New in the forum, with some elementary questions

[Alberto]

Hi to all. Im Alberto, and using the GREAT and TERRIFIC ammount of info I found in the site Im finishing a 4 axis interface card and one discrete unipolar driver card.

I have some experience building machine-tools and even making and mounting PCBs, but NOTHING about electronics.

My first answer is: Im planning to test the cards connecting the interface to the parallel port, then the driver card to a 5 wire stepper and a 5V DC power suply, then watch what happens running Mach3 or Kcam... thats madness? please anyone tell me something about it.

Second answer: I have a parallel cable I used to hook-up printer port to scanner, then another from scanner to printer. Is the first one suitable to hook up the parallel port to 4 axis interface?

Please dont laugh about my ignorance!! I did several projects these way, someones works at the first try, and some others burn. Make some bets about these one.

[PMinMO]

Alberto your boards look excellent! The fact that you know nothing of electronics means you aren't afraid to try new things to learn.. That's great in my book.

My suggestion is to first start by checking the discrete board by itself and the power supply per the checkout instructions, then add the motor and try to make it move via the info here: http://pminmo.com/troubleshoot.htm

That way if it doesn't work first time, you know which step you have a problem.

Cable - if one end plugs into your computer parallel port, and the other plugs into the interface board, and you installed a DB25F on the interface board, I suspect it will work.

[aalv2003]

Hi Phil.
Thank you for your words and for your first steps guidelines to follow. Ill tell you later about the results.

About construction of the board, Im very happy with the results of the photo etched PCB I did. I made the photo-laquer and hardening bath from a recipe (simple), exposed under a transparent print of the copper, etc. and etched with FeCl.

Ill try to mount a PDF with the formulas, pics, etc to post here. I cant contribute anything in electronics, at least Ill try to contribute in some aspects of the construction!!

Thanks. Alberto.