Thanks for all the info.
Frank,
I would like to concentrate on 2 piece hand pours and injection. I'm not crazy about the flat sided soft plastics.
I am a little leary of the "starter kits" as well. If you were starting out and had $500 to invest what would you get? This will help me more than anything right now knowing what to get and not to get, ie. colors, plastic, hardener, salt, etc.