Well after reading though all this i see that one thing missed was ..........a plan? when ever we start to do a project, we start with a plan of where we would like it to end up, and build from there. . The first part of our plan would be to do as much research on the item as we can,,, find books, manuals and etc, so we can get the knowlage we need to move forwards with the plan. All these cool tools and other support items are great, but they have to start with a plan and the knowlage of the machinary first. I see alot of new guys who go gun ho, out and buy something, get tools and then start looking for parts right away before they have sat down and formed any kind of a plan of ....what will it cost?, How much time is it going to take?, what if i lose interest in it?. I'm not sure one could really over plan on rebuilding something.
This is a good thread, and if one needed a huge list of tools and other bits to buy, heres the place to look for it. But because i hate to look at the craig's list and eBay ad's, where someone has to sell off his dream because it cost to much or its taken over his life. please start with a plan of attack, as your first tool.