I have just ordered the timber cart from the guild. Also I just got the after market saw base for the Makita beam saw. Are these items worth having and do they stand up? I assume that the guild only sells good tools and the books are great. I look forward to using them. When I get a new shop space that is affordable.
How has business been in the USA? I heard that some shops here in BC Canada are doing ok. I hope that my fellow framers in the USA are going to be ok.

Are you talking about the 16" makita circular saw? If so, what was wrong the the base that came with it?
On a side note, how are things in the west coast. I was laid off my regular job. First time in over 20 years.
Thane

I've put the aftermarket base on my Makita, and I really like it.

The factory base on the 16" makita is pretty flimsy - stamped steel. The 10", on the other hand, now comes with a very nice cast base. Perhaps Makita will upgrade the 16" base next time around. But I suspect that most of the market for the 16" is for cutting landscaping timbers, etc, where accuracy is not as important as it is in Timber Framing. That's why most timber framers who own the MAK16 upgrade to the better base plate. I have both an "old gold" and a "new blue", and both have the upgrade. CB.

I am talking about the Makita 16 inch saw. The stamped steel base is too light weight to get accurate cuts. Things out here on the West Coast is well for some shops. The housing construction has slowed down. The forest industry is in deep trouble and so is fishing.