If you decide to buy a machine and don't like what you got, this forum has proven one thing. No matter how much you hate one machine as long as it runs there will be someone here who will like it much more then you did and offer you money or another machine in trade. I am in no way telling people to buy or what to buy, just remember one tattoer's trash may very well be another's treasure.

Regarding looking for friends on forums. I know many guys who still belong to automotive forums that have nothing to do with that they currently drive only because they feel they found their electronic man cave.