Need Help Getting Started

Hey guys,
I am new to the forums and new to 3D printing in general. I've read through the wiki and researched a bit and wanted to ask what you guys thought about where to start. I am in college so my funding is low but I figure I can get pieces slowly. I've tried finding a group of people in my area but unfortunately most of the people I know who are interested are occupied with other projects currently.So here are some of my questions (more to come I'm sure):

What do you guys think is the best place to start?

What pieces should I buy first?

What printer should I be looking at for a good beginner printer and one that won't cost me an arm and a leg? I've been thinking of the Prusa i3 but am willing to do whichever one is best for my situation.

Any advice is appreciated.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/07/2014 06:40PM by kingkozuma.

If you want to build a Prusa i3, first, buy the frame and then the plastic parts. After that, you can get the motors, the threaded and smooth rods, bolts and screws, and you will have a fun time putting all together. After that, you could buy an electronics kit, i made my printer with a Getech kit, they have good products and they ship worldwide. I haven't built an i3, but my i2 wasn't that expensive, less than $500. You should look for all the pieces you can find in your local area, like smooth and threaded rods, bolts and screws; because buying that stuff via internet it's really expensive. I wish you luck on your building

I have been buying all of the components to build a RepRap Prusa i3, and while having all of these parts, I find the need for the plans etc. to start building.
Would someone please help an old guy, actually I am a young 73 y/o in a wheelchair, cheers, Ian

If you are building the box frame version this is very good:
[78.47.92.212]

That link comes from here
[reprap.org]

I have also found a lot of good videos on YouTube. For the particular style of i3 that I built ('modified' box frame), I found videos by a guy named John Ridley to be very helpful. Just go on youTube and search for "Prusa i3 Box Frame."

If you can afford a kit, it will speed things up a lot, as you will have just about all you need already gathered. Maker Farm is supposed to have a good kit with laser cut wood parts.