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Thread: Plywood cutlist/layout calculator??

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
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    Minnesota
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    2,285

    Plywood cutlist/layout calculator??

    I have a measured drawing for a simple bookcase and the goal is to make all the pieces for the bookcase out of a single sheet of 4'x8', 3/4" thick plywood (except for the back which will be 1/4" ply).

    Here's my problem. I have a list of the pieces I'll need to cut and their exact dimensions. What I need is some type of online calculator that will let me plug in my pieces (with their dimensions) and spit out a drawing of all my pieces laid out on a sheet of 4'x8' plywood.

    Any suggestions?

    Jason

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Available for download online is Cutlist Plus...excellent program. I use the "Silver" version which had a reasonable charge, but I needed/wanted capacity for more components.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    Available for download online is Cutlist Plus...excellent program. I use the "Silver" version which had a reasonable charge, but I needed/wanted capacity for more components.
    Same here. Great program. I used it when I built a 14' wall of shop cabs. It more than paid for itself in saved materials.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Virginia Beach, VA
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    There's also a free version you can download here: http://www.delphiforfun.org/Programs/CutList.htm

    I've haven't used it yet, so I don't know how good it works.


    Keith
    Last edited by Keith Beck; 02-07-2008 at 7:51 PM. Reason: Bad link - it's now fixed

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    Minnesota
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    Thanks, Jim. I downloaded and you're right -- it works great!!

    I wish they had a Mac version. I don't use my little Windows XP laptop much anymore. Sigh!

    Jason

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    Available for download online is Cutlist Plus...excellent program. I use the "Silver" version which had a reasonable charge, but I needed/wanted capacity for more components.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    SW of Madison, WI
    Posts
    437

    Ditto

    double sigh on the mac version for most of the tidbits around the field of woodworking.
    Sharpening skills, the plane truth.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    San Diego, California, USA
    Posts
    2

    Delphiforfun wigout

    Per Keith Beck's link re the delphi program. Tried to run it on Windows Vista and it totally wigged out my machine...had to shut it down, the window was flashing like a strobelight.
    But I then bought Cut List Plus Silver for $90 with CD...awesome. I didn't even read the quick start guide and did an 8 plywood sheet, 74 parts cut list in about 20 minutes. I did it earlier today by hand on graph paper and it took 2 hours. It was tedious, and I wasn't positive that I had maximized cutting efficiency .This is a must have program for any shop. Lots of useful features. Paid for itself on this job alone (if only I hadn't already spent those 2 hours)!
    Thanks to all for recommending it.
    Last edited by Mark Unterberg; 07-29-2009 at 10:08 PM.

  8. #8
    I tried the free version and it didn't flash and seemed to work for me. Cut List looks interesting but what $90 for a home user is pretty pricey. What makes it better than the free program?

    FYI; the flashing may be related to the Windows Desktop, try turning Aero off and see if the flashing goes away.

  9. #9
    I've used the Delphiforfun free cutlist program for years. It works quite well, and it's free. I suspect that your real problem is Windows Vista, fortunately I avoided that sorry excuse of an operating system.
    I've measured three times, cut twice, and it's STILL too short...

  10. #10
    I have used Maxcut on a project. It worked fine, but my needs were pretty simple.

    http://maxcut.co.za/newversion/

  11. #11
    Been using CutList plus for years and it is an asset to my shop. I now use sketchup for all my shop drawings and can use cutlist plus in conjunction with the program. Just make sure that everything is a component when drawing.
    Good Luck:
    Don Selke

    Julius A. Dooman & Son Woodworking
    My Mentor, My teacher. "Gone but not forgotton"

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Southern California
    Posts
    65
    And we won't be getting a Mac version anytime soon. I just got an e-mail from Todd Peterson, CutList Plus Woodworking Software, that he does "not anticipate making a Mac OS version of CutList Plus."
    Forrest

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Monroe, MI
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    11,896
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Aronson View Post
    Cut List looks interesting but what $90 for a home user is pretty pricey. What makes it better than the free program?
    I've never used the free one. But I've had CutList Plus for several years now. I've paid for an upgrade once, which they let me jump to the next level at the same price. Of course now my upgrades in the future will cost me more. I'm pretty confident that my initial purchase was paid for on the first use in material savings. I've also exported Sketchup cutlists and imported into CLP for optimization. That is very handy!


  14. I guess one obvious advantage over the free Delphi offering is that Cutlist Plus apparently does proper metric units.

  15. #15
    I used it this weekend and it worked pretty well. It is slower than it should be but it is free. You also can't save the solution which is odd. So print out extra copies when you finish the solution.

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