Two questions: Sawsquatch or Big Foot; Finish for hemlock frame exposed to outdo

[DOCatRU]

Hi folks:

I am beginning my first timber frame build this summer.  A retired teacher's dream. 

It'll be a 12 x 14 foot picnic shelter for the back yard of my Vermont farmhouse.  The house is a 1773 and 1810 plank framed timber structure and we have two timber frame barns on the property (one built in 1829 and the other around 1773).

TWO QUESTIONS:

1) Which saw?

I've read what I can find via Google comparing the Skil Sawsquatch and the Big Foot and I understand some changes have been made to each over the past couple of years.  Do any recent purchasers have an opinion?  I recognize that the Big Foot has a slight edge in depth of cut and my timbers are 8 x 8 and 8 x 10s.

2) Finish for hemlock that will be exposed to the elements?



 This will be an open sided picnic shelter exposed to the four seasons of Vermont weather.  The timbers are recently cut (within the last 3 months) so they are pretty green.  I am OK with rustic aesthetic of the timbers greying over time.  I just want the structure to last.

Any and all opinions are really appreciated.

DOC