I do not have a vintage machine but am on the look out for one, even though I qayg I think that bigger throat would be amazing.
I do not use specialty rulers, for hst I almost exclusively use magic 8. I have tried several methods for FG this 4 at a time no waste so far is my favorite, and the most accurate consistently I have tried. The Seminole piecing (or strip piecing) method to make many at a time has me intrigued but I still have enough of my Gma (frugality) in me that I can't bear that much waste when I can do it w/o waste.