CNC, Pt. 8: Wiring

The whole apparatus was then moved onto my kitchen counter for wiring and testing. All the parts for the power supply, which consists of a large toroid transformer (changes 120V household A/C current to 32V A/C Current), a bridge rectifier (converts AC to DC), and a couple of large capacitors (help keep the power source stable). The final output is 30 volts at more amps than I can make use of.

Stepper motors, for those who have never messed with them, are motors with many sets of magnetic coils that can be energized independently. When one set is energized the motor jumps to a certain position. Energize the next set and it jumps again. By this principle we can control how much a motor turns and how fast. It does, however, make for complicated controlling mechanisms.
The motor controller board was another ebay purchase. It is possibly to save a load of money and build your own controller, which is exactly what I have done in the past, but things have changed since then. My (time X money) = constant ratio has shifted a bit, leaving me with the ability to afford a premade controller, and not a lot of time to build one from scratch. Your situation may closer resemble standard college life.