Cut List Software

[Paul Franklin]

Can anyone recomend some good cutlist software for use on a MAC?

Thanks

Paul

[Michael Perata]

Paul

Cutlist is a good PC program that doesn't use a lot of computer resorces. Isn't there a Windows emulation program for Macs. Cutlist should run fine under emulation.

[John Renzetti]

Hi I have the Cutlist program also and really like it. Easy to use. Not sure if they have a version for Mac, but like Mike said it probably has a windows emulation program.
The just came out with a completely new 2005 version. I haven't gone to the website yet to check it out.
Mike have you upgraded as yet?
take care,
John

[Paul Franklin]

Thanks guys, but the emulation software slows the computer down to a very slow crawl. And I have a pretty fast computer! Any other options?

Paul

[Larry Browning]

Get a used Windows machine and run cutlist on it. You might find several programs to run that have no Mac equivilant. You can find used Windows machines for $100 or even less that would run Cutlist.

Just a thought

[Paul Franklin]

Larry

Thanks, but I will never use a Windows machine as long as I live, Windows is a pice of junk!
I took a sledge hammer to my last Sony PC, it was the best feeling in the world.
Paul

[Chris DeHut]

Magazines (including ours) try to publish either a cut-list or a cutting diagram of some sort. Many woodworkers follow these to the letter when making projects and I feel they are one of the worst things you can have or use.

Now before I get dumped on, please let me explain my position....

With a cut list or cutting diagram, more effort is put into maximizing the yeild of the timber without any regard to color matching and grain matching. With the exception of a rare "I just got lucky" the final project will look much less appealing than it potentially could.

While we all would like to think the first thing a person sees is our great craftsmanship we put into a piece, truth is, the overall look is the first thing you will see- the old "First impression". What is that people will see in that first moment?

Color, texture, and contrast.

The color of the wood(s), do they appear the same or do they miss-match and create an ugly overall appearance. Compare it to a paint job on a car. If each body panel was a slightly different color, the car's overall appearance would be greatly diminished.

The textures are something that are often seen as a result of grain patterns. Oak is a good example wood for this. Oak can be very straight grained and very "Flame (Catherdral) grained". Mixing both grain patterns on a single piece creates a very haphazard overall look. I believe in textiles (and clothing) this is akin to mixing stripes with plaids.

Contrast works both with grain and wood color, the light and dark areas of a piece. Sometimes in the design we create very specific shadow lines (raised panel doors, small rabbets, etc). However, if the color and grain of the wood varies within the piece, these random contrasts (where the mind doesn't think they should be) are very detracting from the overall appearance. This is often very exagerated when a piece is stained. Another potentially troublesome area is using high-gloss finishes on very open grained woods that are not prepared for it.

Following the "First impression", the eye will investigate furhter into the piece if the mind directs it to. If these three initial elements do not create a harmonious look, the desire isn't there to look further at the rest of the design (Scale, proportion, details, etc.).

The good part of a cut list (or diagram) is that they can help to guide someone as to the amount of material to purchase and increase build efficiency. However, if not used with care, they can be a primary cause of piece not living up to it's potential.

Sorry for the "rant".

Chris

[Greg Narozniak]

Larry

Thanks, but I will never use a Windows machine as long as I live, Windows is a pice of junk!
I took a sledge hammer to my last Sony PC, it was the best feeling in the world.
Paul

I love MAC people that Swear by their Oh SOOO Wonderful MAC machines yet most of the time this is the exact problem, no one writes sw for them. If you do Graphics get a MAC if you live in the real world get a PC

[Jim Becker]

"a bunch of good stuff..."

Chris, I use Cutlist Plus, but purely for sheet goods and it does allow you to compensate for grain direction, etc. For solid stock, I agree that hand-choosing is best. I use a piece of chalk to mark things out, usually after face jointing and skim planing the other side so that color and grain can be matched. Further, for solid stock, a cutlist program cannot accomodate "tilting" a component in a board to best utilize the grain that is present and that's something I find myself doing more and more to not only get better yield between any undesirable sap or "features" in a board as well as to keep the grain direction consistant with other components.

[Chris DeHut]

Chris, I use Cutlist Plus, but purely for sheet goods and it does allow you to compensate for grain direction, etc. For solid stock, I agree that hand-choosing is best. I use a piece of chalk to mark things out, usually after face jointing and skim planing the other side so that color and grain can be matched. Further, for solid stock, a cutlist program cannot accomodate "tilting" a component in a board to best utilize the grain that is present and that's something I find myself doing more and more to not only get better yield between any undesirable sap or "features" in a board as well as to keep the grain direction consistant with other components.

Hi Jim,

Have you tried that technique Paul Anthony demonstrated in the Micro Jig DVD for making those "Angled" cuts on small parts? Pretty neat technique but I find myself doing it on the bandsaw most of the time.

All in all, those little "tricks" sure do make for a better looking piece in the end. This past weekend I constructed a prototype table that I plan on manufacturing. The Oak I used for the legs was all straight grained except for one of them which was cathedral shaped, boy does that stand out like a sore thumb (more so than if I jammbed a 1" chisel into it ).

Everyone that has seen the prototype notices that "odd" leg everytime - makes me nuts. I should stick to my original concept of protyping in MDF to avoid all those little "Oddities" that come up in prototypes. Atleast with MDF, I can focus on the design without regard too grain, textures etc.

Chris

[Paul Franklin]

Greg

Maybe thats true, but there is a lot of software out there for the mac, its just this oddball stuff that is not avaiable, I was a PC user for years, and got sick of the unstability of the PC platform.
Just FYI I spent 3 hours on the phone with Comcast to get my wireless connection working on my PC, then told him I wanted to set up the MAC, he said just turn it on and there you go. It worked perfect.
Yes MAC people are sad people, but we have a far more stable machine and better intergration of software that is avaliable to us. The programs written for mac are just plan better! Sorry
Paul