: I think a lot of people, myself included, see the circular saw as a
: construction grade tool - for cutting of 2x4s and making long
: cuts in plywood - and not as an accurate way of making
: repetitive and accurate cuts, i.e., strips.

: Sean

I've used a circular saw for ripping strips and other parts of boats for years and have never used a table saw. I get accurate and almost paint-ready cuts time and time again, typically with less than 0.01" runout over the length of a strip and less than 0.01" variation from the first to the last strip of a batch. The as-cut edge is perfect for gluing. You can get more accuracy with a table saw but nobody will ever know. Nothing special about the saw if it is good condition with no bearing play, but the blade is important - mine cost about the same as the saw, a construction quality finish-cut thin-kerf blade.

Here are the things I have found to be important:

Ensure the blade is running true before use
Add a ply base to the baseplate, square up the blade and lower it through the ply to create a zero-clearance slot
Use a long guide, about 3x the length of the blade is about right; that ensures the cut starts and ends true
Don't rush and don't force the tool against the wood
Watch for chips getting between the plank and the guide or baseplate; sawdust accummulates at an amazing rate: I rigged up a vac pickup on my saw
When cutting lots of strips off a plank, once in a while check the edge is still straight and plane if if necessary
How you support the plank is crucial: I place the plank on a table top that is protected by a sheet of insulation foam
I keep short lengths of strips of the various thicknesses I use as gauges to set the guide-to-blade gap and ensure it's parallel
Short pieces of aluminum strips are also handy as gauges
When cutting a batch of strips check the first one carefully in several places for uniform thickness and squareness - errors build up quickly