I would like some advice for novices. Two of us are building Little Auks on a shoestring budget. It is less expensive for us to rip our 1x6x12 North American Red Cedar and then mill it through our router than to purchase the kit. We are about finished with our strongback and forms and have our cedar. We have heard conflicting stories. On one hand a person writes that this is a piece of cake albeit time consuming and then another writes that this is a near impossible feat - whatever, we are committed and would like to hear from others.

Aside from safety precautions, are there any special recommendatons for ripping the cedar. It appears that one need but mark a kerf and keep sawing until nothing is left and move on to the next plank. Should we make a special fence? Is is practical that one of us feed the board and the other catch it as it is well past the saw? Same questions for the router. We have already purchased the bitts.

We plan to buy some white ash and use that for the outside stem and stern as well as the gunwale. We can but a cove on either end and build down for the hall and up for the deck. Previously, we had planned to use white birch but will follow advice from this bulleting board not to do so. Once this is done, you can expect more questions about epoxy and glass - havn't a clue about what to do or how do to it. But, you should have seen us before we became accomplished with the strongback and forms. Thanks.