3D Printing set up help

[TheDrunk]

I have a customer who asked me to look in to 3d printing, and software,
I have till after the first of the year to find and learn printing software, machine, and build a desktop for use soly on 3d printing
my budget for printer is 5k
tower is already being build,
Yet I have no idea about 3d printing,
so some advice, turtorials and guides that are good for noob, moderate and Expert.
advice I am looking for is
1) Computer specs to advance form beginer to expert that wont be needed to be replaced possibly upgraded for 3 to 5 years on one machine,

2) software that is best to use, for creating models to print.

3) good forums that have 3d printing advice and guides, and models.

4) gerneral info reguarding them

 

[PP Mguire]

I work on a daily basis with 3D printing.

These questions need to be answered:

1: What kind of 3D printing are we talking? Hobbyist printing like PLA/ABS? Powder bed? SLA/Ceramic? What type of printing is the customer wanting to do, and what does the customer intend to print?

2: What type of 3D modeling software is the customer experienced with, if any at all? This will fall under what the customer has under his/her belt, and what they intend to print.

3: If the tower is already being built, then do we need to still assist with hardware choice?

tinkercad.com is a good free place to learn how to create basic models and is browser based so almost anything can use it. There are a ton of sites that provide user made models for free like thingiverse.com. Idk about forums as I just learned as I went, it's pretty easy.

The rest all depends on what the customer wants tbh. There are all kinds of different variables for each application. Before I make any hard recommendations I need to know the answers to the above questions.