I pretty much s use speedymetals also for specialty stuff............say 6" dia. 6061 for power hone backer plates. They cut them within .004 in flattness..not bad for a band say that can cut your car in half............. ............well almost.
if you have a home depot/lowes near by, go their steel section and get a strip of mild steel 3 feet long and cut whatever you want for sizes.............around $14.00 thats 2 (two) inches wide ad approximately 3/16 thick, I do it all the time
that in person teaching is priceless and there might even be stuff on this procreate program too.................but sadly the class's and connective devices are out of your price range I fear
it's interesting that the mushrat and cappibarra are close to the same family as evident by the side shot of the road crosser and being in the RAT family too