Welcome to the hobby! Hope you get as much enjoyment out of it as I have.
If you are not afraid to dig into a project pin, you are miles ahead of many
collectors. If you can, attend a show to get an idea of what type of pin(s)
you like. As others have said, don't be quick to discount older machines.
Many are every bit as challenging as new pins but a fraction of the cost
and far easier to get parts for and repair.
Steve