I am in uncharted territory with this as my first kit and am working on a project plan to minimize the unforseen compications and costs.

To those who've already built kits: What were the main lessons learned about the project? What are the common pitfalls in the project or areas that require extra care?

I'm also searching for free or open source project management software. I have MS Project for work but will not use company resources for this. I've found several products but would like to hear from people who've actually used them.