Plank cutlist optimizer how to#
Plank cutlist optimizer software#
Plank cutlist optimizer trial#
Plank cutlist optimizer plus#

The commercial reality may well be that, by default, every piece is cut from whatever pile of timber. It just gets very, very complicated! Of course this is, by and large, how timber element factories operate, but the scale is somewhat different from a scenery shop. After selecting the correct length from the pile of planks supplied and cutting, the saw operator has to write the part number on the piece of timber the chippie has to find the parts from another pile of planks and assemble them by the numbers. Now, at the shop, each member becomes a Part with a designated location and it is cut from a specific length of material. Some members may ?take? an entire length, but more than one shorter ones will be cut from one length. Now, at the timber yard they have certain standard lenghts. Then a script could go ?into? them and calculate the gross length and also angle settings for cutting. To get that accuracy, members should be extruded in elevation projections. If there's a better approach I'd love to know about it too.Unfortunately, even that would not actually do the job to the level of accuracy that would generate a true cutting list: some members may be of parallelogram -type of geometry.

Plank cutlist optimizer how to#

In this case I found boards between 6 and 8' by between 5 and 10' and had to plan how to assemble panels from there based on the cuts and grain pattern I think will work well. I can usually do better than 66% but only if I can adapt to whatever knot and defect placement I find. I end up inspecting and measuring boards at the lumber yard and re-planning my cut list based on what's available. If I can plan an entire project to be built from 4'x2' or 3'x3' pieces then I suppose I can make a guess at home much lumber I need but at least for me that usually isn't the case. That grade tells me that I can expect to get clear cuttings measuring at least 4'x2' or 3'x3' from 66% of each board. There's a good answer for dealing with sheet goods here already but it sounds like the question is asking about solid woods where I don't think planning cuts in advance works as well.ДЄdmittedly, I find hardwood lumber grading rules confusing but they do give some idea what I can (or cannot) count on when shopping for lumber.ДЇor example for my most recent project I wanted to use some maple which was locally available as no. If you need one panel that is 8' wide and another that is 9' wide, but your wood is 6', it is more optimal to make a 18' panel from three 6' boards and later cut your 8/9' panels than it is to use two boards for each of the 8' and 9' panels.

If you are making multiple panels of different sizes, it might be more optimal to build a larger panel and then cut it down to the individual sizes you need.

After your first attempt, try swapping certain parts around to see if it reduces waste or allows more parts per board.

Starting with large parts and then trying to place smaller parts in the waste areas.

Placing parts with a similar dimensions next to each other.

Performing a rough cut with a circular saw in your garage and further breaking down in your shop might be easier for you but will affect the final layout of parts

First, consider any limitations due to equipment, space, etc.

Plank cutlist optimizer trial#

A lot of it was probably done by trial and error, and there might have been more waste.

Plank cutlist optimizer software#

It automatically accounts for waste, blade kerf and other items that need to be factored in.Д«ut of course, people have been building things long before there was software to create cut lists. It will also generate a bill of materials and reports on project costs.

From here it will generate layouts, which you can optimize for ripping or cross-cutting, or manually re-arrange. Panels can be separately created and it will break it down into parts for you. I don't want this to sound like too much of a software product review, but it handles storing your supply of lumber (dimensions, cost, types) and then lets you enter all of your parts.

Plank cutlist optimizer plus#

If you're looking for quick and easy, I am currently using CutList Plus (no affiliation) and it does everything you mentioned in your question.