to find my way here, I have a rotozip and a 1/2-1 Hp palm router that I can use.

    I don't have any steppers yet, but I know a guy who works on copiers, and I think I could get some decent steppers from him.

    Are you saying that a 3 axis board for under 100 is not a reality?

    And what is the pport?

    Thanks for your time!
    Pport is parallel port but I get tired of all the letters so I abreviate some times.

    Copier steppers and inexpensive boa rds get you a cheap machine that may or may not do what you want.

    Even the xylotex which is good quality, but older technology is several hundred dollars.
    I have no experience with what you linked to but $20/axis sounds to good to be true.

    1. How big of a machine are you trying to build?
    2. WHat kinds of material do you want to cut?
    3. What is you total budget for the machine?

    Mike
    Warning: DIY CNC may cause extreme hair loss due to you pulling your hair out.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    19
    I think a 24in x 24in would do for a while, but I think eventually I would make a 36 x 48 cutting table. I am thinking of making basically one of those mobile gantry, mdf machines that you have probably seen pictures of.

    As for materials, mostly wood, (hard + soft) probably not thicker than 1" and "possibly" some 1/8" aluminum.

    Total budget not set yet, trying to get a feel for what is required. Definantly not over $1000 though.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Posts
    1865
    Quote Originally Posted by PCcruncher View Post
    I think a 24in x 24in would do for a while, but I think eventually I would make a 36 x 48 cutting table. I am thinking of making basically one of those mobile gantry, mdf machines that you have probably seen pictures of.

    As for materials, mostly wood, (hard + soft) probably not thicker than 1" and "possibly" some 1/8" aluminum.

    Total budget not set yet, trying to get a feel for what is required. Definantly not over $1000 though.
    Search for jrgo, I think that it is the free plan set here on the zone.
    I am not sure that you can cut alum with it?

    Look around at what others are building, $1k will get you a running machine but not a good solid machine that you will keep a long time.

    Depending on what you are looking to build long term and what your budget is, I would spend the "big" money up front on the electronics. The can move to the next machine or run more than one machine with some creative wiring.

    Mike
    Warning: DIY CNC may cause extreme hair loss due to you pulling your hair out.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    19
    Ok, thanks for the advise. that is kind of what I wanted to know.

    What would you suggest as a good board, able to control the bigger motors if I use them on the larger machine?

    If I can get the copier motors for free, I think I would still try them first as I can always add bigger ones as needed right?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Posts
    1865
    Quote Originally Posted by PCcruncher View Post
    Ok, thanks for the advise. that is kind of what I wanted to know.

    What would you suggest as a good board, able to control the bigger motors if I use them on the larger machine?

    If I can get the copier motors for free, I think I would still try them first as I can always add bigger ones as needed right?
    Gecko G540 www.geckodrive.com
    It is by far the best product in its price range and will do what you want for this machine and the next.

    www.kelinginc.net has a nice package or you can buy it direct from gecko and work on getting the motors and power supplies yourself.

    Mike
    Warning: DIY CNC may cause extreme hair loss due to you pulling your hair out.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    19
    But it is a 4 axis one, Is there a better one with 3 that would be cheaper?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Posts
    1865
    Quote Originally Posted by PCcruncher View Post
    But it is a 4 axis one, Is there a better one with 3 that would be cheaper?
    There are 4 g250's inside the g540. You could in theory buy three g251's and a breakout board, but it will cost almost the same and the g540 has the ability to drive a vfd or dc motor control if they take 0-10v analog input. I realise it is a bit pricey, but it super high quality and will run your steppers like nobodies buisness. Since you will have 4 axis in the box, you will probably find a reason to use it in the future, such as gear cutting and other wonderful stuff you can do with it.

    The other nice thing is that you have a spare driver on hand. If by some strange event you actually manage to kill a drive, just open the box and switch out the spare drive. They are just plugged into the mother board and this can be done in 10 minutes including drinking the beer in your other hand.

    Mike
    Warning: DIY CNC may cause extreme hair loss due to you pulling your hair out.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    19
    HI I was wondering what difference is there REALLY in the hardware? I know the circuit is different, but I found this board on ebay 4 axis driver
    It looks pretty good, it doesn't have a case like the other one (doesn't matter), and it does not have the plug for the stepper cable, but I am fine with it hard wired. So I wondered what thoughts you would have on it.

    If I get the above board and these stepper motors it would be about $220 which I wouldn't mind paying.

    I appreciate your input here!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Posts
    1865
    The only real difference is that the Gecko drive will run your motors like they should run this won't. I would still tell you to go Gecko even if they were identical because of the unmatched customer support, which is worth it's weight in "silicon". LOL

    I have seen multiple threads where somebody bought something like this only to be very dissappointed because of it lousy performance and poor documenation.

    I have a xylotex on my Taig and I have gecko's on my router, unfortunatley I was spoiled buy the gecko's and when I got the Taig, not knowing any better, I expected the same performance out of the Xylotex.

    There is an old adage that comes to mind, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.

    Mike
    Warning: DIY CNC may cause extreme hair loss due to you pulling your hair out.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    19
    Bummer, I get it, you are an undercover gecko salesman!
    I guess I should cough up the money and get that one, as I don't want to have to get it later when the other one doesn't work (it nearly always happens LOL, you never say "I wish I would have bought a cheaper one" )

    Again I thank you for your help!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Posts
    1865
    Quote Originally Posted by PCcruncher View Post
    Bummer, I get it, you are an undercover gecko salesman!
    I guess I should cough up the money and get that one, as I don't want to have to get it later when the other one doesn't work (it nearly always happens LOL, you never say "I wish I would have bought a cheaper one" )

    Again I thank you for your help!
    Hey, you found out my true identity, I sell gecko drives and get no money in return.
    Why didn't I think of that sooner???????????????????????????????

    The truth is I wish the g540 was out and somebody told me about it before I purchased my Taig. I would have saved weeks of time trying to figure out why it wouldn't run well.

    I have some g251's waiting to go on the Taig, but they have to wait untill everything else is done.

    Mike


    Mike
    Warning: DIY CNC may cause extreme hair loss due to you pulling your hair out.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Posts
    123
    if your seriously cash strapped, get the hobbycnc board this weekend.
    20% off is less than 100 dollars easy.
    true you have to solder it together, but many of the newbies have done so, if not, you can find a friend to solder it. buy him a beer (afterwards) with the savings.
    the gecko g540 is much better, less resonance issues, but more expensive
    ya get what you pay for.
    dan

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    19
    Sawmiller, I did order it when I saw it on sale. Sorry RC, But I figure that I will build the smaller one with it and get the feeling of how to CNC, then get the gecko later for the bigger one, as then I could have 2 machines or sell one.
    It will be an interesting experience to solder the PCB, but I have done some other soldering before, and will practice some before starting.
    Have a great day guys!

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Posts
    1
    Hi all:

    Im work in a CNC router for making RC Foma Wings, the machis use 4 steepers and I nedd a card controler.

    Please recommend a CNC card drive controler for this, Im work in this model:
    http://www.instructables.com/id/Make...parts-availab/

    Thanks
    Federico

  18. #18
    The dirty little secret about step motor drives:

    Everyone wants "the cheapest" and "best performance" drives for their motors. I would too except I design motor drives so I know ALL the secrets:-) At this point everyone uneasy with a vendor posting should leave. Everyone uneasy gone? Good. Let's move on.

    First rule: You don't get something for nothing. You see a something for nothing deal and you should be skeptical. A "4-axis 50A drives at 100V for $10"; is that sort of thing. Don't look, run like heck because it's totally bogus.

    Here's the skinny. On the internet you will find 5 million drives, kits or plans (for $) that fit one of two categories:

    1) $0 to $9.99: L/R drives. These are the simplest drives and they are either full-step or half-step drives. The tip-off is they require very large current limit resistors. There are a million of these.

    They will move your motors, just barely but they will move. The motors will resonate at low speeds (<2 RPS) and simply quit at 5 RPS (revs per second). They will also require expensive power resistors that will serve as room heaters. It's winter so maybe that's not a bad thing.

    2) $10 to $50. Chopper drives, microstepping drives, bipolar drives. All of these are based on the L297/L298 or Allegro chip-set. Look at the picture of the drive if it's available. Look for a tiny heatsink atop an IC. You see that and you have it nailed; just another monolithic IC drive.

    What's the problem? You get a 2A at 36V drive. The problem is you get is a noisy (as in cover your ears, I can't stand the racket anymore!) drive that still simply quits at 5 RPS.

    There isn't a whit of difference between these drive types. With number (1) type drives they are nearly crap. With number (2) drives they are a little bit less so.

    Step motors are beautiful things. With the right drive they can be serious motors that can provide serious power.

    Mariss

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    16
    Mariss
    are chopper all in the same category? maybe not. Beside Allegro, I can see Ericsson choppers (such as PBL3775) which perform quite well in many home scanners for instance.
    Thanks
    Guy

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    10

    Gecko

    How about Gecko g250 is it crap too? Chopper? it certainly falls in the price catagory.

    Recomend a 4-axis controller that will enable me to mill good quality foam airplane fuselages...

    thanks

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