NEWBIE questions and suggestions needed!

I've been wondering for a long time how to get into making my own 3d modeling. I have a nice little tax refund check coming to me and I've been trying to figure out what best for me. I will like to make some pretty complex shapes, similar to a shape of a car brake bracket and some of my plans will include objects at least 3 inches by 5 inches by 12 inches. I would like to use pretty sturdy plastics like abs. Speed is not too much of an issue, if it takes a day, I can wait no problem. I'd like material costs to be cheap as possible as I think I'll be burning the midnight oil and lots and lost of stuff! I am pretty handy with mechanical stuff. I'm a avid computer user. I've built all my PCs, but I'm just learning cad/solidworks software. So I'm pretty sure I can put together a kit by myself. I have done lots of google searches but I feel like I'm still lacking in lots of important information and reliable user opinions.

Can any please suggest:

1) A tutorial or resource that I can read to help bring me up to speed.
2) Will I need a dual head unit to make complex shapes? I'm worried about small but long L and U shapes.
3) What kind of units should I be looking at?
4) what things should I be looking out for?

Any help and information would be greatly appreciated!

TIA!

1) Reprap, modelling or 3d printing in general?
2) It depends on the design if you need a lot of overhangs then its worth looking dual heads.
3) What's your budget, is 12+ build area an essential and are you willing to build/source it yourself?

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My Reprap blog

jds-reprap.blogspot.com

1) Reprap, modelling or 3d printing in general?
2) It depends on the design if you need a lot of overhangs then its worth looking dual heads.
3) What's your budget, is 12+ build area an essential and are you willing to build/source it yourself?

1) yes for rep rap, and 3d printing in general.
2) thank you, some of the designs I have do have a lot of overhangs, so thank you.
3) I am willing to build it myself, just unsure of the technical/mechanical difficulties I'll face.

1. Well the wiki is probably one of the best places to start in terms of RepRap.
If you want the information in a more general flowing read then this is very good.

3. I would start with either a Prusa i2, Mendel Max (if you need the larger build area) or Mendel90
(should scale well).
They are all pretty well documented (Prusa especially) and everyone is very helpful on the IRC as well as these forums.

Good luck.

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My Reprap blog

jds-reprap.blogspot.com

Thank you for the leads Joe.

I really appreciated it!