Am considering building some counters and cabinets and am looking for
software to determine how much material to buy and to create cut lists. Am
an amateur woodworker and do not do production work, so any recommendations
for decent but reasonably priced (i.e. $100) software would be appreciated.

TIA.

Joe T.

Cutlist works well for what you are looking for.



"Joe T" wrote in message
...
Am considering building some counters and cabinets and am looking for
software to determine how much material to buy and to create cut lists.
Am an amateur woodworker and do not do production work, so any
recommendations for decent but reasonably priced (i.e. $100) software
would be appreciated.

TIA.

Joe T.

"Joe T" wrote in message
...
Am considering building some counters and cabinets and am looking for
software to determine how much material to buy and to create cut lists.
Am an amateur woodworker and do not do production work, so any
recommendations for decent but reasonably priced (i.e. $100) software
would be appreciated.

TIA.

Joe T.


Cutlist Plus works very well. As a software developer, I think it's very
well made for a reasonable price.

Here's a link: http://cutlistplus.com/

Good luck,

-m

Joe,
I have not been very satisfied with Cutlist Plus and still use it but
often end up referring to the original list. I have not found it's
layout always very efficient.
I don't find it's software engineering all that great. It seems like a
poorly featured spreadsheet type or simple table type of screen. I
find it rather limited in that respect.

MBR

Cut List is like Democracy. It's the worst form of government except
for every other form.

I haven't found anything much better than Cut List. The only other real
options worth considering are a full blown CAD package that will
generate the lists from your designs. Much more expenive and big
learning curve.

Cut List can be tamed a bit if you fudge with the setting. It works
better for plywood than board stock. I do mostly boards and it doesnt
always do cross cuts first, even when I tell it too. But if you go back
and reset the properties for the bad layouts after it generates them, I
can usually get it to do the corss cuts and arrange them properly.

On certain jobs this program saves me many many hours.

gadgetman wrote:
Joe,
I have not been very satisfied with Cutlist Plus and still use it but
often end up referring to the original list. I have not found it's
layout always very efficient.

I trust you realize you can change the way it lays out stuff via the
preferences? If you *don't* choose "best alignment" on the
"Optimization" tab you'll get more efficiency but greater cutting
difficulty.

--
dadiOH
____________________________

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....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

Mike Pio wrote:

Cutlist Plus works very well. As a software developer, I think it's very
well made for a reasonable price.

Here's a link: http://cutlistplus.com/

How is a project entered into that? Do you have a pre-made list of
dimensioned parts of the piece that is entered into the program?

Curious about how you use it... but can't myself as I'm not a
MSWxx/MacOSX user.

er
--
email not valid

I tried the CutList demo and did not find it all that inuitive to
use...especially for infrequent use in my home shop.

Tried demos of both CutMaster 2D Lite and SL8 from SheetLayout(.com). Both
user interfaces were easier to understand IMHO. SL8 lets you indicate
direction of grain for each peace plus it optionally uses color to id the
cut pieces.

Thanks all for your input. Given my limited needs, am sure one of these
packages will do the trick and are both $50 for the "lite" version.

Joe T.

"Joe T" wrote in message
...
I tried the CutList demo and did not find it all that inuitive to
use...especially for infrequent use in my home shop.

Let me throw in my 2 cents here Joe. I have done beta testing for Don, SL8
and Todd, CutList Plus.
Don at SL8 has not updated the program since the Summer of 2001. He and I
worked quite extensively on the program and how it would look and function.
Basically I persuaded him to make many of the features the way they are now.
He would revise the program 3 or 4 times a day for about 3 weeks during
thebeta testing. That said however the program does not flow as fluidely as
CLP. It does however IMHO do a bit better job of optimising. I have
unlimited versions of both CLP and SL8 and feel that CLP is a clear winner
when it comes to intuitiveity.

With both unlimited programs on my computer, I only use Cut List Plus.

Any form of CAD program allows you to do that. If you know how to use it
then you will never pick your nose again without a diagram. AutoCAD, I
can't believe everybody doesn't have it, is just akin to using a snap on
combination wrench vs. a rubber handled adjustable. If you can imagine a
cookie cutter in your mind and you can draw a rectangle, then you get the
point. Copying, modifying, moving, arrays etc. is ABCs. And it also allows
you to design everything. Dimension, order, print. And it does things for
you instantly no human can. You don't need a purchase order to sit down and
make something. You can probably use paint. Just draw the appropriate size
stock, create your pieces, copy, rotate, place. Peanuts.



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"bent" wrote:

AutoCAD, I
can't believe everybody doesn't have it,

I can. Think Price.

Thanks, Leon. I'll give CLP another try. Again, at the moment, my needs
are rather simple. Based on approximate part sizes of the cabinets and
counters I'd like to 1)determine materials required, 2) display layout based
on grain direction to minimize waste, and 3) total cost so I can convince my
wife that it a) might be or b) might not be cost effective for me to build
versus buy.

Of course, since I expect my dovetail jigs to arrive today via UPS, building
is my preference.

Joe T

"bent" wrote in message
...
Any form of CAD program allows you to do that.

Then when considering "Any form of CAD" you would have to do all the
thinking to make the pieces fit. Drawing 150 different sized pieces on to
15 ramdom width boards could be kinda tough when considering maximum
efficiency.


If you know how to use it
then you will never pick your nose again without a diagram. AutoCAD, I
can't believe everybody doesn't have it, is just akin to using a snap on
combination wrench vs. a rubber handled adjustable.

With that comment I cannot believe that everyone does not drive a
Lamborghini.

I've developed a cutlist program application based on MS Excel that you
might be interested in. See www.cabinetcruncher.com for more
information or let me know if you have any questions.

next your gonna tell me that you can get your program to design your project
for you.



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bent wrote:

Any form of CAD program allows you to do that. If you know how to
use it then you will never pick your nose again without a diagram.
AutoCAD, I can't believe everybody doesn't have it, is just akin
to using a snap on combination wrench vs. a rubber handled
adjustable. If you can imagine a cookie cutter in your mind and
you can draw a rectangle, then you get the point. Copying,
modifying, moving, arrays etc. is ABCs. And it also allows you to
design everything. Dimension, order, print. And it does things
for you instantly no human can. You don't need a purchase order
to sit down and make something. You can probably use paint. Just
draw the appropriate size stock, create your pieces, copy, rotate,
place. Peanuts.

Now tell him the cost of AutoCad and the learning curve ;-)

Joe Barta

Joe T wrote:

Am considering building some counters and cabinets and am looking
for software to determine how much material to buy and to create
cut lists. Am an amateur woodworker and do not do production
work, so any recommendations for decent but reasonably priced
(i.e. $100) software would be appreciated.

Your best bet would be to figure it out by hand using pencil, paper
and a calculator.

Joe Barta

"bent" wrote in message
...
next your gonna tell me that you can get your program to design your
project for you.


I thought that is what you were thinking about CAD programs. I have been
using CAD programs since 1985 but realize that many have their limits.

I would never pick my noise with a pencil. I agree it is not to be taken
lightly. I have an honours 2 yr. full time college CAD/CAM diploma. I
could "write" his PO in the time it takes to smoke a cigarette.



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bent wrote:

I would never pick my noise with a pencil.

Good thinking..

I agree it is not to
be taken lightly.

Lost me here.

I have an honours 2 yr. full time college
CAD/CAM diploma. I could "write" his PO in the time it takes to
smoke a cigarette.

Very impressive. I can **** into a pop bottle from 5 feet away but
that doesn't help our poster solve his problem ;-)

Joe Barta

"Joe Barta" wrote in message

Very impressive. I can **** into a pop bottle from 5 feet away but
that doesn't help our poster solve his problem ;-)

Hell, an old girl friend of mine could that ... without using her hands.

--
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Last update: 12/13/05

"Joe Barta" wrote in message
.. .
bent wrote:

I have an honours 2 yr. full time college
CAD/CAM diploma. I could "write" his PO in the time it takes to
smoke a cigarette.


Snore. I have 22 years experience with CAD programs, including AutoCAD.

"Joe Barta" wrote in message
.. .

Very impressive. I can **** into a pop bottle from 5 feet away but
that doesn't help our poster solve his problem ;-)


Now that is impressive.

"Swingman" wrote in message
...

Hell, an old girl friend of mine could that ... without using her hands.


I new a girl that put her cigarettes out bare footed... with out using her
hands. :~)

Oups Joe, I'm sorry. I made that look like I directed that to you. I did
not get my diploma in Outlook Express.



"Leon" wrote in message
m...

"Joe Barta" wrote in message
.. .
bent wrote:

I have an honours 2 yr. full time college
CAD/CAM diploma. I could "write" his PO in the time it takes to
smoke a cigarette.


Snore. I have 22 years experience with CAD programs, including AutoCAD.

Knew a girl...

seems to smell



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