Isel 4433 - Can I use Mach3 with it?

[Doddy]

Sorry to continually bother you with my ridiculous inquiries, but I have been looking at TB6600 stepper drivers on eBay and have found these. If I do need to buy stepper drivers, would these suffice?
As I said, I am a newbie when it comes to CNCs (and a 16 year-old with no income!) so I do apologize if any of my questions are ridiculous!
Thanks
L

As a fifty-year old with a wife - I probably have less disposable income!

Now, that link demonstrates the old adage... Lies, Damned Lies, then Chinese traders on eBay.

Let's just take a look at the headline of a TB6600 stepper motor driver data sheet...

"TB6600HG
The TB6600HG is a PWM chopper-type single-chip bipolar sinusoidal micro-step stepping motor driver. Forward and reverse rotation control is available with 2-phase, 1-2-phase, W1-2-phase, 2W1-2-phase, and 4W1-2-phase excitation modes. 2-phase bipolar-type stepping motor can be driven by only clock signal with low vibration and high efficiency.

Features
• Single-chip bipolar sinusoidal micro-step stepping motor driver
• Ron (upper + lower) = 0.4 Ω (typ.)
• Forward and reverse rotation control available
• Selectable phase drive (1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, and 1/16 step)
• Output withstand voltage: Vcc = 50 V
• Output current: IOUT = 5.0 A (absolute maximum ratings, peak)
IOUT = 4.5 A (operating range, maximal value)"

So, micro-steps of 1,2,4,8,16. Max current drive of 5A, Max working voltage of 50V.

Compare that to the controller linked.

micro-steps 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32. Max current drive of 4A (peak),Max working voltage of 40V.

It's most likely not a TB6600!, just creative labelling of the unit to imply a TB6600 driver. Google "Fake TB6600" for an entertaining read. Some, including the ones that I bought, actually use a TB67S109AFTG chip which is a tiny quad-pin surface mount device. Without any detailed understanding of the technologies, one simple view is that the "real" TB6600s are whopping big devices hard-bound to a reasonably large heatsink, whereas the TB67S109AFTG are tiny things with less than optimal heat sinks to dissipate heat. What this might mean (and did for me) is that if you're driving a stepper with a voltage and current rating close to the limits then you might well find that the driver shuts down due to thermal overload (self-protection circuitry) and you lose the motion temporarily on that one axis. That inevitably means you've screwed the workpiece that you're cutting.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TB6600-0-...MAAOSwOu9ckgS1 <-- That link looks, at least according to the advert (remember, "Lies, Damned Lies, and Chinese Hong Kong traders on eBay") more like a "real" TB6600 and I'd certainly prefer this over the link that you provided (actually, these are the ones that I replaced the one that you linked to when suffering the poor performance). They are not the best in the world (they barely make it off the second-rung of the ladder) but they are more affordable if you're on a budget.

Best advice remains - wait and see what's in the control box of the machine when you collect.

Next best advice - keep your eyes wide open on this as a hobby - it's very hard to do without some money.

Next bit of advice - buy that machine for £250. Sell it online for a lot more. Blow the money on some girl.*

* I know I'm not allowed to say that in these enlightened times.