I am a newbie with some reclaimed untreated cedar and a dream
I have some 3x6 and some 3x8 boards that I would like to saw and drill together to make raised beds.
It would be even better if I could rip these into 1" widths but I suspect that is beyond my skills so I'd be happy if I could just get the variable lengths lopped off to regular 5' lengths.
I know that my cheap drill and hand saw aren't up to the task, but am confused about what kind of drill, drill bits and saw would be most effective for this job. I am hoping to spend under $200 for the drill, bits, and saw.
Appreciate any advice you can give!

 

Cedar is a soft wood - you don't need anything beyond regular power tools to work with it. Start with a table saw.

 

A table saw is for ripping. Cross cutting boards of the length you describe will be difficult. Due to the thickness, I would cross cut with a small chain saw or a sawzall with a wood cutting blade. These tools will not cut as exact as a circular saw or a mitre saw. The ideal tool would be a circular saw, but it would need to be a large, specialized version to cut boards 3 inches thick.

 

A band saw can be used to rip off 1" thik boards. Add in a sliding miter saw and you'd be prepared for about anything. A circular saw should handle the rest.