@Preston_Bannister
I believe you when you say that you are still in some kind of comfort zone when you work on projects with high risks. But in the end it doesn’t matter. We don’t talk about risks like project managers usually do in order to quantify something what they don’t understand. We’re talking about history, facts and physics in the reality.
Actually you are ignoring them all. Maybe accidently because this topic is simply too exciting. I know this. I had the same problem when I started a few years back. And you know what, I have enough parts for at least 5 printers but I’m basically only working on one since almost 3 years.
Well, I also have to say that my target is not to build a new printer. It’s basically learning and inventing details.
But there are a few things I’ve learned and these are probably the most important :
- you have a clever idea? Nice but calm down. There is a 90% chance that someone else already had this idea and tried it.
- you think that something works while everybody tells you it doesn’t work? Face they reality, there is a 90% chance that you are wrong
- you think your printer delivers the best quality possible? You’re wrong
- you think your printer is the fastest? You are wrong
As soon as you’ve accepted this you’re ready to go! Disappointing? Not really!
As I said, the big thing is already done. The trick is to improve the details. And there are more than enough.
I’ll try to write this as honest and Fair as possible now.
Your question “what is a ramps board” and the pictures from your printer as it is right now tells me a few obvious things :
- you’re missing a lot of knowledge about mechanical engineering
- you’re missing a lot of fundamental knowledge about 3D printers and their history
- you’ve never really worked with 3D printed plastic. Maybe even not with injection molded parts
- you have very limited knowledge about electronics
The problem with 3D printers is that they almost always come with complex problems distributed over several areas.
- CFD
- FEM
- Electronics
- Thermodynamics
- Software
- Vibro Acoustics
- and probably many more
I really don’t want to attack or disappoint you. Seriously!
But it seems that you have some difficulty’s to understand the complexity of this topic. Even though a lot of people tried to tell you exactly this in a very diplomatic way.
So just start to read the reprap wiki and i.e. this Google plus group. Read read read
And when you think you’re done, read more.
There is so much to learn and you’ll meet so many unbelievable clever guys. And they are more than happy to discuss all sorts of strange ideas. As long as you’re equipped with the right fundamental background knowledge 
You mentioned that you’ve already seen a few videos from Tom. Good starting point. Watch more. Check out other 3d printer channels and blogs (Richrap i.e.).
One last thing :
You can only learn from the past. There is in fact nothing else you could learn from.