

Using a spare system that isn’t in active use anymore to mess around and learn is definitely a good idea. However for long-term use I would keep an eye out for energy consumption. Depending on electricity prices it might make more sense to get a newer system with lower power draw, especially for something with high uptime.
I think for businesses that deal with physical items, rather than offering services, and are not drop shipping, selling something 3D printed has to be one of the lowest inventory options. You need to have the printers, some filament, and maybe some accessories like packaging boxes, but otherwise you can just make your product whenever you get orders (or have a small stock for faster fulfillment).