After years of using various distributions, I have become increasingly less satisfied with the way distributions package their systems. Most are unoptimized (except for Gentoo) and have too many "extras" that I despise. I want to build linux from scratch, from nothing. Armed with only a Kernel (Id like to check out 2.6.*), a filesystem, and some other software I'd like to build it all up for my architechture (Athlon). Are there any "instructional" websites or books that might help me in this. While I know my fair share about kernel optimization, I can't help but be weary about the entire process. Thanks for your help.

why not to try gentoo from the 1st stage? it is pretty close to LFS.

I don't like gentoo because of the emerge package system... too much stuff. Dont have 2.6.* yet (i dont think)

There is a whole Linux sub-culture around the LFS project. Where is the mystery?

well you need to have a working distro installed to build LFS.
you can't just do it from nothing. have you read the LFS book??

Either that or some really good programming skills.

Why not build the LFS and when your done you can easily remove the distro you used to build it, etc?

LFS is a bit complicated if ya ask me, for 1 i wasted like a week trying to get it to work, aparently the reason why i cant install it is because i only have a root about,

core linux is pretty good (you can install the seprate software packages by typing in the unpack commands sepratly, or use a script which installs some stuff i know i didnet need (like perl)), then you can compile everything from source overwriting the original files so youll get a curent system, optimized just the way you like it (you should use the LFS install instructions to compile everything, making changes to the instructions were needed))