advice?

[Zoaelite]

I understand your choice to try and save as much money as possible but this hobby is pricey and there is no getting around it. If I were you I would save the time and effort of trying to build your own (Not saying you can't do it) but wait for a good deal to come up and buy a used one. The hours that you will spend ripping your hair out trying to follow those instructions are just not worth it...
Levi

[banditpowdercoat]

I made a DIY skimmer, well, more modded an old Berlin to a Recirc style. It works, but is SOOO tempermental and touchy. a little height variation or just touch the outlet tube means the difference of No skimmate and flooding the floor.

[Bloodasp]

There are a lot of cheap good skimmers out there. Quality doesn't always reflect the price, in most cases it does but there are a few out there which are good. Look into bubble magus. Seems like everyone is raving about it.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

What size tank system do you have & what kind of bioload are you planning to deal with?

Becket skimmers usually are external skimmers with big, powerful, expensive pumps (at least for big tanks).

Anthony