And JohnJ? Excellent idea with the clamped support boards. I will use that.

I see that aluminum angle stock at the hardware store all the time. I bet it would be very useful for building a straightedge with a nice piece of hardwood.

Yes, this too has limitations, but with a good straight edge (not any old chunk of scrap lumber) it’s not hard to get a cut that will be fine for all but the most demanding needs.

Oh - about the guide, I clamp support boards under the work to prevent it from moving around as the cut is made. By clamping everything, nothing moves as the cut is completed, and the accuracy is maintained for the full cut. Sure, it’s a lot of extra work, but for me, the results are worth it.

I particularly like Woodworking Magazine as it’s focused more on technique than tool reviews and the like and it’s ad free. (though it’s only published semi-annually I believe.)

This hits close to home as well - because I’m like many who are still fleshing things out (and saving for a house, and trying to keep a near-vintage german car on the road, and raising a 16 month old, and, and, and….).

I have access to my dad’s stuff, but he doesn’t have a heck of a lot. Basically his Dewalt 18v driver is the only thing of his that’s really useful to me in building anything. Otherwise I’ve got the Ridgid circ saw (thanks to toolmonger.com and ridgid) that I’ve used just as you’ve described - a solid straightedge with some clamps. Depending on how I’m cutting I’ll use either a pair of old saw horses or two picnic table benches side by side (for ripping sheets lengthwise). Haven’t had a problem yet.

What I’ve been researching lately is what I would need to do with hand tools to accomplish the same thing many are doing today with power thickness planers and jointers. Woodworking Magazine has been invaluable in helping with that (as has its sister publication Popular Woodworking. You can do all of that with hand planes. And you don’t have to buy expensive Lie Nielsen planes either. Yard sales, craigslist, etc. and invest some in a good sharpening setup (and time in learning how to get proper bevels, etc. on your plane irons, and you can pretty much build anything you can think of.

All I ever heard when I started woodworking was how I needed a planer and a jointer and how without them, I would not be able to build nice furniture. I found this to be very disappointing and frustrating until I remembered how much furniture my father built with just a skil saw, table saw and router (all three that I have).

All it takes is some imagination and creativity and you make anything you want with just some basic tools.

In conclusion: Yay go Sean!