I set up my (new) shop with a portable Craftsman (Canadian Tire ).... after a bit of adjustment, and tweaking, addition of a really quality carbide blade, a homemade cross cut sled, and several featherboards, it makes excellent cuts that need only a touch of sanding. It even came with a laser guide !!

For the longer stuff, or the toxic (cedar) stuff... the tremendous advantage is that it can be very easily wheeled outside ....

I would like to own a much better saw ( wouldn't we all ??) but I think purchase of a good bandsaw was a much better decision. .... far more useful !! As well, a stable drill press, a router with table, a bench sander, a powerful Jigsaw, and a random orbital sander were all much higher up on the list . Dust collection, especially for cedar is an expensive and absolute necessity.

And of course all the "bits" : sanding drums , forestner bits, router bits, blades for the table, the saber, and the scroll saw, the sanding circles, and the sanding belts are not cheap, and you will need these especially if you buy and upgrade used equipment .

I also live just a few miles from the local high school: usually you can come in after school hours, or "register" for an evening course for just $30 and use the really expensive machines.... like the thickness planer.

Careful organization of your time and pieces of wood would enable you to do all your milling of boat strips or all of your shutter cutting in one long evening at a high school shop .. and because of their heavy use by students... they buy better saws, planers, routers, and dust collectors than you or I could ever afford.

Don't forget to thank the shop teacher with a personal gift ... LOL