This makes it much easier. Thank you so much hero. Where do you buy your 7555 timer? Radioshack doesn't carry it, and surprisingly, I can't really find it online either. Would the TLC555 work?
The TLC555 is the same part and will work.
Also, for diagram number 2. I have a few questions.
1. What does 10R and 4k7 on top of the resistors mean?
There are no 10R and 4k7 resistors on diagram 2.
You must mean diagram 3.
10R means 10Ω and 4k7 means 4.7kΩ
It's fairly standard practise to replace the decimal with the prefix and use R for Ohms.
And what is the yellow circle with the X?
It's the load you want to power, in the schematic it's a bulb but it could be a motor or heating element.
2. Where does my variable resistor, or pot' go?
See R2 on # 3 or the 100k resistor on #2.
3. That symbol on the very right, middle of the diagram is a mosfet transistor? Does that mean the gate goes to power, and source and drain go to ground?
Which schematic? I'll answer the question for both.
#2
It's a P-channel MOSFET, the gate goes to pin 3 (it's optiontional but you might want to consider adding 10R in series with the gate). The source goes to the +V and the drain goes to the load.
You can use an N-channel MOSFET if you like but the load and source/drain connections will need reversing: connect the load to +V, the drain to the load's 0V and the source to the dimmer's 0V.
#3
Look at Tr1.
The gate goes to the 7555 via R3, the drain goes to the +V and the source goes to the load.
Look up MOSFET in Wikipedia.
Note that the only ground on the schematic is connected to the load, the entire dimmer circuit floats on top of the load's positive power rail.
How much current does the motor use with no load?
How much current does the motor use when fully loaded?
What's the power supply voltage?
Some of the component values on #3 might need tweaking depending on the answers you give to the above questions.
Did you read the thread, I suggest you do before asking more questions?
Two wire dimmer