I'm a complete noob, I can only do assembly-level repairs: replacing batteries, screens & such. All I do is unscrew things, remove ribbon cables and put things back together - and maybe some terrible de/soldering if replacing a battery.

I only got into it when I had to replace a cracked tablet screen (the Nexus 7 was great!) All you need are basic tools, spare parts, the right YouTube/iFixIt video, patience, and the accepting that you may make a mess of your current project.

If you want to try it out, I'd recommend fixing a broken gadget that would have otherwise been discarded. You'll exercise finding the right repair tools and how to find the spares online

That's great to hear! I've got a few devices laying around that roughly match that description, would like to find a good source for stuff with cracked screens. Until then eBay it is!