Cueadan,
Here are some links here on the forum that you might find useful.
I am moving this post to the crafter forum, with a redirect. If you explore that forum, you will find many answers to even your unasked questions.

When I first came back in February, I noticed the same thing with the info sites. Since then, we have added more up to date content to UO FOrums than any other active fan site.

1) The first link on the left in my signature will take you to our commonly asked FAQ. This explains many of the features (all updated for Pub 46 and the last FoF).

2) Our smithy guide for UO:ML is easily the most up to date on the web. Stratics makes you dig alot because the mods dont collate posts. Try this link

3) talismans. Urgh. A sore Point for me. I have asked via FoF, and barely got an answer (there is a link to the FoF answer in the talisman post). I have asked for talismans to be added to test center for testing, with no response. But I have collated all the info I can dig up on them in the common Item FAQ here

4) In the crafter forum, you will find quite a few posts on templates for crafters.

5) We have guides for tailoring, tinkering, carpentry, fletching, etc, all updated for the newest expansion.

Let us know if there are any other areas that need clarification!