More hardware: guess I'm committed now!

The CNC machine still exists largely in my imagination. For the last while I've had nothing to show for it other than that cute little box of bearings. Over the past week I've started to receive packages in the mail, however, and the more stuff that piles up (and the more charges appearing on my credit card!) the more it sinks in that I'm really going to do this!

First was the package from vxb.com, containing another pile of bearings (hey, I love you, West 49, but mail order is way cheaper). They also threw in a digital caliper (is it one caliper? A pair of calipers?) as a nice little bonus with my order. I also did a little shopping at the local hardware stores and picked up miscellaneous other nuts and bolts, all pictured above.

Yes, that's my kitchen counter. And this is on my kitchen island:

After much hemming and hawing, I finally ordered my stepper motor kit from Xylotex. I went with the lower-torque motors, because I intend to start with All-Thread rod, and these are rated better at higher speeds. (Perhaps eventually I'll get to Acme Precision Rod and anti-backlash leadnuts... once I find a company that actually will ship the stuff to Canada.)

The stepper motor/driver kit was certainly a chunk of change (I ended up choosing the company that had by far the cheapest shipping to Canada. Hint, hint.) Having now purchased the kit (oh, and add another $44 for taxes/duty/fees at the post office), I feel like I'm really committed to build this thing now...