I'm actually surprised they're still around at all. Ours closed years ago. Now there are phone stores all over the place.

Really? I can get an uno compatible board for <$5, and a proper looking fake one for not much more.

I think I would, particularly the tubes.

Well this are official boards so that might be why.  They were marked $35/each and that's been my experience at RS when looking at them, in the past I've only bought online because like you say they are cheaper.

Well if you want them PM me your address and I'll send them to you.  The guts come out in one piece so they are intact.  I have no idea if they work though.

Aren't the boards open sauce?

I think the software is, not sure about the board design but I think so.  I just tend to get official boards, no reason why really, other than supporting global commerce and our soon to be one world government.

I buy the cheapest ones I can find from China. Not had any problems yet!

When you can get the Nanos and Pro Minis for like £2 a go it seems to stupid not to buy clones. I'm yet to even buy a full size Arduino. Not sure what extra that would even give me? (apart from taking up more space)

And £3 for an Uno equivalent it seems.

I have a genuine looking Uno, my brother gave it to me for a birthday a couple of years ago (think I posted about the awesome box of stuff he put together for me).

I have no idea how you would drive motors with a nano, and shields don't fit them right?  I bought one Saturday but I have no idea what I will use it for because it seems so limited.  I might be wrong about that though.

They have exactly the same number/type of pins. Stick it in a breadboard and use jumper wires. The shields won't plug onto them but they'll wire up fine.

Ah ok, that is good to know info!  Shit I made a rhyme! 

I'm sure it's just a smaller package if you have one with the ATMega328(P) chip. In fact I think they have 2 more analog pins compared to an UNO.

This looks like the one I have.

See that Kos, I saved $10 by getting that a Radio Shack!  Maybe more if there is shipping.

Ah, that's newer I think. More capable and I guess the Leonardo equivalent.
 

I have no idea what makes Leonardo different from the Uno, I've only ever used Uno's.  I actually usually use a Pi where I can but for the CNC project I think an Arduino will work better and be more stable.  I need to do some research on the differences.

* Maybe only more pins?

Have a look at the Easy Driver (750mA max current), or Big Easy Driver (2A max current). They're good starting points for stepper control. You just hook up two pins (STEP and DIRECTION, plus common ground) and you're good to go.

You can get the easy driver on ebay for about $1.50, and then Big Easy Driver for about $5. Or, as it's you, Sparkfun (or is it Adafruit?) do them for about $30.

Pretty sure this is the motor shield I have, will it work?