Hi Geoff, glad you decided to join the fun. Be sure to read the pdfs Stick linked to so you can get a good start with the router. That material is good as any book on routers. Good choice on the router, the 1617 is hard to beat, and you can use the fixed base as a sort of router mount under a table so you can make fine adjustments from above the table. You make rough height adjustments below the table with the clamping lever, then make the fine adjustment above using a key you can get from Bosch. Table mounted routing is far safer than freehand, so you're off to a good start.
A lot of us have done DIY and carpentry projects before turning to finer woodworking projects. Attached is a pdf about the 18 or so things that helped speed up my learning curve and a few expensive lessons to avoid. It covers the dozen years or so since I started doing serious woodworking, so don't expect to do everything at once. Most of us took years to learn the essentials, and I think most of us have made buying mistakes.
The most important tool of all for me is a decent table saw. The list begins with the Bosch 4100 portable saw
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bosch-1...-Gravity-Rise-Wheeled-Stand-4100-10/305123099. The saw is mounted on a fold-down wheeled base so you can get it out of the way if you have space considerations.
Sawdust is nasty on your lungs, so please make sure you are wearing a dust mask at all times in your shop area. If you want to do something about it immediately, you can use a good sized shop vac and either a very inexpensive separator lid and 5 gallon bucket, or the slightly more effective Dust Deputy (shown in the picture below). This setup, plus what's called a router fence dust port, to which you attach the hose from the separater lid, will really help reduce the stray sawdust. Most tools today have some sort of dust port, it's that important. There's a reason so many carpenters have COPD.
You'll find a lot of us here have the heart of a teacher, and really enjoy helping newbies, so your questions are VERY welcome here.
PIX: One is of the HD Dust Stopper, which is even cheaper, The other is of the Dust Deputy with shop vac. The other uses a 5 gallon bucket and works almost as well. Note that the vac connects to the top, center opening, and the sawdust comes in from the side port, spins around so that the sawdust (screws, chips, nails, etc) falls to the bottom of the bucket. These catch most of the sawdust instead of quickly clogging up the Vac's (costly) filter.
You might be able to find a used large (14 gallon or larger) shop vac in a second hand store or garage sale. There's a lengthly section on sawdust collection in the 18 things pdf.
Last thing, we've all developed good friendships here on the Forum, so I hope you also enjoy the jokes, games and discussions that go on here. Jump right in, we're birds of a feather.