Back when the TechShop still existed, I developed the original Safety & Basic Usage class for the manual injection molding machine. Not that I was an expert --

Back when the TechShop still existed, I developed the original Safety & Basic Usage class for the manual injection molding machine. Not that I was an expert -- I wanted to learn injection molding. But another member was a total expert and he taught me enough that I could use the simple machine and teach the beginner course on it. So anyway.... I needed to learn mold making. Which meant I needed to learn some CNC. So I did a few simple things on the Tormach 1100 that the TechShop had. Great fun, but it really takes a lifetime to learn all the tricks, if then. I have a friend who's dad owned a machine shop. The guy who finished the 2-year tech school degree and has been a full-time machinist for 10 years is "the new guy". There are so many tricks to planning and fixturing, it is endless. As a hobbyist, I think you just have to decide what it is you want to do, and learn enough to do that, and to do it safely. I have no delusions of ever crawling out of a pit of relative cluelessness. So I have one of those cheapie manual mini-mills. It is OK for some simple things, I could never make a mold on it. Someday I want to have my own Tormach -- but I already can't park any cars in my garage :/