I don't see that $1000 is a particularly high cost of entry for a hobby, particularly one where you build things that could severely injure someone if you do it wrong. Of course, with an expenditure of $1000 you would be ridiculously under-equipped to build frames, even if you were using files, straight edges and a vise as your main tools. Life is too short for the MAPP/Air approach. Although it has been done, there is even a book about it.