"Dan" wrote

. There are videos on youtube that show one how to do basic work.

Good point! I had never thought of that!

I had unlimited access to a full sized Taiwan knock-off for a while at
school, and nobody knew anything about running it, so I taught myself a few
things. Since the ag teacher that had it in his shop didn't know how to use
it, it went off to surplus sales.

I made a few adapters for some scaffolding, and a few other machine parts,
and got so I was not totally incompetent, but I knew I was incompetent
enough to not want to make anything on it for an airplane! g

I might have to get a small (but not too small) lathe sometime in the next
year or two, and get with someone that can teach me how to properly use it
to make some things my life would depend on. Even some self study books
would go a long way toward learning some good basics, and then go from there
with some more advanced learning.

I could probably get into a machine shop class at the local community
college. They seem to have a pretty good shop, but I don't know anything
about the teacher.

And yes, I could see how you could get hooked, in a hurry!
--
Jim in NC