Small Block & Big Block Chevy Specific - Engine build: Best way to learn?

Ok so I have never torn down an engine before. I have a good set of tools, scattered but they are there. Would need bigger things like a hoist and a stand down the road. I ultimately want do a cam swap farther down the road. Unless I buy a short block then I would be building it up.

I have access to a laptop for instructional dvds (box wrench) and other literature if I needed it. Besides actually diving into my own stuff and potentially screwing it up I was wondering what the best way to learn is. Could it be done by going really slow, taking it easy, following instructions and asking for help (from internet) the only friend that was into cars that is close to me recently moved so I am pretty much on on my own.

Or would it be better to just first find some rig for a couple hundred that runs, tear out engine, tear it down then rebuild it and see if I can get it running?

The more I can learn and the less I have to rely on other people the better.

You could try to pick up a blown motor or high mileage motor at a junk yard or through the classifieds to put on an engine stand and tear it down to get an idea on how it's goes together and works. That way you can decide if you want to tackle 1 for your car. Lots and lots of knowledgeable folks here on this site to help you through it. Just my .02 on the question at hand.

find an old junk 305 or something, deff dont start with an LS1 or something of good value even though IMO an ls1 is as simple if not easier than an old sbc.. the price of a fuck up on an ls1 would be much greater than on something you dont have a use for or need, do you have any freinds with good hands on experience, have them over to explain things when your ready to go diving in, I would reccomend having someone there who knows how to build motors in conjunction with reading, sometimes what you read and the way you comprehend something can be wrong and make for a confussing nitemare,, when i was 16 i never for the life of me understood how books wrote out how to adjust vales or how the good hell to set the timing, one good hands on from someone showed me alot better than a book would explain it to me, and since the dreaded thoughts of some tasks are now enjoyable cake walks, Theres not one thing about rebuilding a motor thats hard imo.. it all a matter of doing a little bit at a time and undersanding it all, building confidence etc, it wont be an overnite process,