Hi Laurie,
haas as a first milling machine! Wow... Lucky you. Very dangerous :-)

In my experience (a bit) pencil sketches are of the utmost importance. Pencil sketch then cad. You need to have a firm goal before you start with the cad or design intentions will change not according to your design intentions...

Generally stainless is not heat treatable. Do you know the difference between austenitic and martensitic?

Consider water jetting or laser cutting or plasma cutting your blanks. Anything but milling. Why? Give it a go and report back.

Designing and machining is incrdible fun if you like this sort of thing. It is also a journey of success and failure.

Never give up and good luck!

cheers,
Billy