[KenWittlief]

you know, when you are first learning to work with a technology or develop a new skill, you are better off working with simple tools - hand tools are best

the materials you use have physical properties that you can only grasp when you acquire a feel for them - the strenght of alum or steel - how much does it bend before it deforms, how does it cut or file or drill

you cant get that by stuffing stock into an expensive machine and coming back a hour later to get your finished part.

Its interesting to watch new students in FIRST - kids who leave all the bolts loose cause they dont have a feel for when its torqued but not strained - kids who take 10 minutes to drill a 1/4 inch hole in a piece of alum, cause they are afraid to pull on the drill press handle too hard.

If you are going to be a mechanical engineer you have to develope an intuitive sense for the materials you will be using for your whole life - you can only get that by literally getting your hands on them, handling cutting filing drilling bending welding melting...

sometimes being restricted from the big expensive tools is the best thing in the world for you.