Stepper control via parallel port.
Would this work for a bipolar stepper?
http://neil.fraser.name/hardware/stepper/cpu.html
Could but I won’t recommend it for CNC work.
Steppers here are somewhat more powerful and why would you want to generate your pulses in software when USB control boards are so cheap and do much more?
I’m planning to use LinuxCNC as the CNC engine. I’ll have to check about support of USB controllers
It will work but depending on your motors not with those components. 10w isn’t very much. There is nothing wrong with using the parallel port and there are still plenty of controllers avaliable cheaply that it probably isn’t worth making your own. These days though USB would be the first choice though and gives you many more options.
You’ll have lots of fiddling with the mechanics.
Safe your energy for that part and save yourself the headache of hacked together electronics. (electrical noise alone can keep you busy for weeks. It did me and my electronics ARE off the shelf)
This looks like a pretty sweet deal to me:
What do you think?
You need a power supply.
Power supplies is not an issue, I have plenty.
24V or 48V with about 5A per stepper?
Remember that the CNC I want to build is a small Mantis 9.1 type (http://makeyourbot.wikidot.com/mantis9-1) that I’ll use mainly for PCBs and soft wood carving