SchoolCAD has a free timber cutting list calculator built in. From a 3D design it works out a cut list of every part, which standard boards and sheets to buy, what they'll cost and where to cut each part from each board, leaving room for the saw cut. Type how many students are making the project and it plans the timber for the whole class.
There are two exports: the cut list (a spreadsheet of every part) and the cutting plan & shopping list (a PDF with board diagrams and what to buy).
Before you start: give every part a material
Right-click each part in the Parts list and choose a material, such as Radiata Pine or Plywood. Parts with no material are left out of the cutting plan and show no mass or cost in the cut list. Naming parts (double-click them) makes both lists much easier to read.
The cut list (CSV)
Export, then Cut list (CSV) downloads a spreadsheet straight away. It opens in Excel or Google Sheets.
| Column | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Qty | How many. Parts with the same material and size share a row. |
| Part | The part names. |
| Material | The part's material. |
| Length, Width, Thickness (mm) | The size, longest side first. |
| Stock | For Radiata Pine, the standard board to cut it from, such as 140 × 19 DAR pine. Rip from means saw it narrower first. |
| Mass (kg) | Worked out from the material. |
| Cost (estimate, $) | A classroom estimate, with a total on the last row. |
The cutting plan & shopping list (PDF)
- Click Export, then Cutting plan & shopping list (PDF). (It's also under the total in the Parts list, and in the design Check.)
- Type how many to make in Make … of this design: one for a student, or your class size.
- Set the Saw cut (the kerf). It starts at 3 mm.
- Read the shopping list and diagrams, then Download PDF, or Shopping list (CSV) for an order spreadsheet.
What you get
- Shopping list: what to buy, sizes, quantities, estimated prices and the total, plus roughly how much each student's project costs.
- Board diagrams: one drawing per board with the parts cut from it, their lengths and what's spare. × 3 means cut three boards the same way. Shaded parts need ripping to width.
- Sheet layouts for plywood, veneered MDF, acrylic and polypropylene.
- Warnings, such as a part longer than any standard board.
What sizes it plans with
| Material | Bought as |
|---|---|
| Radiata Pine | DAR boards 19 mm thick (42, 64, 89, 140, 184, 235 or 285 mm wide) or 42 × 42 mm, in 1.2, 1.8 and 2.4 m lengths. |
| Plywood, veneered MDF | Sheets of 2400 × 1200, 1200 × 600 or 900 × 600 mm. |
| Acrylic, polypropylene | Sheets of 1200 × 600, 900 × 600 or 600 × 400 mm. |
For sheets it picks the size that wastes least. Prices are classroom estimates, so check them against your supplier before ordering.
Tip
Before ordering for a term, type your class size into Make … of this design and download the Shopping list (CSV). The design Check also flags pine parts that aren't a standard size, so students can fix them before you buy.
Common problems
- A part is missing: give it a material, and make sure it isn't hidden.
- Not cut from a standard board: the pine part isn't 19 mm thick (or 42 × 42), or it's wider than 285 mm. Change it to a standard size, or plan a glue-up.
- Longer than any standard board: the part is over 2.4 m. Shorten it or join two boards.
More help
- Cut list and Cutting plan & shopping list
- Forum guides: Free CAD for woodworking projects and How to make a DXF file for laser cutting
Try the calculator on the Display bookcase sample at schoolcad.app.