Buying wood - where to start?

I've had plywood cut down at Lowes and at Home Depot mostly just so it fits in my car. Lowes charges for the cuts (not very much) but I don't think Home Depot does. I've had bad experiences at Lowes where one time the guy ran the plywood through the panel saw BACKWARD (totally dangerous) and other times the cuts were so crooked, I had to fix them myself. I've never had a problem with HD.

Usually, I just borrow my dad's truck and buy the plywood in sheets then rip it down with my circular saw or table saw. My circular saw isn't even an expensive brand... its a $30 saw I bought at Walmart. I ditched the blade, bought a good one, and I've been using it continuously for about 6 years! It would be a good idea to invest in an edge guide or one of the new Kreg Rip-Cut guides if you're going to cut it yourself that way the edges stay straight! (I couldn't cut a straight line if my life depended on it!)

Hope this helps!

I do pretty much the same thing. I found it slightly easier to cut if the wood was raised up, so I put a couple of scrap 2x4s across a pair of saw horses and cut on that. Kristen at Pink Toes and Power Tools has a great tutorial at http://pinktoesandpowertools.com/2012/01/07/how-to-cut-plywood-with-a-ci...

Where can I get a edge guide and are they expensive?

Hello! Rockler sells the clamp-on edge guides (All-in-One Contractor Clamp) . I have a 50" and a 99". I think I paid about $30 for the 50" guide when it was on sale. I paid $100 for the longer guide but if you're going to rip a lot of plywood, it is a worthwhile investment. Kreg just came out with the Rip-Cut. I beleive it is available at Lowe's and it can be found online. It costs less than $40. I ordered one but haven't received it yet, and I'm sure it will save a ton of time!

Hope this helps!

Thanx, it did help!