I started out just like you did, bought the same book and started reading it through and through, wife looking at me like I'm crazy. Then after a while, the chance came to get an EM so I got it. I soon had a few issues but thanks to everyone here I got those fixed on my own! For a time I stared at all of the workings and the relays and the steppers and I had no idea what was going on, what was doing what, etc. But I took my time, didn't mess around with anything that was working ok, and studied all of the different operations again with lots of help and advice from so many helpful pinsiders. After a long while of studying the schematics and observing how everything works I came to understand how everything works. Now, I can give anyone a tour and point at any internal part and explain exactly what it does and how it works. And I can fix the small problems that pop up here and there with no problem. So much fun! But mostly it just works, and we do a lot of playing which is fun too.

Keep it going and go for it!

The strange thing is how you finally take the leap and get that first one. Then, before long, somehow there is another one next to it. And then, another one... How does this happen? They seem to replicate...