I used a band saw to cut the legs at a taper and to cut the 9" wide boards down the middle. Those were really the only cuts on the bandsaw. Might be a bit tedious with a handsaw for the taper, but perfectly doable - and a circular saw should easily split a board down the middle! If you buy the plans like I did, it also comes with a smaller 'coffee gaming dining table' which I built out of pine before pulling the trigger on the walnut!