Novice Newbie

Hi guys!

I'm very, very new to CNC; just the only thing I know about it is
what the letters stand for. My experience in machining is limited to
the type of work needed for clockmaking and restoration. I have a
small knee mill (Myford VM-C) which I would like to convert to cnc to
do things such as cutting out the plates for a skeleton clocks, the
crossings on wheels (gears) and pallets for escapements. I'm sure
once I got a taste of it, the applications would expand.

My ultimate dream would be to either design or scan something on my
pc, put the stock on the mill, and watch it go! Ultimate finishing
for traditional sharp corners and angles would be done by hand.

I've read through the series that appeared in the Home Shop Machinist
in the mid-90's and orded (and not yet received) the back issues for
the seires that appeared over this past summer.

Are there other references? The sites on the web are way above my
head (and I wonder if they are really in English). What do I need to
get a system going? Will it cost me as much as the mill is worth?

Sorry for such a rudimentry question, but I just can't figure out
whether my expectations are realistic and how to take the first step.
By the way, this is for hobbiest level activity and fun; not a
commercial venture.

Thanks,

Mike