the design for the saw is a good one, in that it was rock solid as it was making the cuts. Making the saw itself move as opposed to moving the wood through it would really make the build a lot more complex. Beefing up the frame to resist movement (chatter) while cutting through 16" of hard maple would be difficult, especially if the height was also adjustable.

using a stick to lever the wood through the saw was a very good way to regulate a steady feed rate and took little effort.

adjusting the depth of cut by stacking boards under the wood worked well, much easier and faster to do than I expected.