[CNC / 3D] Xylotex 3 Axis Stepper Driver board. What is this?

Lucky me, but I think I found a match for your picture with information for a generic board looking the same. See http://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/index.php/Xylotex_3-Axis_Stepper_Motor_Driver_Board

Clem

Ah excellent work! Thanks a ton, yea colours don't really matter to me, just I am having no luck finding one for sale, and that wiki links me to this http://www.xylotex.com/3axBoard.htm, however as you can see that page throws a 404 on their site. Any luck finding one for sale? Google shopping, Farnell, Ebay, and Amazon has nothing. Granted it is 155$ "aparently" (who know's how legitimate that is). I will keep checking their site every so often, however if you have a better idea in terms of generic, please let me know! Once again thanks for the quick reply.

Can anyone please answer the other section of the question instead of skimming over it? Part of it is still un-answered. Regarding what would be a good replacement as the site owner of that brand isn't responding.

Thanks again
John

• Do you wish to build one and how are your skills? Then check out:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-to-build-CNC-Mill-Stepper-Motor-and-Driver-ci/?ALLSTEPS

• Taking out the wallet approach gives a few choices:

http://www.motorcontrolpartsforsale.com/board-cnc/

• A little like a puzzle of pieces:

http://www.mydiycnc.com/content/easydriver-stepper-motor-driver

• This is a good place to learn because they teach not just sell a board;

https://www.adafruit.com/products/1749

Clem

Thanks again that's great, I'll check it out, by the way intentional or unintentional that's nice of you finding a link with a custom circuit board, I may make my own design as his is a little messy, but I can manufacture mine in-house and to a really fine DPI, were talking 0.016 inch here and that still has room. Will post reply when I make any progress. (Also bought some solder mask too! time to give it a few practice runs, wahoo!).

Do you have any knowledge about getting the thing to interface with a modern PC? I have always had trouble with parallel and serial on my old boards. I have a ton of these old PCs lieing around however I have almost 0 knowledge of the serial/parallel ports on PCs; I am quite familiar with UART, Tx/Rx and MOSI MISO due to arduino and atmel stuff and such but just the PC's interface, i.e what OS do I need, I would think XP or lower and if possible I'd like to avoid linux assuming I can get any OS and hardware etc except custom programs to almost hardwire stuff to them if you could help me with that as well I think this would become prime example all you need to know for others that want to get into CNC as well because I see a lot of "well in my personal design" which is specific to their dimensions and stuff, and not many people actually explain the reasons behind their decisions. The reason I am worried about using on a modern PC is, these cheap or even expensive USB to Parallel/Serial adaptors, well the serial ones tend to be ok, but the parallel ones are almost specific function etc which bugs me a lot.

I am aware of the entire physical structure of a CNC machine, as I have built one, just with the electronics given to me, the chassis and setting up limits is relatively easy, however as I said the electronics are the only hard part. I can't thank you enough though for providing me with a DIY one, would be a great chance for me to really test my skill.

Thanks again and I'll let you know how I get on, maybe provide inspiration and knowledge to those who are just before the stage I'm at hopefully!
John

Just to update all those reading this topic, this is how far I am into creating the one by hand. Looking good, hand made entirely.

These images are just me messing around with different components seeing what works and doesnt so leeds are present for some things but not others,though I thought I'd upload them anyway. Thanks again to Clem for his help.

Will show the final one when it's done. Solder mask done with Spray can solder mask by Bungard (For those starting off I'd recommend it if you don't want to purchase the equipment such as UV boxes and stuff, and cover the traces you want bare with blutac, works really well, then I used a scalpel to stab and jab it off when it was sprayed on, cooked at 120*C for an hour and done ), it wore off a bit during it's curing phase though as I was handling it excessively right after it was finished cooking.

Will update soon! waiting on parts from farnell due to come today!
--John

Bah only half way in did someone reply to a message I sent about this. Turns out its Unipolar... I wish people would actually list that the driver has such details. "Easy CNC..." nothing about the type of motors anywhere on the article or in comments Grr! £70 down the drain on motors. Not too happy.