Is it always ball-nose bits for cutting on the indexer (when doing round stuff)? Or could you also use straight end-mills, etc..?
I was plannin on starting off with the rounding off toolpath first. Can I use a 7/16" two-flute upcut bit for that? Or what would you recommend?

I know for the spirals, ropes, et al, it's specialty bits. Just trying to learn as much as possible before I go breaking stuff =)

Any other resources/required reading I should check out? I've watched the vectric and SB videos quite a few times, but that's it