Filawinder not working

Well I am late to the party in the sense I have had my filawinder boxed up for a couple of years because I was busy with work travelling.  I just finished my filawinder and have yet to put together my filastruder.  I wanted to tackle the easy one first.

I am in the same boat as you.

I followed the video by Ian Johnson that goes step by step this is what happened:
Power button turned on as soon as I plugged in becuase the button was backwords.
The laser came on with no problem.
I just wanted to align the arm with the size of the spool and so I turned the knob.
the spool would not turn loosened the holding nut which was only tightened by hand.
After I was able to get the spool turning I then tried to calibrate the buttons as you tried by following the video.
Now I get power but the motor does not work.

I have not plugged in my arduino board as that was my next option, but I thought my motor went kaput on the first time.
I checked the voltage with a multimeter and there was nothing. 
I am thinking if it was working the first time maybe the arduino is fine, but I am having my doubts.

I hate to echo your complaints but I think we may have some duds.

Tim;
When I was first calibrating according to the video i  noticed a burning smell but could not pinpoint it.  I thought maybe it was the new burn smell.

THen nothging worked.  I then attached a power supply to the motor and the motor worked.  Slowly turned but it worked.
But the potentiometer would not work.

I then attached another potentiometer and it worked but fried my the potentiometer.

I now know the problem is the potentiometer.  I have to get a new potentiometer, but I am still worried that my next poteniometer is going to get fried. 

Some help would be appreiciated as I do not know if the nano board is frying them or what.

Thanks,