Building a RepRap - day one

I've been keeping an eye on the
RepRap project for a while, and I've finally decided to build one.
The RRRF is a non-profit organisation set up to help supply parts for RepRap research and development supplies some useful electronics pcbs and kits. After a little delay getting things back in stock, I ordered a bunch of useful RepRap odds and ends, and a full electronics kit.

Pretty soon, a box full of goodies arrived. I bought:

• A full electronics kit - several PCBs with full sets of components ready to solder. My weakest area is electronics, so I need the help!
• An arduino interface board
• A few feet of Nichrome wire and a spare thermocouple - I'm hoping to build a seperate extruder to experiment with, and it will also act as spares.
• A big 5lb coil of ABS. I've seen some good results that HydraRaptor's achieved with ABS, and I'm interested in experimenting with it.

Over the last few weeks, I've also picked up from Maplins:

• a soldering iron and soldering kit
• some Polymorph (CAPA)
• stripboard
  
• wire
  

I've also dug out a bunch of tools from the garage - some small pliers, cutters, 'helping hands', clips, tweezers, anything that might be useful. There's also a good pc power supply and a bunch of pc fans and cpu coolers from previous experiments that will come in useful.

My plan is to make the electronics first, and then get a kit from bitsfrombytes for the mechanical stuff.

I need to practice soldering a bit before I have the confidence to let loose on the kits!