: . . . I will just free hand now and stop wasting my time
: with the guide. Someday I will have more of a workshop. . .

Scott,

If you can wait a day or so. I'm currently working on a project to make a table for a sabre saw. The basic material is a 2' x 2' piece of 3/4 inch plywood. Home centers sell these pre-cut as "handi-panels" for $10 or less.

It is basically the same idea as mounting abrouter under a table to use it as a shaper. For a router table you would just need longer legs.

Last week I used my sabre saw to cut off a 9 1/2 inch wide piece which I then made into 4 legs (9 1/2 inches long). The remainder is the top of the table, and a piece I plan to use for another project. I used a straight edge to get the 9 1/2 inch piece even, but I cut the taper for the legs free hand.

You could use melamine-covered particle board--such as a premade shelf--for the table and legs as well. They sell boards which are roughly 1x3 feet for that purpose for under $3 near me--and I've seen them on sale for a buck.

This week I'll glue the legs to the table top, and mount my sabre saw under the table with some bolts. I think you'll have better success cutting you strips freehand if you can get a better view of the actual location of the blade, and let the table support the weight of yor tool and wood. Then all you do is guide te wood and push it gently.

I should post a few pictures in a day or two, but here is a cutting diagram.

PGJ