Replies

1. 
   starkw1 | Feb 04, 2021 12:10pm | #1

   Have you considered
   https://www.cutlistoptimizer.com/
   or
   https://www.opticutter.com/cut-list-optimizer
   ?

2. 
   john_c2 | Feb 04, 2021 12:25pm | #2

   There are a few online tools. The most recent one I used was

   http://workshop-buddy.com/cut-optimization-calculator.html

3. 
   esch5995 | Feb 04, 2021 10:19pm | #3

   Not to throw a wrench into the gears but it would take a large run of complex cabinets to compensate for the learning curve of new software vs just laying it out on graph paper. Also keep in mind the old military adage that the best of plans go to hell upon contact with the enemy. No software can tell you where the most attractive (or unattractive) grain patterns are on a particular board, plus unless these shelves will be painted I always try to cut as much from as few a sheets as possible to avoid staining and finishing problems. I would rather buy an extra sheet of plywood rather live with some glaring tonal mismatch in a cabinet because a piece of software told me I'd save a few bucks. Just my opinion.

1. 
   john_c2 | Feb 04, 2021 11:38pm | #4

   When I use plywood, it's only for paint. The optimizer I used above is helpful to use the smallest amount of ply possible. Simply input the plywood dimensions, part sizes, the thickness of the kerf, and it gives you images of the pieces to be cut. Much, much quicker than graph paper or anything else.

1. 
   realkingmixer | Feb 05, 2021 09:23am | #5

   Less troublesome waste, too, especially if you're the kind reluctant to bin or burn. Lots of panel work has nothing to do with grain or aesthetics -- you just want to keep the waste down, make the machine do the work and feel clever about it. Works for me.

   I've used a couple of them in the past but nothing I was anxious to use again. If there's a good Sketchup add-in I'd like to know about it.

2. 
   [email protected] | Sep 27, 2022 11:08am | #19

   I agree, most software programs are only designed to optimize as much material as possible. In the real world, you need to compensate for blemishes and optimize for looks. I do it the old fashioned way, I look at each piece.

4. 
   user-621324 | Feb 05, 2021 05:20pm | #6

   Thanks for all the input. I am very mindful of the learning curve associated with new software, particularly since I'm a hobbyist. I might make one or two cabinet projects in a year and I'm likely to forget most of what I learned in the 8 to 12 months between projects. Like others, I'm most concerned with conserving waste. Its not so much the cost of the extra plywood, its storing it. If I can avoid buying that extra sheet from which I might only need 10% or so, I (and my wife) will be much happier. I think I might give CutList Plus at try (www.cutlistplus.com). They offer a free trial, the basic software is only $89. I've found that "free" is often worth what you pay for it. Thanks again. If anyone has experience, good or bad, with Cutlist Plus, let me know.

5. 
   user-7184532 | Feb 12, 2021 11:06am | #7

   I've used the free version MaxCut for several years. https://www.maxcutsoftware.com/

   It's easy to use and with a little practice, you can use it for both sheet goods and linear layouts. It has been a big time saver and material saver, too. It's not an online tool and lets you save projects.

   The only thing I dislike about it is that it takes quite a while to load and the start screen is a bit confusing, but neither are that big a deal.

6. 
   bobd1234 | Jun 15, 2021 07:22pm | #8

   https://workshop-buddy.com/ is worth a look, here is a benchmark between it and another popular tool CutList Optimizer

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivcVXtTLQoQ

   The results of the benchmark are shown in the attached image

   I'm the developer, so any suggestions please let me know

   
1. FWW Editor
   ben_strano | Jun 16, 2021 09:41am | #9

   -bobd1234

   You're welcome to post here, but please identify yourself as a representative of the software you're posting about. Otherwise it's just spam.

   Thanks.

1. 
   bobd1234 | Jun 16, 2021 10:24am | #11

   Hi Ben - apologies, I've made it clear in my original post. I'm hoping to get some feedback from some experienced woodworkers and I thought here would be a good place to start. Keep up the good work!

7. 
   mikaol | Jun 16, 2021 10:00am | #10

   My two pennies worth; you know what you want the finished product to look like and the dimensions. A pencil & paper is best for transferring your idea.
   My only caution; be sure of the plywood thickness you want. Thicker may not always be better, even for load bearing.
   Hope this helps.
   Mikaol

8. 
   DRBWWing | Jun 17, 2021 09:47am | #12

   Cutlist Plus!!

9. 
   Deleted | Oct 25, 2021 10:46pm | #13

   “[Deleted]”

10. 
    Robert1101 | Oct 25, 2021 10:51pm | #14

    Try this out:
    https://apps.apple.com/vn/app/sheetcut-optimizer-nesting-go/id1544888549

    It's the simplest and easiest one I've ever found for sheet goods optimization, works pretty well for my projects, and it's cheap($4.99/mon, $49.9/year) considering the number of sheets I've saved!

1. 
   john_c2 | Oct 26, 2021 06:38am | #15

   I've used a couple of free web-based optimizers that do a great job. I can't imagine that 50 bucks will get me anything I'm missing.

1. 
   Robert1101 | Oct 26, 2021 09:13pm | #16

   Could you please share some of the free web-based optimizers with me? Thanks for the information!

1. 
   bobd1234 | Jan 01, 2022 01:56pm | #17

   I mentioned https://workshop-buddy.com/ above, which has a free tier (this is mine).

   If you google ‘free cutlist optimizer’ you’ll see the most popular ones

11. 
    Ian123 | Sep 27, 2022 10:30am | #18

    If you haven't found one yet or someone else is looking, I found this that was quite useful https://wooddesigner.org/cutting-list-software-understanding-the-benefits/

    I think they might be on the professional side though.

12. 
    erick_danielsson | Sep 27, 2022 12:07pm | #20

    I find https://cutlistoptimizer.com/ is easy to use, and is free. (Free is a Very Good price!)

1. 
   Foxy | Sep 27, 2022 01:11pm | #21

   I think you're limited to 5 calculations per day, and several options are disabled for free users with CLO - I've been using for a few weeks now and very pleased with the efficiency, no restrictions

   https://cutlistevo.com/