Out of necessity I've learned to do a lot of the set up stuff myself. When I was on the road it was unlikely that I would find a good tech in whatever end-of-the-world town we were playing in so I started tinkering.
I really like the instrument to feel consistent, so truss rod and action were the first to be learned. I would just do a very small adjustment at a time, play it for a few minutes or longer, then if needed do a little more. Never do a lot all at once if your axe is close to where it you used to have it. A little goes a long way on the truss rod and bridge saddle adjustment screws.
A strobe tuner is about the best (lucky tot) for setting the intonation. And as little as 1/8 of a turn on a truss rod can change everything dramatically. Never use force when adjusting the truss rod...ever.
I'm fortunate to be close to the Ibanez importer for the western USA and I visit the repair shop often. Dale is about the best tech in the area so we've become pretty good friends. He lets me hang out, when I have time, and observe his techniques. Truthfully, I think he is tired of me bringing him guitars to work on and hopes I'll eventually take care of my own stuff more. The bulk of his work is warranty work from dealers from all over the west, so he gets a lot of experience. I'm now using him for some of the really tricky and hopeless cases that I come across.
Most of what he does is not rocket science. It's more about finesse. If you do a little research before hand and take care to get set to do the work before you actually begin, much can be done by even a beginner. Proper tools are a must, but you don't have to go whole hog and order the Stew Mac complete luthier kit. A good medium size flat file for the fret ends, some emery paper or 600 grit sandpaper to finish the fret ends, some steel wool to polish the frets (priceless), some tiny files from even the hardware store for the nut slots, and a cold beverage will go a long way towards getting you a much better set up.
When you start doing setup adjustments for yourself don't worry so much about millimeters or 1/16 increments. Instead go slow and pay attention to the "feel". That will help you to be more content, and then you can measure what you have gotten comfortable with and apply it to your other guitars.
