Sheet Goods Software Help

[Jim Delorme]

Hi everyone,

I am trying to find layout software for managing sheet goods to make the most of my material.
I would appreciate any input from you as to good and bad.

Thanks

[Robert J Guidry Sr]

I use CutList Plus. If you go to their site, there is a free version of it for trial, but it is very limited, 5 parts. There are several different versions of it that give you more, but more expensive, The beginning price was $89, but is good enough for the average user. You can add up to 50 different parts and up to a thousand of those parts.

You add your parts, add your inventory, ask for a layout and it will give you the best layout. You can in cases tell it if you prefer cross cuts, rip cuts, and it will change it for you. then you have the option to print out labels to attach to the parts as you cut them to keep them organized. It not only works on sheet goods, but also on dimensional lumber.

It will also keep track of costs for you so that you can see exactly what it cost you to make a project.

With as many cabinets that I have made, it did not take me very long to pay for it. I love it and would recommend it to anyone.

To find their site, just google CutList Plus, you can download the trial, or purchase the downloadable versions there.

[Jim Delorme]

Thanks Robert, I will check out the trial version.

[Kerry Drake]

There is a free plugin for sketchup that will do a cutlist for you based on your design.

[Jean Peloquin]

Check :) Free small program.

A "Cut Lis'' This program creates a diagram showing the stock pieces and how the required parts may be cut from them.

Data may created, deleted, modified and saved to a file for later use. Users can specify the width of material lost during cutting (saw blade kerf width), and the minimum dimension of waste material to report.

Solution searches give priority to crosscuts (vertical on the screen) or rip-cuts (horizontal) first or will try a Combination approach using all possible mixes of both types of cuts.

http://delphiforfun.org/programs/cutlist.htm"

[Jens Jensen]

Where do I find the plugin and is it for 6 or 7

Joseph Murro said:

Kerry,
What plugin is this for sketchup? I tried cutlist and I am having problems with it cutting 2 x 4's for a saw horse. Would like to try it in sketchup.

Kerry Drake said:

There is a free plugin for sketchup that will do a cutlist for you based on your design.

[Jean Peloquin]

http://lumberjocks.com/daltxguy/blog/5143

[Jim Delorme]

Thanks Jean, I will check it out as well.

[Jim Delorme]

Thanks Kerry, I don't have sketchup at this time.

[Alex Shiells]

Hey Jim,

Check out www.maxcut.co.za, South African guys wrote it but there is imperial and metric systems in it.
Works great, prints out reports with the cut list, board cut diagram etc. Best of all, it is free!

[Jim Delorme]

Thanks Alex....

[Juan Garcia]

Hi Jim. actually I prefer to use sketchup, you can download the software for free, the difference with the paid version is the layout software and some other applications but you can work perfectly with the free version, I draw the sheet in the sketchup and just move piece by piece of your project to the sheet, the advantage of this is you can select the position of every part and and every cut or crosscut of the sheet and with the other software sometimes you need to make a lot of tablesaw and crusscut set up. I hope you understand me because I am mexican and my English is not perfect. greetings 

[Alex Shiells]

My workflow is as follows:

Draw the project in Google SketchUp.

Export a cutlist from Sketchup via the plugin to Sketchup called "Cutlist"--> I only export the CSV file with the components and their dimensions. I find the Cutlist does not layout the boards that well.

Import the CSV into MaxCut to lay the components out on sheet goods for cutting. --> Print off the diagrams.

Use it - don't use it ;)