Hi Dave,
I'm not a teacher.... But you already have the skills to pick it up quickly. I sure in your days of tool and die work you worked with DROs on your machines. Figuring your X & Y locations for different features of a workpiece on a mill. Or setting the diameter and length on a lathe. Then just dialing to those coordinates on the DRO ... day after day....
Cnc mills are programmed with X & Y being the center of tool and Z being end of tool. That part is just like the manuals. You just need to learn the G-code part which if you're planning on taking some classes you'll pick it up there, quickly.
I wish I could be more help,
Jack
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