Hi everyone ... just checked back in and am thankful to see so many thoughtful (and humorous) responses ... it's much appreciated. Now I need to make a little time to read through them more carefully, and hope to see others continue to add their 2 cents. I know it's not astrophysics, but even the basics are good to hear from others who have been there / done that many more times than me. Eventually I'll probably look into taking some repair classes at the local co-op, but for now I'll grab a 6-pack and my tools and start learning by doing.