Where do I start?

I am building a cnc machine. I want to control it with linuxcnc. I have machine with 3 working axes built. I have a computer set up and running linuxcnc. But I have no idea where to start the motors and electronics. I have been reading and learning about steppers, and while I have only begun, I am able to grasp the fundamentals ( I think).
Now here is where the problem is coming in. I have a Chinese TB6560 controller. I ordered it believing that any info I might need would be easily found on the internet. That was a wrong assumption.
Where do I start? Would I be better off getting another controller board? I am trying to RTMF but I cant find one! I need some guidance.
Please tell me where to start.
Thanks in advance
Bruce

thats fine , ask all the questions you want?

we really need to know more about the machine you have , do you have the stepper motors etc
the chinese tb6560's can be a nightmare , but they are becoming better , the biggest problem by far was identifying the pins for the parallel port
as sometimes their are 3 or 4 different versions of pinouts , if you search the forum you'll find the thread , and no doubt some configurations to match

the main parts we need to know to interface with is , what power supply do you have for the motors ( i believe the tb6560's have a max of 36v , by memory , so that means no more than say 30v )
and what stepper motors you have ,

also if you have or intend to fit home and limit switches , and a must have Estop ! ,

if anything post a picture of your machine , and if you have a copy of the instructions for the tb6560 as a pdf that will help
to start with you need to know what your using on the stepper motor to move the axis , i.e belt or ballscrew & the pitch of this ( tpi / mm ) needs to be known , along with if the motor is directly to the ballscrew or via a pully reduction ..

so much to take in haha , so we can do this in stages ...

and of course welcome to Linuxcnc

I built a Solsylva 10x9 machine. The motors are nema 23 and the board is a Chinese Blue Tb6560. Got them off ebay. Not sure when Ill put the limit switches and home functions in but I don't forsee too many problems once I figure out the guts of the controller. You are right, I need the pin configuration etc. I am astounded that that there isn't a ton of stuff on the net about them, but if there is I cant find it. That is why I wonder if I should keep plodding on with the Chinese Blue board or buy something from US that might be better documented.

I built a Solsylva 10x9 machine. The motors are nema 23 and the board is a Chinese Blue Tb6560. Got them off ebay. Not sure when Ill put the limit switches and home functions in but I don't forsee too many problems once I figure out the guts of the controller. You are right, I need the pin configuration etc. I am astounded that that there isn't a ton of stuff on the net about them, but if there is I cant find it. That is why I wonder if I should keep plodding on with the Chinese Blue board or buy something from US that might be better documented. Also the power supply is supplying 24 vdc.

Thanks for the advice. I found some settings for the controller board on linuxcnc.org and applied them with stepconf. And Lo and behold the computer is talking to the motors and they are spinning. (Might be going the wrong way, but I'll address that later )
Now I know I'm heading in the right direction
Thanks again
Bruce

no problem Bruce , you found what you needed , probably the files i posted a while back , when we had lots of problems figuring the different versions
the easy way is to reverse the stepper motor wiring , and keep the config files correct , makes it easier in the long term , or you can invert the sense of the direction signal in the halfile .

i personally try and keep the hal files standard and if motors need reversing i reverse the steppers .

glad you made a step forward ( yes pun intended )