Hi, Glad you decided to join the fun. That Ridgid is a nice machine and should do you well for sign making if it has the plunge base. Barb or Outofthewoodwork does a great job making signs by hand. Can be done, with templates or withoug (after practice). Barb's signs are all done without lettering templates. I think she prints out the signe from her computer, reversing the image, then uses some sort of fluid to transfer the image onto the wood. Then she uses a pointed bit and sets the depth stop so the bit only plunges a quarter inch or so. She is able to track pretty darn well doing that.
Meanwhile, here's a pdf which covers the 17 or so things that sped up my learning curve for woodworking. It's long, has pictures and overs a lot of territory. It was written just for folks like you, just setting out on this addiction--er, hobby.
I'm like you, having done repairs and fixit projects all my life, but then wanting to do more interesting woodworking, cabinets, shelving, picture frames for my wife's paintings and so on.
At any rate, I hope the pdf is helpful. BTW, you can private message Barb here at @OutoftheWoodwork to ask what the fluid is that she uses.
Meanwhile, here's a pdf which covers the 17 or so things that sped up my learning curve for woodworking. It's long, has pictures and overs a lot of territory. It was written just for folks like you, just setting out on this addiction--er, hobby.
I'm like you, having done repairs and fixit projects all my life, but then wanting to do more interesting woodworking, cabinets, shelving, picture frames for my wife's paintings and so on.
At any rate, I hope the pdf is helpful. BTW, you can private message Barb here at @OutoftheWoodwork to ask what the fluid is that she uses.