Hi all.
I’m new to all this and looking for some opinions on using this as my controller for a desktop milling machine. Any help appreciated.
http://www.pibot.com/store/pibot-for-repetier-motherboard-166.html#.VAGuk3sg-Uk
This is essentially just a chinese clone of the standard Reprap electronics ( Arduino + Allegro drivers + Open-source firmware ). It even runs the Repetier firmware. any of the Reprap electronics you can find around will be as good ( probably better ) than this.
As your new to the community and you’re looking for opinions, I’ll give you mine.
This post smells a lot like a cleverly disguised ADVERT.
Please don’t spoil the essence of this community and become a “culled” member…
While I do have used Pololu drivers and Reprap electronics for a CNC machine these are usually in low side of available current for steppers. That means you can most likely move the hardware but it will be seriously underpowered (or it won’t move at all).
My advice (in case @Richard_Fletch_Fletc is not right on target) is that you tell us what motors are you using and to move from there.
I do use a $10 Arduino Mega as the brains and then some $30-$80 drivers for each stepper depending on the case. GRBL or Marlin are two valid choices (I guess Repetier too, but them going closed source removed them from my radar). 48 to 80V is the supply voltage of choice and not 12V if you want steppers to run fast.
BTW, @Arthur_Wolf is there a driver-less board I could use for Smoothieware?
@Miguel_Sanchez Well first off you have this option : http://smoothieware.org/smoothie-on-a-breadboard 
If you want to use external drivers, right now what we have is the 3X version of Smoothieboard ( 3 stepper drivers ). You can wire external drivers, and it’s pretty cheap even if you don’t use the on-board drivers. ( you’ll have to use the 4X version if you want ethernet and the web interface, the 3X doesn’t have that ).
We are also thinking about doing a driverless version, but it’s not coming out soon.
Sorry for any miss-understanding. This is definitely not an advert. I’ve built a 3d printer using a Sanguinololou board and even though it works I fancied something more modular, but like the rest of the he world I’m on a budget!
I’m pretty tickled with my arduino with a GRBL shield. Powered by an old xbox power supply. My steppers are only Nema17s. Looking back, I think I would have gone with the TinyG and used Chilipeppr to send the Gcode.
I made all of my own electronics. I wouldn’t recommend it after having done it myself though. It is pretty tedious, and time consuming. Using 5 motor drives on my machine didn’t make the job any easier either. Twin X drives and twin Ys too. While I was soldering the 4th motor drive up I stopped and thought to myself, but I like doing electronics right? I’m still not so sure today anymore.
Tinyg with chilipeppr will get you up and running quickly. 6 axis tinyg has many usage and will continue to be useful in the future.