The best method of acquisition is to work off a wish list, which you must be prepared to change over time as your knowledge increases. The purchases you make should be based on opportunity and price more than anything else. Buying new is almost always wrong. The best deals are auctions, deaths and bankruptcies. Chase those. This quest is fun, do not deny yourself. To do this you must have your shop space ready and cash in hand. Try to buy well tooled old quality iron. Do not be in a rush! Remember also that these machines must be fed with material, so you will also need material storage, a horizontal band saw to cut your stored material. Much of what you will be doing will be doing fabrication as well, so you will need a vertical band saw, plasma cutter and welding equipment. As a hobbyist you will be using HSS tools much more than carbide and you will need to grind your own form tools, so you will need tool grinding machines and stone dressers. The list goes on. This shop will never be plug & play. You will build this over time. That too is part of the hobby.