[MrFlippant]

I agree that it is a hobby in itself. Even machines that market themselves as "plug and play" are as likely to have failures of various kinds as any other machine. It's a complex tool, and therefore the user must learn how to operate it, and how to repair it in the event of failure. That's why I try to steer people away from machines that are all closed up and encased in fancy shells. WHEN there is a problem, if you can't fix it, you've just wasted a lot of money. Those machines tend to be quite overpriced, as well.

But, once you understand the machine, it becomes a tool for you to better enjoy your other hobby, the one you actually bought it for. ;-)

As I've posted elsewhere, this is a great series of relatively short videos that offer all of the answers you seek as a person interested in the state of things. This may be outdated in a few years, though.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL...j8x7meNJJx