Cutting plan software (freeware)

Lance E

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
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Imageland
After driving myself nuts figuring out cutting plans and wishing I had some better software I finally gave in and searched the net, I came across this site which had a download, I tried it out and have to say that this is probably the best cut plan software I have seen. Give it a whirl if you have the need for a kwicker easier solution yourselves.
Lance
 
Lance, maybe it's still too early and I haven't had my morning Dr. Pepper yet, :confused: but what do you need a cutting plan for? (I know, I'll probably go "DUH" once he tells me.) Is it for board feet like the site shows, or moulding length, or matboard cutting?

Betty
 
Especially good for MDF sheets when you have an order for a mix of sizes, it will be kwite applicable for matboard/glass and other backings materials also. I could see the advantage of almost any workshop using such software, especially if batching jobs is the preferred method.
With our business it will be very handy to reduce waste on some of the bigger orders of Ready Made frames as an order may require 600 16x20's 1400 14x11's and a smattering of 10x8's, every single bit of waste adds up and I'm a tightwad.
 
Originally posted by Lance E:
........., every bit of waste adds up and I'm a tightwad.
Nah!....I don't believe it.....a Kiwi being a tightwad? Surely you jest, Lance??? ;) ;) ;)
 
Okay, okay...
today we used this software to size up 12 jobs rekwiring Con-Clear glass, I believe that the cutting plan saved a little over $15, $15 dollars a day at a kwiet time of year... need I play like a broken record???
 
I got good one for you Lance.

We are doing a gig of 1100 11 x 14's

With a layout we can squeeze 27 out of a sheet, and have that 1 inch strip in the end.

BUT . . . add the kerf of the blade, and we end up being pretty under that actual inch of waste. In fact, it is under 11 x 14.

That puts me back to 24 per sheet. A difference if of using 41 or 46 sheets to do the job.

BUT if I ask the acrylic distributor very nicely to use the thin blade they don't like to use, I can get 27 11 x 13 7/8 out of a sheet with kerf waste.

And I still get the Cyro rebate for every sheet used.

If I change the dba we purchase under, I may be able to max out another 100 rebate, but that would be another ethical business practices thread. . . .
 
Originally posted by Marc Lizer:
I got good one for you Lance.

With a layout we can squeeze 27 out of a sheet, and have that 1 inch strip in the end.

BUT . . . add the kerf of the blade, and we end up being pretty under that actual inch of waste. In fact, it is under 11 x 14.
If you cut this on a Fletcher 3100 with the scribe and break system, there would be no kerf at all, thus you would get 27 out of the sheet after all.
 
Originally posted by jframe:
Lance, we don't use much MDF in the US. How do you cut your MDF?
Fine quality custom framing shops here in OZ don't use MDF at all, because it is full of acid and absorbs moisture and goes mouldy quickly......Kiwi's haven't found out about that yet I guess!! ;) ;) ;)

(I just couldn't help myself, Lance, even though I know you wouldn't use MDF in fine quality framing.)
 
We cut the 2.7mm MDF on the Fletcher 3100, in the past we have cut this thin stuff with the table saw, nasty, horrible job. The 3100 has no kerf and will save money on almost all cut plans, including the 28/sheet 14x11 plan, Marc get a good wallcutter and save yourself another sheet.
The MDF is used only as the backs in our ready-made frames (of which we make kwite a few), however as a member of the FATG it would be fine to use it in the custom work.
 
An update...

We have been using this software for a while now, I will never ever try to run another workshop without it (or something very similar).

I genuinely believe that someone cutting out as little as 4 sheets of Con-Clear a month would benefit from using this software, it will pay for itself very quickly. Anyone employing staff will see the benefit almost immediatly.

It is really, really good. Whilst I realise that many of the software programmes do have cutlists etc, try this one out anyway.
 
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